John A. Burek
(July 19, 2004)
Put away the wire strippers, the rotary cutter, and the soldering iron. Case modding--the term for modifying your PC's internal and external look--now requires nothing more than a screwdriver and some imagination.
With parts and accessories easily accessible via the Web, modding has come a long way from its roots among overclockers and hard-core tweakers. New, off-the-shelf modding products let you add personality to your PC with minimal fuss.
Many of these "premodded" items offer both style and substance, such as illuminated case fans, slick-looking CPU or hard drive coolers, and snazzy temperature monitors. Others are pure eye candy, lending only accents, visual flair, and mood lighting.
For this story, we built the fully functional showcase PC you see here from the ground up. And we're very proud. While good taste dictates that you shouldn't install all of the mods we did (our over-the-top desktop, replete with superfluous regalia, resides in our New York office and has been seen from as far away as Chicago), a judicious handful will smarten up any dreary desktop.
Keep in mind while you're shopping for modding components that some vendors' wares can now be found on the shelves of national retail chains, while some mod resellers carry generic or house-brand versions of some of the products here. If you shop around, you won't need to break the bank to jazz up your PC.
 |
Page 2: The basics |
| Who knew you could buy memory that lights up? | |
|
Page 3: Leave no surface unlit |
| Still more case mods. Do not look directly into the light. | |
|
Page 4: It's a mod, mod, mod, mod world |
| You can mod one case only so much. Check out these other customizing possibilities. |
John Burek is assistant managing editor and copy chief for Computer Shopper magazine. Thanks to the modding and light-installation experience he gained writing this article, he's considering opening a chain of tanning salons as a sideline.
Associate Editor Rich Brown edited this story. When not modding PCs, he excels at Wiffle Ball and other backyard athletic pursuits.
Associate Editor Rich Brown edited this story. When not modding PCs, he excels at Wiffle Ball and other backyard athletic pursuits.
