(Image credit: Teenage Engineering)

Teenage Engineering's latest tech product isn't just cheap, it's free

The "world's cheapest computer case" costs absolutely nothing – if you can get hold of one

by · T3

Quick Summary

Teenage Engineering's new computer case is completely free, and sold out in a heartbeat – but it looks like more stock is coming.

Head to the website and you can be notified when more units are available.

Many people love Teenage Engineering's idiosyncratic designs, such as its calculator-esque Pocket Operator musical devices. So it's not surprising that when the firm announced that its latest product will be completely free, it sold out almost instantly.

However, if you want one you might still be able to get it: the firm currently has a "notify me" button on the product page.

So what is the product? The Teenage Engineering computer-2 is a mini-ITX PC case made from a single sheet of semi-transparent plastic with built-in hinges and snap hooks. There are no components, that bit's up to you.

(Image credit: Teenage Engineering)

Teenage Engineering computer-2: key features

The computer-2 is the successor to 2021's computer-1, a $149 (about £110 / €127 / AU$229) case that came in a vivid orange shade, was made of aluminium and had a carrying handle on top. The computer-2 keeps the handle but this time it's white/clear plastic that you can see the components through.

As you'd expect from Teenage Engineering, there's a lot of thought behind this design. For starters, there are no screws, as the case uses snap hooks to pop your motherboard into place.

It takes a standard mini-ITX motherboard and SFX power supply, and you can fit a dual-slot graphics card provided it's not longer than 180mm. Full instructions (PDF) are provided on the Teenage Engineering website.

The Teenage Engineering computer-1 was made of aluminium and cost money; its successor is plastic and free(Image credit: Teenage Engineering)

According to the design collective, this is one of several "flipped out '25" offers it'll present this year. In June, it offered a "flipped out" pick-your-own-price deal on its OP-1 Field synth that slashed the price considerably.

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More offers "will be presented during the rest of the year (or until the world is a little bit more stable)".

Its goal is to carry out a pretty intense form of market research, enabling Teenage Engineering to judge demand and pricing. However, it's unclear what this particular deal will uncover beyond "people like free stuff".