Should I switch my PC Case?
Most people feel that switching your PC case is worth it. Benefits of changing your PC case include improved cooling, better air flow, more expansion slots, and better-placed input/output ports.
Table of Contents
Benefits of switching your PC Case
- Improved cooling
- Better airflow through the PC
- Better quality of the case
- Handles to carry the PC
- Expansion slots
- Well placed input/output ports
Does the size of a PC case matter?
The size of a PC case does matter as it can what hardware you can use and which upgrades you can install on your computer.
The size of a PC case can effect the type of motherboard you can place, the number of drivers you can install in your computer, the size of the radiator, GPU clearance and heatsink clearance.
Is a bigger PC case better?
Yes, a bigger PC case is better for several reasons. A bigger PC case allows better cooling, improved airflow, more expansion slots and proper positioning of the input and output slots.
- Better cooling
- Improved airflow through the PC
- More number of expansion slots
- Proper positioning of input and output slots
Can you change the case of a prebuilt PC?
You can change the case of a prebuilt PC very quickly. If you are doing it for the first time, you should take a before photo of your PC so you remember where all the parts go.
You can take a picture of the original setup before dismantling the PC case. This will help you to attach the wires and cables back in a proper manner. You should also safely store the screws in a zip-lock bag so that you don’t lose them.
Is it worth upgrading to a prebuilt PC?
It is worth upgrading to a prebuilt PC as you can enjoy more storage, improved cooling and better CPU and GPU performance.
Prebuilt PCs have parts manufactured by the same provider and may not contain specifications up to the mark.
I think it’s worth upgrading to a prebuilt PC if you are unhappy with your computer’s specifications.
Some of the benefits of upgrading a prebuilt PC are given below.
- More storage
- Better cooling and airflow in the PC
- Better performance of the CPU and GPU
- Improved RAM capacity
You must, however, pay attention to the compatibility of the upgraded parts as the manufacturer of your computer may not support them.
How to move a pre-built PC to a new case?
You can move a pre-built PC to a new case by removing the various components, wires and power supply from the old computer casing to the new one.
You will need to move a pre-built PC to a new case because of several reasons like limited space for storage drives, less input and output slots, poor airflow and limited cooling of the PC.
To move a pre-built PC to a new case, follow the steps given below.
- Disconnect all the power supply cables and data cables. Place the computer under a bright light. Don’t place it on the carpet as it may generate static electricity and ruin things for you.
- Remove the access panels from both sides of the computer by removing the screws on the back panel. Store these screws in a safe place.
- Slide the side panels towards the back and remove them. You will now gain access to the other components of your PC.
- If your PC has removable parts like dust filters, take them out and keep them aside. Remove the power supply if you can and then move towards removing other components like the CPU cooler.
- To remove the power supply, disconnect all the attached components like motherboard, graphics card, hard drives, DVD drives, case fans and so on.
- Set the cables aside and take the power supply unit out by removing the screws that fix the power supply unit to the frame of your PC.
- To remove the hard drives and disc drives, disconnect the SATA cable from the hard drive and motherboard. Pull the caddies out of the frame.
- Keep the drives aside and remove the screws if they are screwed onto the slider.
- To remove the graphics card, unplug the power supply cable from the graphics card and remove the screws holding the GPU in place. Press down on the plastic tab located at the end of the PCI-E slot. This will make a snapping sound and the graphics card will come out. In the same way, remove other components like Wi-Fi cards or sound cards.
- Remove the case fans by unplugging them from the ports located on the motherboard. Move towards the outside of the frame and remove the screws.
- Place the case in such a way that the motherboard faces upwards. Remove the cables plugged into your motherboard like control, audio and USB cables. Click a picture of the input and output cable arrangement.
- Remove the screws holding the motherboard and pull the motherboard out of the case. This is a critical step and it’s recommended to proceed slowly and carefully with this step.
- Remove the input-output plate and set it aside. There won’t be any components in your old PC case at this moment.
- It’s time to start installing the PC components in the new case. Screw the motherboard riser in the new case. Move towards installing the input-output plate. Install all the components in the new case in the reverse order of removing them and you are done.
Can you replace the motherboard with a prebuilt PC?
Yes, you can replace the motherboard with a prebuilt PC as long as the new motherboard conforms to the specifications and standards of the PC.
To check whether the motherboard is compatible with the prebuilt PC, you can make a few quick searches online and check the compatibility.
Many manufacturers have their websites where you can enter the specifications of your PC and the components you are trying to replace. They will tell you whether the component is compatible with the PC or not.
Is it difficult to change PC case?
It’s not difficult to change a PC case. It just requires some patience and time as you’re required to take careful consideration of the position of various cables, components and units of the computer.
It may also be determined by the type of computer cases you are changing the PC from and to. If you follow the procedure step-by-step without rushing through the steps it’s very easy to change the PC cases.
How long does it take to swap PC cases?
It may take two to five hours to swap a PC case. The most significant factor that decides the time needed to swap PC cases is your expertise in cable management.
If you know where the cables have to be removed from and how to plug the cables back in the right order, you may take only 30 minutes to complete the task.
The time required to swap the PC cases vary based on your expertise in the task, the additional tasks involved in swapping the PC cases such as cleaning the thermal interface material, changing the heat sink and fan and so on.
If you are swapping the PC cases for the first time, it’s recommended to go slow and take your time as hasty swapping may lead to wrong connections and may even ruin your computer.
How to put an old PC in a new case?
You can put an old PC in a new case by unplugging everything on the motherboard and installing it in the new case.
Follow the detailed procedure given below to put an old PC in a new case.
- Place the case on one side and remove everything connected to the motherboard along with the screws. Pull the motherboard out and keep it on a frictionless surface.
- Screw the standoffs in the new case by putting them in the right holes depending upon the size of your motherboard.
- Remove the input-output shield from the old case and install it in the new case.
- Place the new case and install the motherboard above the input-output shield.
- Tighten the screws of the motherboard so that the motherboard doesn’t move.
- Plug the components and cables back in the reverse order of removing them.
How do I change my PC case?
You can change your PC case by removing all the components of your PC and installing them in the new PC case.
To change your PC case, follow the steps given below:
- Unplug the computer from its main power supply.
- Unplug all the wires connected at the back of your computer.
- Open the PC case and unplug the power supply unit from the motherboard and other components.
- Remove the lead going to the ON/OFF switch.
- Remove the case-control wires, for example, the wires connecting the PC speaker and hard drives from the motherboard.
- Take out each of the components and install them in the new PC case in the reverse order of removing them.
Swapped PC case now computer won’t turn on
If you have swapped your PC case and now your computer is not turning ON, it’s probably due to incorrectly seated RAM and/or CPU, adapters.
Improperly connected cables, metal under the motherboard or wrongly placed parts such as PSU can also cause the PC to not turn ON.
I would suggest you to take a picture of cable arrangements whenever you are swapping PC cases or performing any such intricate task.
How to fix this issue of a computer not turning ON after swapping PC cases:
- Remove the RAM and put it back in so that it is firmly held by the slots. In addition to this, make sure that the RAM sticks are installed in the right combination in the slots, especially if you have two RAM sticks and four RAM slots.
- Check the position of the CPU and adapters to see if they are properly placed inside their slots and read by the computer system.
- Check the base of the motherboard to see if there is anything stuck beneath the motherboard like screws, cables and so on. It’s necessary to check this because if there is anything stuck under the motherboard, the computer won’t turn ON because of the presence of other components.
- Check the position of the PSU to see if it’s properly placed and connected to the other components of the computer. It’s important to do this check because if PSU is unable to supply power to the computer components, there won’t be any power and hence, the computer won’t turn ON.