ASUS Announces Vento Foldable Chassis

Terry Olaes

Terry Olaes

I Used to be the [H] News Guy
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Nov 27, 2006
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Ok, normally we don’t offer commentary on news releases but I thought that this funky idea from ASUS deserves discussion. Share your thoughts here.

One of the unique features of the TA-F Series is its foldable design. With a fully folded dimension of 434 x 87 x 434 mm, vendors and dealers can potentially save storage and transportation costs by more than 30% with its space-saving design. This also allows DIY enthusiasts to carry the chassis back home or to the office without having to contend with the conventional bulk of a normal chassis.
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If the folding chassis is sturdy, drive bay sides line up and the chassis doesn't rattle from drive or fan activity then I'm sold.
 
If XFX or Gigabyte releases a folding MB that matches, AND Thermalright designs the Accordion Heatsink, I'm sold.
Else this thing could only be good for modding... perhaps.
 
I think it should be pointed out that this is not for a coputer with anything in it, just the case.

In which case (no pun intended) you'd save on volume-based shipping, but not weight-based shipping.

Its a novel idea, but if it compromises the sturdiness of the case even one iota, it'll fail, enthusiasts will not risk a case collapsing on thousands of dollars worth of highly sensitive computer parts.

This problem becomes more apparent, when you consider that like me, many enthusiasts leave one side of the case off, when sound is not an issue, for better passive or fan-aided cooling.
 
I can see for shipping of the unit it could save costs and that once you receive it it would be a breeze to put together... but they could just as easy send it in loose panels that you could assemble upon receiving the unit.

But, once you put it together what's the point? The quote states that you can take it from home/office easier (yes they say chassis.. but when do you transport an empty from place to place after you receive it).
 
I see no immediate benefits. I only carry the empty chassis once, when I've just bought it (unless I ordered it online and got it delivered to the door). It won't make transporting the system easier, either, because once the components are installed, you can no longer fold it..Vendors and dealers might save some money on storage and transportation, but the actual case would be more expensive to manufacture.

If you want a full desktop system that is easy to transport, get a Shuttle or other mini-PC. I used to carry a Shuttle system with me on the train when I went to visit my parents 350 miles north of where I live. Didn't even need a special bag, I just wrapped some clothes around it and put it in my backpack :)
 
This would be good for trade shows and the LAN party travelers who don't want to ship the mobo and cards mounted in the case. Now you can fit an entire system in a single box not much bigger than the mobo. Pretty sweet.
 
A folding joint is and will never be as sturdy as a fixed joint and with a case like this it's highly likely to end up with a rattling noise, maybe not at first but as time goes by and vibrations have time to work at it.

Have a hard time imagining any hardcore peeps buying into this idea.
 
This case is probably highly moddable as well with the folding/removeable parts. Something fun to play with.
 
i don't think this functinality is aimed at the enthusiasts, i think it's more for the retailers that have shelves filled with huge case boxes at their stores... a lot of smaller B&M retailers carry a lot of one case as a 'standard' model, if they used these instead, they could free up a lot of retail shelf space.
 
b0ddah said:
i don't think this functinality is aimed at the enthusiasts, i think it's more for the retailers that have shelves filled with huge case boxes at their stores... a lot of smaller B&M retailers carry a lot of one case as a 'standard' model, if they used these instead, they could free up a lot of retail shelf space.
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BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I think this is actually a really cool design. Kind of useless once a system is actually built, but still a very novel concept.
 
Great Tiger said:
impractical and useless.
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Uhuh...

Great input.

Try reading the thread next time?

Ever wonder where those MILLIONS of cases are stored before they're loaded with parts and used? That's a lost of storage space. Foldable cases would save big businesses big money.
 
I don't care about saving big businesses big money when the cases are probably crap. I don't want a damn folding case myself. I like solid cases that do not rattle.
 
If I'm Correct in Assuming that this Chasis could be Used as a Mobile Mobo Testing Platform. In Fact I bet you could assemble a Complete PC in Minutes, when you Consider the Open Design Concept, and How Repetitive Assembly and Testing has Become. I think this might Very well have an Application Suitable for Roving IT Guys.
 
Jaguar Jim1 said:
If I'm Correct in Assuming that this Chasis could be Used as a Mobile Mobo Testing Platform. In Fact I bet you could assemble a Complete PC in Minutes, when you Consider the Open Design Concept, and How Repetitive Assembly and Testing has Become. I think this might Very well have an Application Suitable for Roving IT Guys.
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From what i see its just a regular mid tower ATX case that folds down when its empty, not some open design concept. It would take you the same amount of time to set a PC up in this as it would practically any other case on the market.

I dont get its purpose unless theres a demand for collectible exotic cases its just a stupid idea.
 
It would be nice, since I currently have five that don't fold in cluttering my home.
 
pfunkman said:
From what i see its just a regular mid tower ATX case that folds down when its empty, not some open design concept. It would take you the same amount of time to set a PC up in this as it would practically any other case on the market.

I dont get its purpose unless theres a demand for collectible exotic cases its just a stupid idea.
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The Only Reason I brought it up, was in light of the Recent Antec Skeleton, or the HSPC Top Deck Test Station, which are better suited for Test Bench Testing.
 
Jaguar Jim1 said:
The Only Reason I brought it up, was in light of the Recent Antec Skeleton, or the HSPC Top Deck Test Station, which are better suited for Test Bench Testing.
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I guess i dont see the connection between this case and those?
 
It'll be great for reducing shipping fees, getting the box sizes down (less packaging waste), maximizing warehouse and distribution space, and for the consumer taking the thing home if they buy it from Fry's or something. Obviously it has no practical applications once the computer is actually built.
 
thewooster said:
That's what I'm thinking. Cool, but why?
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Storing in warehouses and shipping to distributors. No practical applications for the end-user but smaller packaging is always a better thing. You get more units in a shipping container, you use less fuel in shipping per unit, you eat up less warehouse space, etc etc...
 
lathode said:
I don't care about saving big businesses big money when the cases are probably crap. I don't want a damn folding case myself. I like solid cases that do not rattle.
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So why comment at all? Generally if a product is not designed for someone they simply go along with their lives instead of bashing it mindlessly.
 
Nemesis999 said:
Ever wonder where those MILLIONS of cases are stored before they're loaded with parts and used? That's a lost of storage space. Foldable cases would save big businesses big money.
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That's the only valid point of this case. The manufacturer and distributors aren't the only ones saving storage real state, many OEMs would benefit from this. I'm not talking only the big integrators but also small companies and individual system integrators. I have a friend who sells a few systems a month, his bedroom is usually cramped with empty cases.
 
Serpico said:
Storing in warehouses and shipping to distributors. No practical applications for the end-user but smaller packaging is always a better thing. You get more units in a shipping container, you use less fuel in shipping per unit, you eat up less warehouse space, etc etc...
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I work at a DC for a major retailer and this man speaks the truth. Sending out a trailer to a store cost the same whether it had one box or is packed to the gills. The more we can cram on to the truck the better. Also, are facility is currently spread among three buildings and we are still running out of space.
 
there would be soo much room in my "I'm a packrat and cant throw working computer junk out" closet if cases folded up.
 
I think it's a great idea as long as when it gets setup it is as least as sturdy as a normal case.

The mount of storage space that is save for shipping would be amazing, and could actually benefit not only shipping but pollution by a little bit, imagine packing 6-7 times the amount in the same space on a container, that saves on the amount of ships needed to bring the cases over.

As for you and me.. well if you own a car, it would help a little but not much, but if you have to take it by hand, it could be carried under your arm, or depending if they add holes to the package, backpack it.

It also means that Amazon shipping should be easier with UPS and if packaged right a LOT harder to kill in shipping
 
You don't get what I mean. I meant as in Antec's skeleton was something new to people of the PC world with an open chasis. And this is Asus's answer by making a case that is foldable. Two different things yet related due to innovative ideas. Well thats my opinion, view it as you like.
 
There is nothing new at all about Antec's Skeleton other than them marketing the system heavily and putting a giant fan on top with some curved bits. HSPC has had their Tech Station line up out for a few years now and I rather have one of those than a Skeleton any day.
 
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