Buying a Cheap Computer Case

and the Power Supply

The most important feature of a computer case is the power supply. Make sure the power supply has enough wattage to handle the parts you are planning to use in your computer system. The CPU is the most demanding part on the power supply and is a good guide to help you decide how much wattage you need.

The average PC will run nicely with a quality 350 Watt power supply. Using a good quality Power Supply is important for system reliability. Unfortunately, some power supply manufacturers miss represent the wattage rating on their labels. About a year ago, the original 250 Watt power supply went bad in one of my customers PC. The PC had been upgraded, so I decided on a higher Wattage replacement. Within 6 months I replaced that power supply 2 times with low quality 500 Watt units. I replaced the second cheap made power supply with a higher quality 350 Watt unit and have had no problems since.

Often ads for a computer case or an individual power supply will state what hardware they support. Such as, Full ATX, AMD and Intel Compatible or "SLI ready ".

High performance video cards also need to be considered in the power equation as they also consume a lot of power. The rule of thumb is, the more parts you add to a system the more wattage you need. The number of Hard Disks, CD ROMS, DVD Drives and USB peripherals will add to the power consumption. Don't forget; if are building a high performance system you might need additional Case Fans and CPU Cooling .

Other features to consider are the number of drive bays. (Bays: the partitioned shelving provided to mount drives.) Front panel media ports are also a consideration. Do you want front panel audio jacks for headphones or a microphone? How about front panel USB ports for your digital camera, external drive or printer?

Finally choose your system case for style and appearance. Computer cases come in assorted designs and colors these days, not just computer beige. There are many Case Mods for PC Gamers and high performance users, like the window side case, alien and spacey looking cases. Computer case modification has become a great way to personalize your system. Choose what you like.

There are some very good guides at Xoxide.com

How to Buy a Computer Case
How to Buy a Power Supply
Computer Cooling
Quiet PC
For overclockers - How to Water Cool a Computer

Next: Buying a Cheap Computer CPU

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