How to choose a good computer case?

How to choose a good computer case? The computer case is not an element that directly affects its performance, but it is very important for the entire system. First of all, it protects all components, and also plays an important role in the flow of air. Then the system will be in good condition. There are many options to choose from. Enclosures are available in different sizes, with different designs and a huge variety of feature sets. That is why it is worth adjusting the housing to your needs.

Housing compatibility, clearance and aspect ratio

Technically, there are no housing size standards – at least in terms of dimensions. All enclosures support one or more different factors associated with the computer’s motherboard. The larger the housing, the greater the chance that it will be able to accommodate different types of motherboards. For example, some towers can contain one of the four typical motherboard shape factors.

Of course, placing a mini-ITX motherboard in a full tower will look funny. But in terms of compatibility it is possible.

But this is really the only standard that combines different types of housing. Remember that although all medium towers share a common ATX motherboard, not all medium tower enclosures have the same dimensions and feature sets. The same applies to the other typical housing sizes. Therefore, when choosing a computer case for the player, we must consider the format of the motherboard.

Housing compatibility

Also make sure that all other important components fit in the housing. The most common we can settle the length of the graphics card, the height of the processor cooler, elements of water cooling.

Usually higher-end graphics cards are longer than cheaper ones. Therefore, they can sometimes be too loose. However, this is an increasingly rare problem because graphics cards are getting shorter and we can find the perfect housing that will accommodate longer graphics cards. If we are interested in a small housing, we can opt for a mini graphics card.

Some processor coolers may be higher than others. Not every enclosure is deep enough to contain the highest coolers. Therefore, we need to check the dimensions of the radiator and housing.

The liquid cooling system (both AIO and non-standard loops) use the liquid to transfer heat from the processor to the heat sink. It has mounted fans that remove some of the heat from it. However, there is no standard heat sink size. We can find heat sinks in various sizes.

And just as not all enclosures can accommodate every cooler and graphics card, so can a problem with the heat sink. So before we choose the liquid cooling configuration, let’s check the dimensions of the housing.

Another important thing we need to pay attention to is the difference between AIO coolers and non-standard liquid cooling systems. The latter require additional space for tanks, which is why the housing that supports a larger heat sink will not necessarily be a good solution for non-standard cooling.

Cooling and air flow

For many users, only aesthetics matter. However, we must remember that cooling the computer is very important. Keeping components at the right temperature is a very important part of your computer’s functioning. The cooler components will be more durable and will last longer.

Computer cases affect the cooling process by air flow. Our housing will also determine the type of CPU cooling available.

In most cases, the enclosures have only a few factory-installed fans (cheaper enclosures have one or two). But considering the budget, we can choose a housing in which we can install more fans. We should always look for a housing that will house fans at the front and back (or top). Thanks to this, air is blown in at the front and blown out at the back (or on top).

Enclosures with grilles are ideal. Thanks to this, greater air flow to the inside of the housing is possible. On the other hand, housings with solid front, top, side and back panels limit the impact and outflow of air from the housing because there are fewer air vents to get into it.

If possible, try to buy a housing with appropriate panels to increase airflow and cooling of components.

Let’s check if our housing will contain liquid cooling elements.

Quality of box construction

The quality of construction is a very important feature. Cheaper housings are made of lower quality materials and as a result are less resistant to damage and scratches. They are also less durable, have thinner panels and wear out faster. On the other hand, higher class enclosures usually have more solid frames and are more durable.

Of course, if we have a limited budget, this will not be the most important factor. But if we have more money, we can pay attention to it.

We can also pay attention to the aesthetics of performance. Let’s pay attention to cable management, transparent side panels, PSU covers and RGB lighting.

There are hundreds of housings to choose from. Our budget, functionality and personal preferences are very important.