As discussed in the previous post I thought we would look at some of the things you need to think about if buying components to build your own PC.  In this post I will start with the things that you need to consider when looking for a case.  So here are my top 5 in no particular order.

Things to consider when buying a computer case

1. Form factor and size - What size of computer are you looking to build? This is important decision that needs to be made early on, as it will effect the choice of both case and the motherboard you will be choose.  Be aware that you will need to make sure your motherboard of choice will fit into your case of choice. So for instance if you go for a standard ATX motherboard you will need a case that can except it and will not allow you to go for a smaller case that only excepts miniATX.
2. Power Supply - The power supply is an important part of your computer system and they should be powerful enough to meet the demands of your design.  Most cases will be come with a power supply but you should always consider its capability. You can always buy a separate power supply if necessary
3. Cooling - Heat is a big problem for computers components especially with the CPU and graphic chipsets that are being created today.  Your case will need to have good fans built in or adequate space and grills for you to add your own.  Cases often come with heat fins as well. If you are looking to build a high end system consider cooling carefully in your design.
4. Ease of Installation - When building your own computer, how easy your case makes it  for you to get inside and work is an important consideration, trust me!
5. Style - Last but definitely not least is how your case looks. A huge range in terms of look and feel is available on teh market from systems with clear side panels and built in LEDs  to the standard beige tower of yesteryear. This where you can let you artistic side run riot!

As an example of high end case that might make a good choice for a high end system have a look at the ThermalTake Tai-Chi, which even supports water cooling.

Have you bought a case recently?