EXPERT INSIGHT & TRUSTED REVIEWS

EXPERT INSIGHT & TRUSTED REVIEWS

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Best PC Cases

Source: Jaqobe

The 15 Best PC Cases of 2022

We’ve been through a lot of cases on What in Tech.

Anything from the cheapest to the largest to the quietest (to name a few).

But after 100s of PC case reviews, which stand out as the top choices?

Today’s feature is here to guide you through the best computer cases for gaming, general use, streaming, and production requirements (e.g. video editing) in all shapes, sizes, and budgets.

Top Picks

Best of the Rest: Quick-Fire Picks

Overall Best PC Case: Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic

What a fantastic PC case this is.

From one of the best tower manufacturers in the business today; the PC-011 is simply incredible at balancing everything most users want: build quality, design, internal features, and airflow all at a fantastic mid-range price-point.

Starting with aesthetic: the PC-011 is not done justice by stock photos.

We also gave the PC-011 the best looking PC case accolade. With an exterior made of beautifully finished thick aluminum and dual full-length tempered glass windows, it has the nicest build quality in its price range (as durable as it is beautiful).

The tower looks slick on its own, but what really gives it such a unique presentation is how a completed, powered-on build looks with the case’s fantastic internal visibility (this feature’s cover photo is an example, but the chassis looks even better in person). We love how much aesthetic customization you have here; you can go all out with an RGB lighting build, or something more minimalist. Either way, the chassis looks great.

Many of the PC-011’s competitors will just have a half-length window on the side only (with a PSU shroud at the bottom). The full-length windows on 2 sides may seem daunting if you’re a novice builder and can’t hide your cables at the bottom, but the PC-011 is a dual-chamber PC case. This means it has an additional compartment behind the motherboard designed for your “uglier” parts (think PSUs, drives, and cable management). Not only does this mean that you can get an incredibly clean aesthetic in the main chamber, but your primary parts will have more room to breathe/benefit from better airflow.

But this is far from just a beautiful chassis.

The PC-011 is an ATX PC case, with great space inside for:

  • 8 expansion slots
  • 2 x 3.5″ + 4 x 2.5″ drive bays
  • GPU length up to 420mm (more than enough room for mainstream cards, and one of the best PC cases for RTX 3070, 3080 & 3090 graphics cards)
  • I/O front panel that includes a USB3.1 Type-C

We think the PC-011 is the best ATX case for gaming available, with its excellent space for GPU installation/breathing room, more than enough storage capacity (hidden in the second chamber for a clean setup), and a beautiful aesthetic to show off your fancy hardware.

But the cherry on top for its gaming capability (or even someone more focussed on production), is the cooling. With up to:

  • 9 x 120mm fans
  • 1 x 360mm, 1 x 280mm & 1 x 240mm radiators

This is a fantastic allotment for the dimensions of the case. Bear in mind that’s on top of the dual-chamber design that already gives you a great internal layout for ventilation.

We’ve included a choice below that we consider the best case for airflow, but the PC-011 really does have everything most builders will need in this respect. The fact that Lian Li has also managed to create such a beautiful and durable offering alongside its internal feature/cooling capability at a mid-range price is simply fantastic.

The last PC case you’ll need for a long time, we consider the PC-011 to be the best computer tower on the market today to satisfy most builder’s needs and simply can’t recommend it enough.

2022 update: The PC-011 Dynamic remains our best PC case choice for 2 years running, nothing has impressed us as much as the all-around package Lian Li offers here. One noteworthy addition to the market is the O11D Mini -X; a mini-tower version of the Dynamic that still can host ATX builds. If you can fit your specs inside this smaller build and fancy something slightly cheaper, we highly recommend this iteration too.

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Best PC Case for Quiet Builds: Fractal Design Define R5

Now, as much as we love the PC-011, there is one competitor that makes the top computer case spot a very close race.

Fractal Design has been at the peak of the case manufacturing game for years, and their flagship Define R series has been refined over many iterations to the R5 which, without a doubt, is the best quiet PC case in the mid-range price point.

If you are more inclined towards a minimalist PC case, the R5 shines in aesthetic. With a beautiful, sophisticated steel build surrounding most of its exterior (the front is plastic to retain lightness when opening the front panel, but has a beautiful metal finish).

Fractal are the masters of the quiet computer case. The R5 is the epitome of that; with its windowless design and powerful sound-dampening materials throughout. Even with a powerful gaming/production rig running inside, you can expect to have something very close to silence.

The best part about all of the low-decibel capability? The R5 is still an excellent PC case for cooling. Many towers dedicated to quietness compromise by running hotter, but this Fractal offering still records excellent low temps in benchmarks, with capacity for:

  • Up to 9 x 140mm fans with 2 top-quality Fractal Design Dynamic GP-14 fans (designed for silent builds) included
  • Or up to 420mm top, 360mm side, 240mm bottom & 140mm rear radiators

This is a fantastic allotment, with both water cooling and fan cooling builders having great options here with the R5 being one of the best PC cases for overclocking if you also don’t want your setup to sound like a jet engine.

While you don’t need the hyper-clean internals that a window PC case demands, the R5 still has some decent cable routing facilities to keep your internal ventilation going well.

This Fractal chassis is a mid-tower case, with room inside for:

  • 7 expansion slots
  • VGA card lengths up to 310mm (enough space for most GPUs, but can be expanded up to 440mm with HDD cage removal)
  • 8 x 3.5″ / 2.5″, 2 x 2.5″ & 2 x 5.25″ drive bays
  • Decent, easy to use dust filters
  • Minimalist I/O top panel including USB 3.0, 2.0 & a fan controller (perfect to control noise depending on your task).

The R5 is one of the top computer cases for gaming; but as you can see from the incredible storage space, this would also be an excellent production chassis if your work demands a large quantity of hard drives (think video editors, rendering, etc.).

All-in-all, what makes the Define R5 so impressive is how it pretty much ticks all of the boxes.

It’s well-built, beautifully minimalist, runs cool, has one of the best sound-dampening setups, and has great internal room for whatever your build demands.

And all of that comes at a mid-range price?

If you like the idea of a quieter PC case, or simply prefer the aesthetic over the PC-011, know this is easily one of the best mid-tower cases that has ever been produced.

2022 update: The R5 still comfortably ranks as our best choice for quiet builds, but we’ve observed some stock issues occasionally over the last year. If it’s out of stock, we highly recommend the Define R6 as a very similar alternative (the main difference is it is slightly larger and thus more suitable for E-ATX builds). 

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Best PC Case for Airflow: Corsair Obsidian Series 750D Airflow Edition

Next up is one of our favorite offerings from perhaps the biggest PC case brand today.

Corsair’s 750D Airflow Edition is, as the name suggests, a case designed to offer the best ventilation and cooling for mid-range builders. 

While the PC-011 and Define R5 has excellent cooling capabilities in their own right for gaming/production use, the 750D is even more impressive if decent airflow is your single most important objective.

This case has been around for several years simply because it hasn’t needed any serious refinement (why fix what ain’t broke?). With a build quality consisting of aluminum, high-quality steel, and tempered glass; the 750D is very durable and has a balanced aesthetic between the high visibility vs minimalist designs of our top two picks (with still enough window space for you to show off your beautiful internal hardware).

One of the best full tower PC cases on the market, you have room for:

  • E-ATX motherboard compatibility
  • 9 x expansion slots
  • GPU length clearance up to 450mm
  • 3 x optical/5.25″, 4 x 2.5″ & 6 x 2.5″ / 3.5″ hybrid drive bays

As you can probably tell, there is some serious room in this case for a powerful build; be it for gaming, streaming, or other high-end usages.

You’ll have no issues fitting mainstream graphics cards inside. Tied with its great airflow, this is one of the best PC cases for RTX 3080, 3090, or 3070 overclocking.

Speaking of airflow, this is what this 750D edition was designed to excel in, with:

  • Up to 5 x 140mm and 4 x 120mm fans (with 3 top quality 140mm fans included)
  • Or up to 1 x 360mm, 1 x 280mm & 1 x 140mm radiators

Not only are these cooling specs great, but you’re combining it with a case design that is internally and externally very well equipped for ventilation & cable management. You can achieve some really excellent temps in the 750D (and you certainly don’t need to max out the fan/radiator count to do so, the generously included 3 140mm fans would be enough to get a build up and running).

While we give the overall top PC case edge to the Lian Li and Fractal offerings, you can probably see why we still hold the 750D in high regard.

If your focus is on ensuring ventilation for a beastly setup, or if you prefer the balanced aesthetic of this Corsair offering, then know it’s one of the best full tower cases on the market today.

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Best Budget PC Case: Phanteks Eclipse P300A Mesh

We appreciate some readers will be looking for the best cheap PC case options for a budget build. Phanteks, another classic manufacturer, has a fantastic offering in the P300A Mesh.

While we do explore an even cheaper computer case further below (the N200), this Phanteks case represents the best compromise between running at a much cheaper price range, while still retaining what we believe any good budget gaming, streaming or general use build will want.

The build quality, while not up to quite the same level as our top 3 picks, is still very impressive for the price. With a full steel exterior and tempered glass side panel, it’s a surprisingly beautiful case when you compare it to other budget options. The full-length mesh front panel excellent way to provide additional ventilation without loading up on fan purchases (there is a non-mesh edition if you prefer the design, but we would go with mesh if you’re looking to cool as cheap as possible).

This is a budget ATX case, still boasting good room inside for:

  • 7 x expansion slots
  • 355mm GPU clearance (enough for nearly all mainstream cards)
  • 2 x 2.5″ & 2 x 2.5″ / 3.5″ drive bays 

With all the GPU and storage room we think anyone would need on a low wallet, this is easily one of the best budget PC cases for gaming.

Cooling-wise, you have room for:

  • Up to 3 x 140mm + 1 x 120mm fans with 1 120mm fan included
  • Or up to 1 x 280mm + 1 x 120mm radiator (could be combined with a 140mm fan)

While this capability isn’t as high as the more expensive options on the list, there is enough here to comfortably cool a budget gaming/streaming PC.

We like how even at this price range, with the case already being relatively high quality, you’re still getting an included fan. You’ll want an extra 1-2 fans for most builds, but with the mesh ventilation design, this is a great little runner.

If you’re looking for the best cheap PC case for gaming, or another classic budget build, this is the best you’ll find on the market today.

2022 update: We still rank the P300A Mesh as the best all-around budget case but it has occasionally been out of stock in recent months. If you need something cheaper than the other top picks, check out our cheapest case feature.

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Best PC Case for Watercooling & Large Builds: Thermaltake Tower 900

Now, if you’re looking for something more high-end, perhaps for an extra-large PC or to liquid cool your premium gaming/production setup, the Tower 900 is one of the best options available to you.

Thermaltake is another fantastic brand in the chassis business. Amongst their many great offerings, the Tower 900 really stands out in so many ways.

Starting with its aesthetic/build quality: the 900 is dubbed the “fish tank pc case”, with a wonderfully thick SGCC steel exterior and 3 durable full-size tempered glass windows. This is one of the sturdiest clear PC cases available today. It’s built to last and has a commanding presence due to its huge size. 

This is another chassis that isn’t done justice by stock photos. Not only does it have great visibility, but its also one of the best modular PC cases on the market, giving you incredible customization capability in how you setup your parts/cooling, you can get an amazing look. On top of that, the Tower 900 is a dual-chamber case, with room in the second hidden compartment for your cables, power supply, and drives (to hide away for aesthetic and ventilation purposes).

One of the top full tower cases available today, there’s room for:

  • E-ATX Motherboard support
  • 8 expansion slots
  • GPUs up to 400mm (with vertical mounting install options)
  • 1 x 5.25″, 6 x 2.5″/3.5″ & 2 x 2.5″ drive bays

With these specs, you have an incredible PC case for multi-GPU setups, serious overclocking, and other demanding build types (we like that there is an option for an optical drive too even though we appreciate most users no longer require this).

To take such an intense build further, you have some seriously capable cooling capability, with room for up to:

  • 13 x 120mm fans
  • Or 1 x 480mm & 1 x 560mm radiators (or other smaller variations of these sizes)

This case is big, but there aren’t many other cases at its dimensions that provide this level of cooling. We rank this as the best PC case for liquid cooling not just for the number of radiators, but the incredible modularity in the chassis that will really allow you to get the exact setup you want (not just practically, but aesthetically).

The Tower 900 is a beast in build quality, cooling, and internal space. If you’re someone looking after a unique aesthetic, or you’re serious about building something truly monstrous, we think you’ll love this chassis.

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Cheapest PC Case for Gaming: Cooler Master N200

Now, while we would recommend you at least try and go with our top budget option (the Phanteks P300A) if possible, we appreciate some readers will be looking for the best computer tower we can comfortably recommend at very low price ranges.

We did a full feature on this recently, and the clear stand-out is the Cooler Master N200.

This cheap Micro ATX case is a little smaller than our other picks, in the mini tower form factor. But for a super budget build, mATX PC cases are exactly what you should be looking at.

So why does the N200 stand out? Well at its incredibly low price tag, you’re still getting:

  • A case from a reputable manufacturer (many super-cheap computer cases are from lesser-known brands).
  • A build quality superior to its other competitors at the same price point
  • 2 120mm fans – this inclusion is simply fantastic for the price and, combined with the mesh ventilation around the case, will be enough to get a budget setup going
  • Great GPU space for a budget gaming mATX case: up to 355mm (more than enough for nearly all cards)
  • 1 x 5.25″, 3 x 2.5″ & 4 x 3.5″ drive bays