The most obvious part of the computer
is often overlooked. As
the
skeleton of the computer, many people think of it as nothing more
than something to bolt the
components to
keep them protected. The case is
also instrumental in providing airflow
and noise insulation.
Layout
The layout of the
case
is quite important, although largely standardised. Until relatively recently, nearly all
cases
had identical layouts to that in the picture below:
Indeed, most budget
cases still use
this design, and for good reason – it‟s a conventional, solid design which works well for
a basic computer. However, in the mid-
range and high end market a few changes
are becoming commonplace.
For example, you may begin to see
the power supply being
placed at the bottom of the
case, below the motherboard instead of above it. This
is a sensible idea, as
it
lowers the centre of
gravity significantly.
Another possible
perk is removable hard drive cages, sometimes turned sideways (in larger cases) so that the hard drives are
facing you as you remove the
side panel. This gives you easier
access
to your
hard
drives as well as providing more space for longer
graphics cards.
There
are also some cases
that
throw convention out the
window to great effect. Examples include the
Silverstone Fortress and the Thermaltake Level 10 cases. They provide
amazing layouts, although they do so at a
great price
premium.
