LAS VEGAS—If you know, you know: InWin PC cases are like no other in the PC industry. They stand out with their often unique designs and excellent heavy metal build quality. At CES 2025, we went to see what the company had up its sleeve, and InWin did not disappoint.
The InWin suite was dominated by its bread-and-butter server chassis and rack-mounted hardware and appliances (all of which are out of our price league and industrial-looking), but one table was captured by its two consumer-minded stars of CES: a fancy mirrored PC case called the Prism (which has something of a history among PC enthusiasts) and an open-frame PC case, the Shift, that bugged our eyes out. Both will be launched later this year.
InWin Prism: Your PC’s build, reflected back at you
The InWin Prism PC case is an evolution of an earlier case design that InWin made years ago called the “Tòu”. InWin is known for its Signature series – extremely high-end PC chassis that are very limited editions and, some, borderline works of art – and the Tòu was an imposing tower that was mirror-overlooked for most of its panels.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
InWin pointed out to us that its superfans have been asking for the long-selling Tòu for years, so the company decided to bring it back in a much more accessible form. The original was about $800 when you could get it at all. The new Prism, in addition to having a more straightforward name for English speakers (Tòu’s original accent mark pronounced “Toe,” Mandarin for “transparent”), will be available at a much lower price ( $130) and, apparently, for much longer.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
Like Tòu, Prism has a unique exterior with simple geometric angular panels. Some of them work as two-way mirrors. When your computer is turned off, it looks like the side panels are simple dark mirrors. It’s instantly noticeable (and smudges if you look at it so much as sideways), so you’ll want a suitable cloth.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
However, when the computer is turned on, any lit components inside the case shine through the surface, revealing the interior. This is a case that looks spectacular in all conditions – but very different if it’s on OR turned off.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
Because of its unique design, Prism can easily attract some new converts. Plus, the chassis will be very spacious, with room to mount up to 11 fans (with mesh filters to catch dust) and support for 360mm water coolers. It is expected sometime in the second quarter of 2025.
InWin Change: I’ll take two, please
The other new case that InWin showed off is the Shift, and while it’s definitely less attractive, certain users will find it the answer to a much more pressing problem: testing PC parts. (If anything, he resembles, when lying down, a replicator robot from the sci-fi show Stargate.)
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
The Shift is the rare case of a PC we desperately want to get our hands on, not to use it to build an elaborate desktop for fun, but because it looks like a great chassis for lab work. [I’m still regretting I didn’t walk out with the display sample under my arm, like I owned it. —Ed.]
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
The Shift is designed as an open-frame, open-air chassis that can be positioned vertically (in a hardware “display” mode) or horizontally (desktop mode). The case is made from lightweight, sandblasted aluminum, which helps it move around more easily, a key point when you have test systems in a PC lab. You need to be able to move your cases around, and most open-frame cases are uncomfortably flat beasts. This one even has a handle, which helps when you need to rotate it between standing and lying down.
Recommended by our Editors
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
Now, why is this type of case ideal for laboratory work? Thanks to the open design, you always have easy access to internal components to make quick parts changes. This, as you might expect, is something that we to a great extent value when considering PC components.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
The Shift is also highly configurable, with support for two power supplies (they mount under the main deck), multiple possible GPU mounting positions via a riser card, and side arms that can hold fans or a water-cooling radiator . You can also adjust the angle of the arms.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
Serious displays may be wowed by Vertical Shift, but anyone who is in the habit of changing their rig regularly, or who participates in extreme overclocking, will appreciate the desktop mode. Are you interested in all this? Then you definitely want to take a closer look at one of these.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)
InWin did not yet have pricing information for the Shift. (Indeed, InWin reps were polling us for a possible MSRP, and we suggested $250 to $350, given other options on the market.) We don’t even know when the InWin Shift will go on sale. But you can bet we’ll be watching when it’s ready, fingers crossed on the pre-order trigger.
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