What if your gaming computer could breathe, opening its “mouths” wide to gulp in air when it got too hot, or shuttering its orifices to keep out dust and reduce noise? That’s the idea behind CyberPowerPC’s somewhat unsettling Kinetic series PC case.
The Kinetic case, introduced today during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show, sports a front panel made up of triangular segments and looks like something out of the Doctor Who props department. 18 of said triangles are actually hinged air vents that open inward, transforming from solid panels into a disturbing series of polygonal holes. Hardware inside the case monitors the ambient temperature of your PC, opening and closing the vents in accordance with the system’s airflow needs.
Imagine having this sitting next to you at your computer desk, opening and closing as it sees fit, like a Michael Bay Transformer attempting to come to life. Now imagine you own a hamster, who likes to crawl about your desk while you work. Now stop imagining, as it’s about to get gruesome.
The Kinetic series chassis is actually a rather cool idea. It’s inspired by kinetic architecture, which allows structures like buildings or satellites to transform to alter not just their form, but their function. A building might have panels that unfold to help divert wind, while a satellite in space needs its mirrors to move in order to harvest solar energy more efficiently.
The downside to the design is that it’s definitely triggering my trypophobia, the fear of clusters or patterns of holes. That, and you can already see the dust beginning to settle along the edges of the demo PC in the video. If it’s collecting dust bunnies that quickly, it doesn’t have a chance in hell staying clean in my home.
CyberPowerPC’s website lists the Kinetic as coming soon. It almost sounds like a threat.