Question Metal case Vs. Plastic case

[MandelaEffect2000]

Hey,

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of both designs on a more technical analysis?

Also when it comes to very small form-factors such as notebooks and/or mini-pc's, would one type of material make more sense in terms of heat dissipation, WiFi signal and electromagnetic interference?

Thanks!

 

[k1114]

There is a much bigger difference in design rather than case material. You'd have to ask something more specific than "a more technical analysis" or you can have 100+ pages on case studies (just a pun). You won't find a desktop case that's all plastic like you could with a laptop so form factor is also different topics. But heat, wifi and interference is negligible. A proper cooler is multitudes better than trying to use the case for cooling.

 

[MandelaEffect2000]

Yeah I think I was very specific with my question though?

The question was metal case Vs. plastic case with laptops and/or mini-pcs, which in turn have a small-factor compared to full-blown desktops, thus variables such as heat, WiFi signal and electromagnetic interference is amplified. Not talking about internal components such as coolers etc, just the case material.

So could one say that plastic is superior to metal in all technical departments (including price) except for that subjective feeling of more "premium" that a metal case offers?

I was also thinking about the possibility of glass, like those used in some smartphones.

 

[Windows22]

There is a much bigger difference in design rather than case material. You'd have to ask something more specific than "a more technical analysis" or you can have 100+ pages on case studies (just a pun). You won't find a desktop case that's all plastic like you could with a laptop so form factor is also different topics. But heat, wifi and interference is negligible. A proper cooler is multitudes better than trying to use the case for cooling.

I agree, depending on the room the computer is in, overheating and condensation are usually the first issues that need to be addressed.

 

[MandelaEffect2000]

So I've been reading a few articles on the matter, and just loving it.

Apparently, to sum things up a bit:

• Metal is good for heat dissipation, but bad in terms of radio interference and price
• Plastic is good for durability, radio interference (no conductivity) and price, but bad for heat dissipation
• Glass is good for radio interference (almost no conductivity) and price (scalability), but bad in terms of durability

In the end, I'd stick with plastic as my primary choice!