PC Cases & PC Power Supplies

PC Cabinets

The PC cabinet, also known as the PC case, is the frame and housing for the computer. The components are inserted so that they are properly cooled, organised and protected from dust and dirt.

While cheaper cabinets are, in reality, just pieces of sheet metal with spaces for components, more expensive cabinets can, in addition to being made of better materials, also have:

• various sound-absorbing elements
• quality fans included
• advanced cabling options
• dust filters
• dedicated space for large water coolers
• at least partial modular

PC cabinets are catgorised by size. A larger cabinent can hold more components, some of which may be quite large, based on performance. The following table shows range of sizes:

PC Power Supply

The PC power supply has the task of transforming the input voltage from the power source into the voltage levels compatible with the individual components of the computer hardware. It has a lot to do with different efficiency levels. A higher efficiency means that the power supply, at the same power input, delivers more power to the components, so little energy is wasted. To simplify the distribution of PC resources, the 80 PLUS certification is used in addition to its efficiency, which makes it easy to recognize high-quality resources.

Noise Cushioning

There are special cabinets desgined to reduce the noise of or totally silence your computer. Of course, it is important that the components themselves are properly cooled, but it is possible to sound-proof the cabinet itself.

Some computer components, such as hard drives, power sources, and fans, are screwed directly into the metal parts of the PC case. This is not entirely ideal from the point of view of noise, as vibrations can be transmitted into a noticeable amount of noise. A solution to is are antivibration pillars and washers, which are usually made of plastic or rubber. This effectively eliminates audible vibrations.

Another possibility of sound absorption is sound-absorbing materials that are placed on the sides of the PC cabinet where they effectively absorb sound.

Cabinet Fans

Fans in the PC cabinet are an integral part of every well-cooled computer. They have the task of keeping the airflow constant and strong enough in the cabinet to keep the components safely cool. Optimal flow directions are front to back and bottom up. Depending on the location of the ventilators, we distinguish three types of pressure inside the cabinet:

• Overpressure - this is achieved by placing more fans on the intake side than on the exhaust side. With overpressure, virtually all dust is driven through the cabinet, making the computer cleaner for longer.
• Vacuum pressure - a vacuum is created by placing a large number of fans on the PC cabinet exhaust. The advantage of this configuration is better cooling, but dust can get into the computer from cracks and open spaces so the build-up of dirt is faster.
• Balanced pressure - to acheive balanced pressure, the same amount of fans are used for the outlet must also be used for the input. Because it is a compromise combining the benefits of vacuum and overpressure, this solution has become popular with many users.