For everyone and their moms
I am going to provide as much detailed information as possible for PC builders, especially for those who has never done this before but wants to. So if you are an absolute beginner, then this is for you. I will summarize the key points at the end of each article to provide a good overview in case you hate reading or are in a hurry. On a side note, for experienced/advanced builders I will later provide an article on a recent PC I built using a Lian Li PC TU-200 mini-ITX case. So please come back and visit if you are interested.
To build a PC - a goal
First, before you begin, I hope you have a goal or an idea in mind of what you'd like to use your PC for. This is the brain storming and preparation stage and it will shape exactly what comes out at the end. Think about the purpose of your build: do you need one for an entertainment center, for gaming, for looking cool, for graphics design, or for everyday use, etc.? It could be a number of things. In my experience, however, a gaming PC stands at the pinnacle of powerful computational devices. It does everything mentioned above and more. Word on the street is that the military purchased 2,200 PlayStation 3 (PS3) in 2009 to take advantage of its processing power (mind you, this is not so the army can rock a game of Call of Duty on their spare time). With that said, the most powerful PCs are also the most expensive. So that leads us to the budget. Determine how much you want to spend and throughout your research, you will need to balance it with what you want to build.
You get the idea. Now do you know what you want? If so, good. If not, you should decide.
The Case
PCs are composed of several components. What we see first and foremost is the case. It is the shell that holds everything together.
So what does matter when it comes to the case?
As they say, size matters. Cases come in all shapes and sizes. They can be compact or they can be large. This is generally known as "form factor". Case form factors are divided into several categories: ATX (large), micro-ATX (medium), mini-ITX (small). These categories are pretty rough. Sizes vary within each category, especially ATX cases. Some ATX cases may be as large as a mini-refrigerator and some may be just the size of your run of the mill Dell desktop. Moral of the story: pay attention to the exact measurements before you purchase a case. The advantage of a large case is that it is easy to work with. Putting in other components is generally very straight forward. As you start constructing a PC, you will realize that there are a lot of cables especially coming from the power supply (to be covered later). Managing the organization of cables inside a large case is simple as everything is quite maneuverable inside the large space. With good cable management and plenty of space, there is also plenty of cool air inside the case. This is an important aspect as heat can cause plenty of damage to delicate PC components. The disadvantage to having a large PC is, well, it's large. Large PCs are difficult to move or place in a room. If you want mobility (e.g., such as taking your PC to work or to a LAN party), then you may want to consider a micro-ATX case instead. Micro-ATX cases have less dramatic variations in size in comparison. Because of their compact form factor, micro-ATX cases are favored by people who need to carry them around often. In fact, many of these cases also provide a carrying handle that further increases their mobility. Be aware though, micro-ATX or even mini-ITX builds can still be between 12-18 lbs. So, it won't be that light. On the other hand, smaller cases are difficult to work with especially for someone who's new. They require more research to ensure that the form factor will accommodate all the components that you plan to throw in there. Nevertheless, if one is organized and is willing to put in the work, they can still successfully put together a smaller system. One final point I will make regarding smaller cases is that heat is often a concern. Because of the constraints of a smaller space, cable management becomes a problem. Tangled cables will block space used for ventilation and airflow, hence resulting in increased internal temperature inside the case. So if you do decide to go for a smaller case, be extra careful in routing your cables to ensure that air can flow between the front and back of the case.
That concludes my first article on the basics of preparation and choosing a case. Let's summarize this article in a few bullet points:
Preparation
A) Have a goal in mind (what is your PC for)
B) The budget: determine how much to spend on the build
Considerations When Choosing a Case
A) Know the basic sizes (form factor) of PC cases (keep in mind the size variations within each size category)
- ATX (large)
- Micro-ATX (medium)
- Mini-ITX (small)
- Note: always pay attention to the actual measurements of a case before purchasing
Advantages
- Plenty of space allow for adding in additional components in the future and ease of construction
- Large space allows for better cable management and better airflow
- Easy on the budget - many budget cases ($30 and less) come in ATX form factor
- Large form factor means lower mobility and difficulty of placement
C) Advantages and disadvantages of smaller cases (small micro-ATX to mini-ITX cases)
Advantages
- High mobility (some cases will even come with carrying handles)
- Ease of placement, especially when used as an entertainment center
- Due to confined space, there is a limitation on the number and size of components you may place
- Smaller internal space places strains on cable management and a cluttered internal space disrupts air circulation hence potentially resulting in temperature management problems
- Smaller cases tend to have higher prices and may create troubles for the budget-minded builder
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