Newbie Q

[mxfury]

I am 14 years old and I want to build myself an awesome computer. So here my first Q, does it matter what case you buy? Will the mother board align properly with different cases?

[Mr N8]

The only real difference in motherboard right now it that there is ATX and micro-ATX. An ATX board will fit in any ATX case. A micro-ATX board will fit properly in an micro-ATX case or an ATX case.

When it comes to buying a case, though, there are a few things that you should consider. How big do you want it to be? Some of the roomier cases are also very tall, and would take up a lot of desk space. Also, how heavy do you want it to be? A steel case will be sturdy and last you forever, but they are often times around 30lbs. An aluminum case is nice and light, but not as sturdy as a steel case. They also tend to be louder cases, as there isn't as much material shielding the fan and drive noises from you.

Some cases come with power supplies, and some don't. If you are getting a case with a power supply, make sure that it is a quality brand. A lot of the cheaper power supplies use very lightweight parts, which can put all of your components at risk. If the power supplies blows, you could lose anything directly or indirectly connected to it. Stick with Antec, Enermax, Enlight, or Fortron / Sparkle for the best quality and reliability in power supplies. Avoid Deer, allied, and L&C.

[rios__]

actually, avoid generic power supplies in general

[Brown Hornet]

Originally posted by mxfury I am 14 years old and I want to build myself an awesome computer. So here my first Q, does it matter what case you buy? Will the mother board align properly with different cases?

will this be a gaming rig?

[mxfury]

nop, well kinda because I play need4speed and Halflife but I need speed for photoshop and dreamweaver

[Brown Hornet]

keep the questions coming,the people here should have all the answers

[DarkHorse]

For your actual computer build, the General Hardware forum has much greater traffic, so you can post a thread there.

For now, let's get your case straightened out. I doubt you are making a mini-ATX computer, since you are planning on doing some hardcore work on it by the looks of it, so I'll just assume ATX.

ATX is what is called a 'form factor' - it is an industry standard that board manufacturers agree to design their boards around, so they can guarantee the board will fit. Specifically, there are certain pre-mapped mounting points, and at least some of them must be available to both board and case to meet the standard.

If you buy any ATX case and any ATX mobo, they will fit together nicely.

Next, you want to get an idea of what size you will need and still fit, as well as what material you want: steel or aluminum, as MrN8 posted above.

Hope I answered your questions! DH