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The best gaming PC cases

Jacob Roach
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Choosing a case for your new gaming PC is tough. Finding a case you like the look of is difficult enough, let alone one that balances design with thermals, noise, and cable management. The best gaming PC cases deliver on all fronts, though, giving you a case that looks as good as it functions.

There isn’t a best case for everyone, but there are some great ones that tick all the boxes. We’ve picked a variety of options depending on your budget, size preferences, and build direction.

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The best gaming PC cases at a glance

Fractal Design Meshify 2

The best gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Mid-tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 3x Dynamic X2 GP-14
  • Front panel: 1x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 21.3 x 9.4 x 18.6 inches

The Fractal Design Meshify 2 strikes a balance rarely seen in the PC case market. Like other Fractal cases, it’s understated, with just the right amount of flare, and it has excellent thermals and cable management. Even in a mid-tower form factor, the Meshify 2 supports up to an E-ATX motherboard, and it ships with three of Fractal’s 140mm Dynamic X2 GP14 fans. Additionally, the case comes with a modular top panel, a built-in PWM fan hub, and the titular mesh front panel, allowing air to pass through unimpeded.

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Form meets function with the Fractal Meshify 2, making it our go-to recommendation for any PC builder.

Cooler Master Cosmos C700P

The best full tower gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Full tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 3x 140mm
  • Front panel: 1x USB-C 3.1, 4x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O, fan speed, RGB controls
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 25.1 x 12 x 25.6 inches

The Cooler Master Cosmos C700P doesn’t share the modern design language of many other cases on this list, but it still comes with all the furnishings. The aluminum handles on the top and bottom are accented by an RGB glow that you can adjust in software or using the controls on the front of the case. Inside, the C700P comes with a removable motherboard tray, storage array, and power supply shroud, allowing you to configure the case how you want. Unlike most cases, the C700P comes with two curved tempered glass side panels, so you can show your build off on all sides (if you put the effort into cable management, that is).

Phanteks Evolv X

The best mid-tower gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Mid-tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 3x 140mm
  • Front panel: 1x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O, RGB controls
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 20.5 x 9.4 x 20.1 inches

Phanteks has continued to support and, excuse us, evolve its Enthoo Evolv range. The most recent addition is the Enthoo Evolv X, which is a beautiful mid-tower chassis packed with RGB accents, vertical GPU support, dual tempered glass side panels, and concealing cable-management panels. Even more impressive than all of that, the Evolv X supports two systems. With a few upgrades and the right power supply, you can install a mini ITX system alongside your main ATX board. That’s unheard of for a mid-tower chassis, justifying the Evolv X’s higher-than-average price tag.

Phanteks Evolv Shift 2

The best mini ITX gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Small
  • Motherboard compatibility: mini ITX
  • Included fans: 3x 140mm
  • Front panel: 2x USB 3.0, power button, RGB controls
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 10.8 x 6.7 x 19.3 inches

Most mini ITX cases are just shrunken versions of larger mid-tower or full tower cases. The Evolv Shift 2 goes in a different direction. Phanteks takes advantage of the vertical space, allowing you to install a full-size graphics card alongside an AIO cooler. You can stuff a lot of power inside this case, but Phanteks didn’t forget ergonomics. You can easily access your motherboard’s back panel from the top of the case, and servicing is simple thanks to the Evolv Shift 2’s dual-chamber design.

Corsair Carbide 275R

The best gaming PC case under $100

  • Form factor: Mid-tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 2x 120mm
  • Front panel: 2x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 17.6 x 8.3 x 17.2 inches

The Corsair Carbide 275R is all about getting the basics right. For around $80, it comes with plenty of fan and radiator mounting options, cable management tie-down points, and space for all your hard drives. It comes with a tempered glass side panel too, which is almost an essential feature in 2021.

Overall, the Carbide 275R is a boring case, and that’s exactly what it should be. Front panel airflow is a little choked, but that’s a minor complaint given the price and how much the Carbide 275R has to offer.

be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900

The best modular gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Full tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini ITX, XL-ATX
  • Included fans: 3x Silent Wings 3
  • Front panel: 1x USB-C 3.2, 2x USB 3.2, power button, reset button, audio I/O, RGB controls
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 25.8 x 12.8 x 26.8 inches

be quiet! sits alongside Fractal Design in a class of PC case makers that manage immense flexibility while keeping the building experience straightforward. The Dark Base Pro 900 is a massive full tower packed with options. You can remove and rearrange just about everything, from the hard drive cages to the motherboard tray.

The modularity isn’t all the Dark Base Pro 900 has to offer, either. Like other be quiet! cases, this one comes with sound-dampening material inside, which doesn’t impact thermals too much thanks to airflow channels around the edges of the case. Additionally, it comes with tons of cable routing options, three excellent Silent Wings 3 fans, and even a Qi wireless charging pad on top.

Cooler Master Silencio S600

The best silent gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Mid-tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 2x Silencio FP
  • Front panel: 2x USB 3.2, power button, reset button, audio I/O, SD card reader
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 18.8 x 8.2 x 18.5 inches

The Cooler Master Silencio S600 isn’t the best case when it comes to thermals, but it will keep your PC quiet. Like other cases in this series, the S600 comes with two of Cooler Master’s Silencio FP 120mm fans installed, which are optimized for low noise. Additionally, sound dampening material lines all the unexposed surfaces to keep sound to a minimum. You may have to open the front panel from time to time or remove the dampening material at the top of the case to keep things cool. Still, the Silencio S600 delivers on its promise of low noise operation.

Thermaltake Tower 900

The best gaming PC case for custom water cooling

  • Form factor: Full tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 2x 140mm
  • Front panel: 4x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 19 x 16.7 x 29.6 inches

In fairness, the Thermaltake Tower 900 may not be the best case for custom water cooling, but there are few cases that can show off your loop like the Tower 900 can. The open, vertical design is a showstopper, with a sense of symmetry that isn’t possible with traditional form factors. The Tower 900 is massive and expensive, but it looks great, comes packed with features, and can support just about any hardware you can throw inside a computer.

Lian-Li PC-O11 Dynamic

The best gaming PC case with tempered glass

  • Form factor: Mid-tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX
  • Included fans: None
  • Front panel: 1x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 17.7 x 10.8 x 17.7 inches

The Lian-Li PC-O11 Dynamic is an infamous case. It doesn’t leave any room for error, with clear tempered glass panels on the front and side of the case. It’s a case that rewards thoughtful building with beautiful components and punishes a mishmash of hardware with no clear direction. It isn’t a case for new PC builders, but the PC-O11 Dynamic has more than its look. Generous radiator support allows you to use an AIO cooler or custom loop, and there’s plenty of room behind the motherboard to stuff your cables.

Although the PC-O11 Dynamic is a demanding case, it’s equally as rewarding.

Fractal Design Define 7

The best minimalist gaming PC case

  • Form factor: Mid-tower
  • Motherboard compatibility: E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini ITX
  • Included fans: 3x Dynamic X2 GP-14
  • Front panel: 1x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB 3.0, power button, reset button, audio I/O
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 21.5 x 9.4 x 18.7 inches

Fractal’s Define series has always, well, defined the company’s design language. Like previous iterations, the Define 7 is basically a black box with just a hint of style. It’s similar to the Meshify 2, just even more understated. Inside, you still get ample room for cable management and excellent water cooling support, and the case stays quiet, even with high-end hardware inside.

The Define 7 wouldn’t look out of place in an office or on your gaming desk, and that flexibility is hard to find.

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Jacob Roach
Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
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