[SOLVED] Case for my first build

tom5577

Prominent
May 29, 2019
90
1
535
Hello there!
I am attempting my first build soon. I will be using mostly parts from an old office pc with the exception of a new GPU and a new PSU. My question is, plain office-looking case with some colored fans or something, or a case with a clear panel. I like the look of a nice clean build that everyone can see through the glass, but I'm worried it won't be nice and clean first because I have a feeling my cable management will suck, and second most of the parts are older and not the nicest looking. The cases I'm looking at are both really cheap so price is not a factor. What are your thoughts on this? What would you recommend a noob like myself to do?
Thanks in advance!
 
Solution
You can choose a very good looking case with only one glass panel, if this will look good with your office design. You can avoid the cases with two glass panels if you don’t want to see in the cables compartiment.
In my oppinion, if I have to choose for my office desk, I will choose a case with one glass panel, it looks modern, instead of a classic bothering obsolete case without glass.
Anyway, if your choise will be such a case, the cable management in the motherboard compartiment will be very easy ( a breeze), because almost cables enter in short in the grommets.
Considering the office design and the propose of it, the choise may be different. For example, for a CEO office, an RGB gaming look case maybe is not a good idea, LOL.
Also...
I'd get a PC case with window. Some reasons without any particular order:
  • when case fan dies, you can see it immediately when looking into PC.
  • windowed case may push you to make proper cable management.
  • if you don't like to see into the PC, you can always cover up (or paint) the window. Making window into windowless side panel is far harder thing to do.
  • you can also tell easily when PC internals need dust cleaning by just looking into the PC.
  • window would also enable you to see LED fans/strips in your PC if you add them at later date.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tom5577
I'd get a PC case with window. Some reasons without any particular order:
  • when case fan dies, you can see it immediately when looking into PC.
  • windowed case may push you to make proper cable management.
  • if you don't like to see into the PC, you can always cover up (or paint) the window. Making window into windowless side panel is far harder thing to do.
  • you can also tell easily when PC internals need dust cleaning by just looking into the PC.
  • window would also enable you to see LED fans/strips in your PC if you add them at later date.
Thanks for your help!
 
You can choose a very good looking case with only one glass panel, if this will look good with your office design. You can avoid the cases with two glass panels if you don’t want to see in the cables compartiment.
In my oppinion, if I have to choose for my office desk, I will choose a case with one glass panel, it looks modern, instead of a classic bothering obsolete case without glass.
Anyway, if your choise will be such a case, the cable management in the motherboard compartiment will be very easy ( a breeze), because almost cables enter in short in the grommets.
Considering the office design and the propose of it, the choise may be different. For example, for a CEO office, an RGB gaming look case maybe is not a good idea, LOL.
Also, you can change the fan case or just one fan, with an RGB case fan for a little price, it will add a little modern look to your PC.
 
Last edited:
Solution
You can choose a very good looking case with only one glass panel, if this will look good with your office design. You can avoid the cases with two glass panels if you don’t want to see in the cables compartiment.
In my oppinion, if I have to choose for my office desk, I will choose a case with one glass panel, it looks modern, instead of a classic bothering obsolete case without glass.
Anyway, if your choise will be such a case, the cable management in the motherboard compartiment will be very easy ( a breeze), because almost cables enter in short in the grommets.
Considering the office design and the propose of it, the choise may be different. For example, for a CEO office, an RGB gaming look case maybe is not a good idea, LOL.
Also, you can change the fan case or just one fan, with an RGB case fan for a little price, it will add a little modern look to your PC.
Actually, OP never said that his PC would go into office. What OP did say is that he takes most of the components from the old office PC.

Also, most PC cases with a window (either acrylic or TG) have the window on one side only. There are some cases that have the window on 2 or 3 sides (e.g Corsair 570X RGB) but mainly, window is still on one side (left side when facing the case).

Oh, just because PC case doesn't have a glass side panel (i guess you meant TG side panel), doesn't make it: "bothering" and "obsolete". E.g: Corsair 760T v2 Black doesn't have TG side panel. Instead it has acrylic side panel which is much lighter than TG side panel and doesn't shatter into thousands of pieces when it breaks. Also, 760T is one of the best full-tower ATX cases ever made and would be ideal to anyone who loves bigger PC cases and/or need more room in their PC. Or e.g: Thermaltake Versa H17 micro-ATX case with it's simple looks and no window would be ideal to a person who loves minimalistic looks.

In the end, choosing a PC case is completely a personal choice. Some like plain cases, others like fancy cases; some want side window, others don't.
 
Pc's, pc parts, looks haven't changed in well over 10 years. You still have the same looking motherboards, same cpu coolers, same ram slots, same fans, same square psu... Nothing has really changed. So even the old office pc looks pretty much identical to anything bought today.

The only thing that has changed is how we view the internals. Now we have windows, they used to be smaller, acrylic ports and now they are full panel tempered glass possibly. We've also added lighting, whether it's strips or fans, even older cathode tubes. All of which is nothing more than changing the paint, or adding chrome trim or rims to the car. The car itself hasn't changed.

So adding the fancy stuff is a personal opinion, how much, what color, what affects etc.

You have to look at the pc every day, we don't, so personalize it to your tastes. If that means fancy case and rgb or a plain box or even a glass wall mounted open pc, your choice. It's your opinion that matters. Start with what you have, if you aren't happy, change it. Fix it. Add to it. Until you are happy. It's your opinion, so there is no right or wrong.