PC cable management is a vital element of creating and maintaining a computer, both within and outside of it. A tidy PC case or a workstation devoid of cable clutter improves the overall appearance of the setup.
While cable management is a relaxing procedure that makes you feel better about your setup once you’re finished, it’s not always as simple as vacuuming or simply putting things away inside. There’s a lot that goes into good cable management, and you’ll need a strategy to deal with the mess.
I’ll walk you through a step-by-step method to perfect PC cable management in this article. It won’t be the same for everyone, but I’ll do my best to describe how I handle the cable in my setup and how you may do the same. Here’s a brief glance at how I’m now set up:
Following some constructive criticism, I’ve made a few tweaks to this configuration, but the cable management is mostly unchanged. Your setup will be completely different, but you may always improve it with these wire management suggestions. The goal is to figure out what makes you feel at ease utilizing your setup to do whatever you do on a regular basis.
Tips for organizing your computer’s cables
The whole point of cable management is to keep all of the cables out of sight. You can do this by tucking them away safely or just stacking them and hiding them under the desk. To each his own, but the goal is to carefully conceal them without damaging the cables. First, we’ll take a look at PC cable management within the case.
Inside the PC casing, cable management
Even if you don’t have a PC case with a transparent side panel, correctly managing and routing the cables inside the case is still a smart idea. This is an important step in the PC construction process. There’s always the option of stuffing all your cords inside the case, but it comes with a few drawbacks. The wires will, first and foremost, restrict proper airflow within the chassis.
Second, packing the cables within the case will make finding the proper one when you need it incredibly difficult. Imagine having to sift through a tangle of cables when you need to replace a component in the future. To me, it sounds like a nightmare.
There are a few options for dealing with this scenario. If you’re still contemplating a fresh build, I strongly advise you to look into a PC case with dedicated cable routing channels built into the chassis. A cable management bar is included in all NZXT PC cases, for example. Many Corsair PC cases provide cable channels and plenty of area beneath the motherboard for all of the cords. Because my Cooler Master MasterBox MB511 ARGB lacks one, I’ve included a photo of a Corsair 5000D PC case that I found on Reddit from a fellow PC builder. The image is a tad bleak, but it serves as a decent representation of what I’m talking about.
You might also get a case with a dual-chamber design to gain more space for wire management alternatives. For that, the Lian Li O11 Dynamic might be a fantastic choice. You can also look through our selection of the best PC cases to see what we have to offer.
To correctly organize the cable inside the chassis, you can purchase cable ties or zip ties. Each case has a different number of wires and routing possibilities, so there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. The overall idea is to gather all of the little wires from your fans, rear IO, front panel connectors, and other sources and route them through the back of your case. You may always tie the excess length and tuck it behind the motherboard or inside the PSU box. Because almost all cables have subtle compartments, figuring out where to tuck them is pretty simple.
You should also think about getting a modular power supply instead of a non-modular one. You can install only the cable that you need using modular power supply modules. Selecting what you can plug in simplifies the procedure and saves you time. You can find some fantastic options on the market by looking through our collection of the top power supply units.
If your PC case lacks suitable cable routing channels or cable management capabilities, you can use cable ties or even cable sleeves to bind them together and hide them.
Also, remember to remove any excess cable tie length. You can do this using scissors, but a wire cutter will make it much easier. It can also be used to cut cable ties if you’ve made a mistake with your routing. You may also use velcro tape to attach your fan and RGB controllers to the back of the motherboard, behind the motherboard. Velcro tapes are ideal for people who prefer to move things around rather than permanently fix them.
For your configuration, you’ll need to manage the cables on your PC.
Managing the wire clutter outside of your PC case is just as critical, if not more, than managing the cable clutter within. Having a tidy desk with no unneeded clutter might help you be more productive, whether it’s for office work or a good gaming session. I believe that managing cables outside the PC casing is more difficult than managing them within. Having said that, all of the same advice applies here as well. Your main objective is to gather all of the cables and safely route them beneath the cover.
The amount of cable clutter you have relies solely on how many peripherals you have. To build a bundle of cords that you might not require, I propose utilizing cable ties. This comprises the display and the system’s power cord, as well as HDMI and DisplayPort cables, Ethernet connections, and a webcam cable. Cable sleeves can also be used to conceal a tangle of cables that are exposed.
The nicest part about using cables sleeves is that you can cut them to the length you need for a certain channel and use the rest to hide additional wires. As you can see, I use a lot of cable wraps to conceal large stacks of exposed cables that run from the back of my monitor, PC case, and other locations.
Using wireless peripherals instead of cable ones is a simple way to save time and effort. If you don’t want to go wireless, you may also change the basic wires with bespoke ones to add a sense of individualization. A wired keyboard, gaming mouse, and wired headphones are among my wired peripherals. For my setup, I use a black table cloth, which neatly integrates all of the black cables from various devices. Not to mention, white peripherals against a black background look fantastic.
These cables can be routed under your desk and out of sight. A cable management rack is now standard on many gaming and office desks, allowing you to tuck cables under the desk. You may also get one from Amazon to put on your current desk.
