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Move the PC Off Your Desk to Free Up Desk Space

One complaint I frequently hear from PC owners is that the PC is taking up too much of their desktop. In fact, the move towards the smaller "pizza box" case style is one way that the industry has responded to these concerns. Unfortunately, these cases leave a lot to be desired in terms of expandability and ease of use, and they still take up some of your desktop space. These small cases tend to have more overheating problems than larger cases; furthermore, an overcrowded desk often means papers and other items stashed on top of the PC, making things worse.

There is a better solution: use a more roomy tower case, and put it on the floor. Moving the PC onto the floor will allow you to reclaim the space on your desk, and will keep the PC out of your way. You may also find that the noise being produced by the PC's components and fans is less noticeable in its new location. There are some disadvantages to this move: the case will be harder to reach, making inserting or removing CD-ROMs and other media more difficult; your cables may be too short to reach; and there is some risk of the PC being knocked over. I personally prefer my PC on the floor and usually put it there. See this section on case location for more info.

The procedure for performing this relocation can be found here.

Note: Tower cases are easiest to put on the floor. Some desktop models can also be put there, but things are more complicated here. You need to be careful because some desktop units are not square on the sides and will topple if mounted sideways. Also, CD-ROM drives that use a tray mechanism (most of them) won't work on their sides, because the disk will fall out when you open the tray. I recommend using a tower case for this reason.

Next: Reduce the Noise Level of the PC System Unit

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