Ever completely stop for a moment, struck breathless by beauty? The Phanteks Evolv X2, newly announced at Computex 2024, sparks that kind of reaction. (My mug literally paused in mid-air when I saw it.) Its shape may be like other tower cases, but its looks are altogether something else.
Though boxy and rectangular, the Phanteks Evolv X2 carries slender lines, sports a chimney layout, and comes graced with tasteful accents. It looks distinctive and fresh—and very welcome. These days, most standard tower cases are utilitarian, with air intake from the front, exhaust out the top and back, and perhaps the option to also intake from the bottom. Meanwhile glass aquarium enclosures tend to go wide with dual-chamber interiors.
The Evolve X2 blends the best aspects of each style, keeping the narrower proportions of a traditional tower by only venting air from bottom to top, while putting glass windows on all sides. It then adds striking metallic aluminum trim within the interior, while also recessing the mounts for the bottom fans and top radiator so their bulk is hidden. All together, it’s so very pretty.
Should this understated and classy vibe fail to catch your attention, Phanteks is launching other new cases as well. The NV5MKII and NV9MKII mirror popular looks while supporting back-connect motherboards, and the Eclipse G400A carries forward a more typical angular, gamery aesthetic. There’s also the Eclipse G400N, which shows off sleeved cable routing behind the motherboard.
But if you’re completely enthralled by the Evolv X2, you won’t have too long to wait for it—the expect launch is in Q4 of this year, for a price of $150 USD. In the meantime, you can get a closer look through YouTube coverage on channels like GGF Events and Gear Seekers.
Author: Alaina Yee, Senior Editor, PCWorld
A 14-year veteran of technology and video games journalism, Alaina Yee covers a variety of topics for PCWorld. Since joining the team in 2016, she’s written about CPUs, Windows, PC building, Chrome, Raspberry Pi, and much more—while also serving as PCWorld’s resident bargain hunter (#slickdeals). Currently her focus is on security, helping people understand how best to protect themselves online. Her work has previously appeared in PC Gamer, IGN, Maximum PC, and Official Xbox Magazine.