Simple Questions - April 15, 2026
Posted by AutoModerator@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 30 comments
This thread is for simple questions that don't warrant their own thread (although we strongly suggest checking the sidebar and the wiki before posting!). Please don't post involved questions that are better suited to a [Build Help], [Build Ready] or [Build Complete] post.
Examples of questions suitable for here:
- Is this RAM compatible with my motherboard?
- I'm thinking of getting a ≤$300 graphics card. Which one should I get?
- I'm on a very tight budget and I'm looking for a case ≤$50
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mkdew@reddit
glass vs no glass? im looking for a case that has glass, but im kinda worried about it breaking
TemptedTemplar@reddit
There's more than a few cases with mesh side panels that are mostly see-through and also still a few that use plastic acrylic panels rather than full glass windows.
Really depends on what kind of aesthetics you want and whether or not that out weighs your worry about the glass shattering.
mkdew@reddit
I would like a case with closed front and side intake. So something like NZXT H6 Flow without glass or Corsair 3500X without glass.
TemptedTemplar@reddit
Honestly not sure such a thing exists. Glass is just too cheap and sturdy to bother with replacing.
I did try looking and most posts were people either asking the same question you are, just building a PC inside acrylic fish tanks, using acrylic tank panels as replacements for side panels, and this singular case made using an acrylic tube.
mkdew@reddit
While I could order acrylic panels custom cut, how do I mount it? Do i smash the glass to get the mounting stuff off it and glue the mounting stuff to the acrylic panel?
TemptedTemplar@reddit
Really depends on the case.
My old NZXT H5 glass panel just had a plastic strip along the bottom where it nestled into the case, and a singular screw in the top left to attach to the case.
Simple hardware like that would be easy enough to remake and either glue or attach to the panel. Allowing you to leave the glass panel as-is and store it away somewhere.
mkdew@reddit
Yeah man, thats like a dream these days, most cases have metal mounting hardware glued to the glass. Its like saying replace the bios chip on the motherboard, because 20 years ago there was a few boards where you could do it.
ime1em@reddit
I think Glass side panel cases r heavier. So if u need to move it around (including cleaning and maintenance etc..) keep that in mind.
reckless150681@reddit
PC glass is most at risk from breaking if you have tile, concrete, or otherwise very hard floors. Otherwise, it's actually pretty strong. Remember -- it's the same sort of glass (albeit not as strong) as automotive glass.
That said, I personally like the look of RGB seeping through mesh. Plus, mesh will give you better temperature than glass
mkdew@reddit
Well I do have concrete floor with carpet on it. PC is on a melamine faced chipboard desk.
LostTheElectrons@reddit
Once you finish building a PC, it usually just sits in one place and is never moved. The only risk to it breaking is if you drop it while building or moving it.
It's very unlikely to be damaged as long as you are mindful of where you put it. I always put the panels in the case box while building to prevent them being dropped or knocked over.
mkdew@reddit
But when I clean the PC from, like blowing out the dust from cpu/gpu heatsink, I need to remove the glass.
juno_beach@reddit
Looking to upgrade a 6 year old pre-build, what order should I look at upgrading the parts in:
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1TB M.2 NVMe SSD
16GB RGB RAM
700W 80 PLUS Bronze
TemptedTemplar@reddit
Well the good news is that nothing is that old, the bad news is any upgrade is going to be costly due to everything being, not that old.
CPU: Any of these are going to run $200 -$400, you can usually find a good deal used. But any of them are going to require a after market CPU cooler.
5700x
5800x3d (being re-released soon)
5900x or 5950x (xt models might be available too)
GPU: The 3060ti is a solid GPU unfortunately, the cheapest options on the market are only barely going to outperform it and maybe not even all the time. A good "upgrade" means jumping to the 5060ti, 5070, 9060xt 16gb or 9070. $450 - $600
Memory: Unfortunately just the absolute worst time to look at a RAM or SSD upgrade. A 2x16GB RAM kit is going to run $200+ and SSDs are easily 60 - 200 per Terabyte depending on the model. Even HDDs are suffering from exorbitant prices.
A GPU upgrade would be the easiest to swallow since any card could simply be reused in a new machine if you decided to rebuild completely in the near future. Everything else wouldn't be supported on a new motherboard, except the PSU. But by the time you do buy into a new platform, it would be about time to replace it anyways.
juno_beach@reddit
Thanks, this is very helpful!
N0body@reddit
GPU first, it's pointless to upgrade anything else and keeping the old GPU. Unless you are some e-sports fanatic that plays on the lowest graphical settings and highest refresh rate.
Goble4@reddit
Can the way some Fractal cases flex cause strain on the PCB of the motherboard and gpu?
https://youtu.be/Aor-3v6N7i8?t=954
thrwaway070879@reddit
Do you plan on twisting it like Steve?
Goble4@reddit
Was asking for people who own a case like the Meshify 3 to tell me how sturdy parts like the MB tray and the back panel are. Don't need to twist anything to have them bend from the weight of your components if they're as flimsy as those joints.
MarxistMan13@reddit
Fractal is a popular company. If there was a problem as glaring as bending panels from ordinary usage, you'd easily be able to find dozens of complaints via google.
Unless you plan on attaching bricks to your board and not fastening them down, it's fine.
Protonion@reddit
When taking into account the geometry of a case and the fact that it doesn't have the side panels on, that doesn't seem particularly flimsy for the way he's twisting it. Your components are going to put load on the case in a completely different direction in a non-twisting way, it's not going to bend at all.
Goble4@reddit
Ok, I see.
Glad_Display_5686@reddit
Hi, am looking at a new PC and wondering if a Noctua NH-L9A-AM5 cooler would work well with a 9700X in a Fractal Era 2 case? Will probably be adding a 9060 XT into the mix also.
TemptedTemplar@reddit
It will work. But AM5 CPUs like to run hot, even the 65 watt tdp models like the 9700 and 9600, will still try and boost higher and run hotter if you can cool them efficiently.
If you can fit a bigger heatsink in the case, you will get more performance out of the CPU. Simple as that.
Maximum CPU cooler height would be dependent on how you have the case setup. If your GPU model is thin enough you could bump the cooler up to 70mm.
https://support.fractal-design.com/support/solutions/articles/4000210379-era-2-cpu-cooler-gpu-support
This guy tested a bunch of low profile coolers with a 13700k,
https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/15e0huo/collection_of_all_lp_air_cooling_builds_with_the/?share_id=FhkxZBL-pfY71h3I_jthS
pyrovoice@reddit
I'm in Europe and I want to build a PC to play Crimson desert. Is it a shit time to do so with AI datacentre everywhere? Chatbot also advises to look for used RTX cards with the release of the newest model "the recent launch of the NVIDIA RTX 50-series (Blackwell) and AMD RX 9000-series has caused a "migration" where enthusiasts are selling their 30 and 40-series cards.", is that good advice? Logical increment do not list RTX 3070 so it's hard to forge an opinion
reckless150681@reddit
Yes, it's a shit time to do so. Prices are much higher than they were this time last year.
What you have to do is ask yourself which one hurts more: paying more for money now but being able to play games now, or paying possibly less money later but having to wait (plus running the risk that actually, prices don't go down as much as you think they will)
kaje@reddit
Current gen GPUs released over a year ago. Might be late for the migration now. This gen is like them smallest uplift over previous gen that there's ever been as well, so the migration probably wasn't as big.
Limpdeec@reddit
Hello guys i have a b450aorus elite mobo and a corsair vs650 psu i was thinking on buying a couple more fans for my pc and found these arctic p12 120mm 1800rpm and they're 3pin am i good on these or do i need an adapter?
Also if you guys have any recommendations
I appreciate the help
thrwaway070879@reddit
You don't want 3pin fans. You want 4 pin for PWM. There's a 3 x system fan headers typically you can run about 3 fans per header. You'll need to either get fans that daisy chain, or splitters. The brand is fine again you just want 4 pin.
Limpdeec@reddit
Alright thank you