Pc Towers

how do I choose the best case for my gaming PC?

It's no use having the best components if you don't have the perfect space to fit them all. In Nfortec we have a wide variety of products in the family of cases for gamers. Which model best suits your needs?

The space inside the pc tower is a very important point, since you must think about it both so that the selected components fit in it (paying special attention to other components such as the graphics card) and so that once assembled, the airflow inside it is adequate for a perfect ventilation of all the components of the computer tower.

If you are thinking of building a gaming PC or renovating the one you already have, you are probably wondering... what is a form factor? The form factor refers to the motherboard and has different sizes and shapes that will determine the space and layout that we can count on to incorporate the rest of the components that we will need to make use of your future or renovated computer. Do you want to know more?

Different form factors

ATX is one of the most widespread form factors among computers in the last decade and it is also the form factor of our new ARGB Surtur tower. They measure 12 inches wide, reaching up to 9.6 inches tall, for 305 x 244 mm measurements. One size up from the ATX offering is the eATX form factor, which reaches 13 inches wide.

Two other smaller sized options are the Micro-ATX form factor (with a square appearance and 9.6 inches wide and tall and Mini-ATX with the same square appearance as the Micro-ATX form factor but 6.7 inches wide and tall.

Dimensions and differences between the form factors

• eATX: 30.5 cm x 33 cm (12.5 in. x 33 cm)
• ATX: 30.5 cm x 22.4 cm (12.5 in. x 22.4 cm)
• Mini - ATX: 28.4 cm x 20.8 cm (11.5 in x 8.8 in)
• Micro - ATX: 24,4 cm x 24,4 cm
• Mini - ITX: 17 cm x 17 cm

The difference between all the form factors available for a gamer tower will consist in the size we will have to assemble inside all the components of our future PC.

If we opt for one of the two smaller form factors, either miniATX or microATX, we will have fewer components to choose from. We will have to adapt our components to the case we have chosen and for these two formats it will be necessary to work with a graphics card that includes a single fan as space is limited. It is a perfect choice if what you need is a computer that does not take up much space and offers good ventilation and airflow.

Motherboards and their form factors

In an eATX gaming tower you can install any motherboard. If you choose any of the other three form factors, the motherboard will have to match the dimensions of that form factor or be undersized.

EATX motherboard

The e-ATX motherboard form factor is used for computers with the server function. Two sockets are mounted on this motherboard and allow up to 8 RAM slots to be installed. It is important to make sure before buying an E-ATX motherboard that our PC case supports this format.

ATX motherboard

The standard motherboard format in the hardware market. It is used in computers intended for work, office or gaming. It has up to 7 expansion slots and up to 4 RAM slots. It includes between 4 and 6 SATA connectors depending on the model. The ATX format is currently the most widely used and the one used in most computers intended for playing video games.

Micro ATX motherboard

This format was born as an evolution of the ATX format in a 25% more contained space. This motherboard format was developed to ensure compatibility with ATX form factor towers. The top four slots match those of the ATX motherboard, but the bottom two do not. It is a recommended option for both office and gaming configuration if you are on a budget. It includes space for up to 4 expansion cards and between two and four RAM memory cards.

It is the form factor of our Krater Mini gaming cases, available in blue, pink, black and white.

Mini ITX motherboards

This form factor has the usual dimensions of 170 x 170 mm. Its four heatsinks coincide with the four located on the left and central part of the ATX format motherboards. It is advisable not to install a large heatsink in this type of equipment. The space is very small and can cause compatibility problems with other installed components. They have one slot for expansion cards and only two slots for RAM memory. They usually come with an M.2 slot for SSD already installed on the back of the board.

We hope you have found this information on the different form factors useful and that you will find the one that best suits your needs among our family of tower PCs.