Tinker Mods Blog | Original Xbox
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Stop buying original Xbox Ghost cases
Seriously, they suck
I know plenty of people like the way Ghost cases look. I won't lie, I do like the look especially for the original Xbox console. However, Original Xbox ghost cases are a waste of time and money. They are cheap 3rd party parts made of weak material and rarely fit on the console as intended. On top of that you can build something even better on your own or have a totally custom case made that works and looks much better than a Ghostcase. So here's what you REALLY need to know about them.Inferior in every way
As I said, the look itself is pretty cool. It's completely clear and allows you to add some awesome LED effects inside the original Xbox. That doesn't change the fact that these things are made as cheaply as possible. The material used for Original Xbox cases is something similar to PVC plastic. PVC materials are versatile and very strong. That original Xbox Ghost case you are wanting to buy isn't made from the same material. Ghost case is made from a material closer to something called ABS. Many types of ABS materials are used to clean out machines that were molding better plastic materials such as PVC because ABS plastic is cheaper, has a lower melting temperature, and doesn't get stuck in machinery. This is because the over-all density of ABS plastic is much lower. That means it is much lighter than PVC plastic and is also much more brittle and fragile.The Temperature problem
So... all the heat your original Xbox console generates is closer to the melting temperature of a Ghost case. Granted this is not hot enough to legitimately melt the case. The problem is that the melting temperature is close enough that prolonged high temperatures inside the console can absolutely make the plastic more pliable. This can cause discoloration and warping.Look at it like this. You can put your hand on something that is 100 degrees (37.7 Celsius). Unless you have very sensitive skin, it won't burn you. However, keep your hand on it for 6 hours and it's a different story. Your skin turns red and can even get the same effects as a mild sun burn. For some people it can actually cause a burning sensation and have bad irritation on the skin. This is the same concept for an Original Xbox Ghost case. No, the console temps can not out right melt the case. Just like 100 degree water won't out right burn your skin. If you expose either to those temperatures for long periods it can still cause issues later on.
The Weakness problem
This might seem obvious. It is weaker, so it could break. That's pretty straight forward but there is much more to it than just the obvious. Yes, it could break easier. For instance, dropping something that weighs say... 5 lbs (0.45 KG) roughly 2 ft (0.61 m) above the console probably won't damage a real original Xbox case. That's not always true depending on how hard it was dropped and where it hits. As a general rule, more than likely the console would be perfectly fine, especially the case. Now, try dropping the same thing in the same way on a ghost case and you'll have much different results. Without a doubt it will crack the case which is a huge deal for something that is completely clear (More on that later).This goes much deeper than just the above example though. As I talked about above, Original Xbox Ghost cases are made from a plastic close to ABS material which is more brittle. This also means that as time goes on, the plastic can actually have a "Drying out" effect. (Though drying out isn't actually what it does) This means that the longer you have it, the more brittle and weak it becomes. So, if you do buy a Ghost Case, don't plan on it taking any type of hit or drop without shattering.
This whole being brittle thing goes even further. As I will discuss next, you can have problems with installing these Ghost cases for your original Xbox console. If you are having issues installing something made out of a brittle material, it's safe to say you might just end up cracking it right down the middle before you install it. There goes that 40 dollars!
It's 3rd party, and lives up to it.
Not a single person reading this blog post can look me in the eyes and say they don't have at least FIVE stories about 3rd party products and accessories that have failed miserably. The original Xbox Ghost case is no different. It's not even a disputed fact that your Ghost Case isn't going to fit correctly. In fact, most people buy these Ghost cases KNOWING it's not going to fit correctly. You're also going to strip out at least a couple of the screw holes. With any other product in the world, you could say, "Oh, well this must just be a bad one out of the factory". Not Ghost cases, no sir, You didn't just put a large crack in your original Xbox Ghost case because it wasn't a good one. You cracked it because they are ALL like that and it's terrible that this is acceptable just because it's a Ghost Case and has a lot of hype. So, yeah, STOP BUYING ORIGINAL XBOX GHOST CASES!Clear is cool, until a month later
Clear looks amazing and it's even cooler when you load an original Xbox full of LED lights too. Clear Ghost cases have an unforgiving side as well. Clear shows EVERYTHING! Don't accidentally lay your car keys on the console when you're in a hurry. You'll have to look at the scratch it leaves forever. God forbid you drop something on it made of metal. You might as well just take sand paper to your ghost case if you do.I know the natural thing to say here is, "Just be careful". However, no one plans on having an accident. Things happen and I think all of us know, things will happen no matter how careful you are. That means eventually that great ghost case is going to look terrible. That small crack over here when the dog knocked it off the T.V. console. The group of scratches from when your nephew used it as a drawing table. A million things can happen and due to the nature of something clear, you will remember every single incident. That's just another reason why a clear Ghost case isn't practical and will only set you up for extra costs to fix it later.
You're convinced right? Why waste money on a product that is widely known as being screwed up right out of the box? However, you still want to have a cool original Xbox right? So what do you do and where do you look? The answer is case modding.
