I’ve built PCs that looked terrible, and those that looked like masterpieces in comparison. Balancing the looks of my PC with performance is as important to me as maximizing the FPS per dollar. RGB might be a part of my current PC, but it’s incidental, and not something I actively sought out. The visual upgrades I’ve made to my PC over the years have had more to do with the PC’s overall theme, sleeker components, personalization, and better ways to show off components. Here are seven of those upgrades for your reading pleasure.
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7
A white case
I’ve always wanted an all-white PC
My previous PC — the one I used for five years — was built inside a black-and-yellow Corsair case which is still one of the PC components I wish I never bought. The case not only looked bad in hindsight, but also lacked a PSU shroud, leaving me no place to hide the cable jungle of my non-modular PSU. When I won my current PC in a PC building competition by WD and Nvidia, I had the freedom to pick most of the components. I gladly chose the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh in white.
It was the first step toward my long-standing dream of owning an all-white PC. White cases instantly look more premium than most regular-looking black variants. They’re also better for viewing your components through the tempered glass, since black cases tend to envelop most of the parts in darkness. White cases also take longer for dust to become a visible problem, allowing you to wait longer between PC maintenance tasks like dusting the case, deep cleaning the components, etc.
Corsair 3500X
$95 $115 Save
$20
The Corsair 3500X series of PC cases are an offshoot of the tried and tested Lian Li O11 Dynamic design with two glass windows and primary air intake moved to the side panel. This case opts for a traditional PSU shroud to hide the power supply and all its cabling.
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6
A white motherboard to match the case
Going all-white needs commitment
Of course, you can’t build an “all-white” PC without a white motherboard. Finding a decent model within the allotted budget of my prize wasn’t happening, so I settled for a regular black motherboard. My PC didn’t exactly look bad due to the change, but the results could have been a lot better. This is why a white motherboard is at the top of my list of upgrades I want to make to my PC.
White motherboards, especially those with white PCBs, are a rare species. They not only impart unparalleled sophistication to your build, but also make it stand out from every other machine. Motherboards like the Gigabyte’s Aorus Ice series or NZXT’s N7 series (albeit without white PCBs) are some of the best-looking boards on the market. Black motherboards can look excellent too, depending on your PC’s theme, but I personally prefer an all-white look.
Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX ICE
$235 $245 Save
$10
The Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX ICE offers premium aesthetic and great features at an affordable price.
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5
An AIO cooler instead of an air cooler
It might perform the same, but it looks way cooler
Air coolers might be just as good as AIO liquid coolers, but they’re far behind when you consider the esthetics. Premium air coolers combine superior performance and great looks, but their bulky form factor ends up hiding most of the PC from view. Liquid coolers, in contrast, consist of a small pump and heatsink, a sleek radiator, and unobtrusive pipes that not only look cool, but also allow you to admire every inch of your PC’s insides.
I switched from an entry-level Cooler Master air cooler to a Cooler Master 240mm AIO — in white, of course — and I welcomed the improved thermals, noise, and esthetics. AIO liquid coolers might have more points of failure compared to air coolers, but failure rates are pretty slim, and the visual upside is too good to let go of. Plus, many models with LCD screens allow you even greater customization, delivering more than just cooling performance.
Asus ROG Ryuo III 240 ARGB
$124 $140 Save
$16
The Asus ROG Ryuo III 240 ARGB combines great looks with powerful cooling in a compact form factor.
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4
A vertical mount for the GPU
Showing off the heart of the build
One of the simplest and cheapest upgrades you can make to your PC is adding a vertical GPU mount. Switching your GPU from a conventional horizontal orientation to a vertical one allows you to showcase its best side to the world, but mostly to yourself. If I’m investing hundreds in a high-end GPU, I want to enjoy its looks as much as its performance. After ignoring vertical mounts for years, I finally caved, and I’m glad I did.
Vertically mounting your graphics card isn’t a time-consuming or expensive process. You simply need to find a vertical mount that works with your case, or choose a case that has one in the first place. Installing the mount is as simple as removing your GPU, attaching the PCIe connector of the mount to the PCIe slot, and connecting the GPU to the PCIe slot of the mount. You’re simply extending the PCIe connection between the GPU and the motherboard’s PCIe slot.
Just ensure that the mount you’re buying supports at least PCIe 4.0, as slower mounts can cause some weird connection problems with your GPU.
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3
Custom cables
Punching above their weight
If you have a modular PSU (which most people do), you can switch up the default cables inside your PC. The standard black cables that come with your PSU aren’t exactly doing any favors to your PC’s esthetics. Custom cables come in a variety of colors and designs, and you can easily replace the stock 24-pin, 8-pin, and PCIe cables with a set that matches your PC’s theme.
Custom cables seem like a small change, but have a disproportionately large impact on your PC’s appearance. The 24-pin motherboard power and PCIe power cables occupy significant space inside your PC, so replacing them with something that looks way better can do wonders for your build. And considering most custom cables are quite affordable, you’re not spending too much for the privilege either.
Corsair Individually Sleeved PSU Cable Kit
$49 $70 Save
$21
These official PSU cables from Corsair feature flexible triple-layer mesh paracord sleeving, you get five cables in the box, and you can choose from a variety of different colors.
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2
An LCD screen for the case
Make your case fun again
One of the coolest new fads in the PC modding scene is installing LCD screens on PC cases. These screens are used to display system stats like temperatures, fan speeds, and FPS, or custom animations or GIFs. It’s one of the easiest ways to inject more personalization into your build while making it stand out in the process. I plan to add a 5″ LCD to my case soon — I have ordered it on Amazon, and I’m just waiting for it to arrive.
Installing these screens in your case is simple — choose the spot (PSU shroud, rear exhaust panel, etc.), stick it with double-sided tape or provided screws, and connect the USB and HDMI cables to the motherboard. Many PC cases come with displays like these pre-installed, but you don’t need to buy a new case to enjoy your own system monitor.
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1
Figurines and personal items
Make your PC truly your own
Your PC is probably one of your most beloved possessions, and making it feel like an extension of yourself is rewarding. Adding a few figurines, collectibles, keychains, or other personal items to it can truly differentiate it from other PCs. You can look around your house for some items you could place on top of the PSU shroud or graphics card. If you can’t find anything worthy, you could also create cool accessories with your 3D printer (if you have one).
I’ve added an Eren Yeager statue, a Batman Funko action figure, a mini Buddha statue, a Jon Snow keychain, and a cute cat figurine inside my case. I keep switching things around, but one thing that I ensure is to avoid any figurines with fur or fabric to prevent damage from excess heat. I also keep any item away from spots where it could fall on something important, such as a spinning fan.
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There’s a huge world beyond RGB
RGB isn’t the only thing that can beautify your PC. It might be tough to avoid it since almost every component comes with RGB these days, but you can always focus on other visual upgrades, some of which I’ve listed above. These upgrades don’t always need to be expensive or complicated either. You simply need to have an idea about the overall theme of your PC, and pick upgrades that gel well with it.
