page_title: Case modding
section_title: Appearance
hierarchical_section_title: Case modding / Common modifications / Appearance
caption_attribution_description: English: Custom Case made of wood / bamboo. More information here: http://exotic.itroy.ch
context_page_description: Case modification, commonly referred to as case modding, is the modification of a computer case or a video game console chassis. Modifying a computer case in any non-standard way is considered a case mod. Modding is done, particularly by hardware enthusiasts, to show off a computer's apparent power by showing off the internal hardware, and also to make it look aesthetically pleasing to the owner.
  Cases may also be modified to improve a computer's performance; this is usually associated with cooling and involves changes to components as well as the case.
context_section_description: Peripheral mods:  Peripherals like the keyboard, mouse, and speakers are sometimes painted or otherwise modified to match the computer.  Some system builders, in an effort to make their system more portable and convenient, install speakers and small screens into the case.
  Case building:  Sometime modders build entire cases from scratch.  Some may attempt to treat the case as a work of art. Others make it look like or appear to be something else, like a teddy bear, wooden cabinet, a shelf mounted on a wall, or antique equipment such as a Macintosh Plus or an old Atari 2600 video game console.  Relatively few case modders or builders make their computer cases from scratch; those who do sometimes put hundreds of hours into their work.  The WMD case, Project Nighthawk, and Dark Blade case are a few examples of professional cases built from scratch.
  Component modding:  This type of modding, as the name suggests, involves modifying the PC components themselves for a perceived improvement in appearance.  An example is the relocation of buttons on optical drives. This is often done in combination with "stealthing", which hides the drive's visibility by masking it with a blank face. A riskier modification is installing hard drive windows which show the platters and mechanism, which must be done in a clean room without significant dust.  Few people have attempted it and results seem to vary.  Some hard drives, including the WD Raptor, now come with a window as standard.
  Laptop modding: Laptops can be modified much like a typical computer case.  While most laptop mods consist of new paint or other finishes, others have chosen to engrave or cut out designs into their laptop cover (behind the screen).  Laptops may also be turned into digital photo frames.  These types of mods will typically void the warranty of the device.  To avoid warranty issues, skins or stickers can be purchased that are easily removable from the casing.
  Window mods: This refers to a window placed within one of the panels of a computer case. This is most often done to the left hand side panel, and less often to the top panel. This modification is so popular that many of the major case manufacturers now offer cases with the windows pre-installed, or replaceable side panels with a window installed. Some companies even offer entire cases made out of transparent materials. A window kit may be modified to hold an LCD screen. Laser engraving can be done on acrylic windows to add a distinct look to a modded case.
  Lighting mods: A lighting mod refers to lighting in or on the computer cases. This is usually achieved with cold cathode lights (CCLs), LED case fans, or electroluminescent wire lights. The lights are sometimes paired with sound controllers that make the lights pulse in time to sound. CCLs come in long tubes and generally produce a little bit of heat. LEDs come in many sizes and forms, most often seen in bars similar to CCLs or within fans. Electroluminescent wire, which takes the form of a small light rope, is sometimes embedded in cables such as SATA cables. Lighting modifications are usually paired with window mods to help show off the components. Internal components such as case fans, CPU heatsink fans, and power supplies are often available with built in lighting.
  Paint: Painting a case is another method of distinguishing your work from others. Spray paint is the common method preferred among amateur modders. There are many spray painting guides for amateur modders. The finish cannot be compared to automotive paint or powder coating, but is a simple way to change the look of a case. Re-coloring the plastics of a case, keyboard, mouse and speakers with vinyl dye is another method of highlighting your system and making it different from the rest. Vinyl dye has the advantages of ease of use like spray paint, but is much more durable as it does not chip or scratch off, it also does not create a ‘layer’ like paint.
  Cable management: Routing cables, most often in computer cases, to be aesthetically pleasing is also a common practice in case modding. Similarly, 
caption: A bamboo custom case
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "75", "Image YResolution": "75", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop", "Image DateTime": "2011:10:09 21:58:51", "Image ExifOffset": "150", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "929", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "907"}