Phanteks P350X Cabinet

While most gamers are concerned with the performance of their systems, some of us like to focus on aesthetics too. A PC that yields high frame rates and looks awesome is the crowned jewel of every gamer’s desktop. From the cold cathode tubes of yesteryears to the modern LED lights, computer owners have found ways to embellish their PCs. Some have even awakened the DIY enthusiasts inside them and modded their cases. While case modding is not for everyone, color-matched components, well-managed cables, and subtle lighting will appease all perfectionists. If you love a computer that has a tidy layout and is the center of attraction of your room, then here are a few ways to make your PC look cool and your friends envious.

Switch to Sleeved Cables or Extensions

One of the first things that you can do for uplifting the appearance of your PC is changing the yellow and red PSU/SMPS cables that give a tomato and mustard feel. Most power supplies come with cables that use PVC for insulation. PVC materials are good for insulating cables but don’t look great. PVC cables can be replaced with aftermarket sleeved cables that look cool and are available in a wide variety of color combinations.

If you are on a tight budget, then you can consider cable extensions that will extend the current cables of your computer’s PSU. Only the extensions will be visible from the side of your motherboard while the PSU cables will be hidden from sight. There are a few sleeving kits also available in the market for DIY enthusiasts who want to sleeve their cables. Sleeved cables and extensions are available from various brands including Cable Mod and Phanteks.

Upgrade Processor’s Stock Cooler

Most processors come with coolers that are not that great looking. Coolers have a large size and are the center of attraction when viewing the case from its transparent side panel. Most CPU coolers have a metallic finish which does not blend with well with most cabinets. You can upgrade your CPU stock cooler with either an attractive air cooler or an AIO (All-In-One) liquid cooler. AIO liquid coolers have RGB lighting which can further enhance the outlook of your PC. If you prefer air cooler, then consider one that has a stylish finish and pair it up with an RGB fan if you want to add some lighting to the case.

Get a Cabinet with a Transparent Side Window

Making the interior of your computer cabinet cool would be of no avail if you can’t show it off to your friends. Many computer cabinets have a transparent glass or acrylic side panel. The transparent panel allows you to display your desktop rig in its full glory. You can see your motherboard, processor heatsink, graphics card and cabinet fans from outside without having to open the case.  Panels on some cabinets may also have a light tint to enhance the appearance of a desktop computer further.

Color Co-ordinate Everything

Color coordinating different components and cables of your computer can give a great boost to its appearance. Motherboards, graphics cards, cabinets, AIOs, and heatsinks come in different colors.  Having a computer with a blue motherboard, a red graphics card and a silver processor heatsink can be an eyesore. If aesthetic is important to you, then you must consider the colors of different components when building or upgrading a PC. Try to choose components that have similar colors. You can also consider components with contrasting colors such as black and red or blue and grey for a more vibrant look.

Use LED Strips

LED strips are a great way to highlight the interiors of your computer cabinets. Each strip has anywhere from six to twelve LEDs and is powered using the PSU just like HDDs and SSDs. Some strips have single color LEDs while others have RGB LEDs that allow you to control the light emitted using a controller. Some motherboards also have RGB LED headers that allow you to directly plug LED strips into the motherboard and control them via software. Corsair, Cooler Master, Nzxt and Phanteks are a few popular manufacturers of LED strips.

Use LED Fans

Case fans are essential for computer cabinets as they exhaust hot air from inside the case and intake cool air from outside. While quite a few cabinets come preinstalled with one or two case fans, most of them are simple and do nothing to enhance the outlook of the computer cabinet. You can populate your cabinet with a few RGB fans to give it a colorful and vibrant look. These fans can be used to replace stock fans of cabinets, processor heatsinks, and AIO radiators. They have inbuilt LEDs that glow when the computer is turned on. The LEDs might be single colored or RGB ones. RGB LED fans can be controlled using controllers just like LED strips.

Cable Management

Cable management can be the sole difference between a neat and clean looking computer cabinet and an untidy one. Even if a PC has premium grade components designed for aesthetics and performance, unmanaged cables can ruin its looks. Unmanaged cables are not only aesthetically unappealing but also impact the airflow within the case which can increase temperatures of the components. While it is impossible to get rid of cables entirely from the visible side of a motherboard or GPU, they can still be arranged neatly. Most cabinets are designed to facilitate excellent cable management. They allow you to tuck away your cables from plain sight using grooves and zip ties on the rear side of the motherboard. Cable management can help you sort the cables for a sleek and stylish look.

The above steps can assist you in tiding up your PC and boosting its outlook. Even if you are not an admirer of LED strips or RGB fans, you can still uplift the aesthetics of your case with sleeved cables, an aftermarket CPU cooler and basic cable management. They are not as expensive as LED strips or fans and can still give your case a makeover.

Now get working and make your PC the central attraction of your room!