Silverstone has just dropped one of the bravest PC case launches we’ve seen for a long time. The new Silverstone FLP01 case has an old-school desktop-layout case designed to bring you the look and feel of a retro gaming PC, but without the need to rely on old hardware or modify an old case. It’s an interesting look with likely a very niche market, but if you simply must match your 80s/90s game collection with a case design of that era, this has to be a top choice.
Indeed, if you want to build a retro gaming PC, or recreate that retro look with a modern PC spec, the Silverstone FLP01 is probably the best PC case for the job. What’s more, with Silverstone slapping a modest price on this beige desktop chassis, it’s not a retro gaming option that’s going to break the bank either.
Originally starting as an April fool’s joke on X (formerly Twitter), a genuine Silverstone FLP01 prototype later appeared at a Japanese expo event, showing that it did indeed exist, and it’s now getting an official release.
The Silverstone FLP01 is based on the company’s long-existing GD09 case design, which is aimed at people building home theater PCs (HTPCs). With its relatively compact size and horizontal desktop PC layout – rather than a vertical tower configuration – it has long been favored for the fact that it sits more naturally among other home theater and Hi-Fi equipment, such as AV receivers and amps.
Although inspired by the slick, black design of the GD09, though, the FLP01 doesn’t evoke the same aesthetic pleasures. Instead, this case has been restyled to scratch the nostalgic itch of gamers and PC enthusiasts who either started their PC journey during the era of cases that really did look like this, or for younger buyers looking to tap into a look that matches their appreciation for retro gear and gaming.
As well as an all-over beige paint job, the front of the case eschews the usual brushed aluminum panel for beige plastic formed to include two faux 5.25-inch floppy drive bays. Behind the top one of these is actually space for a 5.25-inch optical drive, letting you play your CDs, DVDs, or Blu-rays. Behind the lower bay door is the front I/O panel of the chassis, consisting of two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, plus a headphone jack.
Also on the front, along with the stylish gray Silverstone logo and stripe, is a prominent power button, green power LED, and orange drive access LED.
Inside and around the back and sides of the case, though, it tells a much less retro story. Slide off the steel top panel – no glass panels here – and you have space for a standard ATX motherboard and power supply, along with a rack of full-height expansion card slots. This means you can pop the vast majority of modern high-end hardware into this case. You just have to watch out for the 136mm maximum CPU cooler height and 309 x 133mm expansion card limit.
A single 3.5-inch/2.5-inch drive bay is available for fitting a hard drive or 2.5-inch SSD, while cooling is modest, with space for two 120mm fans on the right, a 120mm fan on the left, and two 80mm fans above the motherboard IO panel.
We absolutely love that Silverstone has been brave enough to make this case and we’d like to have a go at building the perfect retro gaming PC in it. After all, we’ve already shown you how to build a retro gaming PC in a modern case, so why not go the extra step? We do wonder just how many people will actually pay for a modern – let’s face it – slightly ugly case, but priced at just $129.99 it’s not like Silverstone is charging a premium for this case.
If you ultimately do decide that this isn’t the case style for you, there’s always Silverstone’s other new case it has announced, which is a dual-glass-panelled “aquarium” style case called the Lucid 04. Designed for micro-ATX builds, it’s available in black and white, and it provides a compact and stylish option available for $189.99.
For more PC design ideas, check out our PC build hub where we highlight some of the best gaming PC designs we’ve spotted around the world.
