Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
2
Case and Power Supply
Some PC builders might prefer to begin their construction with the CPU and
motherboard. I recommend starting with the case and power supply. The case
is indicative of your intent for the hardware it will contain. The type of case
you use also makes a statement to the world regarding your high-tech
aesthetics.
Since we are going to build a high-end PC drawing upon plenty of electricity
and generating a considerable amount of heat, we need a chassis large enough
to circulate enough air to cool down a blazingly fast CPU and a beefy graphics
card. We also need a power supply that can safely deliver all the conditioned
electrical current we need to drive these power-hungry parts.
If this is the first PC you have built, it's also a good idea to buy a case that
has plenty of room for your components, plus room to maneuver. It can be
extremely frustrating to discover that the beautiful case you acquired is a few
centimeters too small to house your graphics card, or that the CPU-cooling
fans rise too high above the motherboard to allow the case to close. Let's begin
with selecting a case for our awesome PC.
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 exte-
rior. 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
