Build of the Week: L3peau

Not every powerful PC needs to be the size of a refrigerator. They don’t need flames painted on the side. Hyperbolic prefixes and suffixes (hog, boss, monster) aren’t an absolute necessity. Some PCs just need a puppy-for-scale photo, a modest spec list, and a hushed ‘heck yeah’ from its observers.

Peter Brand’s L3peau doesn’t have a puppy-for-scale photo, which is totally unacceptable, but it’s still a super compact, clean, functional build without one. As one of the best modders in the biz, Brand built L3peau with efficiency in mind. The pipes and integrated cooling loop are certainly staples of his work, but here they contribute to a stripped down future-industrial skeleton aesthetic. It looks like the heart to an autonomous mech, which could easily come off as excessive and showy if its design wasn't so clear and cohesive.

The L3peau isn’t actually that small, but the open air rollcage design gives the build airy, minimalist vibe and opens it up to easy cleaning and sturdy transport. That said, I’m not sure it could survive a tumble down a hill, even if it looks sturdy enough to survive.

For more photos of L3peau and other projects from Brand, check out his website and build log.

L3peau components:

Chassis: In Win D-Frame Mini black
CPU: Intel i7 4790K
Mobo: ASRock Z97 E-ITX/ac
GPU: Inno3D iChill GTX 980 Ti X3 Air Boss Ultra 6GB
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X 2 x 8GB 1600Mhz
SSD: Samsung 850 PRO 512GB
PSU: Be Quiet! Straight Power 10 600W CM

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James is stuck in an endless loop, playing the Dark Souls games on repeat until Elden Ring and Silksong set him free. He's a truffle pig for indie horror and weird FPS games too, seeking out games that actively hurt to play. Otherwise he's wandering Austin, identifying mushrooms and doodling grackles.