Selecting the right computer case as a guide for buyers and there are far too many computer cases for sale in the market that makes the selection process take longer than it should. There are far too many decisions to make.
The process could be simplified by organizing your wants. Choose a computer case that you could stand looking at or even appreciate having. After doing so, you can check what other attributes of it you should know about.
Does it have space for USB ports on the front panel? These ports are very practical as they offer easier access for your USB flash drives. It just is not sensible to keep sticking the drive at the back as it would require you to move the PC and sort through all the cables and dust bunnies back there. Newer motherboards have USB ports for the front and back panel. Connecting your mp3 player, flash drive, printer, headset, cell phone and a lot of other stuff using USB cables would be convenient with front USB.
What motherboards would fit in the case? If you like the case so much, you only have select choices of motherboards as there is no one size fits all kind of casing. You could be sacrificing a lot if you choose the wrong computer case. A removable back plate feature is recommended for smaller computer cases as this would give you more elbow room to install the motherboard.
What is the form factor of your motherboard? There are many form factors specific to different motherboards such as Micro, Full and Extended ATX. The computer case should indicate which form it can house. If you can not find this information, you better drop the model off your list as you can not afford any guesswork on this one. The size of the computer case should match the size of your motherboard.
How big is the power supply you will be using? The power supplies in computer cases may be too small and inadequate for your application. The problem with small power supplies is that it may not be sufficient to run your system smoothly. You will notice your computer suddenly rebooting. You must select a power supply that could match the needs of your system or it just would not run right and may damage your hardware.
How many drives of what size will you be installing? Get a computer case that can fit in all of these devices. You will need one that has as many external bays as you require and can fit in all the hard drives and CD or DVD-ROM drives. Would you still use floppy disks? You will not need a case that has a bay for this if you will not be using floppies.
Will the size of the computer case fit in the spot where you will place it? If you have specific space requirements, make sure you get the dimensions of the case before you get it. Both the height and the depth are very important.
Is there enough cooling space? If your computer will be placed in a closed space like a cabinet, you have to consider if it has sufficient cooling. You may need additional cooling for certain applications so select the case that could accommodate such additions.