After I wrote my first column on "gaudy cases", I began to notice a change in the case market from various manufacturers.  The majority of us already know that Cooler Master, Lian Li, Silverstone and Antec had been offering tasteful cases since they got into the business, but Thermaltake, which is supposed to be one of the largest case companies in the United States went with a product line full of gaming cases that did not appeal to the majority of us. 

With Thermaltake’s recent product line refresh, I must say that I am quite impressed at how they have turned around their case designs almost instantly.  Not too long ago, we were stuck with Thermaltake’s checkered designs that looked mediocre at best.  But with its recent Soprano, Tenor, Kandalf and Shark cases, Thermaltake has really altered their designs for the better.  Thermaltake isn’t the only one who has done this; I recently noticed a nice looking SFF case from Aspire and some interesting upcoming Sunbeam designs.  I would’ve expected Thermaltake to make changes quickly, since they have the resources to do so and sales were more than likely slow.  However, I never expected Sunbeam and Aspire to have something different to add to their product lines in this relatively short amount of time.

Certainly from what I have seen, you can now add Thermaltake to your list of nice, well-designed cases. The designs are pleasing, but not as simplistic as the ones from the aforementioned manufacturers. If you want a hybrid between maturity and gaming pizzazz in a new case, Thermaltake may suit you just fine.

What really has me excited is that the second-tier case manufacturers are beginning to bring improvements to their case designs.  Are we slowly seeing the decline of gaudy, pitiful looking cases?  If companies like Sunbeam and Aspire can make the jump to more refined designs, I suppose it’s only a matter of time before others follow suit, although I am sure that I have missed some manufacturers that have made recent changes to their product line. I certainly applaud this trend and what it means for us, as buyers.

Basically, I believe we are seeing the decline of tasteless cases, yet surely not the end.  Since the attractiveness of a computer case is a personal opinion at best, there will always be a market for designs that we consider to be immature or gaudy.  After all, there must be a market for them, if manufacturers are continuing to develop them.  But honestly, I don’t mind and honestly, I would encourage case manufacturers to serve both varieties of customers.  This way, they can continue to develop the "gaming" (gaudy) designs and offer those of us with a more mature preference of toned down, classy versions.  If we can have three versions of the same motherboard, why can’t we have the same with cases?  Manufacturers often use a basic chassis and offer a choice of front covers and panels to create different options; therefore, it’s highly an acceptable solution.

Needless to say, I am encouraged by the recent path being followed by the case manufacturers.  Thanks go out to the companies that changed their mindset and gave the enthusiasts what they asked for.  Thanks also to you that voiced your opinions in forums, and e-mailed the manufacturers to let them know what you wanted.