They have designed yachts, trains, coffee makers, speakers even airplanes and now, BMW DesignworksUSA, an independently operated studio owned by the BMW Group, has joined forces with Thermaltake, a company known for its flashy eye-catching products to create a futuristic-looking PC case. Previewed in prototype form at the CEBIT in Hanover (March 3-8, 2009), the BMW-designed PC case is called "Level 10".

Aimed at gamers, the Level 10 actually looks more like a chassis than a traditional case as the computer's individual components are mounted in separate compartments that are attached onto a central base.



39 Comments

  1. Anonymous » March 05, 2009  

    It's called "Overly Done!" Geez, no wonder Apple still remains the king of computer hardware design.

  2. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    syyyyyyyyyyyyyggggggggggggggggggtttttttttttttt

  3. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    wow it looks really stupid ... it looks like a high tech computer from the 70s ^^

  4. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    It's called "Pefectly Done!" :p
    It's the only design I've seen so far that can make me push 1m further my G5.

  5. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    I think I know where my next server is going...

  6. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    While Apple may be the "King" of making things pretty, everyone else focuses on making things that work well. But it's best to let Apple's 10% of the computing market think that aesthetics are better than functionality.

    This case is an interesting idea; I hope it actually does improve (or allow for better) thermal regulation, though I'm sure it's going to have a hefty price tag. It looks nice, but i don't think I would ever buy it.

  7. Jenny » March 06, 2009  

    Look at those two idiots who think they know a thing about gaming rigs. Gaming rigs are anything but conventional, to try to criticize one because it isn't is an exercise in futility. The thing looks light-weight, extremely portable, and open enough to allow a generous amount of air to flow from the different compartments. Maybe pretend-know-it-all car-freaks should stick to bitching about cars and keep their clueless comments about gaming rigs to their ignorant selves.

  8. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    wow whats with all the dumb comments like "apple rules"

  9. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    I want it.

  10. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    Coming from the mouth of a habitual Mac addict. This case is incredibly cool! Anyone can make a big box, finding a way to highlight the innards without the use of an ugly Plexiglas window is alright by me.

  11. Matt D. Kerr » March 06, 2009  

    Does anyone else see this and think it will immediately fry their hardware?

  12. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    Awesome! Apple is for fairies.

  13. billso » March 06, 2009  

    How do you dust that thing?

  14. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    Because internet + anonymity = @#)(@##$&$

    http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/

    TimT

  15. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    I wonder if an oversized PSU like a PC-Power and Cooling 1KW or 1.2KW unit would fit in that PSU box?

  16. Anonymous » March 06, 2009  

    It looks awesome. Maybe I can get it to boot OS X.

    Windows is for queers.

  17. Anonymous » March 07, 2009  

    it is good looking but sometimes looks more like a vending machine. But yeah thermal flow would be extremelt good in it

  18. Anonymous » March 07, 2009  

    Apple computers are made from ground up unicorn bones--that is why they make components and software that is far superior to anything else. Whether it be Microsoft, BMW or Thermallake...they will never match the innovation and technological advances that Apple continues to develop. Only people who suck at operating computers and are afraid to try different OS prefer Windows-based machines.

  19. Anonymous » March 07, 2009  

    I like it a lot :p

  20. Anonymous » March 07, 2009  

    Fairly sure you can't get it to boot OS X seeing as it is a case, and the case does not do anything other than hold components. If you were to get the extremely limited amount of hardware that apple supports with drivers, then yes it would, as would any machine carefully pieced together using a handful of two generation old parts.

  21. CAGG » March 08, 2009  

    Dude. "Good Airflow"?

    All individual components are in individually ENCLOSED spaces. Enclosed spaces mean heat trapped inside said enclosed space... you realistically want air passing smoothly from one part of a case to another, and out, smoothly transitioning cool air in and warm air out of a case. This case creates would "Hot Spots" like no other.

    How are the cables run? Along the spars? I don't see where the cable management is.. but it looks like you'll need a LOT of extenders.

    There's NO provision for after-market cooling or water cooling or phase change cooling. If it does not fit inside the Motehrboard / Video card compartment, well you're screwed.

    And for extra long/multi-video card systems? Any provision for that? All I see is "if it don't fit or is a nonstandard part, you're out of luck".

    So in short, I take one look as an experienced performance PC builder, and see a chassis that's for LOOKS, *NOT PERFORMANCE*. This is a PC case trying to masquarade as decoration, and it NOT a performance/tuning part.

  22. Anonymous » March 08, 2009  

    Seriously now, putting each heat emanating component in a enclosed compartmnt is better for cooling? HA!

    Where's the cable management? It's all cleverly hidden or run along the spars.. which means you need to spend money on extenders...

    And After Market cooling? Water cooling? Phase change cooling? No provisions whatsoever.

    This is a computer case masquarading as a decoration, not a performance part. There are no provisions for any after market parts that do not conform the the compartment size restrictions.

    I could twist-tie my computer's internal components to a tire frame rack and use partcle board to enclose spaces and get the same effect re "performance".

    This is a "all flash, no cash" case. It's all about looks, and anyone buying it is more interested in having a "interesting looking" computer rather than a FAST or RELIABLE computer.

  23. Anonymous » March 08, 2009  

    Yet again another attack of the living Apple fangirls. And most of them are pounding out their vitriol on a windows machine. Only thing worse then an Apple owning hipster is a Windows owner who pretends to be one.

  24. Anonymous » March 09, 2009  

    Apple? The only way in which it could be the king of hardware design is in terms of aesthetics. There are clearly a couple of people posting here who actually know about pc hardware, and like them, I think that most of these apple vs microsoft jibes are embarrassing.
    Microsoft don't even make pcs!!!!
    1. for gamers, apple are rubbish - few games support mac OS and even if they did, a home built pc will demolish them every day. (you could easily beat the best apple desktop by spending $1000 on a home build)
    2. Gamers care about functionality first, looks second

  25. Anonymous » March 09, 2009  

    It's a mockup, it'll never work and it'll never be on sale.

    So shut up!

  26. Anonymous » March 09, 2009  

    it´s damn pretty... and could be a performance cab, just depends on the materials it´s made in, and maybe thermaltake themselves have something speciale in mind for this prototype... hehe...

  27. Thomas Solbeck » March 09, 2009  

    why can people not just be happy with what OS they have instead of atacking what OS others use, ect. lunux, OSX or Windows. If you don't like the other OS, then don't use it.

    Tired of people, who behave like kindergaden kids, with sentences like 'my OS is better than your's' or 'your stupid and ugly, because you don't use the OS I use' well it is a free contry, so we can all use what ever OS we want.

    It would be the same at if I sayd that every people who don't speak Danish sucks.

  28. Anonymous » March 09, 2009  

    no wheels?

  29. Anonymous » March 10, 2009  

    Is that a picture from a bathroom ?

  30. Anonymous » March 10, 2009  

    90% of internet comments are like this
    "I am retarded and I want to boot OS X on this.
    I like PS3 and XBOX is gay. Microsoft RULEZ cause sony are homo. Linux is best cause I cant get a girlfriend! APPLE IS COOOOL cause they can make computers out of white plastic and Steve Jobs is GOD. I adore corporations and comment about the ones I like and trash them I don´t like cause I´m brainwashed by ads and have a low IQ."

  31. Dreadlokz » March 11, 2009  

    remember its a Thermaltake, so prob it will have a very nice cooling system!

  32. Anonymous » March 12, 2009  

    Hmm I like the case design, not my style but cool.
    Plus I'm sure it won't fit my most violent computer behavior.

    "Hey chicka wanna see my BMW ^^!?"

  33. cholpisut » March 13, 2009  

    I like it.

  34. Ender » March 15, 2009  

    After 10+ years of building, repairing and maintaining computers for myself and many clients.

    Regardless, after having build overclocked gaming systems with traditional and water cooling, anyone who has ever done so would know this could never work efficiently. Gaming for hours on end pushes components and requires a blatant amount of heat dissipation, and unless there is an integrated water cooling system, this is not viable for a true gaming rig.

    For those of you claiming that this looks light, I am curious, how? From the height of the drive enclosures, it would mean that this thing is at least 22" tall, and there is no way you could use aluminum for the center structure, and since it would lose the integrity of a box, it would require that center piece to be some thick steel. I would gather from size and the blatant amount of metal used to wrap everything that this case could easily weigh over 30lbs, empty.

    As far as Thermaltake, if you think they make quality stuff, you really haven't dealt with much hardware. Thermaltake has always made overweight, loud, gaudy stuff with terrible heat dissipating capabilities.

    Oh and after years of dealing with the stuff... I am a Mac. I'd rather have an operating system that doesn't harass me everytime I try to do something and doesn't utterly require updates whenever available than have one that can allow me an extra 6 fps...

  35. Anonymous » March 17, 2009  

    Does anyone here cares about design? Really, the only thing article was bringing up was that. I'm a designer, i'm a mac. I really don't care what you guys think you know about mac, microsoft or other corporate strategies. And i believe it is not the main issue here!

    About design: this case is great, is inovative, with nice finished materials, good taste in color scheme. I'm sure it's not all about design, but really, we can't underestimate functionality otherwise we'll be creating a grey world where computers and other objects will be square and really boring. Congratulations Thermaltake and BMW designers. You're making history here.

  36. Hot Fuzz » March 20, 2009  

    looks cool

  37. Anonymous » March 29, 2009  

    Oh snap. The cooling I bet on that case is ganna be crap. Otherwise, I WANT ONE!

  38. Anonymous » June 17, 2009  

    Finish looks nice, but seems like they used cheapo materials.
    Would like to see some more pictures from different angles, and the interior of course.

    I doubt that this case will be good for gaming thou, just imagine a 1k PSU and tripple SLI....

    If you want a case that keeps things cool, check out the one Silverstone just came up with.

  39. Anonymous » June 17, 2009  

    Oh and after years of dealing with the stuff... I am a Mac. I'd rather have an operating system that doesn't harass me everytime I try to do something and doesn't utterly require updates whenever available than have one that can allow me an extra 6 fps...

    What is that supposed to mean?
    That statement of yours, shows that your 10 years experience is purely hobby based.

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