Proper cable management and tidiness is an art everyone owning a PC, gaming equipment, and those who work remotely should understand. There are numerous benefits to ensuring your cables are neatly arranged and protected. For instance, the cable can last longer than you plan, and you can be safe from accidents such as electrical shock. The cable will also accumulate little dirt enabling your PC to operate quietly without strain.
Organizing The Cables Outside The Primary System
After creating a tidy PC, you need to ensure the cables outside, such as the power cables, are neat. External cable management is necessary, especially if you have a gaming desk or operate a home office with multiple computers. The first process to promoting cable tidiness is ensuring you strap the cables using cable ties. You can tie them together and then neatly arrange them on the wall from the power source.
You also need to deal with other cables such as keyboard and mouse cables. The best way to deal with such is to use wireless keyboards and mouse to avoid having so many cables on your desk. You will only remain with headphone cables which are easier to manage.
The following solution ensures the cables are connected to the appropriate power source. Some power sources, such as right-angle power strips,a ensure the cables are in order. The power strip will also save you the burden of stretching the wires all over the floor from the power source. You can quickly get the power source closer to your game table and bundle up the cables using ties to create neat gaming or working space.
Casing Selection
Not all computers have a suitable casing; some are small while others are bigger. You need to select at least a more significant case that will accommodate the cables adequately; however, the size should not affect the space available for other devices.
While selecting the casing, you can consider the distance between the motherboard tray and the back panel and ensure it is enough to arrange the cables neatly and accommodate other items such as the CPU cooler.
Component Organization
The organization of the components will help you create the best internal cable management system for your computer. First, you need to know your components, such as the movable and the statics. Parts such as graphic cards HDD are portable; hence you can change their location; however, you need to ensure the fans, the motherboards, and other ports retain their position. After understanding these components, you can easily arrange the wires to create a tidy environment neatly.
You also need to check the routing holes to determine which components to move and the ones to retain. The routing holes can also be ideal for determining the cable arrangement. After organizing the routing holes and all the components, you need to ensure you locate all the cables behind the tray.
Selecting the Right Straps
Cable straps are necessary for internal and external cable arrangement. The ties ensure the cables are in order and tied together to create space for other systems such as fans. There are different cable ties such as sleeves, combs, twist-ties, and Velcro straps.
A good cable tie should withstand heat within the system and comply with ESD (Electrostatic discharge compliant) measures. These cable ties are durable and withstand the temperature changes in the system. The cables are also available in different colors; hence you need to select a neutral color that matches the system color themes.
Routing the Cables in Order
While organizing the cables, you need to first begin with the big cables, creating space for smaller cables. You need to follow up with the cables connected to the motherboard, such as driver cables and fan cables. Organizing the cables in order enables you to ensure a cable does not prevent the passage of the other cable.
The cable arrangement can also help you improve the airflow within the system hence promoting natural cooling. The power supply cables should go through the back of the system, preferably behind the motherboard tray, to give room for other shorter cables. You also need to balance the cables at the back and front of the system.
The cable arrangement in order will also help you when cleaning the cables. Before you start the machine to test if it is working, you must ensure every cable is connected to the correct port. While arranging the cables, you can bundle up excessively longer cables to reduce the clutter. If you have cut-outs within the motherboard tray, ensure the cables along the sides of the tray have a neat look. While arranging the cables, do not mix similar colors because it can easily confuse you when cleaning in the future or organizing the wires.
Conclusion
A sound cable management system has various advantages to your system. It ensures sufficient airflow in the system, and you can clean easily without affecting or interfering with the cables. A good cable management guideline should consider the PC casing, the components, and the cable arrangement system. You should also ensure the cables outside the central system are tidy and in order.
