iBuyPower's Defender 410

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, iBuyPower showed off a phenomenal case mod inspired by Star Wars: The Old Republic. We were definitely impressed, and iBuyPower sent us hundreds of megabytes of high-resolution images capturing the build. Join us as we go from raw sketches to trade show floor stunner.

The Inspiration: Corellian Defender

The inspiration for this case mod was the Corellian Defender-Class Light Corvette from Star Wars: The Old Republic. Here's an in-game screen shot.

The Inspiration: Corellian Defender Artist Rendering

Here is an artist rendering of the Corellian Defender-Class Light Corvette from Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Canvas: The NZXT Phantom 410

The popular NZXT Phantom 410 served as the canvas for the Defender-Class case mod.

The Design: Initial Sketches

This is one of the initial design sketches of the Defender 410 case mod.

Material Testing: Etching And Paint

In order to test the design scheme on actual material, the Corellian hull pattern was laser-etched into a scrap piece of acrylic. The red, white, and black color scheme was then applied to the etched acrylic. Silver accents and weathering details complete the color scheme to create an authentic Star Wars look.

Defender 410: Front Panel

This build has four major areas of work: the front panel, rear fan, top panel, and side panels. Let's first take a look at how the front panel came together.

Front Panel: Stencil And Layout

A stencil of the Old Republic insignia was applied to the front of the case for sizing before actually laser-cutting the front panel.

Front Panel: Engraving And Paint

Satisfied with the placement of the Old Republic insignia, the front panel was removed for laser engraving before getting a coat of primer. After the primer dried, it was taped off to receive the red base coat and then taped again for the white highlights. At this point, the Old Republic color scheme really pulls together, with white highlights standing out against the red and black.

Front Panel: Side Lighting Inserts

Opaque plastic inserts are glued inside oblong cut-outs that were made along both sides of the front panel.

Front Panel: Old Republic Insignia

From pattern to acrylic reality. Two of these clear acrylic pieces are glued together for reinforcement. A coat of red paint is applied to the outer piece of acrylic, while the inner side is left clear to capture more light from the LEDs.