Enclosure I've built a PC Case Database Tool - I hope its useful for the SFF PC community

hardwarepick

What's an ITX?
Original poster
May 18, 2018
1
14
https://hardwarepick.com/pc-cases/








I've been working on this project for almost a year now. The idea was creating a visual database tool where one could easily compare specifications between components easily in one place, and providing data that wasn't always available elsewhere on popular comparison tools (e.g. simple features like soundproofing, sidewindow, volume, USB type-c, interior color, etc)

I have tried to build the database with SFFPC's in mind, showing important metrics such as volume, max CPU height, max GPU height, number of expansion slots, watercooling support etc - all in one place.

I have also built a number of features into this website to try and make comparisons as easy and useful as possible.

  • Ability to sort and filter data to narrow down your search
  • Ability to change the data shown in the columns to display, for example removing the column on 'watercooling support' and instead showing 'Radiator Support' - this is done by clicking on the 'Edit columns' button, and its done in real time.
  • Selecting 2 models and clicking 'Compare' goes to a 2-model direct comparison page. Selecting more than 2 models and clicking 'Compare' updates the chart so it only shows those particular models.
  • Color scaling feature to visually show differences in data between models (work in progress)
  • Scoring functionality - this is calculated as average rating from available reviews from top hardware blogs (e.g. Eteknix, Toms Hardware, Tweaktown etc) - this is also a work in progress
This website is a work in progress, and whilst I have tried my best to ensure data is 100% correct, there may be some errors here and there, and I will do my best to update anything that needs correcting. I have also built databases for other components, feel free to also check those out.

Motherboard database




Graphics card database



CPU cooler database



eGPU database




I want to make this website as useful as possible for the SFF PC community, so I would appreciate any feedback so I can use this to optimise and improve it further. I have a few things in mind but I would rather listen to the community and work on the features/improvements that people want.

Let me know what you think - positive or negative! Do you have any improvements in mind, how would you develop this project further?
 

owliwar

Master of Cramming
Lazer3D
Apr 7, 2017
586
1,082
hey, It would be nice to have a report integrated with the website. via contact form or something. even if it just text messages, as it would be for the user to report when something is wrong.

one thing that I think is worth nothing for sff is that, sometimes the case is modular, so the part support list could be a bit weird.
for ex: the LZ7 has support for 120mm aio watercooling but only if you use external brick / dc-atx psu.
not sure how that would work thought.
 

owliwar

Master of Cramming
Lazer3D
Apr 7, 2017
586
1,082
also, how do you score parts? I couldn't find it anywhere and it being such an important metric, as its the default listing right now, is a bit arbitrary.
 

VegetableStu

Shrink Ray Wielder
Aug 18, 2016
1,949
2,619
yeah i have this idea for scoring, but it's out of scope for many current spreadsheet or list processors out there:

basically a user rates qualities in general (e.g. watercooling support > absolute volume > PSU sizing support), and then the cases have their score presented according to the user's multipliers

doesn't directly address the issue of if this then that interference, but for the most of the cases rating should be straightforward (maybe even include mid towers up to XL towers)
 
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owliwar

Master of Cramming
Lazer3D
Apr 7, 2017
586
1,082
yeah i have this idea for scoring, but it's out of scope for many current spreadsheet or list processors out there:

basically a user rates qualities in general (e.g. watercooling support > absolute volume > PSU sizing support), and then the cases have their score presented according to the user's multipliers

doesn't directly address the issue of if this then that interference, but for the most of the cases rating should be straightforward (maybe even include mid towers up to XL towers)

I like this user based approach to ratings.
inside each case page the specific ratings could be displayed as well
and in listing the general ratings should be enough.
 

CC Ricers

Shrink Ray Wielder
Bronze Supporter
Nov 1, 2015
2,234
2,557
Nice work! This looks way better than my case comparison XD And you cover a bunch of the other computer parts as well.

hey, It would be nice to have a report integrated with the website. via contact form or something. even if it just text messages, as it would be for the user to report when something is wrong.

one thing that I think is worth nothing for sff is that, sometimes the case is modular, so the part support list could be a bit weird.
for ex: the LZ7 has support for 120mm aio watercooling but only if you use external brick / dc-atx psu.
not sure how that would work thought.

This could be addressed by treating a case configuration much more like the way PC Part Picker has it, but more in depth by following the part size restrictions of the manufacturers. Each part some come with it a set of rules and conditions, but hard-coding them will take too much work. You'd need a programmable rules system in place that can expand to all sorts of cases more easily.
 

IntoxicatedPuma

Customizer of Titles
SFFn Staff
Feb 26, 2016
992
1,272
Did you have any plan to add data from 3rd party websites? For example:

Photography / Lenses - you can add ratings for lenses from DxO mark
CPU Coolers - you can add performance numbers from our CPU Cooler roundup.