We have a really special treat for our readers today, Ali Bari, one of our writers sent us some pictures of his latest case mod. The mod basically turns one of the top line HTPC cases into an Xbox One.

Originally the case was a Fractal Design Node 605 which looked pretty similar to the Xbox One to begin with as shown in the images below. The casing’s front panel was made a bit smaller as the Aluminum front panel was larger than the rest of the case. The edges on the sides had to be leveled so it looked like the Xbox One’s symmetrical design. He also added a custom groove at the center adding to the excellent project.

He also told me that the PC is small enough to fit easily into shelves and is perfect for couch PC gaming.

Check out more pictures of the modded Xbox One case in the gallery below:

We also did a short interview with Ali Bari to find out more about the mod.

Q: What was the inspiration behind the mod?

AB: Originally, the idea behind this mod was to build a gaming rig that came as close as possible to the form factor and aesthetics of a game console, while also ensuring that the enclosure was large enough to fit high-end components. I did consider getting one built from scratch according to my own specifications instead of picking one from the market, but that probably would’ve been too much of a hassle. After plenty of research, I decided to go with an HTPC case, namely the Fractal Design Node 605. The Xbox One looks a lot like an HTPC case to begin with, so getting the modded case to match its appearance seemed like a realistic goal.

Q: Did you face any difficulties, problems, etc?

AB: I didn’t actually apply the paint job myself, so all I really had to do was to communicate the ideas I had in mind to the modder, who was very talented to begin with. Regarding the modifications to the actual design, I was already aware of the fact that certain compromises would have to be made. For example, the the right half of the top panel on the Xbox One is actually a vent for the APU. The console is designed to channel air out from that large grill. It wasn’t possible to get something similar done on the Node 605’s top panel for several reasons, the most important of which was that it would’ve ruined the airflow inside the case. Getting a groove carved at the center of the front panel (similar to how it is on the Xbox One) didn’t prove to be much of a hassle, however. I was also hoping the Xbox logo could somehow be embossed onto the power button, but that didn’t end up being a possibility given that the modder didn’t have the equipment required to pull it off. The glossy black paint took its sweet time to dry up, but the end result was well worth the wait.

Q: Which next gen console will you be getting first?

AB: I’ll be getting the Playstation 4 on launch day. I probably won’t be getting an Xbox One, however. I like to think of this PC as my alternate to the Xbox One, one that I can upgrade whenever I want. If there’s one thing I learned from the existing generation of consoles, it’s that most Xbox exclusives eventually make their way to the PC. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean thing will remain the same come next-gen, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take. This PC is going into my entertainment center cabinet, right where the Xbox One would have, had I got one.

Q: What are the specs of the PC?

AB: Given the small enclosure, I decided to opt for components that would ensure as much room as possible for airflow. Overclocking is probably not a good idea in a case like this, especially with the low profile CPU cooler I decided to opt for. Therefore, I ended up getting the latest non-K Intel i7 processor. The only thing missing is the GPU, which I’m looking to get once AMD has launched its Volcanic Islands series. The full specs are as follows: CPU: Intel i7-4770 processor Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i System Memory: 2 x Corsair 4GB DDR3 1600 MHz Power Supply: Corsair AX760 HDD: Western Digital 1TB 2.5” SATA GPU: N/A. The pictures I sent you guys were from just after the finishing of the case, so I didn’t have time to put all the stuff in.

Q: What next?

AB: Some day, I’m probably going to try and mod an actual Xbox One shell in order to accommodate my PC’s components, complete with Mini ITX fittings and a riser kit for horizontally seating the GPU. The power supply would go on the outside, though.

Let us know what you think of Ali Bari’s awesome case mod in the comments below.