Board placement
The position of the motherboard in the case; it is assumed that the body is in its original position.
The motherboard is most conveniently placed along the case — this gives the most space for it (and "motherboards", we recall, are large in size). And since the most popular nowadays are vertical-layout cases (mainly certain types of “towers”), the boards in them are arranged vertically. The horizontal arrangement can be found much less frequently — in separate Mini-Towers and "cubes" (Cube Case), where the height is not much greater than the width, as well as desktops designed for horizontal placement.
Rubber feet
The presence of
rubberized legs in the design of the case.
These feet absorb vibrations generated during operation of the computer (mainly due to the operation of fans and optical drives), thereby reducing noise levels and providing additional comfort. Rubberized feet are especially desirable if the computer is placed on a table (on a tabletop or in a dedicated compartment on a table) or on a hard floor.
Fans (side)
The number of fan slots on
the sides of the case, as well as the size of the fans that these slots are designed for. The presence of the fans themselves in the kit should be specified separately.
The larger the fan, the more advanced it is considered: a large diameter allows you to work efficiently at relatively low speeds, which reduces the noise level and energy consumption. Case fans are available in several standard diameters, and the seats for them can be designed for both one and several sizes — for example, 120 / 140 mm. At the same time, in some models, the available number of seats also depends on the chosen size: for example, there are gaming cases where you can install either one 180 mm fan or four 120 mm fans at once.
Fan mounts total
The total number of places for installing fans provided in the chassis design.
The more performant the system, the more components it includes — the more powerful cooling it will need; therefore, the number of places for fans, usually, is directly related to the size and purpose of the case. It is also worth considering that with the same number, the installation location of individual fans may be different — behind, on the side, on top, etc.
Side panel window
The presence of
a viewing window on the side panel of the case, allowing you to see the “filling” without opening the case. It gives the case a stylish appearance; in addition, it allows you to install a lighting system inside, which is appreciated by gamers compared to
case models without a window.
The materials for manufacturing the windows on the side panel are:
- Acrylic. Acrylic or plexiglass is an inexpensive material of relatively light weight, which, however, actively collects scratches and can be deformed when exposed to high temperatures.
- Strained glass. Tempered glass panels have excellent transparency, are resistant to scratches and are easy to clean from dirt. At the same time, they weigh a lot and can break to pieces if not handled carefully.
- Metal grid. Wire mesh is a simple type of window material used on the side panel of a cabinet. It allows air to pass through and provides additional heat removal from the internal components of the system unit; dust can leak through the mesh overnight.
More features
—
Front cover. A hinged cover that completely or partially covers the front panel. Gives the computer a neat appearance, hiding connectors and external slots under a solid, uniform surface and performs the function of child protection.
—
Panel display. A display on the front or side panel of the case, used to display various service information: the current processor frequency, data on the system temperature, cooling operating mode, etc. Various important data can be displayed on the display without reference to what is happening in the software part of the computer.
—
Video card holder. A design solution for supporting a video card inside the case. Specialized stands or holders prevent the graphics adapter from sagging over time and reduce the load on the PCI-E slot of the motherboard. The fact is that many models of modern video cards have gained some weight - the holders are designed to compensate for their weight. Stands are available both as built-in solutions and as separate accessories that can be installed inside the case independently.
—
Side panel lock. The presence of a special lock on the removable side panel of the case. Such a lock prevents unauthorized access to the internal volume of the system unit.
—
Noise isolation. Availability at the case of
...additional sound insulation. This can be either a special coating on the inside, or other, more specific solutions (for example, damping systems on “seats” for individual components that reduce the level of vibrations transmitted to the body). Anyway, this feature helps to reduce the noise level emitted by the system — sometimes quite significantly.
— Removable basket for HDD. The presence in the design of the case of a removable basket for the inner periphery of the 3.5 "form factor (in the vast majority of cases these are hard drives, hence the name). Such a basket facilitates assembly due to the fact that it is much easier to remove it and install a hard drive inside than mount it in a non-removable compartment inside the case; this moment is especially useful if you plan to install several hard drives in the system.
— Docking station for HDD. Built-in docking station for quick connection of internal hard drives. In fact, this function allows you to connect an internal HDD as an external one: the docking station connector is located outside the case and is equipped with quick-release fasteners for easy connection.
— Concealed wiring. The ability to run wires from the power supply on the back of the motherboard (if we take the side where the processor and slots for expansion cards are located as the main one). Thus, the space on the main side of the "motherboard" is freed from wires, which, in particular, has a positive effect on the cooling efficiency.
— The window for installing the cooling system(Cooling system) for CPU. The presence of a separate window in the case opposite the CPU fasteners. The mounting system is located on the back of the motherboard, and usually, in order to change it, you need to remove the entire "motherboard"; the Cooling system installation window saves the user from such a need and greatly simplifies the installation and change of Cooling system.
