Build an Awesome PC, 2014 Edition

Selecting a Case That Suits You

PC cases come in nearly limitless shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. Some are made of plastic, a few (mostly homebrew) use wood, but most are made of a metal frame and a colored and occasionally textured polyurethane exterior. But the one thing they all have in common is their intent to house a motherboard and accompanying parts. The case shields these electronics from the dangers of dust buildup and static electricity. Some of the best cases also aid with shaping and maximizing the movement of air through the chassis to efficiently cool down hot CPUs and graphics processing units (GPUs). And of course there’s the personal opinion of what looks attractive. Let’s take a closer look at these attributes to help ...