A piece of electronic hardware shipped in plain, unbranded cardboard packaging rather than a colorful retail box. These units typically include only the essential component in an anti-static bag, omitting manuals, driver discs, extra cables, or promotional materials. System integrators and repair shops buy them in bulk to cut costs and reduce waste when the extra accessories are unnecessary.
I ordered a dozen brown box motherboards for the lab upgrade since we already have plenty of cables and standoffs.
While cheaper, brown box parts often carry a shorter, OEM-specific warranty handled directly by the manufacturer rather than the retailer.
Also heard as
- OEM packaging
- bulk pack
- white box
Related terms
System pull
A component salvaged from a fully assembled but unused computer or electronic system.
Engineering sample
A pre-production microchip provided to hardware developers for testing and motherboard design before mass manufacturing begins.
Jellybean part
A standard, widely available electronic component made by multiple manufacturers.