Things to Consider When Choosing a New PC Case

So you have a graphics card, the mighty Nvidia RTX 5090, added to your cart!  You want an enclosure that can protect you from massive investment and make sure that it runs at its most optimum performance. If you are not willing to compromise on a single frame drop or stutter, then consider a PC case that fulfills all the requirements of a high-performance PC build. While high-air flow and cooling capabilities are vital, ensuring that your PC can house a massive graphics card and a large CPU cooler or not. Moreover, it should also be convenient to build. Imagine the frustrating moment when you can't fit your newly bought hardware into the PC case.

For anyone starting from a beginner to an expert, this is our guide to choosing a new PC case. It will cover everything from compatibility, performance, aesthetics, and economics in a single guide. Let's begin finding the ideal PC case for your ultimate PC build.

Form Factor and Size

Motherboard Form Factor

The first step in deciding the size of your PC. It is directly dependent on the form factor of your motherboard. There are a total of four main types of motherboard sizes. Check the one you have selected to get started on the new PC case selection:

• E-ATX: 12 x 13 inches - Supports dual CPUs and 8 RAM slots for workstations; requires Full Tower cases.
• ATX: 12 x 9.6 inches - Standard gaming board with 4 RAM slots and 7 expansion slots; fits Mid-Tower cases.
• Micro-ATX: 9.6 x 9.6 inches -Compact square board with 4 RAM slots and 4 expansion slots; fits Mini-Towers.
• Mini-ITX: 6.7 x 6.7 inches - Ultra-small with 2 RAM slots and 1 PCIe slot; for Small Form Factor SFF builds.

PC Case Size

Similar to motherboard form factors, PC cases also come in SFF, mid-tower, and full-tower configurations. Each of these types offers different internal volumes and motherboard support.

• SFF: Small form factors will have <20l volume and support mini-ITX motherboards.
• Mid-Tower: Most common size with room for mATX motherboard, standard cooling, and large graphics card.
• Full-Tower: Largest size with support for E-ATX motherboard and custom liquid cooling loops.

Compatibility with Components

It's important to know that a manufacturer may even feature enough space to install an RTX 3090 inside an SFF case. The key is compatibility. You need to ensure that your PC case can support the installation of the following key PC components:

• Motherboards: The PC case should have standoffs or a motherboard backplate that supports installation of E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX boards, depending on the model.
• Graphics Cards: There should be enough space in line with the PCIe x16 slots of the motherboard after mounting. PC case manufacturers mention GPU clearance, which should be around 350mm in length and 3 slots in thickness for a standard modern gaming GPU.
• CPU Coolers: The PC case should have sufficient space to allow a tall CPU cooler to fit between the motherboard and side panel. These are mentioned at CPU cooler clearance.
• Power Supplies: The PSU shroud should support standard ATX units or specialized SFX sizes for smaller builds.
• Storage Drives: Look for dedicated mounting trays to support 3.5 or 2.5” SSDs without obstructing the air flow.

Airflow and Cooling Capabilities

After we have confidence that all the major components will fit inside the PC case, we need to see if the chassis can cool them efficiently. Modern PC cases are often named as high air flow cases and come with liquid radiator installation supervision. Let's see why:

High Air Flow Case

PC case manufacturers utilize their research and design department to simulate air flow inside the enclosure. They help determine how efficiently cool air travels to the heating components like graphics cards, CPU, VRMs, RAMs, and SSDs. High air flow cases have large meshes up front, back, bottom, and on top of the chassis. These allow cool air to enter and hot air to exit efficiently. Look for a high-flow case if you need to ensure that your hardware components do not thermal throttle during intense gaming sessions that require massive heat removal.

Liquid Cooling Radiator Provisions

Modern PC applications require massive heat removal. Gaming, content creation, simulations, and video editing are some of the applications of PCs that result in massive heat generation. In the case of air cooling, the fans rev up to improve heat transfer. However, it can result in a loud noise. Liquid cooling uses large radiators to maximize heat removal through a massive surface area. If you are planning to install one in your PC build, then consider the following provision in your new PC case:

• Size Support: Check for mounting rails for 240mm, 280mm, or 360mm radiators on the top or front panels.
• Thickness Clearance: The distance between the motherboard top and the case ceiling should be high enough to accommodate the radiator thickness with the fan.
• Multi-Radiator Layout: For a high-end gaming setup, you may need CPU and GPU AIO units separately, which means space requirements on the front, top, or back.
• Pump and Reservoir Mounts: For custom loops, provision should be made for mounting liquid pumps and reservoirs.

Materials and Build Quality

SPCC and Aluminum

The choice of metal is a crucial decision for PC cases. It requires careful evaluation of the price and performance of the sheet metal after formation of the enclosure. Typically, high-end gaming PC enclosures, where portability is not a major concern manufacturers utilize SPCC (Steel Plate Cold Rolled Commercial). Owing to its density, 7.85 g/cm³ to 7.87 g/cm³ its weight would be higher for the same PC case designed with aluminum material. Aluminum has a lower 2.7 g/cm³ metal density, which is less than half of SPCC. The difference in density is what makes aluminum lightweight.

Tempered Glass

To see the mesmerizing RGB lighting and meticulously designed hardware components, use of tempered glass is necessary. It has the necessary strength to keep the structure of the chassis intact and offers stability during transportation.

Surface Treatments

There are two major operations that are used to protect PC cases: Powder coating and anti-corrosion layering to protect the sheet metal. The pickling and phosphating process is directly applied to metal sheets, and then electrically charged powder is applied over the metal. The powder is then cured with heat to form a thin, highly durable layer of protective paint.

Cable Management

Cable management is vital for gaming aesthetics, which is an obvious takeaway from cable management features. However, their key role in heat management is rarely discussed. A cluttered cable routing can lead to restriction in flow of air which results in increased operational temperature of PC components. Some of the key cable management features include:

• Velcro Straps
• Routing Tracks
• Dual Chamber Design
• Rubber Grommets
• Cable Passthroughs
• Motherboard Reverse Connectors

Aesthetics and Design Features

For gamers or creators, features such as RGB control, unique PC case structures, and modular design are vital. Some of the key features to consider are:

• 360° Rounded Corner Designs: Instead of sharp edges a rounded edge gives a more jade-like tactile experience and safety for portability.
• Integrated Hubs: A smart controller that works with ARGB and PWM controls for the fans, allowing connection of upto 10 devices.
• Motherboard Sync: Ensure the manufacturer’s lighting is compatible with major software like ASUS Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light, or Gigabyte RGB Fusion.
• Panoramic Views: Fish tank and dual chamber in combination provide premium aesthetics that are sure to turn heads.

Conclusion

PC cases for either gaming or productivity purposes now have subtle differences. Minimalist cases are more favored in an office environment and productivity-related applications. Whereas extravagant RGB-infused panoramic views are favored by gamers. However, the core aspects such as the form factor, size, component compatibility, material selection, cable management, and air flow remain the same. Through this guide, our main intent was to ensure that anyone targeting any type of PC case will find this guide useful and make an educated decision for purchase.

If you want a gaming PC case that can conform to all the requirements of a modern high-end chassis then consider ESGAMING. Founded in 2017, ESGAMING has quickly become a recognized emerging brand in high-performance computer components and accessories. From PC cases and power supplies to now cooling systems, ESGAMING is dedicated to delivering creative, reliable, and well-crafted E-sport solutions for gamers, creators, and PC builders around the world.

For more information, visit www.esgamingpc.com.