It is indeed complex and not simultaneous. It's strange because because of the wide range of PC cases on the market, of all sizes, types and colors, it makes it difficult to choose. But at the same time it's not complicated, and you'll see it below, when you're clear what your needs are and what the most important factors to look out for. When the search is extended, you will need to select only the one you like or the one that best fits your budget.
Ready? Let's go there
Box size
As you know, box size is very important for several reasons: first because you have to choose one box depending on your board format and the size of your items, and secondly because it will depend on where you are physically positioning your table, you will have to move the box size.
To select the box according to your needs by size, these are the important factors to look out for:
- It should be about the size of your board, or larger. For example, if your motherboard is ATX you may not choose the ITX mini PC or the mATX case of the PC format, but it should be a case of semi, standard or high quality format.
- Do you have space for the elements? Every box has, among its features, the interior space for various items. If your heatsink processor is 160 mm high, make sure the box has room for that size. The same applies to graphics card length and power supply.
- Eye with radiators. If you intend to install a liquid cooling radius, it is not enough to see the features of a box that fits its size. The 240mm radiator, for example, weighs longer than that because it includes a tank, tube cutouts, etc. Make sure there is enough space.
Refrigerator
As you know, in-box cooling is a critical point of efficiency in the system. It is pointless to have a premium box if you don't have one the fans needed to complete the indoor air flow, so you should also look at this. If the box does not include enough fans to close the air circuit (at least one fan in the front and one in the back), be sure to purchase as many additional fans as needed to do so.
It is recommended that, before choosing a box, you are considering the cooling possibilities it will offer depending on the hardware you are installing.
Power of expansion
Another thing to consider when choosing the best PC case for your needs is the possibilities for future expansion. Imagine that today you chose some components but tomorrow you want to change the AIO fluid cooling kit heatsink, or that you need to install hard drive equipment.
With this we want to tell you that, when choosing a box, do not limit yourself to the original hardware you will install it on but think less about it later, because otherwise you may be forced to buy a new box if you want to expand the PC.
Communication
You might find that a box with USB 3.0 ports on the front is enough for you at first, but with the growing need to connect more and more devices to the PC, it can be a short or medium term.
Our recommendation is to make sure that the box has enough connection for your future needs, and that you do not limit yourself to that feature (which is why you may need to consider boxes that already have USB-C ports, but make sure at the same time that your motherboard has a connector).
Other things to consider is choosing the best option
There are some things to consider, perhaps for a small price, but it is not bad to make a list of pre-purchase inquiries and, depending on the answers, you are able to assess whether they are the best choice for what you need. The questions we can ask ourselves may be the following:
- Where is the electricity stored? Almost all the boxes are already loaded down (highly recommended position), and automatically discard any box with the source at the top.
- Do you have dust filters? No doubt they helped a great deal to avoid, or at least delay, the interior was filled with dust and made occasional cleaning much easier. They are always available when choosing a PC case.
- Do you have enough space behind the motherboard? The box with the smallest area in place greatly prevents the transmission of cables, while boxes with enough space here (at least 1.5 cm) make any assembly better, since we can better hide the cables and the remaining connectors.
- Need all the RGB lighting? For a while now, one of the favorite advertising campaigns is getting RGB soup. The problem comes when the brightness of the elements does not match. So, if you choose a box with RGB lamps because you like it, make sure at least it has a controller or is compatible with RGB motherboard software so you can control it the way you like.
In conclusion
With all of the things we have listed, you will probably end up limiting your case selection to your PC only to the most likely candidates, and you will only have to choose the one you like best or the one that fits your budget. .
The last tip we will give you is to not hesitate in the box. Many people buy cheaper boxes and end up turning at the same time, so it is better to invest a little more in the beginning, because in the end the PC case if you give it the right fix can last a lifetime.
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