Culture

Meet the ultimate AT-AT computer (photos)

Master Dutch modder and sci-fi addict Sander van der Velden saw a Hasbro AT-AT replica and knew he had to put a PC in it. See the geektastic results here.

Christopher MacManus

Crave contributor Christopher MacManus regularly spends his time exploring the latest in science, gaming, and geek culture -- aiming to provide a fun and informative look at some of the most marvelous subjects from around the world.

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Christopher MacManus

May 9, 2012 10:57 a.m. PT

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AT-AT computer: The guts

The sluggish AT-AT vehicle from "The Empire Strikes Back" means a lot to "Star Wars" fans, notably among them master computer modifier Sander van der Velden.

The adventuresome Dutch tinkerer, a self-confessed sci-fi addict, took apart a 2-foot-tall Hasbro AT-AT replica and inserted a powerful water-cooled computer. The results impress, but go a step further with the addition of an illuminated stand and tube lighting inside the lumbering crawler. As you can see in this image, the midsection of the Hasbro AT-AT contains the brains of the computer, with water-cooling blocks covering all the bases on the motherboard. Accessory cabling runs down into the tall legs of the toy.

Click through our gallery to see images of the build process, leading up to the revelation of a truly epic "Star Wars"-themed computer.

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A closer look

Van der Velden, who works at a national IT services provider, spent three weeks crafting his "Star Wars" machine. The AT-AT contains a Zotac Z68-ITX (Mini-ITX) motherboard running an Intel Core i7 2600k processor, SSD, and built-in Wi-Fi. The water-cooling system (radiator and XSPC pump) uses water blocks to cool the CPU, GPU, and other components.

"I really enjoyed working on this build, as it combines two of my favorite things: sci-fi and liquid-cooled computers," Van der Velden told Crave.

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Imperial walker

Power for the computer, lighting, and water-cooling run alongside other cabling stored within the tall legs of the AT-AT toy. The legs attach to a dock that we explore further in another slide.

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An AT-AT dock

This early shot of the custom base station indicates van der Velden knew early on that his mammoth AT-AT build would require some over-the-top lighting. The legs of the AT-AT dock with this section, and several fans help cool down the various components.

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Illuminated label

A giant label for the AT-AT dock ensures that everyone knows this computer serves the Galactic Empire. Lights built into the dock illuminate the words for maximum effect -- and maximum firepower.

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Gaudy or glorious?

The finished AT-AT computer stands proudly among hundreds of gamers and PCs at a LAN party in the Netherlands. For a true sense of scale, look at the size of the monitor on the right in comparison with the AT-AT computer. Nuff said, nerfherder.