Well just wondering.

I did run across this uATX case which actually looks cool, but not much on the air inlet.

NewEgg has a lot of snazzy lookin MicroATX cases...

Well, I'm new here, so what do I know . . but I fail to see how anyone could describe the Sonata as *ugly*

I mean . . . PIANO BLACK.

Classy.

the actual form factor is rather ugly though. There's only so much a piano finish can do to make a big rectangular box look pretty, especially if you have lots of nasty wires coming out of the back. I'm begining to like the abstract cube mods I've seen (especially a modded "next box" with a mirror like polished finish... yum). Ideally, a computer as an entertainment/information hub should look less macguyver and more like a well constructed household appliance designed to be looked at and appreciated. I think present construction really leaves a lot to be desired.

Is that what you call attractive. No PC will ever have the aesthestics of a MAC.

Real Shame.

I like the Istyle case, which is mac-like

http://www.siliconacoustics.com/istylecase.html

But really if you look at all the pics of cases sold most are uninteresting. The Cooler Master stuff is nice, though they stole the newest design from Theta Digital.

Sun stuff is on the same level as Mac. I haven't really cared too much for the PCs Gateway, Dell, etc have been making. Only a few of the newer looking ones.

Well, I dunno, the colored plastics never really appealed to me much, I always thought they looked like toys I played with as a kid. Of course its identified as a Mac, but I gotta agree, I would love a SFF or Epox that would fit in a shelf or just blend in and just have an LCD on the desk, keyboard and mouse hidden in some drawer ...

ATX --> Form follows function.

This question, though is akin to the question "Why is there vanilla ice cream?" (And though I personally believe there can be standards in aesthetics), generally, taste (pun intended) is a very subjective thing.

Sorry I got all philosophical on ya'. I guess this is one reason there is so much innovation among DIYers with the mini-itx boards.

I'd disagree. IMHO, the most efficient way to have a system running would be to have the processor and the PSU in the lowest part of the case to get the coolest air ... maybe fan vents in the base right below these two points and then have the PCI cards which don't need any active cooling on top. This would imply the motherboard should be oriented upside down and on the left case door instead of the right.

Let me explain...no, is too much, let me sum up....

I was not making an argument in favor of the ATX standard's functionality, but stating that the current ATX form is the reason we have our (in fmah's opinion) rash of ugly boxes. So, to re-phrase "ATX --> ATX form follows ATX standards.

ATX is a very old spec... we could use a new one that accounts for 70 watt processors...

That's not a bad idea come to think of it. Then your AGP card would face the right way so heat doesn't get trapped under it.

How dare you!

I agree with Thumbs10Jimmy, the Sonata is a seriously snazzy case.

LOL, no offense intented.

I just wish there are more manafacturer that take aethestics into account when they make a case. Performance is fast enough! It's time to think about other things like 'SILENCE' and 'AETHESTICS'.

That would be nice!

prettyANDsilentpcreview.com ???
goodlookin'ANDsilentpcreview.com ???
visuallypleasingANDsilentpcreview.com ???

(and yes, I mean the computers, not the users : )

LOL

Get thee to http://www.modthebox.com/index.shtml silly person.