“Reviving Nostalgia: Silverstone Launches Retro-Inspired Gaming PC Case for Modern Tech”

Silverstone has just unveiled one of the most audacious PC case releases we’ve encountered in quite some time. The novel Silverstone FLP01 case boasts a vintage desktop layout designed to provide you with the appearance and essence of a retro gaming PC, all while negating the need for outdated hardware or tweaks to an old casing. It’s a captivating design aimed at a likely niche audience; however, if you’re eager to complement your 80s/90s game collection with a casing that embodies that time, this has to be among the top contenders.

In fact, if you’re eager to assemble a retro gaming PC, or recreate that nostalgic aesthetic with contemporary specifications, the Silverstone FLP01 is likely the most suitable PC case for the task. Additionally, with Silverstone assigning a reasonable price to this beige desktop chassis, it presents a retro gaming alternative that won’t deplete your finances.

Initially beginning as an April fool’s prank on X (previously Twitter), an authentic Silverstone FLP01 prototype subsequently surfaced at a Japanese expo event, confirming its actual existence, and it’s now receiving an official launch.

The Silverstone FLP01 draws inspiration from the company’s long-standing GD09 case design, which targets individuals constructing home theater PCs (HTPCs). With its relatively compact dimensions and horizontal desktop layout – as opposed to a vertical tower setup – it has been widely favored because it integrates more seamlessly with other home theater and Hi-Fi devices, including AV receivers and amplifiers.

While inspired by the sleek, black aesthetic of the GD09, the FLP01 doesn’t produce the same visual delights. Instead, this casing has been redesigned to fulfill the nostalgic cravings of gamers and PC aficionados who either embarked on their PC adventures during an era when cases truly resembled this, or for younger customers aspiring to adopt a style that reflects their love for vintage equipment and gaming.

In addition to an overall beige paint finish, the front of the case avoids the conventional brushed aluminum surface in favor of beige plastic molded to incorporate two faux 5.25-inch floppy drive bays. Behind the upper bay, there is indeed space for a 5.25-inch optical drive, enabling you to enjoy your CDs, DVDs, or Blu-rays. Concealed behind the lower bay door is the front I/O panel of the chassis, which comprises two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a headphone jack.

Also featured on the front, alongside the elegant gray Silverstone logo and stripe, is a prominent power button, a green power LED, and an orange drive activity LED.

However, within and around the backside and sides of the case, it narrates a much less nostalgic tale. Remove the steel top panel – no glass panels are utilized here – and you will find room for a standard ATX motherboard and power supply, alongside a set of full-height expansion card slots. This layout allows the installation of most contemporary high-end hardware into this casing. Just be mindful of the 136mm maximum CPU cooler height and the 309 x 133mm expansion card restriction.

A single drive bay for 3.5-inch/2.5-inch drives is available to accommodate a hard drive or 2.5-inch SSD, while cooling options are modest, with room for two 120mm fans on the right, a 120mm fan on the left, and two 80mm fans positioned above the motherboard I/O panel.

We absolutely admire that Silverstone has had the courage to produce this case, and we’d love to attempt assembling the ultimate retro gaming PC within it. After all, we’ve previously demonstrated how to construct a retro gaming PC in a modern casing, so why not take it a step further? We do wonder how many individuals will actually purchase a current – let’s be honest – somewhat unattractive case, but with a cost of only $129.99, Silverstone isn’t imposing a premium for this casing.

If you ultimately determine that this casing style doesn’t resonate with you, there’s also Silverstone’s other newly announced casing, a dual-glass-panelled “aquarium” style case known as the Lucid 04. Tailored for micro-ATX builds, it is accessible in both black and white, providing a compact and aesthetic option available for $189.99.

For additional PC design inspirations, explore our PC build hub where we spotlight some of the finest gaming PC designs we’ve encountered worldwide.