Buying Computer Cases

Computer cases are pretty self explanatory. A computer case is what houses all of the other components of a computer. Computer cases can also be known as towers, system units, enclosures, and a few other names. But the only names you really need to know are cases and towers. Some people think that a computer case is just a computer case. Well, unfortunately, that is not the case! There are a few requirements you need to know about them whether it is just for your knowledge and/or if you are planning on buying a new one.

Over the years I have noticed that people tend to be intimidated by computers. Well this is a good start to getting rid of that intimidation. Computer cases come in three sizes:

• Full-size
• Mid-size
• Mini-size

Full-size cases are between 22"-24" tall, mid-size are about 18"-20" tall, and mini-size are usually around 14" tall. The main difference between the three is the larger the case, the more internal/external drive bays may be offered for expansion. Larger cases also offer more room to work with so you aren't splitting your knuckles open working on it plus better ventilation. However, mid-size cases seem the most common. Seems simple so far right? Well here come the requirements I was talking about.

When it comes to computer cases, the main thing you need to worry about is the size of your motherboard. For example, you can't fit an ATX motherboard into a mATX case because it is too big. The easiest way to solve this problem is knowing how big your motherboard is. The second thing you need to know is whether your power supply is going to fit into the housing of your case. And of course, the easiest way of knowing this is knowing the specifications of your power supply and the housing where your power supply will go. Once you know how big your motherboard and power supply are, then you can worry about what kind of case you want to choose - for price, looks, etc.

To the right is an example of inside a mid-size computer case. The labels are as follows:

• 1 - Power supply housing. This is where your power supply will go and it's always located in the top/rear part of the case.
• 2 - External drive bays - where your optical drives will go.
• 3 - The largest space is where the motherboard will go.
• 4 - Internal drive bays - where hard drives/floppy drives will go.