These 7 PC builds blew my mind at Computex

Over 100,000 steps, and probably just as many Red Bulls, later, I'm finally putting a bow on my Computex trip. There were some wonderful announcements at the show, from an Asus gaming keyboard that's the first of its kind to Intel's Project Battlematrix to AMD's tease of the next version of FSR. But by far my favorite part of Computex each year are the insane, custom rigs that are on display on the show floor. Not only are they great eye candy, they also show exceptional craftsmanship.

A quick note before diving into my favorite builds this year. None of these builds have names, or at least, I didn't see any. So, the names below come from me, not the creators.

7 'Invite wealth and treasure' by Guanghua Store

A gorgeous fountain

Excuse the Google Translate, but this is easily one of the most jaw-dropping custom builds I've ever seen. The PC itself here is only a tiny portion of the build, pushing the ROG Strix B860-I Gaming motherboard into the upper right corner. It's the cooling loop that's incredible. There's a three-step fountain built into the rig that terminates at a large reservoir, showcasing a translucent, golden pump. I'm not sure how they got it to work, but this final step of the fountain had a constant stream of mist pouring out of it, which looked amazing.

The fountain is flanked by a large, translucent distribution plate on the right and a 360mm radiator on the left, but what really brings the build together are the fittings. The creator used silver tubing and gold fittings, which disappear into the vibrant fountain to create a cohesive look. This is a work of art, and the actual PC simply accents the incredible work the creators did. This build was positioned near the front of a high-traffic corner of the Computex show floor, and it's clear why. It's simply stunning.

6 Legally-distinct Transformer by WMP

I won't tell if you won't

I don't really care if this is a Transformer or not; this rig is incredible. Maybe it was the ambiance of LN2 spilling out from G.Skill's overclocking station right around the corner, but this thing looked like a force on the show floor. As you can probably tell by the photos, the head of the rig rotated around and the eyes changed colors. There may have been some voice lines playing, too, though it was pretty hard to make out much of anything with how many people were gathered around.

This build comes courtesy of WMP, and it definitely pushes the rig itself into the background. The heart of the "Transformer" holds the CPU water block, illuminated in red like some sort of evil Arc Reactor. The GPU is pushed to the bottom, but it's finished in the same rugged black color as the rest of the rig. It looks like the lit-up portion right about the GPU is the power button, but as the pictures show, there's a strict no-touching policy on the show floor.

5 Under the sea by Hyte

Bubbly and bright

This rig is a bit less crazy than the first two, and it comes from Hyte. Showing off its wildly popular Y60 in blue, the design is largely based around the Yeston RX 9070 XT Sakura Atlantis, though thankfully with the anime girl on the backplate hidden from view. Unlike most of the other rigs I saw at Computex, there's no custom water cooling here. The GPU is completely intact, and the CPU is cooled by a 360mm AIO. The build really stands out because, once you break down what's going on inside, it's actually not that complicated.

There are a few 3D-printed fan covers, the faux columns glued to the edges of the Y60, a few jellyfish hanging from fishing line, and plenty of shells and other decorations. If you have a crafty bone and basic knowledge of how to build a PC, this is something you could easily put together and get excellent results. It's great to see a build like this for inspiration, especially among crazy rigs with hardline tubing, or even more daunting, metal tubing.

4 Project Oasis by AK Mod

A time capsule from the future

Project Oasis — that's the actual name of this rig — was built to show off the V2 case from boutique brand APNX, which you can't actually buy yet. It's called a case mod, and I suppose there's some truth to that tag. But the build comes together so seamlessly. The case was modded by AK Mods, and it looks like a futuristic capsule that you'd find on the set of the original Alien. It's the subtle off-white color and sparse decals that make it shine, along with what look like exhaust vents positioned around the bottom of the case.

Nothing inside the case is modded, but the component choices and custom cooling loop bring everything together. I especially appreciate all the negative space inside the PC, with the copious number of fans pushed to the walls inside this massive case. It looks like you're peering into some sort of enclosure, which I think is aided by the rounded corners on the side panel.

3 Stingray by ModdingCafe

Watch out, or you might get stung

If I had to pick just one build as my favorite from Computex this yet, it'd probably be this one. Stingray, as I'm calling it, is an autonomous stingray. The flaps slowly move while the PC is running, and with gorgeous exposed gears to show you how the magic trick is done. ModdingCafe, the builder of this machine, has somewhat of a knack for these types of contraptions — there's another build I've included on this list that's also from ModdingCafe, and with a similar mechanism.

The wings are neat, but what really fascinates me about this build is how little you actually see. Despite a fully custom loop, there's no tubing exposed. The GPU isn't even exposed. The PC naturally sits on top of the stingray, and you forget how much is going on behind the scenes because of how awe-inspiring the build itself is.

2 Orange Lamborghini by JCustom

Gotta go fast

Compared to some of the other builds on this list, this one isn't doing anything too crazy. It has a custom loop and a bit of Lamborghini flair, but it's a far cry from the exposed gears of ModdingCafe and the autonomous Transformer from WMP. This build, courtesy of JCustom, is proof that a little really does go a long way. Everything comes together so seamlessly in this rig, with the iconic Lamborghini orange serving as the foundation for everything. I don't believe this is an official collaboration with Lamborghini, but it looks good enough to be.

1 Lil batwing by ModdingCafe

He is the night

This is my favorite little guy from Computex. Much like the Stingray, this is another rig from ModdingCafe that leans on exposed gears and wide wings to draw you in. I think what gets me so much about this build is how it's different from the Stingray. You have a little Funko Pop on top of the rig with these massive wings coming out the side, almost like this cute little creature is piloting some huge rig.

Once again, the custom loop is mostly hidden here. There are a few exposed pieces of brass tubing, but your eyes dart to the monoblock on top of the motherboard and the distribution plate on the side. I really like the reservoir in the center, as well, namely the choice to use clear fluid. The fans offer a nice backlight, which really helps tie the lighting to the brass accents on the wings.