In a nutshell: If you're tired of gaming PCs that look like they were ripped straight out of a Transformers movie, complete with flashy, angled designs, you'll want to check out this stunning build by a Danish woodworking wizard. Modder "Modfoller" has crafted a minimalist ATX gaming rig, aptly named "The Scandinavian," that seamlessly blends into your furniture – at least until you power it up.
At first glance, The Scandinavian could easily be mistaken for a sleek oak side table or cabinet – something you'd expect to find in a tastefully decorated living room. But lift the lid, and you'll uncover a fully functional gaming PC, complete with a Core i7-11700K processor and an Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU. While the hardware may not be the newest on the market, the RTX 3070 still packs a punch, delivering excellent performance for 1080p gaming.
"The title "The Scandinavian" alludes to my inspiration for the build. Not only am I from Denmark, but the clean and simplistic design is strongly inspired by the "golden age" of Danish, Scandinavian, and Nordic furniture design from the 1930s to the 1970s. The case is made to resemble a side table or similar small piece of furniture," notes the creator on his blog.
Indeed, the unassuming exterior offers no hint that this is a fully functional computer. The only giveaway is the subtle power button on the front, which emits a soft white glow when the system is powered on.
Aluminum mesh panels on the sides ensure proper airflow in and out of the case. At the back, discreetly positioned ports handle power, display connections, and peripherals, maintaining the build's clean aesthetic.
While the exterior exudes organic warmth, the internals lean toward an industrial design. The creator repurposed components from a budget Chieftec case, adapting them to mount the motherboard, GPU, and cooling system seamlessly.
As for cooling, despite relying solely on air, Modfoller carefully engineered the setup to keep the PC quiet and cool under load. The system features two 140mm intake fans, along with two 80mm and an additional 140mm fan for exhaust, ensuring efficient heat dissipation.
The case itself involved a significant amount of craftsmanship. The creator meticulously cut all the oak pieces from a single shelf, ensuring consistency in grain and tone. Each piece was carefully measured, sawed, sanded, and assembled using wood glue and dowels. To achieve the luxurious, furniture-grade finish, he hand-rounded the edges with files and rasps, creating a smooth, polished appearance.
The finishing touch was a hand-applied beeswax coating, which gives the wood its rich, glowing look. For the legs, there are two options: traditional oak furniture legs for a freestanding side-table aesthetic, or simple rubber feet if you prefer to place it directly on a desktop surface.
Wooden side table is actually a sleeper gaming PC packing an RTX 3070
