Computex 2025 made me realise I’ve no time for extravagant PC elements, simply give me a easy, strong design and performance

I am a staunch defender of the boring, the drab, the plain, the ‘oh yeah, I did not discover that.’ And nothing has jogged my memory of my proclivity in the direction of all issues seemingly mundane than Computex 2025 and all of the resultant ooh-ing and aah-ing over extravagant tech.

I do know, I do know, tech reveals are alleged to be gaudy and lavish, and they’re simply so yearly, however these consumerist fever dream drugs by no means get simpler to swallow. In actual fact, as I become old, it will get tougher.

What am I speaking about? Every part from AIO cabinets for displaying collectible figurines, a million-and-one screens connected to issues that do not want them—big CPU cooler screens, instances with built-in screens, flexible cooler screens that transfer round for seemingly no purpose—and nearly as many convoluted PC case designs.

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Now look, I am not denying there’s one thing spectacular a couple of Palico PC case with an RTX 5070 Ti constructed into its sword, but it surely’s spectacular in the identical method that lifelike wax sculptures of persons are: They’re eye-catching and fairly the artistic feat, however you will not catch me slapping one down within the residence workplace.

And that is simply the great PC instances. Do not get me began on the likes of these espresso cup-shaped monstrosities. Generally I really feel like plenty of time could possibly be saved by simply pulling apart designers early on and asking, Why?

Hear, I am not judging. Everybody’s tastes are totally different, and I am not saying I am proper—however I’m proper.

It did not take me lengthy to search out some issues I do just like the look of at this 12 months’s Computex, although. Upon discovering Noctua has created its personal PC case, I had my boring equal of a traditional human being’s pleasure: ‘Ooh, a Noctua case for an all-Noctua construct. I hope it’s extremely plain and brown.’

I wasn’t disillusioned. It might look nice beneath my plain and brown (however very trendy!) desk. Noctua will get it, y’see.

I additionally did discover one thing shiny that I may get behind, this being the PNY Iron Core sequence of RTX 50-series graphics playing cards. However that is primarily due to the underside of the design being very plain—only a flat, shiny floor, not an excessive amount of happening aside from the RGB arrow, which I suppose I can put up with if I have to.

I wasn’t free from having my nostalgia muscle tissue massaged, both. Silverstone’s new retro PC case bought me eager for a time long gone… however that is hardly the identical as an endorsement of a design by itself phrases, is it? And anyway, it is a beige, ’90s themed PC case—the entire level is it is sort of plain.

It is not all minimalist designs that bought me almost-but-not-quite riled up this 12 months, both. No, I used to be pleasantly shocked to search out my favorite design enhancements to be on essentially the most boring element of all of them: the facility provide.

The primary of those was a PSU with thermal sensors that may assist shut off overheating GPU energy cables, which might be an additional stage of safety for high-end RTX 50-series graphics card homeowners. But when that is not fairly thrilling sufficient for you, we additionally noticed a PSU with an influence connector that swivels, permitting you to orient the complete energy provide in several instructions inside your case for extra versatile cable administration.

Who wants something greater than that? Not I, that is who.

Admittedly I’m somebody who’s at present sitting with a Fractal Design Outline R4 beneath their desk—a assuredly plain slab of a chassis. So no surprises there. However come on, would you actually take a side-panel LCD over a twizzly PSU connector?

Oh, you’d… Effectively, I stand by it anyway.

The one actual debate happens for me after I see one thing like Hyte’s newest bubbly case. It is sort of minimalistic, however equally… unusual. Good job Hyte, you bought me. I am unable to match this one into my neat and tidy dichotomy.

Bubbly instances apart, I believe my black-and-white considering holds fairly agency throughout the opposite merchandise we noticed this 12 months. Now select your facet—the correct one, or the mistaken one—and put together for Computex 2026.