About Computer Towers
by Tom McNamara, Demand Media
When it comes to computer hardware, the case is, historically, an overlooked aspect. Despite that it holds all your valuable hardware and the data on your hard drives, most people don't give it much thought. In the past, one case was usually as good as another. The cases have gotten a little more complicated now, so there are things to consider when shopping for a tower case.
Types of Case Material
There are two different types of computer cases: steel and aluminum. Aluminum is lighter and dissipates heat more quickly, though heat dissipation isn't important unless you're pushing your hardware beyond its factory settings. With both types, however, you want to make sure that the internals have "rolled" edges. It's surprisingly easy to cut yourself on bare metal that hasn't been rolled. Since aluminum towers are more difficult to manufacture as the material is not as easy to shape, they tend to be more expensive. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also obtain a transparent tower made from acrylic, which is usually the most expensive option. Lastly, many cases combine steel and aluminum sections for aesthetic reasons, with the aluminum being the most visible.
Tool-less Cases
Another consideration is the "tool-less" tower. With these, you don't need a screwdriver or anything else to open the case or to install or remove hardware or peripheral cards. Instead, you have slides and locks, sometimes made of metal but other times made of plastic. If you lift up your tower often to change around its innards, you may want to stick with a standard tower as the locks and slides can wear down over time or break.
Power Supplies
Consider what's included with the tower case. You can choose one with or without a power supply, so make sure you don't pick the wrong one. Cases with power supplies (PSUs, for power supply unit) tend to be cheaper than buying your own power supply. However, there is often a quality issue with a PSU included with the case, and the available wattage may not be as much as you need. It's pretty common to see off-brand PSUs in this situation. If you're not doing anything heavy with your computer (lots of media production or 3D gaming), then you will probably be fine with a pre-installed power supply.
System Fans
The tower will often have system fans pre-installed as well. Generally, the bigger the fan, the better. Larger fans are quieter. You want to make sure you have an even distribution of fans to create smooth airflow from the front to the rear. Imbalance increases heat inside the tower.
Front Panel Connections
Look for connections on the front of the tower for headphones, a microphone, USB or FireWire. On the inside of the case, there are cables leading out to be connected to the motherboard, which must be hooked up to make those front panel jacks work.
