Choosing a Computer Case

Cases are designed for the particular "form facto" of the motherboard to be placed in it. The slots in the back vary in position, and other factors differ, like the power supply.

The two main form factors are Baby AT and ATX. Baby AT is the most popular, modeled after the original IBM AT design, but smaller. This case requires an AT design motherboard and power supply. The ATX case requires an ATX motherboard. When buying a case, make sure it is matched with the motherboard.

ATX is a newer design, released by no other than Intel. It is not mainstream yet, but it is gaining in popularity. The openings in the case are built to align with the ATX motherboard, and the power supply is specially designed to be software controlled. Many other advancements are built into the case, making them fancier and more expensive.