Micro refrigerated ThermalTake Xpressar case promises to outcool liquid cooling

Still somehow not satisfied by the vast array of PC cooling options at your disposal? Then perhaps ThermalTake's new Xpressar case will suit your excessive ways, with it boasting what the company claims is the first DC inverter type micro refrigeration cooling system to be used in a PC case. That system, which is more or less a reworked air conditioner, promises to keep your components 20°C cooler than your average liquid cooling system, and a full 40°C cooler than a regular air cooling system, although the folks at DarkVision Hardware seem to be a bit skeptical of ThermalTake's testing methods. You also won't be able to use any old motherboard with it, with only a handful from ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI supported, but the case itself seems to be more than accommodating enough for the rest of your components. No word on a price just yet, but you can pretty safely bet you'll be paying a premium to be a part of this particular "world's first" endeavor.

[Thanks, Thomas]

[Christian Walters @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:38PM]

'Micro refrigerated ThermalTake Xpressar case promises to outcool liquid cooling', well I would hope so, seeing as its no doubt gonna cost 5 or 6 hundred dollars.

[Flashpoint @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:52PM]

This thing would likely cost $1000 or more judging from the quality of morksmanship.

My thing is, I'd perfer to simply buy an off-the-shelf PC and add a video card to it.
HP quad Core + NVIDIA GTX 280...and that's it

I could get both for less than $1300 and not have to worry about the price of the individual parts.

[joshc @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:56PM]

you might as well have a fridge plumbed into your pc at that price. looks nice but even for that price I would expect more than a cool pc. possibly a happy ending?

[Samboini @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:04PM]

I just wish it didn't have to look so geeky. I'm all for building my own PC's and a bit of modding etc., but why must it looks like a dorks wet dream?! Lian Li have the right idea but they can still be bettered!

[Kornation @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:33PM]

Samboini - see this.. http://inventgeek.com/Projects/Minifridge/overview.aspx

im still confuzzed about condensation

[Jason Litka @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:47PM]

I'd expect it to be more than that. It'll probably have an obscenely low margin as well so no one will stock it and everyone will drop ship from TT (which means that anyone considering buying one of these should go with the cheapest shipping method available from your retailer as TT is completely incapable of getting DS orders out the day they're placed, and sometimes incapable of doing it within 2-3 days).

[xmlguy @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:45PM]

5 or 6 hundred dollars?

meh ... Your monthly electric bill will go up that much just keeping this rig juiced up, so I wouldn't sweat the cost of the case ...

[Cal @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:27PM]

@Flashpoint

Please read the article before commenting. This is a case with cooling not an entire PC.

[Techie @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:32PM]

Go to a computer store and get some silver thermal get for 5 bucks and watch your cpu or gpu drop -10c idle and at least -5c when max load.

[Bill Jobs @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:17PM]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a minifridge and stick your computer in it?

[LondonConsultant @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:40PM]

Maybe CERN should have used this to stop the LHC overheating...

[Shinigami @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:31PM]

I'm afraid they use far more complex and powerful systems...

[phanbouy @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:33PM]

is it wrong i hear "London Calling" whenever i see your screen name?

[LondonConsultant @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:41PM]

'allo, 'allo...

[Skyride @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:59PM]

Lol. Nice idea but no. The LHC magnets need to be cooled, not the computers. :P

And its not because they overheat, its that they wont work if they aren't at absolute zero.

Anyway, yet another pointless way to cool your PC. Good airflow case with 2 or 3 120mm out takes and 1 or 2 120mm intakes + a decent aftermarket CPU cooler is enough for ANY PC. Don't kid yourself on. This is a waste of money. So is water-cooling. Its all e-penis rubbish.

[Christian Martin @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:41PM]

Somewhere, a Transformer is missing his chest plate, as it seems to have been inexplicably attached to the top front of this case.

[cmonkey @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:48PM]

Meh. It's just a small phase change setup that sits inside the case. This is far from the first one. Not only DIY, but I believe at least one has been commercialized.

[mad8vskillz @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:58PM]

VapoChill and Prometeia i believe

[Frankenstein Black @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:53AM]

Exactly and unless they solve the condensation beast this thing will be an “epic fail” like the vapolchill before it. Believe me I know (see top left below pic):
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/ldm_master_builder!.jpg
CPU, MB and GPU was in mortal danger!

[fischju @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:50PM]

Wasn't that ion cooling system compatible with ThermalTake cases only?

[pizzaman @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:52PM]

great!
no need for a usb cooler for the beer!

[4honor @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:54PM]

What about precipitation from the cold air?

[Christian Walters @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:58PM]

You mean condensation:P

[disciple83 @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:15PM]

that would be the purpose behind using the special Asus motherboards I would assume. All solid, sealed capacitors, insulated circuitry, etc...Also very expensive.

[phanbouy @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:04PM]

hey an OS X branded case! whodathunk

[Decoy @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:08PM]

More like XboX

[Ito @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:15PM]

The only think surprising to me here is that this hasn't been done before.

[kjb434 @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:09PM]

It makes perfect sense why this hasn't been done.

Rapidly cooling air that may have moisture in it would cause condensation to form on the internal components.

If you read a couple of posts up from disciple83, a good point it made on how this case can be used.

You absolutely have to have specific type of motherboard and components that can take this.

[Ito @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:43PM]

Read later posts (that were posted before yours) and you will see that is not a first
I didn't say it was a GOOD idea, I was just surprise it wasn't done before, which it apparently has, so I am no longer surprised.

[nathan.wong @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:36PM]

Sounds perfect for me. Sign me up.

[supmahbruddah @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:38PM]

umm... is this moar firster?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/112916-3/fun_tech.html

[Aaron @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:40PM]

This is far from the first to do this. Vapochill was the first company to do it commercially. They offered both standalone units and cases.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/peripherals/review/2005/03/09/Asetek-VapoChill-XE-II-Refrigerated-PC-Case/p1 for example.

It seems they only sell the standalone units now though.

http://www.asetek.com/content/view/51/101/

[Kimufalcon @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:50PM]

cool.
PC by day, AC by night!

[phanbouy @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:54PM]

little known nerdrock cover band AC/PC's hit song i believe

[J-Rad @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:41PM]

^takes the cake [and eats it too]

[Kris S. @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:30PM]

They'll probably make it so that when you want to open the case you will press a button that will slowly warm the inside of the case to room temperature.

[cory107 @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:31PM]

As sweet as AC for your computer sounds it does bring up one issue. AC cause a lot of condensation because of the cold air they produce. Last time I checked water+running electrical equipment doesn't mix well.

[PhatMackn02 @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:01PM]

I was going to say the same thing.. uh.. refridgerator = condesation = screwed components.. I'd really like to see how they are handling this problem.

[kjb434 @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:10PM]

You need a specially design motherboard to operate within the case.

[mfm @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:26PM]

RTA...

it operates at 20deg C...that's about 85F. Condensation will not be a factor. It has nothing to do with motherboards, it has nothing fancy.

likely the only reason they're not allowing just any motherboard in there is for space/design reasons. the refrigerant lines are pre-fabed and can't be moved easily. you have to know exactly the location and size of the cpu pad.

[nathan.wong @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:52PM]

That's all well and good for the motherboard that it's insulated and all, but what about the other components you throw in? They'll be suseptible to condensation.

[Garrett @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:08PM]

two words... noise level.

[Jeff @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:29PM]

I dunno, the aircon in my car is pretty quiet, and this thing is probably about that size. I can't even hear it over the sound of the air blowing, usually, and you'd get that on a fan-cooled pc.

Still, not worth the premium when you figure in the expensive mobos you have to use.

[nanobis @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:11PM]

It really is one cool case.

[kevster @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:54PM]

the tree huggers will love it ;)

[Chuck @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:38PM]

Perhaps I could just put my tower in my refrigerator and work from there, eh? Seems to be a little cheaper.

[cbgoding @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:12AM]

wait...people watercool to get better temps? I though it was all about those green UV reactive hoses/fluids.