If you have access to the internet, you would’ve surely noticed the wide range of PC components now available in white. It seems every manufacturer jumped on the bandwagon, but where did it all start?

NZXT Phantom, the beginning of mainstream appeal

I’m fairly sure the NZXT Phantom was the first white PC case; the one to kick-start the wave of gamers desiring white hardware.

Besides looking absolutely gorgeous, the Phantom was a low-cost chassis that packed features in every nook and cranny. A wide cable management compartment, rubber grommeting around the cable management holes, effective use of the interior space to provide a higher than average amount of hard drive bays, a built in fan speed controller, and that’s just the start.

NZXT Phantom white

Naturally the combination of awe inspiring looks, a long list of features and a low cost made the Phantom a hit.

Other case manufacturers saw this and decided only one thing could be done.

So what followed the Phantom?

Corsair Graphite 600T Special edition white: Corsair liked the look of the white NZXT phantom, so decided to slap a coat of paint on the popular 600T and cut out a piece of the side panel to fit a Perspex window.

Corsair Graphite 600T white

Coolermaster 690 II Advanced white: The Coolermaster 690 has been around for years and has seen various iterations that improved over the previous generation in one way or another. The latest version is identical to the previous one in every way except for the white paint job.

Coolermaster CM690 II white

Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino edition: Cyborg has also joined the white party, though with a mouse rather than a case. The R.A.T. 7 has been around for a quite a while and needed a refresh. It got just that, with a white paint scheme that somehow justifies the R130 jump in pricing locally.

Cyborg RAT 7 albino

Antec Mini P180 white: It’s a good thing Antec haven’t jumped on the bandwagon. Oh wait, they didn’t. The Mini P180 white pre-dates the NZXT phantom by at least two years, but never took off thanks to its high price and cramped interior. A great case if you didn’t care about space for your hardware. Or airflow. Or weight.

Antec mini P180 white

Bottom line

The above are just some examples of the wave of white components (particularly cases) that have launched in the wake of the NZXT Phantom.

White can look as classy and as elegant as black or silver when it comes to PC components, however it’s laughable to see how many manufacturers jump on the bandwagon of popularity. No one was rushing out to make white cases after the P180 mini white launched, but as soon as the NZXT Phantom White burst onto the scene, all of a sudden everyone was keen to get a white case off the production line.

So to end off I say: BRB going to break out the lumo-yellow spray paint and make the next big thing that everyone else will shamelessly copy.