transparent lcd display pc case brands
LCD Spec: 19” transparent TN LCD side panel display with 1280 x 1024 resolution enabling the complete customization of the side panel. Users can configure the digital display to feature video wallpaper, images, or system temperatures in real-time
CDS as you can see offers an entry level up to high performance rugged range of panel Computer solutions. This stylish range offer integrators an alternative designs and performances whether that be rugged industrial or sleek sealed operator interfaces. The CDS Clearvue Transparent showcases, Hypeboxes and clear OLED display range offers affordable and reliable quality Panel PCs. These are used in Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), home automation, Building control, factory automation, touchscreen table, process control, SCADA and CAN BUS.
Our new generation of Panel PCs are very impressive utilising powerful technology as well as attractive designs. Users of the CDS products can reliably utilise operating and monitoring processes in your systems to give the impression of an invisible display.
There are plenty of unique computer cases on the market, but iBuyPower"s Snowblind Element separates itself from the pack with a transparent 19-inch LCD side panel with a 1024x1280 resolution to both show off your PC and display various graphics. It"s a little bit trippy, and it"s half off right now.
This is one of those cases where words alone don"t do it justice, you need to actually see it in action. To help with that, iBuyPower put together a video showcasing its Snowblind series. Have a watch:
Pretty neat, right? The Snowblind Element is based on NZXT"s S340 mid-tower, which is a good starting point. Unlike a regular S340, however, the side panel on the Element can display custom images, meters, and video wallpapers to give your setup a distinctive look.
What started off as an NZXT S340 morphed into a Snowblind Element, with a customizable transparent LCD side panel. If you want a case that stands out from the crowd, this is it.
Priced at $299 (MSRP), the Element is normally a tough sell, even with the nifty side panel. That"s why this deal is so enticing—it puts the case within reach of more reasonable budgets. I didn"t have a bead on this one during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but according to a thread on Reddit (fist-bump for the heads up on this deal), it dropped to $129 during the former and $200 during the latter.
This deal sees the price nearly match its Black Friday discount. If you"re looking for something different, the Element definitely fits the bill. Otherwise, check out our picks of the best PC cases for other other recommended options.
Transparent LCDs give a new option for digital advertising and signage. With the ability to see through the screen whilst still showing moving or still adverts, the transparent LCD is perfect for store window displays. These transparent LCDs are also available in custom refrigerators and display cases.
Transparent plastic and tempered glass have been the standard for PC cases for over a decade now. So if you’re going to be constantly looking at your PC’s guts, why not just end the pretense and stick a whole-ass monitor in there? That’s the idea behind the Side Panel Kit, a full 13.3-inch, 1080p monitor that sits behind the transparent panel of your PC case and connects directly to your motherboard. The screen acts as a standard monitor in Windows, displaying whatever you want.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen massive screens mounted directly onto a desktop PC. In addition to novelties like smaller LCDs attached to CPU AIO pumps, RAM, graphics cards, and probably the backside of the motherboard by now, you might recall iBuyPower’s Project Snowblind. It also turned the entire side of a PC case into a display, albeit a transparent one designed more to show supplementary data. In comparison, Asrock’s screen is relatively basic. It’s just a nice little IPS LCD that sticks to the inside of your PC case with the included mounting brackets.
While the screen should be installable into any case that can physically house it (you’ll need a clear area on the side panel 300mm by 193mm, horizontal or vertical), there’s one little foible to the design that might be a dealbreaker. The screen connects directly to the motherboard via an Embedded DisplayPort (eDP) cable for both data and power, as noted by Tom’s Hardware. eDP is a standard connection often seen in laptop screen panels, but it’s rarely seen in consumer-facing electronics…and Asrock is the only company making motherboards with an eDP connection built-in. There’s no easy way to make an adapter, either, since unlike regular DisplayPort it includes electrical power as well.
Around 3 years ago, I started planning a build to replace my aging i5-3570K PC. I wanted something unique - something that couldn"t be simply purchased off the shelf. RGB was just getting big, so I went against the RGB trend and started looking into other ways to make my build stand out. Eventually, I was led to research transparent LCD side panel mods.
2 years ago I put together the initial PC. I picked up a Ryzen 7 1700x for $150 as a placeholder for Ryzen 3000 for this build. That release came, and to my surprise AMD was still lagging behind Intel in gaming performance. But with Ryzen 5000, that"s a different story! The Ryzen 5 5600X is a beast, with huge uplifts in single core performance compared to my old 1700X. Heck, it even beats it in multi core.
You can find a full build log here, which includes more pictures and even videos of it in action: https://forum.level1techs.com/t/time-for-my-second-build-a-project-lcd-case-v2-v3/135450/
Adding a secondary monitor to your setup is an easy office hack for boosting productivity. But not every desk or office has room for another display, even a small portable monitor. That"s why we"re intrigued by a new ASRock kit, as niche as it may be.
ASRock"s 13.3-inch Side Panel Kit, spotted by Tom"s Hardware on Tuesday, includes a 13.3-inch IPS display meant to attach to the inside of a desktop PC"s side panel. This is a convenient design for people who are low on space but still keep their tower on a desk. The kit provides a 1920×1080 display with a 60 Hz refresh rate, 300 nits of brightness, and an 800:1 contrast ratio, making its specs comparable to dedicated portable monitors in the $200 range, such as Lenovo"s ThinkVision M14 (although, when we tested the M14, we recorded a notably higher contrast ratio, 1,064:1, than ASRock"s panel claims).
The Taiwan-based company, which is known for selling DIY PC parts, also says the 13.3-inch Side Panel Kit will work on "most" ATX, Mini-ITX, and Micro-ATX PC cases. As any PC builder will assure you, compatibility with "most" PC cases does not mean compatibility with them all.
Further, for power and data, ASRock"s display must connect to a motherboard via Embedded DisplayPort (eDP), a rarity among desktops, considering it was made for embedded displays, such as those in laptops. According to Tom"s Hardware, this limits the display to people with an ASRock motherboard, and there are fewer than 10 ASRock motherboards with eDP. And because the connector includes power as well, there are no readily available adapters, either. Advertisement
Those are enough caveats to make this product impractical for most users, but it"s still a neat idea. The kit provides a secondary monitor without requiring additional space, providing a convenient place to display things like a Slack chat or to stream video while you work. On its product page, ASRock says the display could be used to watch video guides or streaming for gamers.
The kit also provides flexibility. Theoretically, you could use it on multiple monitors, assuming everything"s still compatible. That"s different from iBuyPower"s Snowblind S PC case, which has a 19-inch, 1280x1024 transparent LCD display on the side. However, the transparent panel doesn"t appear to have the strongest image quality and is also meant to showcase PC components, which are encouraged to be white or silver, to help images on the display pop.
Laptop users already have more options. Take the NexPad, for instance. Announced in October, it"s a 12-inch IPS display that"s meant to sit on top of a laptop display for more vertical screen space. While ASRock"s kit isn"t as simple as the NexPad, perhaps it will help pave the way for more versatile solutions for desktop users.
3D Projection Touch Interactive Transparent Touch LCD Display Cabinet advertising machine Custom housings & display cabinets for transparent Touch LCD screens
The transparent screen display cabinet is a transparent screen computer with touch control, it could play video, text through the touch screen, to introduce the full range of information of the built-in items in the way of pictures and pictures, at the same time could protect valuables, could be used for product promotion, cultural relics explanation, valuables propaganda. It has the following characteristics:1. Transparent display cases of 15.6-86 inches can be customized;2. Support interactive 3D model display, touch-sensitive;3. Complimentary CMS content management system, supporting Android and Windows hosts;4. Support remote information release and remote management;5. Built-in WiFi module, SIM card slot, support 4G/5G Internet access in any country.6. Support 2K or 4K resolution.
iBUYPOWER Snowblind - Tempered Glass LCD Side Panel Gaming PC!If there was ever a concern that PC gaming was stagnating, a recent spate of new system announcements and Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to Windows 10 gaming should put such concerns to rest. Not only are there the usual upgraded CPU and GPU cycles underway, but gaming system makers are tossing some real innovation into the mix.
One example is iBuyPower, which makes a complete line of gaming PCs spanning price points from low to high. They have apparently moved on from just offering the highest-end components, however, with new cases that incorporate a transparent LCD display in a side panel, PC Gamer reports.
According to iBuyPower, “Project Snowblind represents the next leap forward in gaming PC customization. Featuring a tailor-made clear LCD side panel, this PC will showcase your hardware like never before, while allowing you to have virtually any graphic display.”
You can customize a new Snowblind system by heading over to the iBuyPower site. The company hopes to ship systems by the end of February, meaning that you won’t have to wait too long for one of the more innovative case accessories we have seen in a while.
If you want a secondary screen but can’t quite fit one onto your desk, you might want to check out ASRock’s latest invention — a PC side panel display.
PC owners have all that space on their chassis, and nothing to do with it. As long as you’re willing to give up being able to easily peer inside the case (and admire the RGB light show, if that’s your thing), you might like ASRock’s 13.3-inch Side Panel Kit. This is essentially a monitor, similar to that in a laptop, that is attached to the inside of your case.
As the panel is installed within the chassis, your case needs to have a side panel made of transparent tempered glass. It has to be sturdy enough to hold the screen, but it also needs to be see-through so that you can see it in the first place.
For a little side monitor, the IPS display sounds decent. It measures 13.3 inches, has a 16:9 aspect ratio, 1080p resolution, and a basic 60Hz refresh rate. The display seems to be fairly bright and suitable for all kinds of things.
You could use it to simply monitor your PC’s temperatures and speeds, or you could turn it into a proper secondary screen for productivity or entertainment. Granted, needing to view it through the case will probably diminish the experience a bit, but it’s still a fun gadget if you’ve got limited desk space and want an extra screen. If you do get one and plan to use it for productivity, you might need to re-think the placement of your PC case to avoid constantly having to turn and look to the side.
With all that said, there’s one catch — not that many people might be able to use this gadget, and that’s all because of the fact that it has an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) connector. This means that it runs both power and video through just one cable, and while that’s handy, most motherboards don’t support this kind of connection.
This availability is likely to affect the popularity of ASRock’s new gadget. However, if you have one of the required motherboards or you’re planning an upgrade soon, it seems like a fun addition to a PC build.
Transparent LCD’s provide an innovative display solution opening up new ways for brands to promote their products and services. Examples include retail stores looking to advertise a new fashion clothing or accessory, museums securely housing a precious artifact with information displayed on screen or brands looking to launch a new product at a live event or show. The opportunities are endless!
Our Transparent LCD Displays include a Grade A LCD panel with metal bezel protecting the edges / electronics and a media board supporting HDMI or VGA inputs from your PC, Laptop or Media Player.
Transparent screen technology offers intriguing ways to deliver visual information to your audience, being used to reveal or conceal products, objects or artefacts behind the screen.
The combination of HD LCD technology (4K on our 65″, 86″, 98″ version) with a transparent screen substrate opens up creative avenues that were previously closed with traditional LCD displays. Solid black pixels on a transparent background can be used in intriguing ways to hide (and gradually reveal) whatever is behind the screen.
Our Transparent LCD monitors are designed for integration into the customers own furniture housing or display case while our Transparent LCD showcases offer a complete solution including the display, housing and backlight with white or black options available on request. We can also offer custom freestanding options for POP / POS displays. Transparent LCD’s are predominantly fully housed however we’ve recently developed an innovative housing method using a high brightness LED panel which allows the display case sides to remain transparent for improved visibly into the display case.
Using their original design as a starting point, we worked closely with the team at Nike to adapt to the mechanical aspects of the design, the result was a sleek and minimalist set of nine Transparent LCD Display Screens, custom built to suit the applications requirements, bringing Nike’s original concept ideas to life.
These screens can also be granted multi-touch capability by combining them with infrared touch frames or PCAP touch overlays, to add an interactive element to your installation. This creates a very powerful impact when the content on screen integrates with real life objects behind the screen, encouraging viewers to interact on a level that will exceed expectations.
Retail windows, interactive booths, display cases, interactive games, vending machines, drinks coolers… the uses for this amazing technology are limited only by your creativity.
Transparent LCD’s comprise of an LCD panel without the backlight with white pixels appearing as transparent. In order to display an image, the Transparent LCD needs to be integrated into a housing with a high bright LED backlight.
We can also offer more complete solutions like our Transparent LCD Showcase that comes fully contained and ready to use with a powerful backlighting system to guarantee the best picture quality.
Yes in order to display an image Transparent LCD’s need to have a strong backlight. Notoriously Transparent LCD’s have also needed some form of housing to achieve optimum image quality, however, Nike’s House of Innovation paired our Transparent LCD’s with powerful, oversized backlights that allowed the screens to be mounted with no surround but still producing a high-quality image.
Transparent LCD’s are arguably the most popular transparent screens but are hindered by their need for a backlight to operate. For applications looking for a similar effect without the backlighting, Transparent OLEDs require no housing or surround but are only currently available in a 55″ screen size with HD quality. For larger transparent screen applications, Transparent LED’s are recommended with external and internal solutions usually installed to glass facades for the impact of an led screen without compromising the view from inside the building.
We also offer transparent projection technologies including our Clearview Rear Projection Film featured in Guardians of the Galaxy as well as at the 83rd Oscars celebration and MTV EMA awards.
Transparent LCD’s are a great way to combine physical and digital displays in one central place making them a popular choice for museums and exhibitions. Our transparent screens can also be integrated into display furniture and appliances & vending machines like freezer doors for supermarkets. Other uses include POS displays, store window displays, trade shows and product launches.
We manufacture in Britain and ship worldwide – if you need further information, a pricing quote, or want to discuss ideas for using our Transparent LCD Display click the link below to contact us, email us via info@prodisplay.com or call us on +44 (0)1226 361 306.
Equipped with IPS Screen with HD 1024*600 high resolution, 16:9 display format conversion in the image and an expansive 178 degree viewing angles is ideal for work and for reviewing on-screen data.
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Desktop PC builders often overlook the importance of choosing the best PC case for their next system. Or they kick the decision down the road until the very end of the part-picking process. They might first decide on the CPU and graphics card that best fits their needs and budget, then move on to choosing a motherboard and storage.
But you really should consider your case options early. Getting the best PC case for your build is important because it"s what forms the identity of your computer, dictating its looks and what fits inside, plus the noise levels in your room. It massively affects the cooling potential of your rig as well. You can choose to go for one of the best Mini-ITX casesto minimize your system’s footprint on your desk, or you can get a chassis like Fractal Design’s Meshify 2 to house a big, butt-kicking workstation with lots of expansion possibilities.
Below we’ve gathered a list of the best PC cases from the dozens of models we"ve tested in recent years. As long as you check whether the parts you want to use will fit and you like the looks, one of these cases should keep you and your system happy for several years to come.
Why you can trust Tom"s HardwareOur expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.Figure out what parts you have/want first. Before prioritizing looks, you’ll want to know what motherboard, graphics card, and cooler you’ll be using, plus how many drives you’ll want to install. This will dictate the size of the cases to consider.
Cooling is key, especially in small cases. Airflow is important in choosing the best PC case, especially when it comes to high-end components in tight spaces. Check our cooler reviews for our cooling test results before buying, and remember that cases with glass fronts and tops restrict airflow and may need extra fans.
Choose a chassis that you like to look at. Your case of choice is likely to spend lots of time in your peripheral vision. Don’t forget to check airflow and that your parts will fit. But after that, find something that appeals to you visually. Take the time to find a case that appeals to you visually. If you want to show off your case"s internals, a case like Hyte"s Y60 with its panoramic glass is certainly appealing. But know that generally speaking, the more glass found on a case, particularly in the front, the warmer your system is likely to run.
We aren"t sure who asked for a PC case that mixed mid-century modern design (wooden slats and all) and high airflow, but we sure are glad that Fractal Design answered with the excellent North mid-tower. Available with either a mesh side (as we tested) or tempered glass, and in white with chrome accents on the IO and feet, or black with some seriously pretty brass, this is arguably the prettiest PC case ever produced, period.
And while its materials quality could be seen as a little lacking, this is a case where you pay for its excellent design, not only in looks, but also practicality: it has tons of cable management space, is laid out logically and with easy to access filters, a breeze to use and maintain as your daily driver.
Phanteks has a history of delivering value and performance with its cases, and the Eclipse G360A is no exception. At $100, it costs about $10 more than the current price of the previous Eclipse P360A, but you get an extra RGB fan and support for larger 360 radiators at the top and front. And with the new G360A, all three fans feature PWM for better efficiency, noise output and control. If that isn’t worth an extra $10 to you, then you may want to scoop up the P360A while it’s still available.
Despite some quirks in its design, the Eclipse G360A is a truly great case for gamers on a budget. Heck, even if money isn’t a major issue, it’s still nice to get good airflow and attractive RGB without spending a lot. Sure you could pay more for something else, but the Eclipse G360A is proof that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great breezy box for your PC parts.
With a starting price of just $100 (or $15 more if you want to add an RGB controller and more USB ports), Lian Li" Lancool 216 delivers some of the excellent design features of its pricier O11D Evo and Lancool III cases, while adding a nifty PCIe fan mount, and large 160mm RGB intake fans. The top IO can be moved to the left side, near the bottom, if you"re going to keep the case on your desk.
Lian Li’s PC-O11 Dynamic has been a staple, go-to PC case for pretty builds in recent years, but its days might be numbered. The O11D Mini was inspired by its design, but had a few issues. But now, the O11 Air Mini comes in as a brilliant alternative.
Priced at just $110, you get a lot for your money with this case, including three PWM fans, bits of pretty aluminum, a glass panel, handsome looks, plentiful IO, a brilliant internal design and full ATX compatibility.
With just two of the company"s F120Q Airflow case fans behind a skeletal frame with a perforated front panel, the NZXT H7 Flow manages to deliver excellent temperature and noise level numbers in our testing, beating or competing well against pricier chassis with more fans and glass panels. It"s also a pleasure to build in, with good cable management and a $130 MSRP that"s quite reasonable in this era of seemingly ever-increasing prices.
The primary missing feature here, which will feel refreshing for many builders, is the lack of any RGB to light up your system. That, combined with the boxy look and perforated front means this case isn"t the prettiest on our list, but it can certainly look good with some tasteful lighting delivered via your components, extra fans or a light strip. And if you don"t like the look of the fully vented front and you aren"t that concerned about keeping your temps a low as they can go, the non-Flow H7 model has a solid front, but with everything else we loved about the H7 Flow.
Cooler Master"s HAF 700 Evo packs in loads of unique features, like an edge-lit RGB glass grille front with a circular LCD display, an infinity mirror to hide ugly bits of the interior while showing off your pretty components and five front USB ports. There"s also room for up to 12 drives and EATX server-class motherboards, plus clearance for the largest graphics cards and coolers.
Fractal offers a thoughtful, versatile design aimed at ease-of-use, and delivers a very pleasant and enjoyable building experience with the Meshify 2. Whether you use this case as a system where you just want to deliver tons of airflow and room for expansion, a workstation with tons of hard drives, a server, or high-end custom liquid cooling, the Meshify 2 will find a way to accommodate your build. For that, along with thermal and acoustic performance that is in-line with what we expect from a mesh front, it earns a rare five-star rating.
Lian Li hasn’t been quiet about its upcoming case launches, but when it did finally launch the Q58, it blew us away. This is a 14.3 liter Mini-ITX case that costs just $130 in its base variant, and it packs great looks, excellent cooling potential, and a flexible internal design.
The basic frame is made from steel, and each side houses a half-glass, half -perforated steel. The front face and the top plate are made from fancier, prettier aluminum, giving the case a very premium feel overall. The GPU can draw fresh air straight from the side, but you can still see its pretty RGB through the glass, and you can squeeze a 280mm radiator into the case’s roof.
The Evolv Shift 2 stands out at first glance for its its towering, small footprint design and beautiful anodized aluminum panels. Priced at $100 for the mesh version and $110 for the variant with TG and an addressable-RGB fan, it easily earns a spot on our Best PC Cases list.
Corsair’s 4000X RGB is a sleek gaming tower that comes with two glass panels and three RGB spinners. Priced at about $135 now, it’s not cheap, but its design is thoroughly considered and as you build with it, it’s clear where Corsair’s gaming and PC building pedigree comes from. Indeed, the 4000X RGB (as well as the similar 4000D airflow), is an extremely easy and convenient chassis to build a system in, and everything just makes sense.
While it won’t blow you away with premium materials such as aluminum, the dark tinted glass ensures that you only see RGB lighting inside the case, allowing you to be a little sloppy with cable management because you won’t see it anyway. Add to that Corsair’s class-leading RGB ecosystem, and you’ve got a very pretty case that’s convenient in use and always looks good, no matter what you install inside it.
Phanteks’ Enthoo Pro II is a very unique chassi, offering the most seamless dual-system support we’ve ever seen. And its new fabric mesh front looks really great, especially when you get close to the case.
Thermally and acoustically, the Enthoo Pro II also performs phenomenally well. Of course, the mesh does let more noise out than a closed-front case would, but if you’re careful in your component selection and only pick quiet parts, it should all remain very tolerable.
Available in black or white, this minimalist mini ITX case looks a lot like a gaming console or a super-slim speaker. Despite its tiny, 3.7-inch girth, the Fractal Design Ridge is pretty easy to build in and it has dual 140mm fans to keep your GPU cool. However, its lack of front fans made CPU temperatures really high in our tests. If you"re just working with a 65W CPU, this might be worth checking out, however.
Lian Li spinoff Ssupd (sunny side up design, in case you were wondering) offers up an interesting mesh-covered rectangle with the Meshroom S. It’s compact at 9.7 x 6.6 x 14.2 inches and technically supports up to ATX motherboards and large 13-inch graphics cards. It’s thermal performance was also great in our testing. But it’s expensive for what it is, at $160, there really isn’t any attention paid to cable management, and because of its inverted design (with the motherboard ports facing the bottom), you’ll have to use the included right-angle HDMI cable, or furnish your own right-angle DisplayPort cable. The case also comes with a PCIe 4.0 riser cable, but it only works with sub-ATX-sized motherboards. If you plan on installing an ATX board, you’ll need to supply your own longer riser cable if you’re going to install a GPU (perhaps one of the best graphics cards).
Whether you"re buying one of the best PC cases on our list above or a different product, you may find some savings by checking out the latest Corsair coupon codes, Newegg promo codes or Micro Center coupon codes.
I think it’s time we kick off the new year with a fresh case review. Today we have the Snowblind case from iBUYPOWER, which by popular demand is now available to purchase as a standalone case. This is a very special NZXT S340 rebrand because iBUYPOWER put a transparent TN display on the side panel… and I am going to attempt to game on it.
This is my first time with an iBUYPOWER product. The Snowblind Element case is $149 USD, which is a bit pricey for the S340 but given the LCD update, it is somewhat worth it. The original price of $299 USD is insane for reasons I will get to in a bit.
Let me go over the fun stuff first. Once you plug everything in and power on the system, you have to go into Display Settings to rotate the display into portrait mode as that is the correct orientation for the panel. It will simply show up as a secondary display with 1024 x 1280 resolution at 60Hz. You don’t need any apps for this to work properly, but when it comes to customization you can download the Snowblind application that allows you to actually maneuver system statistics like your CPU temperature, CPU usage, GPU usage, date/time for example. I have positioned all that information near the power supply shroud, because that is where it’s most visible.
Now aside from having a transparent LCD applied to the glass, three sides of the panel also have incredibly bright white LEDs acting as backlight. And you can see the image is more visible in the lower section where the shroud is closer to the panel. This is very cool and iBUYPOWER recommends white or silver hardware components to create the best visual contrast. And of course since the LCD is transparent, all of your hardware is visible. But one interesting byproduct of all this lighting on the inside of the case is massive exterior spill from literally any crevice that is open on the chassis, which is kind of cool but it’s also a little bit over the top.
I have to be honest with you, while this whole thing is very gimmicky, and I would not purchase this for myself, it is extremely fun to play with. You can create animated wallpapers using Wallpaper Engine from Steam, you can have systems statistics on the side of the case, and you can have digital art. I even had Twitter open at the bottom part of the shroud. Since this is not controlled by some sort of application, and it’s not limited to any particular application, you can really put anything you want on it since its just a second display.
I really wanted to see if I could actually game on this thing. Now the transparency effect does not help with clarity of the image, but if I open the side panel facing a white wall that’s how we get the usable display out of this thing. The viewing angles are pretty terrible and the resolution is a bit low, but it works and runs at 60Hz. In CS:GO for example, I get tunnel vision because of the aspect ratio, but as iBUYPOWER intended its usage should focus on displaying cool graphics on the side of your case and not really venturing or using this thing as a gaming display. Of course, unless you have some fun with it like playing Tetris or maybe other 2D games, but in its normal state it’s kind of hard to make out the details of the visuals unless you have the side panel actually open and facing a white wall. Ultimately, gaming on this thing is not recommended, but there are lots of abstract ideas that you can display on the side of the case and that is actually pretty awesome.
And so now a little bit more about the actual case. The exterior is glass, plastic, and steel, and has some color variations between the white between the materials. The front panel has a see-through section to reveal the fans and the magnetic dust filter. This is the same spaced-out panel as we saw with the S340, so you better populate the top fan for exhaust in order to improve temperatures. A dust filter is included for this area as well. The I/O unfortunately does not include a USB Type-C port, I guess this is expected since the Element case was first launched in 2018. All three fans have built-in white illumination, but the two front fans are powered by a Molex splitter that is complete garbage and would not power up one of the fans. I would throw this thing out to avoid any headaches.
Two PCI slot covers are missing, but with thumbscrews in place, and this is intentional since a GPU will occupy that space anyway. The interior is almost identical to the original S340, with the cable bar, two SSD caddies on top of the shroud, ATX motherboard support, and a few additives. The first strange inclusion is the plastic fan shroud behind front fans. We normally see this in front panels to eliminate noise, but here it’s a massive airflow choke for the sake of aesthetics. It’s here to prevent fan illumination from shining behind the LCD panel and making that whole thing look horrible, but why not just include standard black fans instead to improve/protect the display’s better performance? I don’t know.
The second additive is the LCD display module installed in one of the PCI slots. Now iBUYPOWER does not recommend removing the side panel during assembly, as the cable connecting the two is long enough to swivel the side panel to its maximum position with the case lying down. Next you must connect the LCD with the included DVI-to-DP cable into your graphics card for it to show up as a secondary monitor.
Having said all that, the TN LCD on my model has application imperfections that are visible, and also large particles between the LCD and the glass. It’s not a high-end product which is why the original price of $299 USD is absolutely insane.
I can definitely see iterations of this design becoming a bit more popular in the future. For example, at CES we saw Corsair’s Capellix LED film applied on tempered glass, and it looked really awesome. With higher density LEDs the future of case customization is going to be pretty unique.
In conclusion, when it comes to an LCD on the side of the panel of the case, I’m not sure I’m convinced. I’m definitely not the target audience for this enclosure. While it’s not something for me, if you love the idea of an LCD on the side panel, what would you display? I’m interested to read all your suggestions and creative comments.