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.
PSU form factor
The form factor of the power supply that the chassis is designed to support. The form factor of the PSU is indicated by the type of motherboards for which the block was originally “sharpened”; however, many form factors are mutually compatible.
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ATX(regular). Form factor designed for full-size cases, mainly Tower and Desktop types (see "Form Factor"). The motherboard is powered by a 24-pin (in older versions — 20-pin) connector; in addition, such power supplies usually provide an additional power plug for CPU (4-pin, 8-pin, and sometimes both at once).
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FlexATX. The FlexATX form factor provides a miniature size of the motherboard (in terms of size and location of the mounting holes, such boards are compatible with microATX). Accordingly, the power supplies for them are compact in size and have increased efficiency characteristics. They are compatible with many miniature motherboards, including the mentioned microATX and mini-ITX, and the main connectors are the same as in ATX (minus the 20-pin version).
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TFX. The abbreviation TFX comes from Thin Form Factor — i.e. "thin form factor". This is one of the varieties of compact power supplies used in miniature form factors systems; similar in compatibility to the microATX described above, and in terms of connectors — ATX.
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SFX. Another type of po
...wer supply with reduced dimensions, used in compact systems (S — from "small", i.e. "small"). In terms of connectors, it is considered completely interchangeable with ATX, it fundamentally differs only in size.
— External. Cases that do not have space for an internal power supply at all and are designed to connect an external power supply unit. This design is found mainly among the smallest cases (in particular, for mini-ITX and thin mini-ITX motherboards). Note that in this case, not every case with an external power supply is meant, but only models that do not have built-in converters (see below) and are designed for motherboards with their own connector for an external power supply.
— External with converter. Enclosures designed for external power supplies (see above) and equipped with built-in converters. The converter outputs power from an external PSU to a number of "computer" connectors, in particular, a standard 24-pin motherboard power connector. Thus, in such a case, you can install a "motherboard" that has a traditional "ATX" power supply in 24-pin format.PSU max lenght
Possible length of the PSU that can be installed in the case.
Graphics card max lenght
The maximum length of a graphics card that can be installed in this case.
Modern mid-range and top-end video cards with high performance often differ in considerable length, which is why such a card can not fit into any case. So before collecting components, it is worth evaluating the length of the proposed graphics card and choosing a case in which it is guaranteed to fit. This forethought is useful anyway, but it's especially true if you're building a system that requires a powerful graphics adapter, such as a high-end gaming PC or 3D design workstation.
Fan max height
The highest cooler height allowed for this case.
In this case, we mean a cooler used to cool the processor — such a component is found in the vast majority of modern PCs. Height is measured relative to the motherboard.
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.
Expansion slots
The number of slots for expansion cards located on the rear panel of the case.
The expansion card itself (graphics card, sound card, TV tuner, etc.) is installed in a slot on the motherboard, and an external panel of such a card with inputs and outputs is attached to the hole on the back of the case. The more holes are provided in the case, the more expansion cards can be installed in it. Note that some boards can occupy two or even three holes at once; this is especially common in powerful video cards. On the other hand, you have to pay attention to the number of holes mainly if you are building a powerful high-performance system. For an ordinary household PC, in most cases, one opening is enough for a graphics card; and in many configurations, the openings on the rear panel are not used at all.
Graphics card vertical mount
The ability to install a graphics card in the case vertically, facing the side panel. To do this, the design provides for an appropriate bracket, and the graphics card is connected to the motherboard with a special extension cable — a riser. This feature is found in open cases and models with a viewing window (see relevant paragraphs), its purpose is primarily aesthetic: a vertically placed graphics card is clearly visible from the outside, which gives the case an original appearance, designed for fans of external modding. But
vertical installation does not provide any fundamental practical advantages.
Fans (back)
The number of fan slots
on the back 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; specifically for the rear panel, the size
up to 92 mm is considered relatively small,
120 mm — medium,
140 mm — large.
Most often, the holes for installing fans are designed for one specific size, however, there are also “multi-size” seats, for 2-3 options in diameter.
