PC Case buying guide

Posted on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:19

 

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Find out all you need to know about choosing the right PC Case.

Recommended minimum specifications

Expansion bays: 2x 3½in, 2x 5¼in

Follow the steps to find your ideal specs

1. Choosing the right case is very important as it will form the basis of your computer. You can buy a basic case for as little as £15 including VAT, but be careful as cheap models are often made of thin metal and don't insulate sound very well. They can also have sharp edges as not every panel is rolled, and this can be a hazard when building the PC or upgrading it. Spending a little more on a case will generally get you a more attractive-looking box that's easier to put together and take apart.
2. If silence is important to you, then you should choose a case that's designed for the job. These will come with thick walls, quiet hard disk and optical drive mountings, and silent fans. Some, particularly those made by Zalman, don't require cooling fans as they use a complex system of heatpipes. However, these tend to cost over £400 including VAT.
3. Make sure you buy a case that has room for all the hard disks and optical drives you want to install, because you can't expand the case at a later date.
4. If you're looking to build a mini PC, you can buy a small case. However, the choice is more limited as these are all designed to take standard motherboards. For a really small PC, you will need to buy a barebones case instead.
5. If you're looking to build a media centre PC for the living room, you need a Home Theatre PC (HTPC) case. These come in a range of sizes, so pick the one that best suits your needs. Full-size cases take standard motherboards and components, and have plenty of room for hard disks. However, they tend to be quite large and can be difficult to fit under a TV. Small HTPC cases that look like regular hi-fi components are readily available. They look more attractive, but their small size means that they require laptop-sized optical drives. These are more expensive than desktop components. For both sizes of case, you should buy an integrated Media Center remote receiver and display screen to keep your PC looking neat.

Author: Expert Reviews Staff