Why is it every case these days seems to come with a tempered glass side panel?

[WillOfTheLand]

It's not that I have a hate on for clear side panels, but the last case I ordered came with a dent in it and a hole in the box from shipping, I fear to think of what happens to some of these cases with glass side panels.

It's been probably 15 years (give or take) since I first saw a case with a clear side panel (it was a spiderman case with a web cutout on the side panel) and what I'm pretty sure was plexiglass, whatever happened to using something more durable than, well, glass?

[ausham]

I agree. Glass is a bad idea for durability. Polycarbonate with a anti scratch finish or safety glass would be better. 
 

[Jurrunio]

acrylic is still popular on cheaper cases, otherwise there are always cases without transparent sides.

 

it's just the trend today

[AbydosOne]

7 minutes ago, WillOfTheLand said:

whatever happened to using something more durable than, well, glass?

It's a trade-off. Tempered glass will shattered if handled incorrectly (which is generally harder than it sounds, really), but is scratch- and chemical-resistant. Acrylic/Plexiglass scratches if you look at it wrong, isn't very chemical-resistant, and also isn't especially strong.

[ausham]

3 minutes ago, AbydosOne said:

It's a trade-off. Tempered glass will shattered if handled incorrectly (which is generally harder than it sounds, really), but is scratch- and chemical-resistant. Acrylic/Plexiglass scratches if you look at it wrong, isn't very chemical-resistant, and also isn't especially strong.

This is why safety glass or lexan/polycarbonate should be used. Tempered glass is just the cheap way out and posses a safety risk

[Princess Luna]

For the same reason why mATX builds are becoming so scarce... the manufacturers thinks they know what the majority wants and only pushes that to the market, then the market on the other hand only has that for an option so that's what public in general buy making it a vicious cycle.

 

People think the market is dictated by the consumer but in reality it is the consumer who's dictated by the market.

[NumLock21]

Tempered glass looks nice, but it's a safety hazard, acrylic is the safer option. Tempered glass usually don't break like when you try to do it on purpose, they break at the least unexpected of times, it's like a ticking time bomb. Not many cases these days will offer a acrylic version, it's mostly tempered glass. Some case manufactures like Corsair and Cooler Master will offer a case or two, that comes in both acrylic and tempered glass.

[DoctorNick]

Many cases come in a tempered and non tempered version. Tempered glass is pretty hard to destroy. I have dropped my tempered glass side panels multiple times. Of course this is only from one manufacture, Fractal.

[TehDwonz]

24 minutes ago, WillOfTheLand said:

It's not that I have a hate on for clear side panels, but the last case I ordered came with a dent in it and a hole in the box from shipping, I fear to think of what happens to some of these cases with glass side panels.

I'm not a fan of transparent side panels in general - tend to have my PC to my left too, or entirely out of sight. I'm not really into the whole "YouTuber/Streamer vanity" thing.

[ausham]

1 minute ago, TehDwonz said:

I'm not a fan of transparent side panels in general - tend to have my PC to my left too, or entirely out of sight. I'm not really into the whole "YouTuber/Streamer vanity" thing.

Wile I like a well done side panel on a well build PC. Having your PC to the left of you nulls that out. So my PCs never have one ether.

[Mark Kaine]

1 minute ago, TehDwonz said:

I'm not a fan of transparent side panels in general - tend to have my PC to my left too, or entirely out of sight. I'm not really into the whole "YouTuber/Streamer vanity" thing.

I like glass panels because I can see my components at all times... Not like it's super important but I like it... 

 

Also white case with dark / black side panel just looks cool. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I didn't know it makes me a better streamer, I'll look into that!

[The Torrent]

Most people don’t use rgb gaming towers for industrial applications and packaging has developed enough for glass not to break in shipping.

 

why would u not want a pc with a glass tower unless ur in a office somewhere in which case there are plenty of looking crap options.

[Mark Kaine]

36 minutes ago, WillOfTheLand said:

, I fear to think of what happens to some of these cases with glass side panels

Well most likely nothing would have happened, that's why it's "tempered". 

 

 

[ausham]

1 minute ago, Mark Kaine said:

Well most likely nothing would have happened, that's why it's "tempered". 

 

 

But if something did happen that sad temper would case said glass to shatter into many small sharp prices. Safety glass doesn’t do that. 

[Mark Kaine]

3 minutes ago, ausham said:

But if something did happen that sad temper would case said glass to shatter into many small sharp prices. Safety glass doesn’t do that. 

Yes, but that's where common sense applies, if your newly bought pc case box sounds like there's a lot of shattered glass in it, don't open it, return it! 

 

But I agree, there's a small amount of risk involved.

 

 

I think the reason they don't use safety glass though is because it breaks too easily... 

 

I'm also not a glass expert, can't you have both, safety and tempered? 

 

Pretty sure cars and such have that!? 

[ausham]

Just now, Mark Kaine said:

Yes, but that's where common sense applies, if your newly bought pc case box sounds like there's a lot of shattered glass in it, don't open it, return it! 

 

True. But crap happens, it could break long after one installs a pc into the case.

[Intergalacticbits]

I don't see the big deal though.

If it gets damaged in shipping can't you just send it back?

Glass does look way better then the plastic.

 

I bought an older bequiet model with no window at all because I intend to put my new build in either my bedroom or living room.

I didn't want bright lights from rgb in my bedroom because it would keep me up all night and rgb in my living room would just look out of place.

 

I would enjoy building an windowed rgb system but I don't know where I would be able to put it.  

 

 

[ausham]

1 minute ago, Intergalacticbits said:

I don't see the big deal though.

If it gets damaged in shipping can't you just send it back?

It could break at any given point after shipping if miss handed 

[DavidKalinowski]

56 minutes ago, ausham said:

I agree. Glass is a bad idea for durability. Polycarbonate with a anti scratch finish or safety glass would be better. 
 

safety glass is tempered glass. Unless you mean glass with a film applied to create a slightly stronger surface.

[Mark Kaine]

That's what I thought, wasn't sure tho... 

 

 

[Mark Kaine]

25 minutes ago, ausham said:

It could break at any given point after shipping if miss handed 

Really? Any given point, I doubt that... You'd need to probably mishandle it badly for breaking, and even then, I don't think it's dangerous, if, as it seems likely, safety glass is used as in other industries is standard (see cars) 

[DavidKalinowski]

safety glass is a form of tempered glass. tempered glass is used in many demanding areas. table tops, automotive, large windows, aquariums My 55 gallon has a tempered glass bottom. When tempered glass breaks it actually breaks into small relatively NOT sharp pieces, non-tempered glass is what will shatter into jagged daggers.

[Drama Lama]

people want to proudly show off their system ( and rgb isn't visible without a see through side panel )

1 hour ago, WillOfTheLand said:

whatever happened to using something more durable than, well, glass?

well it's still found on cheaper cases ( i personally would rather have acrylic than tempered glass if glass would mean the case wouln't have a PSU shroud )

[Helpful Tech Witch]

The mesh c has a non glas side version.

[ausham]

2 hours ago, DavidKalinowski said:

safety glass is tempered glass. Unless you mean glass with a film applied to create a slightly stronger surface.

safety glass is more then just tempered glass, its two sheets of tempered glass glued together. like a windshield