Does case define what hardware to use?

[MikeO]

This was a question in our exam at school.

"Does the case define what kind of hardware to use". I thought this would be a simple one and answered "no" 'cause I think motherboard defines the hardware. But... teacher said the answer was "yes". Of course I tried to talk him over but with no luck.

What do you think about this? Which answer is correct?

 

[TheVrolok]

I would think not.. maybe if he's trying to say that bigger case = more power because of being more open/higher ps/more fans/etc. but even that's not really true. I would have to really say no.

 

[Pariah]

Yes, it does.

"'cause I think motherboard defines the hardware"

An ATX MB is pretty useless with a baby AT case.

A case defines how many and of what type of drives you can use as well as what form factor MB you need. What happens if you have a voodoo5 or any full length PCI card? A lot of cases won't accomodate those items.

 

[Quaggoth]

I would have said yes. Some mobo's will not fit in some cases. AT vs. ATX. Try taking a Compaq mobo w/ a riser card and put it in ANY other case. I have a raid card, and I had to get a case with lots of 3.5" drive bays. I don't look at it as the case defining what hardware you can buy though, I say buy the hardware and then search for a case that will accomodate all of it (I have found that the Antec cases work the best). I have an Antec sx-1030.

 

[RossGr]

Actually the answer is yes. Since the ATX standard specs the i/o ports mounted to the mobo and even defines the color. The old AT spec had i/o headers on the mobo, leaving it up to the user where the ports were located.

Then there is also the difference in the power supply and power on switch. The AT power switch directly controlled AC while the ATX is a soft on/off controlled by the mobo.

 

[MikeO]

<< maybe if he's trying to say that bigger case = more power because of being more open/higher ps/more fans/etc. >>

Nope, I dont even think that the teacher has the capacity to think that complicated stuff ..just joking. But no, he's just saying that with ATX case it's this and that hardware and so on.

..and btw, the same teacher, when we we're discussing about AMD processor's cooling solutions, said that Titan Majesty is incredible. I almost bursted laughing.

 

[Smbu]

Yes, if you get a really small case like a Micro ATX one then you definately can't use a standard ATX motherboard in it, because it would be too big and wouldn't fit. Also as stated above you can't use an ATX mobo in a Baby AT case.

 

[MikeO]

Well I guess you're right. I just thought it the other way.. you usually dont first get X case and then see what you can get in it.. but anyways, I guess the teacher was wiser than me afterall

Thanks everyone for input!

 

[Howard]

You can beat him in graphic work.

 

[Barrak]

Its backwords if you ask me. Its not the case defines the hardware its What hardware you have/need defines the case. You look at what hardware you are going to have and THEN pick out an apropriat case/powersupply.