Skip to main content

The Aerocool Dream Box is only limited by your imagination

Aerocool Dream Box, vidéo de présentation du système
Computer cases are boring. Even the most interesting, with crazy angles and see-through panels, are usually just boxes with parts inside. But what if a case could fit exactly where you needed it to? And what if it could change to suit your mood? Or fit in a new desk? What if it didn’t have to be a PC case at all? Case maker Aerocool thinks the future is here, and it’s called the Dream Box.
Recommended Videos

Instead of a box that you slam components into like a lazy robot, the Dream Box is simply a package of 188 parts that’s only limited by your imagination. Like big kid K’nex, these aluminum and plastic parts are easily adaptable to any structure you might need, whether that’s a new PC case, or a model of a dinosaur – or both! Aerocool actually lists a few examples of possible structures, and while they might not be the most practical, it does appear you could install a full PC build in them.

Dreambox-1

Aluminum pipes in three sizes, 50, 100, and 150 mm, are the bones of the case. Each pipe is grooved on four sides, for hassle-free connections to other pipes and panels. Those attachments include two, three, and four way joints, metal beams with screwholes in two lengths, and C-rings to attach parts at any conceivable angle.

While the Dream Box’s potential isn’t limited to PC cases, the kit includes parts that would certainly make that goal more achievable. There’s a mounting bracket purpose-built for a full-size power supply that attaches to a pipe. For easy access, there’s also an I/O unit with two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, 3.5mm microphone and headphone jacks, and power and reset buttons.

Dreambox-3

If constructing a custom PC case sounds like a fun afternoon project, the Aerocool Dream Box retails for $150, and should already be on shelves. That’s spendy for a PC case, but you’d be hard pressed to find any other case that packs this sort of customization.

Brad Bourque
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad Bourque is a native Portlander, devout nerd, and craft beer enthusiast. He studied creative writing at Willamette…
Are gaming PCs more expensive today? Here’s what $1,000 bought you 10 years ago
A close-up image of Nvidia's RTX 3080 Ti graphics card.

Say it with me: "Building a gaming PC is getting more expensive." Price is top of mind when building a gaming PC in 2022, and why wouldn't it be? Today, the best graphics cards will cost you well over $1,000, DDR5 is ungodly expensive, and CPU prices are double or even triple what they were a decade ago.

It's easy to add up the numbers and come to a conclusion, but that ignores game optimizations, falling prices of other components, and the various upscaling tools players have to squeeze extra performance out of their PCs. Instead of adding up what you could spend on a gaming PC, I added up what you would spend.

Read more
The Fish Tank Chassis is half PC, half … aquarium?
A side view of the Metal Fish aquarium PC

At first glance, you see an aquarium (hopefully) filled with fish. You look again, and realize it's not an aquarium: it's a PC. Actually, it's both! The Y2 Fish Tank Chassis combines a beautiful 13-liter aquarium with an industrial-looking horizontal PC tower, and we love it.

Metal Fish, the Chinese maker of the Y2 Fish Tank Chassis, is a PC parts manufacturer with a wide range of towers, motherboards, fans, and wires. Plopping an aquarium to the top of one of their towers seems strange at first, but when you think about it, the concept starts to make sense (especially for a company named 'Metal Fish').

Read more
Steam Deck battery life: 5 tips to extend your playtime
Half-rate shading option on the Steam Deck.

The Steam Deck is a great device, but it has a major flaw: Battery life. In the best of cases, you can get around four hours before charging, and in the worst, the Deck can die in as little as 90 minutes. We rounded up the five Steam Deck battery life tips so you can extend your playtime as long as possible.

If you just picked up your device, make sure to read our top Steam Deck tips so you can get the most out of it. We also have a roundup of the best battery packs for the Steam Deck, which are essential if you plan on taking the handheld on a long trip.
Reduce screen brightness

Read more