![]() ![]() Drive bays might be referred to as tool-free, with a hardware design that uses twist-on or snap-on brackets or levers instead of screws to mount drives. A "tool-free" design refers to parts of a PC case that don't require screws or a screwdriver to install. This is marketing lingo that has become part of PC builders' vernacular. A full tower as described typically stands 18 inches tall or more. A desktop case, used specifically in the context of PC-case design (since the term encompasses "desktop PCs" as a whole, too), is one with a horizontal design, often intended to have a monitor placed atop it.Ĭonventional vertical desktop towers are mini-towers, mid-towers, or full towers, but the size distinctions among these are not exact. Small-form-factor (SFF) encompasses a variety of compact cases, some flat, some tall most employ Mini-ITX or smaller proprietary motherboard designs. Though not exact terms, these are the five most common ones used to describe the shape and size of a given PC case. (Of course, a big PC case holding a small motherboard may not be the best use of space!) SFF, Desktop, Mini-Tower, Mid-Tower, and Full Tower Most ATX-compatible cases, for example, will accept a MicroATX or Mini-ITX board. ![]() Also, note that a case that supports a given motherboard size likely supports the smaller motherboard form factors, too, although that's worth verifying in a case's specs before buying. ATX boards measure 12 by 9.6 inches, MicroATX up to 9.6 by 9.6 inches (they're sometimes smaller), and Mini-ITX 6.7 inches square.īroadly speaking, a case that supports a larger board will itself tend to be larger than one that supports only smaller boards, but this is not universally true. PC cases themselves are often referred to by these three form factors, but the terms more accurately refer to the size of the motherboards they can host. Here's a primer on the language you'll hear buzzing around PC chassis from sellers and PC enthusiasts. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Softwareįirst-time buyers and builders, meanwhile, definitely need to go into a purchase with a bit of background knowledge (or a savvy friend) to get a case that makes sense for the components they have. ![]()
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