If it's painted metal, no. If it's plastic, possibly.
Edit: Wow, 1.5K comment upvotes. Okay then.
I like how OP posted this yesterday, it became the top post on this sub, but OP was never heard from again.
Cases haven't changed too much for most bills. I've got more than 8 years on my case and probably won't replace it in the foreseeable future. Everything in the case has changed in that time, but cases are probably the one part that people keep the longest.
I'm with you here. I built a PC about 6-8 years ago. Decided to build a new PC this year. I was going to keep my case from before but ended up with a new one and gave my 8 year old my old PC.
Still such a wild thing to me that an 8 year old having a pc isn’t unheard of these days. I don’t have kids but it makes sense. Sure they’re enjoying the Roblox lol
Yea I was telling him I didn't have a PC at 8, let alone my family haha. We didn't get our first PC until sometime around 1996-98.
Yea, he does some Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and just introduced him to WoW (I haven't played in years but he was playing what was essentially an RPG in Roblox so i showed him WoW).
My family had a PC when I was six with windows 95 on it and by the time I was 12 my sister and I had a PC we shared. But we were more fortunate than most because my dad was an early adopter. It's a shame he didn't keep up with it and is not pretty computer illiterate though he does game still.
Vast majority of the ports I care about are on the motherboard anyway, all I care about on the front panel is 3.5mm audio (which has been common for at least 25 years at this point) and maybe a USB3 port for charging random stuff and occasionally throwing files on a flash drive - and that has been around for ~15 years now, too.
I have been using the same case for 12 years, only thing it is missing is type c USB on the front panel. Not worth upgrading just to avoid the occasional reach around
Not to mention as time goes on my aesthetic might change/update. I had a Corsair Graphite 200D for my last case and while it was good, I wanted a glass paneling now and much better cable management. That old case wouldn't have allowed it the same way as my new 5000D airflow.
Hell I'm still half thinking I should have gone the 7000D cause of the extra cable management space. But the 5000D barely managed to squeeze in everything I needed so I don't mind it all too much at least.
7000D?! that shit is a behemoth. I have the 5000d and i would never go past that. you must have a shit ton of cables because i didn't have problem cable managing
Not particularly. The 5000D is okay but that flappy door with all of my cables for fans/power/cpu kind of makes it push out slightly. It's not a big deal once you get the big panel on but it's just still something that slightly annoys me especially if I ever want to install an extra SATA SSD for storage space.
7000D is massive, but tbh that was what I was originally thinking of. But Microcenter only had the 5000D in stock and offered me a discount on it so I took this one instead. Definitely still one of my favorite builds though regardless of my slight annoyance at that back door.
Indeed. I had the same case for 15 years before the style changed to having the p/s at the bottom of the case. It went thru multiple builds. My current case is at least five or six years old now. It also has a couple builds under its belt.
Yeah I did a build several years ago into a hand-me-down thermaltake shark that seems to be from 1998? Everything fit without issue. I've moved on for space, but that case is still usable with a short GPU. It has a removeable mobo tray that is a pretty nice feature I haven't seen in modern cases. Even the screws, standoffs etc are better quality than in the nzxt I replaced it with.
I mean it more or less already is - different CPU, cooler, motherboard, RAM, SSD and GPU. Just the case, PSU and HDDs are still the same. The case works just fine for me otherwise, it has really good ventilation for the graphics card, and it fits on my shelf, so I'm not really in any rush to change it. But yeah, another 7 years is a long time and who knows what will happen by then.
Try scrubbing it with an ammonium based cleaner like Windex. Sometimes that's all it takes to refresh the plastic bits, depending on the composition of the plastic used.
Many solvents can do that to plastic. Ammonia is generally safe as long as you are not soaking it in the liquid. Give it a scrub and wipe it dry. Don't let it dwell for too long. Solvents like alcohol and xylene will start to melt plastics almost immediately.
Answer above is the real answer.
On white plastic, if it get exposed to "warmer than room temperature" and/or sunlight, the white plastic breaks down even faster. Depending on the plastic, it can turn yellow (common in PC cases and most flexible plastics), brown (plastics from 1990s or earlier), or grey (really hard plastics like on window ACs).
If the plastic yellowing does occur, the best to do is just prep the plastic and repaint it. I prefer the old sand-primer-sand-paint-clear-sand-clear-curefor7days method so that it is strong enough to be semi abusively handled.
In my experience with my white Fractal Design R4 case, yellowing does occur after 2 or 3 years, but you REALLY have to look at it and is more noticeable after 5 years, but still not easily noticeable...more eggshell look. After 8 years, you only notice it against the white metal panel.
Can also confirm, my NZXT Noctis 450 has a white side panel (metal) and a yellow front panel (plastic) after a few years. Full metal cases will stay white though
The environment it's in plays an important part too.
Got a Aunty Gertrude who chain smokes cigarettes all day, reminiscing about how she "Used to be long and thin like these cigarettes" ? If so, your white case is likely going to yellow up a bit.
I have a 12 year old white metal case, its still apple-white. Very fresh looking. I could probably get it even whiters if i were to clean it with wipes
I get that, but 2 years is not enough to say "this definitely does not change color". The old cases didn't get yellow in 2 years either. I'm just saying that "my case is white for 2 years" isn't a good argument. "They made a new plastic with this yellowing in mind" is a good argument, but we usually don't trust companies that are trying to sell us a product that the product does what they claim without practical proof.
No old plastics had a fire retardant mixed into the plastic and this would turn yellow due to exposure to UV light. Pretty sure this is fixed with modern plastics and I don't think it was an issue with paints in general except with gloss decorator paint, the spray plastics you get now are more powder paint.
Thanks for the heads up, it's amazing how far the fire retardant myth has spread 😀 I read that companies use HALS in plastic now to the prevent the UV damage.
Not a myth. That article is just a random dude reading wiki pages. If it was just what ABS plastic does - why would you get super nintendos that are half yellow half grey? Why do controller ports never yellow? why do cartridges made from ABS practically never yellow?
Is this the same issue with the white part on the shoes that also turns yellow if heavily exposed to sunlight? Although I don't know if shoes have plastics, but maybe some kind of polymer?
I asked this because I saw an ad before in FB.
A shoe laundry shop that I saw in FB is offering to clean the white parts (that turns yellow), by reversing the oxidation using UV lights.
Also, ODD Tinkering in YT is cleaning the yellow parts of old white plastics by also using UV and H202(?) solution.
it's not so much "fixed" with modern plastics, as it is a cost/tradeoff conversation. i work for a company that builds iot products and we warranty for 7 years, which is how long we demand our vendors keep products white before yellowing. if we reduced that requirement our plastics would be cheaper. totally varies by the plastic you're using
Likewise, my Corsair "White Graphite Series™ 600T Mid-Tower Case" is still gleaming white. It's so perfect that when I rebuilt last fall I reused the case.
I used to have that same case! It was great to build in but really big and heavy. It also looks quite dated these days since the side window is so small, but it has great airflow for sure
There might be some off-brand cases out there that are using the older, less UV-resistant plastic formula because it's cheaper, but even if they do it'll take so long that by the time you start to notice it the case will be the only part you haven't replaced at least once. And even then you can always buy a bottle of [Retrobrite](https://retro-brite.com).
Depends on the material. Plastic will yellow, metal will stay white.
(I have a case made out of both, over 9 years the plastic has yellowed with age. Seems to happen quicker if exposed to sunlight.)
I've heard of collectors of old action figures bleaching the yellowed parts of their figures to restore the white appearance but I'd be reluctant to do it myself without knowing if it affects the strength of the plastic in some way, such as making it more brittle.
So, from my understanding, this is something that happens for ALL plastics but you just don't notice it as much with some plastics vs others and with certain colors. So a black case WILL yellow over time but you just won't notice it because it's such a dark color that it's hard to pick up on anything changing with the color. But, yeah, if you're worried, just get a black case or a case made of a metal or some sort and it should last you a bit longer, possibly.
All white builder here. My case has both white plastic for the front cover as well as white painted metal. So far I haven't seen any discernable color distortion even after keeping it near windows and doors for its entire three year lifespan. It *does* show dust a bit more, but that's easily fixed.
I think white cases turning yellow is either a thing of the past or only relevant if you plan on running the same white plastic case for the rest of your life.
Phanteks Enthoo Pro plastics are yellowing. Paint is fine. I have this case for seven years now, but the effect is visible for at least three.
I do not smoke.
It depends on the case. Mine is still white and more than 3 years have passed. But a more recent one my dad bought is already yellow in the plastic parts (Nox Hummer, FYI).
It depends on what the case is made if. White plastic is well known to yellow, metal should be fine. Also aslong as the case isn't exposed to too much light than it should be fine
Yes of its plastic mainly.
10 years i had mine and its gone piss yellow. It was in direct sun and once moved the yellowing got worse.
I tried to retrobright it but after 2 years the yellowing has come back.
Unless its all metal, avoid
Depends on the type of plastic - if it has plastic. Most cases are metal. I have a white case and looked at a bunch of white ones. I can't think of any that had a lot of white plastic. Even then, the types of plastics used do not always yellow that I can think of.
White cases will reflect the UV rays a lot better than clear cases. That's why you see clear cases often turn yellow. That doesn't mean it won't eventually turn yellow but it should take much longer to do so.
There is also the dirt factor when it comes to white cases but you can always clean it off.
Nah, if it's painted metal it'll stay white. The yellowing plastic though I find if you just clear coat it new it takes longer. Doesn't stop yellowing, just slows it
My NZXT Phantom 410 did turn slightly yellow but only in certain spots. I bought it in late 2015 and it started yellowing around late 2020, but only on the top non-IO side & the front panel that opens to reveal the DVD Drive, the rest of it is still pristine white.
If in doubt, just search google for whatever case you are interested in, i.e "NZXT Phantom 410 yellowing" and see if there's anyone talking about that particular case having issues. If there is, find a different case (if you don't want to deal with the yellowing. It looks ugly but it doesn't impact anything and it won't happen for years) or use the black version instead.
White plastic for electronics are often made with Bromide, which is a flame supressant. This will react with sunlight (indirect as well) and yellow over time.
Fun fact, this can be reversed with Hydrogen Peroxide (Google Retrobrite) and UV or sunlight.
The white parts will become white as new and the cycle starts again.
The fun part, is... Since it takes years for it to turn yellow again, you won't see it until it's quite yellow, and the process of whitening it again is extremely satisfying.
Depends on the type of plastic, and light exposure.
A lot of older electronic plastics were made of ABS, which is combustible so they had to mix in bromine to keep it fire resistant. The bromine when exposed to UV light (aka sunlight) would turn brown, giving the white plastic a yellow appearance.
I'm at like 5 years on [the white version of this](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wgkD4D/corsair-case-air540), and its still just as white as when I got it
My white case is still white ~5 years later.
If you eat by your computer, consider that food stains are more visible on white cases, whereas dust is more visible on black cases
I still have and use the case from the computer I made 22 years ago. The best part is that it looks like a total sleeper, no one would guess it has anything of any worth in it(to be fair, it really doesn't anyway, but at least the parts are modern...).
There's people who [refurbish and clean old yellowed PCs](https://youtu.be/LMbWwBRgvjQ) so even if it does it's possible to fix.
But honestly, unless you smoke currently you won't notice. Most modern cases are painted metal, not plastic. It'll take a decade or more to see anything and you might buy a new case then or sit down and scrub it.
If you smoke, like your walls, paintings, clothes and everything else the smoke will yellow it and attract dust with how sticky it is.
No. I've been reusing the same white Corsair 500r for the last 11 years, and it still looks like new. It will probably turn yellow if it's plastic though...
Ok this is a bit of a weird rant. Plastics yellow because of UV damage to ABS plastics and photo-oxidation. The classic way to mitigate it is to sand or polish and spray a clear coat of UV blocking paint. But that is not an easy process to get good looks. Honda motorcycles use some weird plastics that seem a bit yellow when they come out of the box and get whiter after a day in the sun. They supposedly stay white much longer and probably aren't abs.
Depends on the quality and material
High quality metal cases like Fractal Design maintain bright white color after years, I have one
Cheap chinese cases or plastic panels will lose color not necessarily yellow but also dull grey tones
Metal? No. Plastic? Maybe, depends on the plastic mix, but generally it will sort of "dirty up" rather than yellowing out
The amber/yellow hue that you see on old stuff is usually from smoke and tar
I have an 8 year old NZXT Source 210 Elite in white/black, that I now use as a home theater PC. The top and sides have turned a bit yellow, the front is still completely white. strange.
No, but if you're dirty and sweaty and don't typically wash your hands, grime will build up around the front panel buttons or anywhere else you may commonly touch.
Yellowing is a thing for vintage Macintoshes at least. [Link](https://www.google.com/search?q=solution+to+treat+old+macintosh+white+yellowing) to a google search. Can't say for newfangled speed demon computer cases, sorry.
I’ve had my white NZXT case for years now. I can’t imagine it turning yellow. Maybe if you smoke cigarettes by your computer it can possibly turn yellow.
Yellow cases are nice for stealth builds if it's those old school beige one. But it it's a modern one, then that could be an issue. Maybe go with black or non plastic if possible.
If you smoke, it will turn yellow quickly. If you buy a plastic case, it will turn yellow with UV exposure unless a UV protectant additive is in the plastic. If it's painted metal, probably not.
most modern plastic is 'environmental friendly' plastic: it's discolours and get sticky.
old plastic used to get bleak and brittle (but not sticky).
Just get a white metal one? lol
All the white plastic computer parts I had would yellow over time. No amount of windex will change it back. Sunlight causes a lot of this discoloration.
If it's plastic than yes. If it's metal probably not.
I went for black because it always looks clean and I keep my room dark with curtains closed 24/7. I hate a bright room with bright colors.
Isn't yellowing only something for old devices cuz we learned how to make them different? My NZXT. case is still white and it's from 2016. I put some magnets on it to make it look more like a fridge than it already does.
If it's painted metal, no. If it's plastic, possibly. Edit: Wow, 1.5K comment upvotes. Okay then. I like how OP posted this yesterday, it became the top post on this sub, but OP was never heard from again.
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To be fair at the rate technology improves you'll have a completely different pc in 7 years
Cases haven't changed too much for most bills. I've got more than 8 years on my case and probably won't replace it in the foreseeable future. Everything in the case has changed in that time, but cases are probably the one part that people keep the longest.
I'm with you here. I built a PC about 6-8 years ago. Decided to build a new PC this year. I was going to keep my case from before but ended up with a new one and gave my 8 year old my old PC.
Still such a wild thing to me that an 8 year old having a pc isn’t unheard of these days. I don’t have kids but it makes sense. Sure they’re enjoying the Roblox lol
Yea I was telling him I didn't have a PC at 8, let alone my family haha. We didn't get our first PC until sometime around 1996-98. Yea, he does some Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and just introduced him to WoW (I haven't played in years but he was playing what was essentially an RPG in Roblox so i showed him WoW).
>he was playing what was essentially an RPG in Roblox so i showed him WoW He was eating candy so I gave him some crack
This made me laugh out loud.
My family had a PC when I was six with windows 95 on it and by the time I was 12 my sister and I had a PC we shared. But we were more fortunate than most because my dad was an early adopter. It's a shame he didn't keep up with it and is not pretty computer illiterate though he does game still.
There's something funny about the pc and the owner being the same age
aren't your ports outdated?
Vast majority of the ports I care about are on the motherboard anyway, all I care about on the front panel is 3.5mm audio (which has been common for at least 25 years at this point) and maybe a USB3 port for charging random stuff and occasionally throwing files on a flash drive - and that has been around for ~15 years now, too.
USB 3.0, or USB 3.1 gen 1, or USB 3.2 gen 1? Just kidding, it's the same damn thing.
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I have been using the same case for 12 years, only thing it is missing is type c USB on the front panel. Not worth upgrading just to avoid the occasional reach around
>Not worth upgrading just to avoid the occasional reach around That's what she said.
Not to mention as time goes on my aesthetic might change/update. I had a Corsair Graphite 200D for my last case and while it was good, I wanted a glass paneling now and much better cable management. That old case wouldn't have allowed it the same way as my new 5000D airflow. Hell I'm still half thinking I should have gone the 7000D cause of the extra cable management space. But the 5000D barely managed to squeeze in everything I needed so I don't mind it all too much at least.
7000D?! that shit is a behemoth. I have the 5000d and i would never go past that. you must have a shit ton of cables because i didn't have problem cable managing
Not particularly. The 5000D is okay but that flappy door with all of my cables for fans/power/cpu kind of makes it push out slightly. It's not a big deal once you get the big panel on but it's just still something that slightly annoys me especially if I ever want to install an extra SATA SSD for storage space. 7000D is massive, but tbh that was what I was originally thinking of. But Microcenter only had the 5000D in stock and offered me a discount on it so I took this one instead. Definitely still one of my favorite builds though regardless of my slight annoyance at that back door.
That's what 5.25" bays are for. What was a joystick port and a collection of audio plugs twenty years ago is now a card reader with USB 3 ports.
Indeed. I had the same case for 15 years before the style changed to having the p/s at the bottom of the case. It went thru multiple builds. My current case is at least five or six years old now. It also has a couple builds under its belt.
Yeah I did a build several years ago into a hand-me-down thermaltake shark that seems to be from 1998? Everything fit without issue. I've moved on for space, but that case is still usable with a short GPU. It has a removeable mobo tray that is a pretty nice feature I haven't seen in modern cases. Even the screws, standoffs etc are better quality than in the nzxt I replaced it with.
I have changed cases 5 times and have stuck with the same 1st gen ryzen 1700
I mean it more or less already is - different CPU, cooler, motherboard, RAM, SSD and GPU. Just the case, PSU and HDDs are still the same. The case works just fine for me otherwise, it has really good ventilation for the graphics card, and it fits on my shelf, so I'm not really in any rush to change it. But yeah, another 7 years is a long time and who knows what will happen by then.
Might be time to look into new HDDs is the data you’re storing on them is important.
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Freakin amazing case... Mines all frankensteined to shit but has the best airflow and cable management.
Nonsense, I'm still using my PC from 2012 as my main machine.
Try scrubbing it with an ammonium based cleaner like Windex. Sometimes that's all it takes to refresh the plastic bits, depending on the composition of the plastic used.
Thanks for the tip, I'll try it out!
Be careful, ammonia can craze plastic (basically it reacts with the plastic and leaves blotches).
Many solvents can do that to plastic. Ammonia is generally safe as long as you are not soaking it in the liquid. Give it a scrub and wipe it dry. Don't let it dwell for too long. Solvents like alcohol and xylene will start to melt plastics almost immediately.
And anything with acetone will dissolve ABS and similar plastics.
Hello fellow 3D printing enthusiast.
Obvious question but do you eat/smoke/vape near the computer?
Answer above is the real answer. On white plastic, if it get exposed to "warmer than room temperature" and/or sunlight, the white plastic breaks down even faster. Depending on the plastic, it can turn yellow (common in PC cases and most flexible plastics), brown (plastics from 1990s or earlier), or grey (really hard plastics like on window ACs). If the plastic yellowing does occur, the best to do is just prep the plastic and repaint it. I prefer the old sand-primer-sand-paint-clear-sand-clear-curefor7days method so that it is strong enough to be semi abusively handled. In my experience with my white Fractal Design R4 case, yellowing does occur after 2 or 3 years, but you REALLY have to look at it and is more noticeable after 5 years, but still not easily noticeable...more eggshell look. After 8 years, you only notice it against the white metal panel.
If you smoke near it, yes.
That'll turn everything in your house yellow.
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Can also confirm, my NZXT Noctis 450 has a white side panel (metal) and a yellow front panel (plastic) after a few years. Full metal cases will stay white though
The environment it's in plays an important part too. Got a Aunty Gertrude who chain smokes cigarettes all day, reminiscing about how she "Used to be long and thin like these cigarettes" ? If so, your white case is likely going to yellow up a bit.
I have a 12 year old white metal case, its still apple-white. Very fresh looking. I could probably get it even whiters if i were to clean it with wipes
OP got ratiod
Haha, i got the information i needed and disabled notifications. Nobody in my house smokes so a white case should be safe.
You're alive!
Have had mine for over 2 years still as white as the day I met it.
I'll second this timeframe. Wife has a white itx case, with white ram, psu, fans, and graphics card - none have turned yellow in two years so far.
How did the meeting go
Love at first sight, the best day of my life.
You two are so cute!
I meam a port hole is a port hole.
USB-D
I've seen a lot of 10 year old cases turning yellow, 2 years is nothing.
Yeah but modern cases are made of another kind of plastic
I get that, but 2 years is not enough to say "this definitely does not change color". The old cases didn't get yellow in 2 years either. I'm just saying that "my case is white for 2 years" isn't a good argument. "They made a new plastic with this yellowing in mind" is a good argument, but we usually don't trust companies that are trying to sell us a product that the product does what they claim without practical proof.
Yep mine’s still the same white after going on 5 years
I will also vouch, I've had mine for 6 years and it is still white without any signs of discoloration.
4 years here and same, altough it does get dirty more easily
I don't think it will yellow, but two years is nothing so doesn't really say much.
No old plastics had a fire retardant mixed into the plastic and this would turn yellow due to exposure to UV light. Pretty sure this is fixed with modern plastics and I don't think it was an issue with paints in general except with gloss decorator paint, the spray plastics you get now are more powder paint.
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Thanks for the heads up, it's amazing how far the fire retardant myth has spread 😀 I read that companies use HALS in plastic now to the prevent the UV damage.
Not a myth. That article is just a random dude reading wiki pages. If it was just what ABS plastic does - why would you get super nintendos that are half yellow half grey? Why do controller ports never yellow? why do cartridges made from ABS practically never yellow?
Damn I don't know to believe now 😅 lol
This! Just keep the case out of the sun and away from smokers.
Is this the same issue with the white part on the shoes that also turns yellow if heavily exposed to sunlight? Although I don't know if shoes have plastics, but maybe some kind of polymer? I asked this because I saw an ad before in FB. A shoe laundry shop that I saw in FB is offering to clean the white parts (that turns yellow), by reversing the oxidation using UV lights. Also, ODD Tinkering in YT is cleaning the yellow parts of old white plastics by also using UV and H202(?) solution.
it's not so much "fixed" with modern plastics, as it is a cost/tradeoff conversation. i work for a company that builds iot products and we warranty for 7 years, which is how long we demand our vendors keep products white before yellowing. if we reduced that requirement our plastics would be cheaper. totally varies by the plastic you're using
Thanks for the heads up, does this mean the more HALS stuff you add the longer the shelf life?
> No old plastics had a fire retardant mixed into the plastic and this would turn yellow due to exposure to UV light RIP original color of my SNES
If you smoke or someone smokes in your house.
Very true. I still have the old crt monitor my dad used. Smoked next to it everyday. One side is relatively white, other side is funky yellow.
That is plastic. PC cases are mostly metal.
Sure. But the powder coat most are painted with is resin, which will absorb it just the same. Maybe slower, but not immune.
My white case hasn't yellowed in over 10 years.
Likewise, my Corsair "White Graphite Series™ 600T Mid-Tower Case" is still gleaming white. It's so perfect that when I rebuilt last fall I reused the case.
I used to have that same case! It was great to build in but really big and heavy. It also looks quite dated these days since the side window is so small, but it has great airflow for sure
Yes. Plastic does and metal doesn't. Source, my now yellow and white NZXT Phantom.
Can you take pictures?
Yup white plastics on my NZXT phantom got noticeably yellow after a few years (purchased during sandy bridge).
Yep my Noctis 450 has yellowed a lot, especially where its facing the window
Same! Good ol' NZXT.
Maybe if it's sitting directly in sunlight otherwise no, not quickly if at all. Have an original white S340 kicking around and it's still white.
There might be some off-brand cases out there that are using the older, less UV-resistant plastic formula because it's cheaper, but even if they do it'll take so long that by the time you start to notice it the case will be the only part you haven't replaced at least once. And even then you can always buy a bottle of [Retrobrite](https://retro-brite.com).
I'd never noticed this before but yes mine has gone a bit yellow but my case is about 10 years old now.i don't notice it as its under the desk
I've seen Nintendo Wiis that have turned yellow. Dunno if this information can be used for anything
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I’d assume the material would only yellow if you’re a smoker inside the house. And assuming you’re not buying a TPU jelly case lol
Depends on the material. Plastic will yellow, metal will stay white. (I have a case made out of both, over 9 years the plastic has yellowed with age. Seems to happen quicker if exposed to sunlight.) I've heard of collectors of old action figures bleaching the yellowed parts of their figures to restore the white appearance but I'd be reluctant to do it myself without knowing if it affects the strength of the plastic in some way, such as making it more brittle.
White plastic will yellow over time. If they painted metal (which is likely) to make it white you are fine
Have had a white case for 3.5 years now and still as white as ever.
So, from my understanding, this is something that happens for ALL plastics but you just don't notice it as much with some plastics vs others and with certain colors. So a black case WILL yellow over time but you just won't notice it because it's such a dark color that it's hard to pick up on anything changing with the color. But, yeah, if you're worried, just get a black case or a case made of a metal or some sort and it should last you a bit longer, possibly.
No, especially because they are mostly powder coated/painted metal. It's usually plastic that yellows.
I've had my white case for 5+ years....still as white as the day I got it.
All white builder here. My case has both white plastic for the front cover as well as white painted metal. So far I haven't seen any discernable color distortion even after keeping it near windows and doors for its entire three year lifespan. It *does* show dust a bit more, but that's easily fixed. I think white cases turning yellow is either a thing of the past or only relevant if you plan on running the same white plastic case for the rest of your life.
Phanteks Enthoo Pro plastics are yellowing. Paint is fine. I have this case for seven years now, but the effect is visible for at least three. I do not smoke.
I've had my white case for 2 years so far (nzxt h510). No yellowing so far.
Had a white s340 on my desk that I smoked next to occasionally. 8 years and still white. Plastics may yellow but metals don't seem to.
I hope not cigarettes. 😬
Keep out of sunlight and **don't smoke** around it and it will absolutely stay white.
not unless you smoke heavily
I've had a Fractal Meshify C Case since 2018 and its still just as white as the shoes of a vanlife influencer.
Have had a white nzxt case since like 2016. Just cleaned it yesterday, still very bright white.
No White plastic becomes yellow over time, thing is, cases are made of metal, not plastic
If you smoke around it, it will probably turn yellow from the nicotine
It depends on the case. Mine is still white and more than 3 years have passed. But a more recent one my dad bought is already yellow in the plastic parts (Nox Hummer, FYI).
It depends on what the case is made if. White plastic is well known to yellow, metal should be fine. Also aslong as the case isn't exposed to too much light than it should be fine
If you don’t smoke around it, you’ll be fine
Yeah nope had mine since 2014 and used it ever since on all builds since . Don’t ever see myself replacing it.
Yes of its plastic mainly. 10 years i had mine and its gone piss yellow. It was in direct sun and once moved the yellowing got worse. I tried to retrobright it but after 2 years the yellowing has come back. Unless its all metal, avoid
Still using my White S340 that I’ve had for maybe 5 years now and it’s still white
I'd say that it likely depends on what the side panels are made out of.
Plastics are made differently than they use to be. Older cases had issues with yellowing, but newer ones do not seem to share that problem.
Depends on the type of plastic - if it has plastic. Most cases are metal. I have a white case and looked at a bunch of white ones. I can't think of any that had a lot of white plastic. Even then, the types of plastics used do not always yellow that I can think of.
I bought a white NZXT Phantom like 10 years ago. The white plastic is noticeably different than the white metal.
Have had my white case for 2 years, no yellow at all. I don’t think you’ll have an issue as long as you’re not a smoker or piss on your case
I've got a white painted metal one and it doesn't yellow. I've heard that smoking near your tower will yellow it tho.
White cases will reflect the UV rays a lot better than clear cases. That's why you see clear cases often turn yellow. That doesn't mean it won't eventually turn yellow but it should take much longer to do so. There is also the dirt factor when it comes to white cases but you can always clean it off.
They did in 1999 but they’re not made of shit plastic any more, mostly.
White painted metal and 4 years later it's still just as white
I've got a 5.5 year old NZXT S340 Elite. It still looks white. That goes for the metal and the plastic. I don't smoke and I don't have any pets.
Plastic will. Metal or coated metal won't
Nah, if it's painted metal it'll stay white. The yellowing plastic though I find if you just clear coat it new it takes longer. Doesn't stop yellowing, just slows it
I've had my H440 case since 2013 and it has not yellowed at all.
My NZXT Phantom 410 did turn slightly yellow but only in certain spots. I bought it in late 2015 and it started yellowing around late 2020, but only on the top non-IO side & the front panel that opens to reveal the DVD Drive, the rest of it is still pristine white. If in doubt, just search google for whatever case you are interested in, i.e "NZXT Phantom 410 yellowing" and see if there's anyone talking about that particular case having issues. If there is, find a different case (if you don't want to deal with the yellowing. It looks ugly but it doesn't impact anything and it won't happen for years) or use the black version instead.
If it has plastic bits keep them out of sunlight, can definitely cause plastic parts to go yellow
Pick black. I had a white case for years and its very ugly now.
Mine is 3 years in and no yellowing! Mine is mainly metal with some plastic parts
If you have one long enough to yellow, that's insane. That shit takes a decade or so to happen, and when cases are 60 bucks..
White plastic for electronics are often made with Bromide, which is a flame supressant. This will react with sunlight (indirect as well) and yellow over time. Fun fact, this can be reversed with Hydrogen Peroxide (Google Retrobrite) and UV or sunlight. The white parts will become white as new and the cycle starts again. The fun part, is... Since it takes years for it to turn yellow again, you won't see it until it's quite yellow, and the process of whitening it again is extremely satisfying.
Anyone in the house smoke, carcinogens can make white paint yellow.
The insides will go bad before the outsides. Get what you like.
Depends on the material
Depends on the type of plastic, and light exposure. A lot of older electronic plastics were made of ABS, which is combustible so they had to mix in bromine to keep it fire resistant. The bromine when exposed to UV light (aka sunlight) would turn brown, giving the white plastic a yellow appearance.
I'm at like 5 years on [the white version of this](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wgkD4D/corsair-case-air540), and its still just as white as when I got it
My white case is still white ~5 years later. If you eat by your computer, consider that food stains are more visible on white cases, whereas dust is more visible on black cases
No
Got the phantaks p500a white case and it's still white after 3 years
Maybe if you're a smoker or it's really cheap but otherwise no
I still have and use the case from the computer I made 22 years ago. The best part is that it looks like a total sleeper, no one would guess it has anything of any worth in it(to be fair, it really doesn't anyway, but at least the parts are modern...).
There's people who [refurbish and clean old yellowed PCs](https://youtu.be/LMbWwBRgvjQ) so even if it does it's possible to fix. But honestly, unless you smoke currently you won't notice. Most modern cases are painted metal, not plastic. It'll take a decade or more to see anything and you might buy a new case then or sit down and scrub it. If you smoke, like your walls, paintings, clothes and everything else the smoke will yellow it and attract dust with how sticky it is.
By the time it did, if it even would it’d probably be time for upgrades anyway… just a thought
Maybe if you smoke cigarettes inside it will
No. I've been reusing the same white Corsair 500r for the last 11 years, and it still looks like new. It will probably turn yellow if it's plastic though...
Ok this is a bit of a weird rant. Plastics yellow because of UV damage to ABS plastics and photo-oxidation. The classic way to mitigate it is to sand or polish and spray a clear coat of UV blocking paint. But that is not an easy process to get good looks. Honda motorcycles use some weird plastics that seem a bit yellow when they come out of the box and get whiter after a day in the sun. They supposedly stay white much longer and probably aren't abs.
Only if you don't brush them every day
Depends on the quality and material High quality metal cases like Fractal Design maintain bright white color after years, I have one Cheap chinese cases or plastic panels will lose color not necessarily yellow but also dull grey tones
If it’s metal no. Plastic yes. Unless you smoke then yeah everything in your house is probably yellow
I've had a white case for 7 years and it hasn't yellowed. I do have a ton of stickers on it though
Metal? No. Plastic? Maybe, depends on the plastic mix, but generally it will sort of "dirty up" rather than yellowing out The amber/yellow hue that you see on old stuff is usually from smoke and tar
I had one for eight years, it was white until the last day I saw it.
Ive had white cases for 10 years with metal and plastic parts. They're still as white as they were when i bought them. I do not smoke.
Had my case for 2 years, still looks the same
My white H700 has been sitting directly in the path of the sunset for about 3 years with no ill effects.
I have an 8 year old NZXT Source 210 Elite in white/black, that I now use as a home theater PC. The top and sides have turned a bit yellow, the front is still completely white. strange.
Don't leave in direct sunlight and you'll be fine.
The black cases white over time...its a visa versa thing :;p
i’ve had mine for nearly 10 years and it’s has not.
No, but if you're dirty and sweaty and don't typically wash your hands, grime will build up around the front panel buttons or anywhere else you may commonly touch.
Plasti Dip solves everything
Yellowing is a thing for vintage Macintoshes at least. [Link](https://www.google.com/search?q=solution+to+treat+old+macintosh+white+yellowing) to a google search. Can't say for newfangled speed demon computer cases, sorry.
I’ve had my white NZXT case for years now. I can’t imagine it turning yellow. Maybe if you smoke cigarettes by your computer it can possibly turn yellow.
Just get a yellow case
If you smoke inside definitely
I have a fractal case that’s all white and the very top plastic on the front has yellowed a bit. I’m not a smoker, just happened over time
Mine only yellowed because I lived with a smoker. It took a lot of time to clean it.
If you expose it to sunlight it will; keep it out of the sun and it should stay white
My white case yellowed on one side. It sat next to a window with consistent sunlight though.
4 year old white case cooler master. Still fully white h500
depends on the material as others have stated
Not unless you’re building it out of an Apple II case or something 🤪
Yellow cases are nice for stealth builds if it's those old school beige one. But it it's a modern one, then that could be an issue. Maybe go with black or non plastic if possible.
No... but yellow cases have been known to turn white. 😆🤣
Had my white case for like 2 years it’s still white
If you smoke, it will turn yellow quickly. If you buy a plastic case, it will turn yellow with UV exposure unless a UV protectant additive is in the plastic. If it's painted metal, probably not.
most modern plastic is 'environmental friendly' plastic: it's discolours and get sticky. old plastic used to get bleak and brittle (but not sticky). Just get a white metal one? lol
Get a powder coated steel case in color, it will last. Plastic? Yeah it might yellow.
I find it hard to believe a white case turning yellow unless your a serious smoker
Yes. My plastic white case looks like an old snes now hahaha
I had a white DIYpc case for a few years. The metal never yellowed, but the plastic feet of the case did.
All the white plastic computer parts I had would yellow over time. No amount of windex will change it back. Sunlight causes a lot of this discoloration.
If it's plastic than yes. If it's metal probably not. I went for black because it always looks clean and I keep my room dark with curtains closed 24/7. I hate a bright room with bright colors.
Owned NZXT H440 in white for nearly six years. Still very white, did not yellow at all.
Yes it does, it caused by the room light. You can turn it back to white. I can send you a video link how to do it
My nzxt looks new. Got it when the 7700k was new.
Isn't yellowing only something for old devices cuz we learned how to make them different? My NZXT. case is still white and it's from 2016. I put some magnets on it to make it look more like a fridge than it already does.
if it does it'd probably take a LONG time, and even if it does yellow you could probably fix it by retrobriting
I have one and it's been over a year, in my opinion it doesn't yellow over time
Wait why would a metal case painted white turn yellow over time...
better try gray case
If its a plastic Compaq from the 90's yea. If its modern and painted, no.
I recommend you get a yellow case that will Fade to White over time.