Acrylic vs Tempered Glass PC Side Panel: Which is Better?

Side Panels for Computers: Acrylic or Tempered Glass?

When building or customizing your gaming PC, every detail matters. Not just the internal components but also the aesthetics of your build. One critical design choice often sparks debate: Which type of side panel for a PC is better, an acrylic or tempered glass side panel? The materials you choose influence not only the look of your setup but also its durability, maintenance, and overall user experience.

This blog explores the differences between an acrylic vs. a tempered glass side panel, helping you decide which best suits your needs. By the end, you’ll have a clearer idea of how to make your PC look great while ensuring it meets your functional demands.

Why You Should Add Aesthetic Side Panels to Your PC

Besides the debate about choosing an acrylic side panel vs. a tempered glass, you may also wonder why you should add decorative side panels in the first place.

Whatever side panel you choose for your PC will enhance its visual appeal by showcasing internal components like RGB lighting, cooling fans, and graphics cards. These panels also proudly display custom builds and high-quality components, adding a "show-off" factor to your setup. Additionally, side panels can improve airflow depending on the design, contributing to better cooling performance.

Acrylic Side Panels

When the acrylic PC side panel first hit the market, it quickly became a favorite among gamers and PC enthusiasts. These panels offer an affordable way to showcase the internal components of their builds. Despite their drawbacks, acrylic side panels are popular for their lightweight and customizable design.

Benefits

Acrylic side panels offer several advantages, making them a practical and appealing choice for many PC builders and enthusiasts.

These benefits include:

• Customizability: Acrylic is easy to modify, making it ideal for personalizing a PC case or adding unique design touches. It's also user-friendly when removing and reinstalling panels to upgrade any setup.
• Affordability: Acrylic panels are less expensive to produce and replace than tempered glass, making them an economical choice for budget-conscious builders.
• Practicality: Acrylic is lightweight and shatter-resistant, offering excellent stiffness and durability for everyday use. If someone drops a PC case with an acrylic panel, it's more likely to survive the fall without significant damage, unlike tempered glass, which may shatter. Its lightweight nature also makes cases with acrylic panels easier to move and transport, adding to their convenience.

The benefits of an acrylic PC side panel make it an excellent choice for users who value customization, cost-efficiency, and lightweight durability in their gaming PC builds.

Drawbacks

Despite their benefits, an acrylic PC side panel has notable drawbacks that may impact its long-term usability and appearance, especially when comparing acrylic vs. tempered glass for a PC case.

These issues include:

• Susceptibility to Scratches: Acrylic is much softer than tempered glass, making it prone to scuffs and scratches, especially if cleaned improperly or exposed to dirt and debris. These scratches can reflect light and dull the panel, diminishing its aesthetic appeal.
• Long-term Clarity and Durability: Acrylic panels are more likely to blur or discolor, developing a yellowish or foggy tint as they age, particularly when exposed to sunlight or heat.
• Temperature Sensitivity: Prolonged exposure to high heat or direct sunlight can cause the material to warp or deform.

While an acrylic PC side panel is cost-effective, its durability and long-term aesthetic value are limited. Many users prefer tempered glass for a more premium and resilient side panel.

Tempered Glass Side Panels

In recent years, using a tempered glass side panel for a PC has grown in popularity since it offers a sleek and premium aesthetic. Tempered glass is highly durable and scratch-resistant, created through extreme heating followed by rapid cooling, and provides exceptional clarity.

Benefits

In the debate between tempered glass vs. acrylic for a PC case, tempered glass side panels have become a top choice for gaming PC builds. Whether you want to highlight your PC’s components or create a visually striking setup, tempered glass provides a high-quality solution. Below, we explore the key benefits that make tempered glass panels a standout option for PC enthusiasts.

• Durability and Low Maintenance: Tempered glass panels are highly scratch-resistant and require minimal upkeep, maintaining their pristine condition over time.
• Clear and Aesthetic Appeal: These side panels offer exceptional clarity and a polished look, which is ideal for showcasing internal PC components and RGB lighting.
• Resistance to Aging: Unlike acrylic, tempered glass does not cloud, rust, or degrade.
• Safe Shattering: If broken, tempered glass shatters into small, less sharp pieces, reducing the risk of injury.
• Heat and Chemical Resistance: They withstand high temperatures and cleaning with chemical solvents without warping or discoloration.
• Aesthetic Customization: Tempered glass panels can add sophistication to any built-in transparent and tinted options, especially when paired with RGB lighting.

A tempered glass side panel for a PC combines durability, safety, and stunning aesthetics, making them a worthwhile investment for anyone creating a standout gaming setup.

Drawbacks

While tempered glass panels offer a premium look and durability, they come with drawbacks that may not suit every PC builder's needs.

These drawbacks include:

• Lack of Customizability: Unlike acrylic panels, tempered glass cannot be easily modified after manufacturing without the risk of cracking or breaking.
• Higher Cost: Tempered glass panels are generally more expensive than plastic or acrylic panels due to their manufacturing process and superior durability. However, this price gap has narrowed as tempered glass becomes more widely used in PC cases.
• Less practical: Their added weight can make cases heavier and harder to move, especially for larger full-tower cases, so they’re less useful for a lightweight build.

Despite these downsides, the premium aesthetic and durability of a tempered glass side panel for a PC often justify its higher price and limited flexibility for many builders.

Acrylic vs. Tempered Glass in a PC Case: Which is Better?

When choosing between an acrylic side panel vs. tempered glass for your gaming PC, the decision comes down to your preferences and budget. Both materials offer similar thermal conductivity, so it won't directly impact your system's cooling performance. Instead, factors like case design, airflow, and fan placement play a much more significant role in overall functionality.

The best choice depends on your value of a sleek, durable design over cost savings or modding potential. Whichever material you choose, ensure the case design supports good airflow and usability for an optimal PC experience.

If you are ready to upgrade your setup, explore HYTE’s wide range of PC cases and gaming accessories to build your dream machine today.