At first glance, it appears to be a very attractive 2-in-1 product , the choice of which is all advantages. The PC boxes with integrated source are postulated as a very economical option in relation to what we get in return, since we save having to choose a source on the other hand. For many, it is a more complete product that has plenty of fundamentals to convince us of your purchase. Therefore, we analyze whether these boxes are worth it or not.
In the market for PC cases, we find endless different models, because there are many aspects that we must study when choosing a case. Depending on our choice, our team will breathe easier and we will have more parts upgrade options in the future. PC cases with integrated source are postulated as a very attractive option, but beware: we may not be too interested.
Are built-in source PC cases worth it?
We consider that there is no simple and direct answer, but that the key lies in our needs or use . Interestingly, we see more boxes without an integrated source than with it, so we begin to wonder why this happens. We will see that it is a feature that we tend to see more frequently in the low range , having reduced options with an integrated source in the mid and high range.
Personally, I think it is an interesting option, but the power supply is a component that we must pay attention to. The reason is that their role is to feed the energy team, a very undervalued job. In this way, the average user does not pay attention to the importance of a modular source or the fact that it has a certain energy certification.
After tracking the market and looking at PC cases with integrated font, we have found that no manufacturer offers a font with a certification higher than 80 Plus Bronze ; in fact, the models that came with this certification were not cheap, precisely. To begin with, it is a bad certification because we will get a very fair power to feed a mid-range GPU and CPU.
If we take a look at the low-end boxes, the feeling is worse: the manufacturers do not announce certification , they only declare their maximum power. Power supplies never deliver the declared maximum power, but only reach a% that is marked by their energy certification. The better the certification, the more power they will deliver.
So, it is time to assess whether these boxes are worth it or not.
Advantage
Logically, we are going to benefit from buying a PC case with an integrated source, since it is a product that works very well. Let’s see the advantages that we will obtain by buying a box with this uniqueness.
Saving
In the first place, to highlight the economic operation that it implies: we can obtain a box for about 40 euros that comes with a source included . A normal power supply usually starts at around € 30, being a basic product, which is what we usually get in boxes of this type. So, we will be saving an additional € 30.
If we decided to buy a box and a source separately, we would see that this operation would cost us around € 60-80 , taking into account that we are talking about low-end components.
Comfort
Opening the box and seeing that the font is already installed will save us a lot of time when it comes to a possible assembly. In this way, we will not have to open the box on both sides to install the fountain, connect it and pass the cables through the side cover. At the end of the day, it is very comfortable and helps us to invest time in other tasks of the process, such as the installation of the plate, etc.
Compatibility
There is the possibility to buy a box and a source separately without realizing that they are not compatible. To do this, you have to know what form factor the font has, the measurements of the box, etc. Buying a box with an integrated source, we already know that we are not going to fail and that the manufacturer will have a model that is compatible with that box installed .
We will only have to pass the cables and connect them to the motherboard, hard drives, processor and graphics card.
Disadvantages
In contrast, we find several reasons why this type of boxes should not be recommended. Some of you will find them convincing, but others will continue to think that they are a good option for our team. We do not seek to position ourselves, but to inform you based on our experience and the quality of the components.
Insufficient power
As soon as we install a powerful 6-core, 12-thread CPU together with a mid-range GPU, we will already need about 400 W at full load . This is certainly a problem because the built-in source PC cases we often find offer options that come with 300W and 500W , all without certification.
It is true that, if you are not going to be loading the processor and graphics card with tasks, it is not necessary to have a source with a higher certification. Of course, keep in mind that we will not have an efficient source, which means not taking advantage of the energy we are using , losing it in heat.
As a detail, the certifications that we find are the following:
| Hardzone | 10% | twenty% | fifty% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 Plus White | 82% | 85% | 82% | |
| 80 Plus Bronze | 85% | 88% | 85% | |
| 80 Plus Silver | 87% | 90% | 87% | |
| 80 Plus Gold | 90% | 92% | 89% | |
| 80 Plus Platinum | 92% | 94% | 90% | |
| 80 Plus Titanium | 90% | 94% | 96% | 94% |
For example, if we have a 500 W power supply with the minimum required efficiency in Europe (White) and we are playing (almost 100% load), we will get a real power of 410 W (500 x 82/100). So that we have a CPU that consumes more than 200 W almost at 100% load and a GPU with more of the same, we can see the performance of the components compromised.
This is because not only do the processor and graphics card consume power, but the RAM, fans, hard drives and heatsink also consume power.
In short, the source that comes with the box is not suitable to play at a good performance and will consume more light as it is not efficient.
We can’t choose what we need
The options we see the most are boxes with 150 W , 300 W or 500 W sources. We may have over 500 W, but we do need a little over 300 W to power our components. In this sense, an option with 450 W may be the idea and the one that best suits our needs, but we will be limited to the stock of PC boxes with an integrated source.
This reduces the freedom of choice , going through the manufacturer’s ring, although we have another option: to buy a source of a higher power. If we have to do that, it will mean that the 2-in-1 concept of integrated source PC cases will have lost its meaning: we will no longer save money, we will spend more.
Limited form factor
Unfortunately, we have not been able to find cases of this type that come with a form factor other than Micro-ATX, for example. We don’t usually see ATX form factors , all models being the same form factor. Perhaps, you can find a counted model, but it is not something frequent, being a very limited option.
We will find ourselves in situations very similar to this when we buy a product in a “pack” format: you cannot change the options, either you take it or you leave it.
Boxes with poor ventilation
If you look at their fans and their arrangement, you will see that they are not boxes characterized by having an optimal air circuit. In my opinion, very few fans come and their quality is quite doubtful , so I would not want to check the ventilation of a computer at a certain percentage of load without ventilation in the middle of summer.
Unfortunately, the average user does not usually worry about the ventilation of the equipment, but about the general characteristics. Remember that good ventilation can extend the useful life of our components.
Conclusion
With the advantages and disadvantages revealed, it is time to establish a final conclusion that answers the question in the title.
Personally, I find it more useful to pay a little more to get a proper box and power supply that supplies the power my equipment needs. On the other hand, if we are not going to demand the PC, a box with an integrated source is an interesting option.
So, the answer to the question is conditioned to your particular case:
- If you are going to give the equipment a professional use (which implies loading the CPU and GPU), these boxes are not a good option because their source can be short and the ventilation is not entirely good.
- In case of giving it a lighter use , they are a good option because we will not need a source of much power, or refrigerate the components too much.