The PC modding scene used to be way more lively and vibrant (literally) in the late '90s and early 2000s. It was the heyday of DIY case mods and all-out cooling solutions that have mostly disappeared today. As manufacturers started including the features that were behind many of these hardware mods, it didn't make sense to bother with them anymore. And with PC modding now more professional and competitive than ever, it's outside the ambit of the average PC owner.

I might have my nostalgia-tinted glasses on, but I miss the days when PC enthusiasts showed tremendous dedication to customizing their rigs. From unique case lighting and cooling mods to custom panels and grills, there are some truly impressive mods that many PC builders still miss today.

6 Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lighting (CCFL)

The OG RGB

CCFL tubes were huge with PC modders in the 2000s. People used to dig the industrial neon vibe popularized by bulky CCFL tubes. The "RGB" of that time were separate red, green, and blue-colored CCFL tubes (among others) that required separate inverters to power them, but committed builders bought different tubes for different colors, unlike modern RGB LEDs that can be customized on the fly.

While modern RGB lighting completely phased them out by the late 2000s, CCFL tubes remained popular in niche modding circles for a few more years. Naturally, LEDs were cheaper, more efficient, easily customizable, and didn't need additional inverters to power them. They were also safe to use, unlike CCFLs which were quite fragile and required replacements if you ended up breaking one.

5 UV-reactive components

Another product of its time

UV or ultraviolet CCFLs were also quite the rage back in the day, as modders instilled them to make other components inside the case emit an intense bright glow. Parts like cables, fans, side panels (with etched designs), and coolants were treated to absorb UV light and emit visible light, amplifying the lighting inside the case. The challenges inherent to CCFLs were still present, but the neon-like effect was a hit among PC builders.

Even today, RGB lighting can do a lot of things, but can't fully replicate the UV aesthetic of old. That's not to say I wish they came back, since the feasibility of a case with UV-reactive components has been drastically reduced. Manufacturers stopped producing them long ago, and even if you could find and use some UV-reactive parts, many tinted cases would result in a sub-par effect, not providing the neon look you were going for.

4 Electroluminescent (EL) wire lighting

The precursors to RGB strips

EL wires were thin wires coated with a glowing material that provided a uniform and diffused glow when connected to a discrete inverter. Modders commonly used them as case accents and around fans, or fashioned them into custom shapes and logos to enhance the look of their PCs. Some users even used EL wires to light up peripherals like keyboards.

Again, these wires came in a single color, and their inverters often emitted a noise. The Tron-like effect they created, however, was something special, and isn't easily replicated by today's lighting solutions. You can still find them in other places, such as car interiors, home decorations, and cosplay.

3 Custom fan grills

Were you a fan?

I was surprised to learn that DIY fan grills were a pretty big part of the modding scene in the 2000s. When RGB fans weren't as commonplace, modders took matters into their own hands to add more flair to their case fans by designing metal, acrylic, or mesh grills based on gaming, tribal, industrial, and other themes. Many users even incorporated functional elements to improve airflow or reduce noise.

This mod wasn't simple either — modders needed serious DIY skills such as dremel cutting and laser cutting in order to fashion materials like steel and plexiglass into custom fan grills. Replacing the stock fan grills with their custom designs and making them pop with EL wires was one of the coolest trends of the time. With RGB fans, tempered glass cases, and improved airflow and performance overall, custom fan grills sadly ceased to exist.

2 Custom acrylic side panels

You gotta do what you gotta do

Painting custom designs or UV-reactive stickers on side panels was one thing, but some modders went one step further and ripped apart stock panels to install their own. Cutting acrylic sheets to size and replacing stock side panels with custom-designed ones was the ultimate tier in PC modding. Many PC cases were plain old black or beige boxes, so the creative builders out there felt compelled to add some flair.

Acrylic side panels provide a clear window into the case internals, and fit perfectly with other mods like CCFLs and EM wires. Those who were performance-focused drilled holes or cutouts into the acrylic for more ventilation. Engraving the panels with designs or logos of choice was obviously a big part of the entire process. Later, tempered glass side panels and cases with proper airflow became a thing, so acrylic lost its appeal. Plus, it scratched easily and was prone to cracks.

1 Submersion cooling

How much cooling do you want? Yes

Perhaps the last word in DIY cooling mods was submersion cooling — letting your entire PC take a dip in mineral oil or other non-conductive liquids. Naturally, the appeal was to craft a unique aesthetic for the PC and show-off one's enthusiast skills. Submerged PCs needed no fans or custom loops to cool the components, creating a completely silent and superior cooling setup.

Since the entire build was submerged, there was no question of dust buildup either. Overclockers and enthusiasts in general were the ones that preferred this mod the most. As air and water coolers improved over time, the challenges of submersion cooling quickly outweighed the benefits. It just wasn't worth the hassle anymore. Plus, you couldn't submerge components like hard drives and power supplies, adding more complexity to the setup. The expense and effort alone were huge deterrents in attempting this mod.

Have you modded your PC?

It's 2025, so PC modding isn't quite what it used to be. Personally, the only "mod" I've made to my PC has been placing some figurines inside of it. While many PC users are still dabbling in more advanced mods, the overall subculture has mostly transformed into professional or competitive modding, with major brands even sponsoring prominent creators to feature their components in fancy, high-end modded PCs.