The perfect PC case is the gilded body on your gaming PC masterpiece. It is the protecting surrounds on your expensive parts, however as the very first thing anybody sees
it can additionally set the tone on your machine. Which might imply various things; some need to go all-out with probably the most stunning, costliest chassis, however others love the shock ingredient of a rat rig-looking machine being inconceivably highly effective.
Your alternative of PC case may even dicate what can go inside. If you’d like multi-loop liquid cooling, and the most important GPUs on the planet, then you definitely’re finest wager is a full-tower chassis (opens in new tab). However if you happen to’re searching for a small scale construct then the perfect mini-ITX instances (opens in new tab) can be what you covet.
The perfect PC case will make the constructing course of a easy one, whereas a dangerous case is one which limits your expandability choices, or makes it tremendous troublesome to construct your machine into. If constructing a PC appears a bit out of your consolation zone usually, you’ll be able to all the time go along with a prebuilt gaming PC (opens in new tab), and skip the stress of constructing your personal.
Earlier than you fork out on the perfect PC case ever, there are a few issues it is best to contemplate first. How massive is your graphics card? What motherboard are you going with? What number of drive bays do you want? Determine what is going on into the case before you purchase it, so that you’re certain all the pieces will match. Listed here are the perfect instances we have examined this yr, after constructing them up and down and, after all, checking them for hearth hazards (opens in new tab).
The unique Cooler Grasp Cosmos chassis is a traditional of PC case design, and has seen many revisions through the years. The most recent, the Cosmos C700M is the top of that design, taking up from the C700P, a chassis which held agency as one in all our favourite full-tower instances for years.
Greater even than the C700P, the C700M is one in all Cooler Grasp’s largest enclosures and comes with an equally hefty price ticket. The premium case maintains the identical handlebar design because the calssic Cosmos design, however provides a couple of trendy touches that make it probably the most stunning instances we have seen.
It is also dialled again the heavy tint on the facet panel to extra readily reveal the shiny parts you’ve got paid good cash to deal with inside it.
We have been already impressed with the tasteful RGB lighting from its predecessor however the C700M actually kicks it up a notch. The lightning now options individually addressable RGB strips that type a steady line from the again of the highest panel right through the underside of the case. Metallic contacts assist you to simply take away the entrance panel with out having to fret about wires. A recent matte design on the case’s signature handlebars enable the understated lighting to actually accent its curves.
The distinctive construct high quality and premium supplies undoubtedly go a great distance in the direction of justifying the value.
The corporate’s signature brand is noticeably absent from the case. As an alternative, all that is still is a well-known hexagonal form used as an influence button. We have already seen this shift with a few of Cooler Grasp’s different instances and liquid coolers, however the C700M actually seals the cope with its smooth strains and artfully crafted prime air flow.
One of many favourite issues we skilled whereas constructing within the case is the truth that we have been in a position to take away the motherboard tray and assemble a majority of our system exterior of the case. In-built cable routing, cable administration clips and a modular cable cowl system additionally makes it simple to create a really clear system.
The power to change between a traditional format and an inverted one just isn’t unusual for a excessive finish full tower. What actually units the C700P and C700M aside from the competitors is the flexibility to rotate the motherboard 90 levels into what Cooler Grasp calls its chimney format. Such a format permits scorching air to comply with its pure trajectory and effectively exhaust from the highest of the case.
Our solely criticism about these various motherboard configurations is the truth that it turns into fairly a problem to entry the rear I/O. Relying in your desk dimension, you may even want extension cables on your peripherals. Regardless, the modularity and freedom to customise the C700M is completely in keeping with Cooler Grasp’s “Make It Yours” philosophy that fans have come to like.
That and you will have to purchase one in all Cooler Grasp’s PCIe 4.0 riser cables because the bundled one is last-gen.
Regardless of the value, the distinctive construct high quality and premium supplies undoubtedly go a great distance in the direction of justifying the value. If cash is not a problem and you are not within the behemoth that’s Corsair’s 1000D, Cooler Grasp’s C700M is the last word high-end full tower.
Learn our full Cooler Grasp Cosmos C700M assessment (opens in new tab).
Certainly one of Corsair’s finest instances, the Carbide 275R, is perhaps the last word minimalist’s case. Apart from a small “sail” brand on the entrance panel, the 275R ditches extra branding for the sake of a clear design for the style-obsessed. Whereas the design could also be minimal, the performance is not.
Not like NZXT’s equally minimal S340, the Carbide 275R can help a 360mm radiator within the entrance and as much as six 120mm followers. With a modest $80 price ticket, the 275R is an effective case for inexperienced persons and superior customers trying to create a smooth customized loop.
It is the chassis we have picked for our personal mainstream testing rig, and is a delight to construct into; supplying you with a whole lot of area to create a gaming machine with out being a burden in your price range.
For a extra budget-focused chassis, nonetheless, it is nonetheless a handsome one. The tempered glass facet panel and good cable tidying, and PSU shroud, all give it the texture of a PC case of far larger expense. The rounded frontage offers is a softer look in comparison with the extra angular, super-boxy cheaper options, and it will not appear like you’ve got skimped in your system.
And, with white and black choices, in addition to cheaper choices with acrylic facet panels, the Carbide 275R offers a price-conscious PC builder a whole lot of alternative.
Whereas it isn’t the form of throwaway cash you may spend on a PC case if all you need is the most cost effective chassis to assist you to spend each final cent in your element checklist, the Carbide 275R is probably the most well-featured, well-built, handsome PC case that does not price the earth.
I used to be an enormous fan of the unique NZXT H1 mini-ITX chassis when it first got here out. However then, mine by no means caught hearth, which is an effective factor as a result of I have been utilizing it as the premise for my workplace work machine ever since. My boss wouldn’t have been happy if I would burned down the PC Gamer workplaces due to a defective PCIe riser cable.
Apart from that particular riser downside, the H1 was a improbable bundle to construct a wee peecee into. And so is that this just lately up to date model, too. On the face of it, this H1 V2 seems to be equivalent and you would be forgiven for considering it was only a new launch of the identical case with an much more non-burn-y PCIe riser cable on your GPU. However NZXT has truly accomplished rather a lot to enhance the general design, regardless that it does make for a dearer, barely bigger and heavier mini-ITX case.
The actual fantastic thing about the H1 is that it consists of each a robust PSU and a liquid CPU cooler, so the actually awkward bits of a mini-ITX construct are taken care of. For those who’ve ever constructed a small type issue PC you’ll perceive the ache of attempting to route one million, unnecessarily lengthy PSU cables across the motherboard, graphics card, and all the pieces else. Then attempting to mount a capable-enough cooler into the restricted confines of a mini-ITX case… effectively, that is a job in itself.
NZXT helps the construct course of with clear labelling inside and with out the chassis.
A observe of warning, nonetheless, and that’s the clearance between the radiator fan and the highest of your reminiscence is not big. It’s one other 1mm greater than the unique, however with simply 46mm as your most reminiscence top some DIMMs are merely going to be too massive. Our Corsair Dominator DDR5 (opens in new tab) sticks we have utilized in our Alder Lake take a look at rig, and the mini-ITX B660, proved simply too tall to shut the case.
NZXT helps the construct course of with clear labelling inside and with out the chassis. I had points truly moving into the tool-less design of the primary H1, but it surely ships with labelling on the surface explaining the right way to achieve entry. And inside there are tags and stickers indicating what goes the place, and the right way to shift issues round to achieve entry to the motherboard tray, for instance.
In all, NZXT has made many welcome enhancements to what was already an excellent mini-ITX chassis design—well-documented riser points apart. I get that the $400 price ticket will sting for lots of people, however 750W SFX energy provides do not come low cost, and nor do AIO coolers that might squeeze into one thing so comparatively small.
Learn our full NZXT H1 V2 assessment (opens in new tab).
Phanteks has made some unbelievable instances through the years, however the Evolv X stands out as a wonderful chassis for anybody trying to construct a mid-tower PC with a bit one thing additional. That additional being the flexibility to slip two programs into its pleasing type—there’s room for an ITX system within the prime to go above the principle ATX system. It is a bit of a squeeze for certain, however it’s potential.
In case your calls for aren’t fairly so ‘on the market’, then you definitely’ll discover it roomy to construct in, and there are sufficient neat little touches and funky design selections to cowl nearly any construct you keep in mind. There’s area for all-in-one liquid coolers within the prime (as much as 360mm) and entrance (as much as 420mm); it comes with a common fan hub, three Phanteks Premium 120mm followers, and has cable-hiding flaps within the rear in order that it seems to be good whichever facet you have a look at. You’ll be able to slide a frankly ridiculous quantity of storage into it as effectively.
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This PC case runs the danger of pulling the eye away out of your treasured parts. You might need the flashiest GPU going, and even RAM sticks emblazoned with gems, however the very first thing anybody goes to have a look at once they see your PC is all that RGB lighting.
There are tons of LED RGBs within the Corsair 5000T, the corporate’s loaded extra of them into this one case than any earlier than. There are six RGB strips across the exterior of the case, and the three LL120 followers will gentle up all colours of the rainbow if you happen to so want. All of which is managed by way of the Commander Core XT and the iCUE software program.
For my testing, I settled for a triple-fan radiator in a pull configuration up prime and the three included LL120 followers positioned within the entrance, as they have been out of the field. To maintain that airflow whizzing previous my PC parts, I additionally opted for a 120mm fan on the rear. That is truly one of many few setbacks with this case: there is no rear fan included. It is no massive deal if you happen to’re swapping over your construct from one other, as I used to be, however since I used to be despatched the white mannequin, the black rear fan from an outdated NZXT construct is not fairly as in step with the aesthetic as I would like.
This cooling configuration is basically efficient.
Although this cooling configuration is basically efficient. A triple-fan all-in-one was all the time going to maintain my AMD Ryzen 7 5800X in good examine, however the RX 6900 XT loaded into this PC can get a bit toasty with out some assist. The three LL120 followers on the balanced preset present loads of that.
A 30-minute run of the Heaven benchmark presents a good suggestion of what kind of cooling potential we’re right here underneath gaming circumstances. The outcomes are a reasonably degree 81°C underneath load during the take a look at, which is a snug baseline for temperature in my books.
Corsair’s default fan curve by way of the Commander Core XT is fairly aggressive. My CPU can pretty often bounce as much as 60°C or extra, and with the default fan curve set that might see the followers often spring to motion at moderately mundane instances through the day. To repair this, and reduce the din these followers produce, I needed to hop into iCUE to create a customized fan curve.
For those who’re not a fan of iCUE or do not need to use any such software program in your machine, the 5000T in all probability is not the case for you. This can be a case that is just about depending on its software program. The RGB LED strips, fan lighting, and fan speeds are all adjusted by way of the Commander Core XT, and that is plugged proper into the iCUE software program as first port of name.
Nonetheless, factor is fantastically crafted from metal, plastic, and tempered glass, and whereas meaning it is fairly heavy, it is an actual assertion PC case for a high-end PC construct. You might undoubtedly go extra compact on your PC, however you will not discover many as well-made as this.
Learn our full Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB assessment (opens in new tab).
For those who’re the kind of gamer that requires whole focus, a quiet PC case could be essential. As soon as your PC begins heating up and followers start blowing at full drive, your once-silent PC can shortly flip into one thing that resembles a roaring jet engine. It’s instances like these when a silent PC case can turn out to be useful, and nothing does the job fairly like Cooler Grasp’s Silencio collection.
The Silencio S600 mid tower seems to be easy on the surface, however the inside is crammed with clever engineering and high-quality sound dampening supplies to assist drown any pointless noise. Normally, this comes with a extreme compromise for airflow, however the S600 does a reasonably first rate job of transferring air and preserving issues cool regardless of its silent properties.
Talking of roomy builds, the Corsair Obsidian Sequence 1000D is a behemoth of a PC case prepared to deal with the most important and baddest programs. Standing tall at a staggering 27.3-inches, this “super-tower” options sufficient area to deal with 18 followers and as much as 4 huge radiators put in concurrently.
The 1000D includes a distinctive triple-chamber design with handy french-door-styled storage compartments and telescoping radiator trays for straightforward set up along with the stellar cooling help. As a result of it’s 2022, after all, there may be additionally an RGB lit entrance panel I/O with built-in good lighting and fan management courtesy of Corsair’s built-in Commander Professional controller. The Obsidian 900D has lengthy been a best choice for enormous, over-the-top builds, and it solely matches that the 1000D was designed to knock it off its throne.
Initially recognized for its silent energy provides and followers, be quiet! entered the case market with an enormous splash and has accomplished fairly effectively in a brief interval since its first case launch in 2014. Certainly one of its newer instances, the Darkish Base Professional 900, stays one in all our extremely really helpful full towers due to its smooth design and enthusiast-friendly inside.
The Darkish Base Professional 900 is massive sufficient to help the most important motherboards and radiators as much as 420mm in dimension. The case additionally options whole modularity with choices for an inverted motherboard format and even some nifty options like wi-fi Qi charging and preinstalled LED lighting.
The worst factor concerning the Lian-Li PC-011 Dynamic is that its instruction handbook is meaningless. Nonetheless, if you happen to already know the right way to construct a PC, piecing it collectively should not show too troublesome.
For probably the most half, it is a normal tempered glass mid-tower case with a couple of bells and whistles to make all of it definitely worth the enduring trial and error of the PC constructing expertise. For one, it has three detachable panels—one on the entrance and one on either side. Naturally, this makes for a straightforward set up. Incorporating a liquid cooler in its uncovered ceiling space is an easy enterprise.
The perfect PC case FAQ
Will a micro ATX motherboard match inside a mid tower case?
It definitely will. The spacing of the mounting holes on an micro ATX board match these discovered on an ATX board, there are simply fewer of them. Mounting a micro ATX right into a mid tower case rather than an ATX is completely doable.
How do I do know what dimension laptop case I would like?
The important thing query right here is, how massive is your motherboard? A full-size PC case helps the enormous E-ATX boards however will take up a ton of area underneath or in your desk. Small type issue instances just like the NZXT H200i can solely accommodate Mini-ITX boards and are restrictive for different massive GPUs parts. Mid-tower PC instances are a extra frequent alternative that helps all ATX and a handful of E-ATX boards. Dimension does certainly matter, in spite of everything.
As soon as you’ve got selected the case dimension, the enjoyable half occurs subsequent. You’ll be able to contemplate dozens of options and choices like I/O ports, cooling configurations, home windows, airflow, and lighting, and that is to get began.
