Cases & Fans
This section has gotten completely shrunken because there are far too many cases out there to even consider which is good and which is bad. But I will cover a few basics below!
Size
When picking a case, there are 2 sizes you need to consider. The exterior size based off of preference and if it will fit where you plan on putting it. The other is the interior size and layout. Will my motherboard fit? Is it big enough to fit my graphics card? What about the cooler? Many cases do not support 159mm tall coolers such as the Hyper 212 Evo. Also factor in mounting of AIO coolers such as clearance up top with tall ram or front placement
Functionality
Does the case have the function you need? Does it have enough hard drive slots? How is the cable routing? Are there enough tie downs? Will the back be able to handle the cable flow? Are there enough fans pre-installed or do I need more? What size fans does it take?
Aesthetics
This, believe it or not is probably the most important to most. Finding a case with the right color scheme to match the build. Does it have a fan controller for the RGB Fans? Does it have RGB Fans? Does it match my other hardware? Does it have LED Strips?
Size
When picking a case, there are 2 sizes you need to consider. The exterior size based off of preference and if it will fit where you plan on putting it. The other is the interior size and layout. Will my motherboard fit? Is it big enough to fit my graphics card? What about the cooler? Many cases do not support 159mm tall coolers such as the Hyper 212 Evo. Also factor in mounting of AIO coolers such as clearance up top with tall ram or front placement
Functionality
Does the case have the function you need? Does it have enough hard drive slots? How is the cable routing? Are there enough tie downs? Will the back be able to handle the cable flow? Are there enough fans pre-installed or do I need more? What size fans does it take?
Aesthetics
This, believe it or not is probably the most important to most. Finding a case with the right color scheme to match the build. Does it have a fan controller for the RGB Fans? Does it have RGB Fans? Does it match my other hardware? Does it have LED Strips?
Case Fans
Case fans are very important when designing a computer. More fans does not mean better or even more airflow. There is positive and negative air pressure. Positive is when you have more volume of air coming in than out and negative is the opposite. Ideally anything used as an intake SHOULD have a dust filter, especially if you have positive pressure. But the choice of fans is never an easy task, should I buy a 4 pack Logysis LED kit or spend 100 bucks on Noctua NF-F12's?
Static Pressure vs Airflow (CFM)
There is where static pressure vs CFM become important. Static pressure is important especially in restricted airflow such as hard drive cages or radiators/heat sinks or many modern cases with tempered glass fronts. You need more static pressure to force air passed those areas. Static pressure fans can be used as almost any kind of fan, but airflow fans perform poorly as static pressure fans. Static pressure is rated at mm/h20 and anything above 1.5 is considered pretty good. You can always use static pressure fans but there are only certain places that airflow fans make sense (unobstructed exhausts).
What else to consider?
You don't want loud fans nor do I know anyone that does. While I understand not everyone is a silence freak, a fan as loud as a reference R9-290 would drive anyone crazy. Ideally you either want a fan that undervolts well via PWM control on the motherboard or has a low max RPM.
Recommendation requirements:
120mm Fans <$20
Static Pressure vs Airflow (CFM)
There is where static pressure vs CFM become important. Static pressure is important especially in restricted airflow such as hard drive cages or radiators/heat sinks or many modern cases with tempered glass fronts. You need more static pressure to force air passed those areas. Static pressure fans can be used as almost any kind of fan, but airflow fans perform poorly as static pressure fans. Static pressure is rated at mm/h20 and anything above 1.5 is considered pretty good. You can always use static pressure fans but there are only certain places that airflow fans make sense (unobstructed exhausts).
What else to consider?
You don't want loud fans nor do I know anyone that does. While I understand not everyone is a silence freak, a fan as loud as a reference R9-290 would drive anyone crazy. Ideally you either want a fan that undervolts well via PWM control on the motherboard or has a low max RPM.
Recommendation requirements:
- 1.20mm/h20 at max rpm
- 4-pin PWM
- Under 30 DBA
- 120mm: <1800rpm
- 140mm: <1500rpm
120mm Fans <$20
- Phanteks PH-F120MP: 1.72mm/H2O
- Be Quiet Silent Wings 2: 1.25mm/H2O
- Noctua NF-P12 Redux-1700rpm: 2.83mm/H2O
- BitFenix Spectre Pro PWM: 2.6mm/H2O
- Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition: 1.29mm/H2O
- HD120 RGB: 2.25mm/H2O
- NZXT AER RGB 2: 1.35mm/H2O
- PC Cooler Conora Moonlight Series: 2.30mm/H2O
- Thermaltake Riing Plus 12 RGB Premium: 1.54mm/H2O
- Corsair LL120 RGB: 1.61mm/H2O
- Corsair ML 120 Pro RGB: 1.78mm/H2O
- Thermaltake Riing Plus 12 RGB Premium: 1.53mm/H2O
- NZXT AER RGB 2: 1.52mm/H2O
- Corsair ML140 RGB: 1.27mm/H2O
- Corsair LL140 RGB: 1.52mm/H2O
- Noctua NF-F12 PWM Chromax: 2.61mm/H2O (Over $20)amzn.to/2YVnbmx
- NZXT Zer P120: 2.93mm/H2O (2000rpm)