Key findings
- E-ATX cases offer much more space for all your drives and PCIe cards
- Dual-CPU systems require better airflow, and this is where large E-ATX cases come into play.
- The unusually sized server motherboards may not fit in the average chassis
There's a lot to consider when building a PC from old server parts. If you're going for a low-cost Xeon build, you'll need to decide whether you want a motherboard with one or two CPUs. Depending on your workload, you may also need to choose plenty of ECC memory modules to avoid RAM bottlenecks.
For an average gaming system, you would choose any case that supports the motherboard form factor and that would be it. For a server PC, however, a smaller case won't cut it and you would be hard-pressed if you chose anything other than a full-fledged E-ATX case.
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4 More slots for drives
How to make the most of all your SATA ports
Whether you want to set up a NAS or a home lab for data archiving, server motherboards provide all the ports you need to connect your drives. However, if you plan to connect multiple drives to your server PC, you need to secure them properly, otherwise they may get corrupted during read/write cycles.
Fortunately, E-ATX cases have additional drive bays that should be enough to mount all of your storage drives. Even if you run out of built-in drive bays, most E-ATX cases have enough room to install additional mounts for all of your drives.
Especially useful for rigs with multiple graphics cards
Similar to the SATA ports, server motherboards typically have multiple PCIe slots where you can connect NICs, SATA/M.2 adapters, and USB expansion cards to increase the functionality of your home lab. While these small PCIe cards might fit in a regular chassis, if you're running a multi-GPU setup for your powerful virtual machine hub or AI training workloads, things are quite different.
Since the current generation graphics cards are so large that they barely fit in a midi tower, you will need something as large as an E-ATX case to accommodate all the GPUs in your server.
2 Better airflow for dual CPU setups
Gaming PCs aren't the only systems susceptible to thermal throttling
If you use your server system for video editing, deep learning, or other intensive workloads, you'll need to find a way to dissipate the extra heat. Optimizing airflow is one of the best ways to lower your system temperatures, although this is easier said than done when using a server with two CPUs.
Extra-large E-ATX cases can solve your thermal problems by providing additional clearance for all components. In addition, they can be equipped with a whole range of fans to keep the server parts comfortably cool even under heavy workloads.
1 Provides space for unusually sized server motherboards
Without hours of modifying the case
Unlike their mainstream counterparts, many server motherboards don't have a proper form factor, especially if you're reusing the boards from older workstations. In fact, you may have to get out your Dremels and drills to carve out enough space in a regular-sized cabinet for your dual-CPU system.
Fortunately, E-ATX cases offer enough space to accommodate even the skinniest and most unusual server motherboards without requiring too many modifications to the case.
How do you accommodate your server PC components?
As someone who recently got a dual Intel E5-2650 v4 system, I can attest that finding a full-sized case for the server is a herculean task. If you have a similar system, I recommend saving yourself the hassle and going for the largest E-ATX case you can find.
Of course, you can use it without a proper case, but there are many disadvantages that you should know before opting for an open-air setup without a case. The cables dangling from the motherboard and power supply will result in a messy and chaotic setup. Also, your server PC will look like something thought up by Dr. Frankenstein once you have all the PCIe devices and storage drives connected. And that's not even counting the extra dust accumulation and the high chance of accidentally short-circuiting the system.
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