PC gaming is an expensive hobby. I know, stop the presses, right? My point is, once you've decided your non-negotiables—the expensive bits of kit worth your money—what do you do about everything else? Simple: Get creative.
One thrifty Reddit user did just that, sharing their DIY PC build featuring both a $60 1080p OLED panel and custom-built housing using Lego-style bricks. Known as Choi, the creator revealed they'd never even touched Lego before attempting the project. They told me that while shopping online, they were looking for something cheap to push the total value of their basket over an amount that would qualify for a discount—and that's when they spotted the bricks.
Electing to translate their own answers from Korean into English via ChatGPT, Choi told me, "Once I received them and started building, I thought, 'This is fun!' That’s when I wanted to try making a PC case with it. I’m not a Lego expert at all—just a beginner who started less than a year ago."
As such, there was a lot of trial and error. "I worked on the monitor, keyboard, and main body separately as modules. I don’t remember the exact time, but altogether it took more than a month and a half," said Choi. "I’m the type who can’t stand it if the build isn’t sturdy or if the monitor screen ratio isn’t just right."
But Choi wasn't just taking to the bricks for the first time; this was their first DIY PC build period. They wrote, "It was actually my first time assembling a PC myself (I usually only used prebuilt PCs), so I asked a lot of questions in Korean PC communities."
They also say that though their build has a distinct throwback look to it, they weren't using any particular machine as a point of reference. So the Apple logo on this distinctly Windows machine? That's just a bit of fun. Choi explained, "People say the overall shape reminds them of the Apple II, but it wasn’t meant to copy anything specific—it’s my own creation."
Choi has also made a number of other creations using the same bricks, including a "retro Commodore-style monitor case," as well as "a desk clock combining an old iPhone 6, and an audio deck shaped like a radio." They would like to keep building, but don't currently have any future projects planned.
As for the PC that started it all, here's the biggest twist—the rig in question was never intended to primarily be a gaming machine. It turns out Choi's main gaming machine is, in fact, a console. "I only play games on PlayStation, so I didn’t need a dedicated GPU," Choi explained, "The build is a simple office PC with a Ryzen 5 5600G and 16 GB of RAM."
Choi's brick-by-brick PC housing is not only charming, but a timely reminder that, as with any hobby, everyone's got to start somewhere. It can feel uncomfortable making an initial foray into something creative—but there's little stopping you from making those first steps in style.
1. Best overall: Havn HS 420
2. Best budget: Phanteks G400A
3. Best midrange: Hyte Y40
4. Best budget compact: Thermaltake S100 TG Snow Edition
5. Best high-end: NZXT H9 Flow RGB+
6. Best Mini-ITX: Fractal Design Terra
7. Best Micro-ATX: NZXT H3 Flow
8. Best full-tower: NZXT H7 Flow
9. Best pink: Hyte Y70
10. Best fish tank: Lian Li O11 Vision Compact
11. Best looking: Phanteks Evolv X2
12. Best for beginners: Be Quiet! Shadow Base 800 FX
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