Redditor builds a PC inside an old CRT monitor – it looks like an old iMac, but runs Cyberpunk 2077 at 100fps in 1440p

A Redditor found an old CRT monitor that could not be repaired in e-waste
They decided to recycle it by using the screen as a case for their PC build
The resulting rig is built around a Ryzen 7600X CPU plus an RX 6900 XT GPU, uses a portable panel for the front display, and runs Cyberpunk 2077 smoothly

If left-field DIY with PCs is your bag, then you’ll like a new project that has surfaced on Reddit that consists of a full rig stuck inside an old monitor.

Wccftech discovered this intriguingly different PC build, whereby the rig’s internals have been assembled inside a hefty old CRT monitor, as shown by Redditor ‘Discipline_Great’.

The Redditor explains that the screen was discovered in local e-waste, but it was crushed and the internal components were “partially burned beyond use”, leaving the only usable part was the chassis.

The article continues below

(Image credit: Discipline_Great on Reddit)

So why not make it a PC? The Redditor did exactly that, using an AMD Ryzen 7600X processor plus a Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics card along with 16GB of DDR5 RAM in an MSI B650 Gaming Plus motherboard.

Cooling is provided by six 120mm fans, and the front screen itself is a 17.3-inch portable panel (offering a 1440p resolution and 165Hz refresh rate).

Analysis: a new anti-theft deterrent indeed

PC built in an old CRT monitor that shows the inside from the side

(Image credit: Discipline_Great on Reddit)

Some of Reddit’s fellow residents are wondering why on earth the original poster did this, to which the obvious answer is: why not? It’s a fun project, and one that harkens back to the days when all-in-one PCs actually looked like that (instead of flat screens), like the original iMac (from the last century, of course).

The creator has also tried to make it look nostalgic, with the PC running Nobara Linux (a gaming-focused spin on the Fedora distro) using a Windows XP-like theme for a more retro look.

Answer one of the ‘but why?’ comments, the maker notes: “Nobody would steal it, and it’s something else.” I guess it looks like a relic of the past and the thieves probably wouldn’t bother with the PC (and I expect any burglar would think twice about their back health once they laid eyes on this lump of a computer too – until they picked it up).

To be fair, some of the criticism on Reddit about cooling is valid – looking at the longer term, more thought needs to be given to airflow, and the internal layout is generally a bit clunky and messy. But hey, have you tried fitting a motherboard and a full set of PC components into a monitor case? I guess it’s far from easy.

As for the gaming chops of this defiantly squat, retro PC build, we’re told it can run Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p ultra with ray tracing (on medium) at around 90 to 100 frames per second. Not shabby at all.