0
Once people realize how much money they can save by building one’s own computer, many jump in feet first. They soon realize that there are many aspects of the process that they never considered. One such aspect is the computer case or tower. With the diverse selection available, how does one choose the right tower for them?
Our goal is to balance price, functionality and aesthetics. Yes, you read that correctly, aesthetics. Our computers have become focal points of our homes. Therefore, it is all right to accentuate aesthetics as much as any other quality. Fortunately, case manufacturers understand this requirement. There is no shortage of good-looking cases at a wide range of price points with all manner of functionality.
For the next step, you will need some information handy, such as the format of your motherboard. If you will be building a dedicated video card into the new computer then you need to be aware of its length and width. Modern video cards have gotten rather large. As have third party CPU heat sinks. Some of the heat sinks used today are very tall, which means a width requirement for your case. Be aware of it if that is applicable.
Have this information handy when you’re shopping. The two most common motherboard sizes are ATX and MicroATX. If you are using a MicroATX motherboard then it will fit without issue in most cases. However, there are cases designed for MiniATX motherboards that will be too small. If you are using an ATX motherboard then you must be more careful because there will be many mid-tower cases that will be too small for your needs.
The three basic styles of tower case are mini-, mid- and full-tower. Generally, the mini-tower is suited for the MiniATX, the mid-tower is suited for the MicroATX, and the full-tower is suited for the ATX. However, many mid-towers are actually sized in-between MicroATX and ATX. They fit ATX perfectly fine without all of the extra size requirements.
Once a tower catches your eye:
•Verify that they designed it with your motherboard format in mind.
•Verify that it is deep enough to hold your video card with plenty of clearance for your hard drives.
•Verify that it is wide enough to hold your heat sink with the panel closed.
•Ensure that the case has ample airflow, at least one intake fan and one exhaust.
•Pay attention the noise level of the case, which can be masked in-store.
