Whether you are a gamer or not, you need a PC case that meets your needs in terms of design and compatibility. It's not easy when you don't know anything about the field. And even for the experts, the opinions of professionals and users greatly facilitate the decision making process. In either case, this guide will be of great help. Here you will find the best PC cases for different purposes.
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Our selection
"The Obsidian 500D SE is the newest addition to the Obsidian Series. It offers a lot of new features like removable fan bays, 3 dust…"
"The Q300L adopts a compact, cutting-edge design with dust filters. Micro-ATX type, it has a 2.8 cm cable storage space."
"The versatility of this PC case does not limit your configuration. Its high compatibility is complemented by its high-end design and curved rendering. It calls…"
"With its rounded corners, the Corsair graphite 780T is compatible with all of the brand's liquid coolers. The clear latch side panel provides easy access…"
"A medium size tower to enhance the look of your room and office. We are immediately seduced by its innovative design. Its technical features are…"
The Obsidian 500D SE is the newest addition to the Obsidian Series. It offers a lot of new features like removable fan bays, 3 dust filters and an innovative cable management system.
210 £ on AmazonThis case is 507 mm high, 237 mm wide and 500 mm deep. Enough to hold all types of motherboards: ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX. With a steel frame, plus aluminum, and 3 tempered glass panels, and smoked, the Obsidian 500D offers a rare visual finesse and inspires robustness. Plus, the two side panels open with aluminum handles for easy access for cable storage and installation of your computer components.
This tower can accommodate a watercooling pump and up to 5 x 120mm or 4 x 14mm RGB fans. In fact, it is customizable. This case has removable bays, to facilitate the installation of your fans, allowing you to modulate your installation. Ventilation is optimized by the presence of a honeycomb top plate. The interior is compatible with 3 SSDs and 2 HDDs in 3.5 format.
The Q300L adopts a compact, cutting-edge design with dust filters. Micro-ATX type, it has a 2.8 cm cable storage space.
37,52 £ on AmazonThe highlight of this Cooler Master case is its cutting-edge design. Practical, the front, top and bottom panels are fully perforated to accommodate all sizes of fans. These walls have magnetic and removable dust filters to protect your components. The transparent acrylic side panel completes the look, making the Q300L the perfect companion for your office.
Inside, the front supports 2 x 12cm or 14cm fans and the top panel supports 2 x 12cm fans or a liquid cooler. The Q300L is compatible with micro-ATX and mini-ITX motherboards. Behind the motherboard slot, you have a 1-inch space perfect for storing your cables. With 2 USB 3.0 ports on the front, you can easily install 2 SSDs and 1 HDD on the internal bays.
The versatility of this PC case does not limit your configuration. Its high compatibility is complemented by its high-end design and curved rendering. It calls for RGB components through its tempered glass sides.
399 £ on LDLCThis is a great tower that will please gamers. Apart from compatible motherboards, it is suitable for a dual graphics card configuration and accommodates up to 9 fans. Unfortunately, none are supplied by the manufacturer. However, you can install a liquid cooling system with two 360mm radiators. All-day gaming is allowed.
Of the 7 disk holders, 4 are for HDDs and 3 for SSDs. The connectivity is revolutionized enough to fit your most demanding requirements. With an interior volume equivalent to 100 liters, all high-end components are welcome to push the limits of your machine.
With its rounded corners, the Corsair graphite 780T is compatible with all of the brand's liquid coolers. The clear latch side panel provides easy access to the heart of the PC.
154 £ on AmazonThe Corsair 780T is a large tower, ATX model. This allows it to fit all existing computer components. In front, you have a grille housing 2 x 14cm fans and a 14cm exhaust grille in the back. The design of the case allows you to appreciate the LED lights of the fans and the transparent side panel with latch is also a factor.
On the top you have 4 USB ports and a fan controller, variable speed, with 3 modes. Inside you have 2 bays for your DVD/Blu-ray players, 6 modular slots for 3.5″ and 2.5″ hard drives as well as 3 SSD bays on the side. For your cabling, there are several rubber grommets allowing you to neatly tuck it away. The power supply unit sits at the bottom, but without a cover. Finally, you have 2 side bars ensuring stability and limiting vibrations.
A medium size tower to enhance the look of your room and office. We are immediately seduced by its innovative design. Its technical features are not to be outdone and are making an impact on the market.
319 £ on LDLCThis case blends performance and style. Made of aluminum and tempered glass, it has an unusual shape that matches its captivating color. The interior is spacious enough to hold the components that guarantee the power and efficiency of the installation.
In length, it is compatible with a 450 mm motherboard and a 215 mm fan can be installed in height. Count also 6 fan slots of 120 mm or a space for 2 radiators of 360 mm in watercooling. For connectivity, a USB type C is added to the elements common to all cases. The internal structure simplifies the installation of all parts.
Any specific needs?
The PC case with a futuristic design
Your guide :
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| THE BEST | CHEAP | TOP OF THE LINE | VERY GOOD | EXCELLENT | |
In accordance with our commitment, this buying guide does not contain any sponsored products. |
8/10 |
7/10 |
9/10 |
7/10 |
9/10 |
| OUR SELECTION |
Corsair - Obsidian 500D RGB SE Premium
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Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L
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IN WIN 925
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Corsair Graphite 780T
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Antec Torque
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The Obsidian 500D SE is the newest addition to the Obsidian Series. It offers a lot of new features like removable fan bays, 3 dust filters and an innovative cable management system.
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The Q300L adopts a compact, cutting-edge design with dust filters. Micro-ATX type, it has a 2.8 cm cable storage space.
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The versatility of this PC case does not limit your configuration. Its high compatibility is complemented by its high-end design and curved rendering. It calls for RGB components through its tempered glass sides.
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With its rounded corners, the Corsair graphite 780T is compatible with all of the brand's liquid coolers. The clear latch side panel provides easy access to the heart of the PC.
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A medium size tower to enhance the look of your room and office. We are immediately seduced by its innovative design. Its technical features are not to be outdone and are making an impact on the market.
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Max GPU length
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370 mm
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360 mm
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420 mm
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355 mm
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450 mm
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Motherboard size
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ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
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micro-ATX/mini-ITX
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Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX
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ATX / micro-ATX / mini-ITX
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E-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX
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Weight
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11.34 kg
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3.7 kg
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17.8 kg
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11.29 kg
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9.35 kg
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USB port
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1 x 3.1 Type C / 2 x USB 3.0
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2 x 3.0
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2 x 3.0 / 1 x 3.1 Type C
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2 × 2.0/2 x 3.0
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2 x USB 3.0 / 1 x USB 3.1 Type C
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Fans included
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RGB 3 x 140 mm
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1 x 12 cm
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2 x 12 cm
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The first thing to look at is the size of the motherboard and the size of the graphics card. A mini-ITX case, no matter how nice, will not fit an ATX motherboard or a GPU longer than 15 cm. First, determine the various components to be installed, then choose the appropriate PC case. Also, depending on the characteristics of your components, determine whether you need a gamer or standard case. Keep in mind that ventilation and airflow play a vital role in the PC's performance.
In the 2000s, we didn't care much about aesthetics. If the PC turns on and doesn't fizzle, it's all good! Nowadays, it has become a criterion of choice and there are even people who can customize your PC case.
Choose a PC case that has enough HDD and SSD hard drive slots to match your needs. But don't limit yourself, additional slots will be welcome when you want to upgrade or update. Next, see if you have the possibility to store and arrange your various cables for a clean installation and that the cables are not lying around. On most new cases, you will have an aluminum cover at the bottom to cover the power supply slot. This is the standard now and it's convenient. Finally, if you are a fan, some manufacturers will include LED strips in their products. These are called RGB cases and it changes the overall look of your hardware.
Observe the
number of fans included and the free slots. The reason is that the majority of cases on sale do not have a power supply
. You have to buy one, and if your hardware includes, or you want to install more than one original fan, you're going to run out of connections. A high fan count does not guarantee successful cooling. Secondly, opt for cases that include original dust covers. This way, you will limit dust deposits on the circuits and motorization of your components. It will help their durability.
With the advent of SATA, the concept of master or slave disk has disappeared and with it DVD drives. So don't be surprised to see cases without this component. However, if you have an impressive DVD/Blu-ray collection, it would be a shame to go without. Choose a case with a bay.
If the air inside your PC case circulates optimally, the life of your computer will be extended by several years. High heat is the black sheep of a PC, whether standard or gamer. The components are equipped with printed circuit boards that have a tolerance to high temperatures. It is therefore important, even vital, to control the temperature of the components via software such as Afterburner.
It is a misconception that having as many fans as possible on a PC case will help cool the whole thing down. This is not true, the amount of hot air inside the hardware must be roughly equal to the amount of cold air. There is a balance to be achieved. If cold air dominates, it will get trapped in a corner of the case and heat up. This mass of warm air will not move and will increase the temperature. For a good air circulation, the exchange will have to be done with equal volume.
First of all, you should know that not all fans are created equal. There are more expensive models that ventilate better like Noctua, Bequiet or Corsair. To start, you can install an air inlet on the front and an outlet on the back. This is a classic flow available on most desktop computers.
For a more complex setup, you can have 2 x 14 cm models or 3 x 12 cm fans on the front coupled with a 12 cm fan on the bottom grille. For extraction, install one 12 cm fan on the back grid and two 14 cm or 20 cm fans on the top grid. Obviously, you must control the temperature of your components and adjust your installation to reach optimal temperatures.
There is a tendency to underestimate the value of a PC case in an assembly. People buy the first case they see or like. Once they get to the assembly stage, they notice that the motherboard is not suitable or the graphics card is too long. The choice of a case should be made after the purchase of the other components. You should know that there are 3 types with different dimensions: ATX, micro ATX and mini-ITX.
The ATX PC case is the largest model: because of its size and volume. You can install all formats of motherboard, GPU without worry. The HDD or SSD slots are multiple and you can install a cooling mechanism, liquid watercolling without any problem. The other advantage of this PC case is that it has, in general, a very efficient cable management system
that runs behind all components. This gives an impeccable visual appearance!
In addition, this material allows good ventilation and better heat dissipation, because each computer element has its own area. Speaking of ventilation, this type of case has several fan slots and it even supports FANS with a diameter of 20 cm. However, the downside is its weight and it takes up a lot of space.
Also
called medium tower PC case, it is the most common model and equips the majority of pre-assembled PCs sold on online platforms. Its advantage, it supports all 3 motherboard formats, to a certain limit, and it' s a light enough product
to be carried anywhere. Moreover, this product does not take up much space and can be installed anywhere especially if you have an RGB model. In recent years, even graphics card manufacturers have adopted this case format.
Despite the smaller volume, manufacturers such as Cooler Master, Antec and Corsair arrange the space of their cases to accommodate the cabling. As for disadvantages, ventilation becomes a bit complicated depending on the model and considering the announced dimensions of the RTX 3090 or the Super versions of the other GPUs in the RTX range, some micro-ATX cases will not be suitable. Finally, you will be limited in terms of hard disk slots or fans.
Lack of
space or don't like the look of large PC towers? Opt for a mini-ITX case. It's the smallest available and you absolutely must get a motherboard of the same size. Otherwise, it will be mission impossible. The only possible watercolling solution is the basic model without complications and the same will be true for the fans. Indeed, you will have to make do with the basic ventilation system
. Like the NZXT H1 model, you will have extremely efficient air circulation without additional fans.
Even so, this PC case size supports most GPUs and in case you want a third-party model with 3 fans, look for the equivalent in a smaller size. You won't lose out on performance. The disadvantage that strikes at first is the cruel lack of space, it's the bare minimum. The advantage is that the mini-ITX format has a chic and modern design and will not stand out in the room. They could be mistaken for designer furniture. Finally, you should know that some builders manage to build monsters with a mini-ITX PC case.
Let's face it: a noisy PC case while you're studying or working is not the best way to stay motivated or creative. That's why manufacturers have designed so-called "silent" cases. Their specificity lies in the ventilation system: no air opening either at the top or at the bottom. That is to say, an air flow entering at the front and one at the back for extraction, without more.
The materials used are more insulating, but lighter. The interior layout will be more advanced to allow good ventilation. However, choose the ATX model to get a better balance and to better distribute the space for the components
A gamer PC case can be used for a standard installation as well as for a more advanced setup. Due to the number of fans including the ventirad, the graphics card and the PSU, the noise level can quickly get out of control.
On the other hand, the temperature of your components will be optimal to allow your setup to run at 100% all the time. There are tricks to reduce the noise level, but it won't be at the level of silent models. Anyway, that's not really what we ask of them!
For an office or coworking space, silent PC cases are perfect. Their design will beautify the space for a sober visual effect that is conducive to reflection. If you're looking for raw performance, however, gamer cases are a better fit.
Place your fans properly.
To know if a fan is in extraction mode, you have 2 methods. The first one is to look at the arrow on the equipment indicating it. The second method is to put a tissue or toilet paper in front of the fan and observe if it sucks or if it rejects the paper.
Make sure the interior is well arranged.
To
get a perfect fit, run the cables through the slots provided so that they pass behind the motherboard. If you have a modular power supply, do not plug in unnecessary connectors.
Fans too noisy.
You
can buy and install a variable speed drive to limit the speed of your fans and thus reduce the noise level
.
In case of overheating.
It
can happen that the temperature of your components like hard disks or graphics card is too high. In order to remedy this problem, you can open the side panel in a window, if this is the case, or unscrew it in order to give a big bowl of fresh air to your PC.
Clean your case.
It'
s important to give the outside and inside of your case a blast of air once every couple of months. Dust settles all over the mechanisms of your components and this will damage them in the medium and long term. However, do not point the blower directly at the components, put a good safety distance.
The best PC case depends on your needs and your budget. Read our buying guide to find out which products are the best at the moment.
There are 3 formats of PC cases: ATX, mini-ATX and mini-ITX. Each type has its own dimensions suitable for a specific type of motherboard. To learn more, please read our article on this subject.
Plexiglas or tempered glass models have a more finished look and are more attractive visually. Both materials are equally robust, but you have to be careful with the total weight of the set.
An entry-level PC case will cost you less than 50 euros and for high-end models, you'll have to spend the modest sum of 150 euros or more. However, in order to choose a good model, you need to consider a few basic criteria. By reading our guide, you will learn more.
The advantage of a silent case is that it makes less noise than a Gamer or standard model. You can find more information in the PC case sections of this article.
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