Geometric Future's Model 0 Flamingo is a PC case that folds around your Mini-ITX motherboard

Geometric Future's Model 0 Flamingo
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

One of the most interesting SFF PC cases at Computex washanging out at Newegg's booth, with bold orange accents and a big AMD logo. The Model 0 Flamingo from Geometric Future (a company we're told was started by former InWin staffers) is a Mini ITX chassis that literally wraps around your system, much like a folio for a paper notebook, or a reusable sandwich wrapper. It's got lots of ventilation holes, has a giant mesh top circle, and is adorned with small magnetic feet so you can orient the case however you want.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Magnets in the material of the case itself also help you assemble it and hold it together, along with some small pins that pop into holes, similarly to the more rigid side panels on many other cases. The smaller circle on the top of the case serves as the power button, and manages to deliver a tactile click when pressed.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The Model 0 Flamingo is made of a felt-like material that a representative told me is used in automobile interiors, which is designed to be fire- and mildew-proof. It also reminds me of a tougher version of the material that old-school Trapper Keepers are made of. That means it's probably a lot less durable than your average steel chassis, but it's not like you're going to be folding and unfolding your case regularly after it's built, so it probably doesn't need to be. 

At 3.2 x 8.1 x 8.2 inches, there's no room for a graphics card here, and the included 200W slim server-style power supply couldn't really handle one, anyway. There's also no room for a fan other than the one on your air cooler, and you'll need a compact one because there's only 2.36 inches of clearance above the socket.

I was told the Geometric Future Model 0 Flamingo case will ship later this year, for between $90 and $110. I hope it lands closer to $90, because as quirky and fun as this case is, it doesn't feel particularly premium, and its design is quite limited in terms of compatible components. But who knows, if this Flamingo is a success, maybe the company will offer up a larger Model 1 with room for a larger cooler, a beefier PSU, and one of Nvidia's new SFF-ready graphics cards.

Matt Safford

After a rough start with the Mattel Aquarius as a child, Matt built his first PC in the late 1990s and ventured into mild PC modding in the early 2000s. He’s spent the last 15 years covering emerging technology for Smithsonian, Popular Science, and Consumer Reports, while testing components and PCs for Computer Shopper, PCMag and Digital Trends.

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  • bit_user
    What's all this about not needing a GPU? It seems easily tall enough for a low profile dGPU.

    They could get the PSU out of the way by including a Pico PSU and having a 19V barrel connector on the case + an external brick.
    Reply
  • Notton
    I like it
    I think they should do a version that allows for a GPU by moving the PSU to the front side of the mobo.
    Since the case unfolds, I don't see why you couldn't plug in a dGPU when unfolded, but only if the PSU is not blocking the PCIe slot.
    Reply
  • pellux
    Was pretty interested until I saw that price tag. If it was cheap, maybe.
    Reply