Purchasing parts for your PC build can prove challenging if you're not entirely sure what all the jargon means, and this is your first system. Even something as simple as the PC case needs to be perfectly suited to the rest of your chosen hardware to ensure compatibility. I've built more PCs than I could recall, mostly during my few years working at an IT repair shop while studying at college, and I've made some mistakes over the decades. Here are some of the mistakes you can make when buying a PC case so you won't waste time and money.

5 Not supporting the motherboard

Form factors are everything

This was the very first mistake I made as a 14-year-old. I purchased my very first PC case in 2004, thinking I had researched everything I could about building a PC case. What I failed to cross-check was the form factor of the motherboard against what was supported by the case. The ATX motherboard was never going to fit inside the MicroATX case, and I wasted a good amount of time having to RMA it back to a now defunct UK retailer. The process was painful as my PC building knowledge was still in its infancy, yet I was the point of call for the family.

A case needs to meet or exceed the form factor of the motherboard. If it's a MicroATX motherboard, your case needs to support at least that form factor, if not higher. You can play it safe with a mid-tower chassis as these likely support an ATX motherboard if not larger. Full-tower cases are almost guaranteed to fit any-sized motherboard on sale for AMD and Intel processors. Going larger can also lead to more storage options, better front-panel I/O, more internal space for larger components, and an easier time for building the system.

4 Neglecting the weight

Requiring two people to lift is no fun

Thermaltake's Tower 900 is an incredible case to build a PC inside. It's enormous, supports multiple custom liquid cooling loops, and has ample internal space for the beefiest and most powerful PC components your budget will allow for. The primary drawback to this chassis is the weight. It's 25kg (54 lb) without installing a single PC part and requires two people to comfortably move the system, which can prove troublesome when you're the only one currently at home and it's paramount that the PC be relocated promptly.

You should also consider where you plan to place your PC. If it's to be set up on a desk, you'll need to check that the desk can take the weight. Most will have listed the maximum weight that it can hold. Your PC will weigh a fair amount with everything installed, but don't forget to include the monitor and everything else present on your desk in the calculations.

3 Insufficient space for the CPU cooler

Some of these coolers are tall

Have you ever bought a CPU cooler with a case in mind, only to realize it's not quite going to fit? I've been there! The Noctua NH-P1 is an impressive piece of kit. It can cool a 12-core AMD CPU, so long as you keep expectations in check and build a system around passive cooling. It's also incredibly large, since it has to have ample fin surface area to handle all that waste heat. That's where issues can arise since I wanted to try it out on the Vetroo K1 Pangolin (more on this case later), but it was just too tall to fit without pressing against the glass, even though it should have had some clearance.

This was a minor issue and wasn't for a PC I would use daily, but I have had issues with CPU coolers in the past where they simply didn't fit due to size; the same goes for AIOs. Always make sure your PC case can handle the radiator that comes preinstalled as part of your liquid cooling kit.

2 Radiator support (or lack thereof)

Don't even try

Speaking of radiators! AIO liquid cooler kits have grown in popularity over the years and they're a common solution to handling waste heat generated by today's CPUs. The only downside to them is that they have a variety of sizes and dimensions, which can confuse those new to the PC building scene. You'll frequently find AIO liquid kits with a radiator measuring 240mm, 280mm, 360mm, or 420mm in length. To fit inside your PC case, the chassis will need to have a place for the radiator to mount to.

Just because your case may have a top or front panel that can handle three 140mm fans, doesn't mean it can take a 420mm radiator. As well as length, thickness has to be factored in when shopping around for an AIO liquid cooling kit and/or PC case. This can cause problems when using thicker radiators on top panels since it can make working with cable management to the top part of the motherboard more difficult.

1 Buying one based on design

It doesn't perform as well as it looks

Some PC cases I've purchased have certainly looked the part, namely the Vetroo K1 Pangolin, but they've never really performed as well as I hoped. Case in point, the Vetroo chassis. This thing was a nightmare to build a PC with. Firstly, being an open-air design there's no dust filtration, resulting in quite the mess should you allow particles to be sucked in by case fans and deposit themselves on all your expensive hardware. There's also an issue with the tempered glass panels where you are required to secure them with giant thumb screws.

This wouldn't be an issue if the panels were perfectly sized to match the notches on the main chassis, but they're not (at least on our review unit). The PSU area is difficult to access, and you need to remove the bracket to install the unit, to then reinstall it after attachment. It's also not great for larger PSUs, which is a shame since it's clearly designed with liquid cooling builds in mind. There's also zero cable management. It's a case with some of the looks, but it lacks many of the fundamental practical features you'd expect at this price point.

It's for these reasons why you should never purchase a case on looks alone. You'll likely miss some vital features found in many other, sometimes more affordable options. I'm glad we managed to review the case to highlight the areas of concern for those interested in the K1 Pangolin, but it's a shame, as I love the aesthetics.

Building a PC is easier than you think

The best way to overcome issues relating to building PCs is research and practice. There are resources available for checking PC component compatibility, but even then, I would suggest spending time ensuring you're buying the right hardware. So long as you match up the motherboard form factor and your GPU and CPU cooler will fit, you'll be good to go!