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Best PC case in 2024

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May
22
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What’s the best PC case? Some PC gamers might think of a case as a purely aesthetic choice, but the best case for PC gaming can keep temperatures low, prevent thermal throttling, keep things stable, and give you more headroom for overclocking your CPU and GPU.

The best PC case can be almost as important as getting the best graphics card or gaming CPU. Whether you want the build something to replace your console, a build with a fantastic array of RGB lights, or a chassis with superb airflow, we’ve got something for you on this list.

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At PCGamesN, our experts spend hours testing hardware and reviewing games and VPNs. We share honest, unbiased opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

Best PC case with a screen

Hyte Y70 Touch specifications:

Case type Mid tower
Motherboard support E-ATX, ATC, micro-ATX
Panels 2 x glass panels, 1 x screen, 1 x metal panel
Cooling Room for 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm side fan mounts, 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm base fan mounts, 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm rear fan mounts (no fans included)
I/O 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x 40mm jack
Dimensions 470 x 320 x 470mm
Reasons to buy

  • Fantastic 4k touch screen
  • Loads of room for large components
  • Excellent water cooling potential
Reasons to avoid

  • No fans included
  • Takes up a lot of space
  • Motherboard is difficult to access with GPU installed

We picked the Hyte Y70 Touch as the best PC case overall because of its striking design, its incredible potential for water cooling, and of course, its gorgeous interactive 4k screen. Featuring a 60Hz refresh rate, a massive 1,100 x 3840 resolution, this IPS touch screen is really flashy, and in addition to widgets that give you an overview of your PC, you can also use it as a second display, which is pretty nifty.

While we were impressed by the addition of the screen, we did have a few little nitpicks. For example, it doesn’t come with any fans, so unless you’re planning to reuse fans from another setup, you’re going to have to fork out for new ones. Meanwhile, when using a vertically mounted GPU, it can be kind of awkward to access the motherboard.

However, the problems with this case aren’t going to be problems for everyone, and it does look absolutely fantastic. On top of that, its large size lends itself well to the use of large components, and with so much space inside, this is essentially a blank canvas that you could do anything with.

Read our full Hyte Y70 Touch review.

Jonsbo D30 specifications:

Case type Integrated
Motherboard support micro-ATX
Panels 1 x 3mm tempered glass panel, 1 x steel panel
Cooling 3 x 120mm side fan mounts (with fans), 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm base fans mounts (fans not included), 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm roof fan mounts (fans not included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mounts (120mm fan included)
I/O 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3
Dimensions 290 x 466 x 495mm
Reasons to buy

  • Fantastic cooling
  • Both air and water-cooling support
  • Elegant design
Reasons to avoid

  • Limited features and accessories
  • Lacks USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support
  • Poor cable stowage

The Jonsbo D30 is our pick for the best mid-tier PC case, because as much as it might lack things like a built-in screen, RGB lighting, or decent cable stowage compartments, it remains a fantastic choice of case. In addition to three bundled 120mm fans (which you can mount wherever you please), there are several other mounts and easy solutions for both air and water cooling – although we do wish it had some fans in the front section.

If you’re looking to fit a custom PC into a smaller space, then the Jonsbo D30 is an ideal choice. Its wonderfully compact design makes it easy to fit in most setups – although it is a little on the long side. The length is a side effect of the room made for large components though, and that’s one of the things we love about it. It feels like they could have added more cable stowage though, as it can feel ever so slightly cluttered.

There are other cases out there that have more to offer, like the Cooler Master Cosmos C700M below, which offers RGB lighting, broader motherboard compatibility, and fantastic cable storage features – but if you just want something that will get the job done, is not too expensive, and which has great cooling options, it’s hard to be disappointed with the Jonsbo D30.

Read our full Jonsbo D30 review.

Best PC case for cable management

NZXT H6 Flow RGB specifications:

Case type Mid Tower
Motherboard support ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX
Panels 1 x tempered glass, 1 x steel panel
Cooling 3 x 120mm front fan mounts (fans included), 3 x 120/2 x 140mm roof fan mounts (fans not included), 1 x rear 120mm fan mount (fan not included), 2 x 140mm base fan mounts (fans not included)
I/O 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
Dimensions 287 x 415 x 435mm
Reasons to buy

  • It is beautiful
  • Excellent built-in cooling
  • Plenty of room for cables
Reasons to avoid

  • Roof cannot be removed
  • Large footprint
  • Short fan and RGB cables

Nobody likes to see loads of cables strewn all over the place. It’s not only unsightly but also unsafe. The NZXT H6 Flow RGB managed to help you avoid that problem with the addition of a large cable stowing area which helps keep everything tidy. It’s also quite an attractive case, which will help to further boost your gaming room’s decor.

It is a rather large case though, which might be off-putting for anyone dealing with a smaller space.  But to be honest, there’s a lot more to love than there is to dislike here – there’s an excellent built-in cooling system (including three 120mm fans) which saves you from having to shill out for extra coolers. However, if you want to overclock your PC, there is plenty of room for loads of additional fans to keep even the most powerful setup running smoothly and quietly.

All the uglier parts of your CPU (e.g. PSU and storage drives) are kept in a hidden chamber behind the motherboard, giving you a pretty view through the glass panel. The whole thing has plenty of ventilation holes throughout that’ll help keep everything cool too. All around, it’s a well-made case.

Read our full NZXT H6 Flow RGB review.

Corsair 4000D Airflow Tempered Glass specifications:

Case type Mid tower
Motherboard support ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX
Panels 1 x glass panel, 1 x metal panel
Cooling 2 x 120mm fans
I/O 1 x Type-A USB, 1 Type-C USB, 1 x 3.5mm jack
Dimensions 453 x 230 x 466mm
Reasons to buy

  • Offers amazing airflow
  • Tempered glass side
  • Affordable
Reasons to avoid

  • Side panels hard to remove
  • Has a few small spacing issues
  • I/O selection not great

Have you been burned (literally and figuratively) but a custom PC setup that didn’t have sufficient airflow? Well, if you want to be completely sure that you can avoid this happening again, we recommend going for this case. Its front panel is designed to take in as much air as possible, and it has room for three 120mm fans or even a 360mm AIO cooler.

Its biggest drawback comes from the fact that its side panels are quite difficult to remove. If you’re somebody who routinely adds new components to your gaming PC, this is going to get irritating fast. You might also struggle a bit when it comes to fitting things into the upper regions of the case, where spacing can get a bit tight. It could do with a better I/O selection as well.

We don’t want to end a negative though – this is a beautifully designed piece of hardware that is unrivalled when it comes to airflow. This option will not only look fantastic as part of your setup, but it’ll keep everything cool even when you’re playing the most processing-intensive of games.

Read our full Corsair 4000D Airflow review.

Be Quiet Dark Base 701

Best PC case for space

Be Quiet Dark Base 701 specifications:

Case type Mid Tower
Motherboard support E-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, Mini-ITX
Panels 1 x tempered glass, 1 x metal panel
Cooling 3 x 140mm PWM
I/O 2 x USB, 1 x USB Type-C, 1 x mic jack, 1 x headphone jack
Dimensions 67 x 60 x 35cm
Reasons to buy

  • It offers loads of space
  • Accessible

The Be Quiet Dark Base 700 once occupied a space on this list, but the Be Quiet Dark Base 701 has now succeeded it. Essentially, it has all the benefits of its predecessor (it’s quiet and spacious), but it takes it even further – coming with an extra built-in fan, a few extra ports, and even more space.

Something of this size could house many of the best CPU coolers inside it without any problem, and it’ll keep them running as quietly as possible (living up to its name). The only downside is that, as it is bigger than the already large older model, its footprint may be too large for quite a lot of setups. You can even squeeze the best AIO coolers in there with no difficulty.

If you do opt for it, the addition of the tempered glass panel is fantastic – combined with subtle RGB lighting, it offers a lot of aesthetic charm. It may lack the flourish of an interactive screen like the Hyte Y70 Touch, but not everyone will want or need anything like that anyway.

The Be Quiet Dark Base 701 is ideal for anyone who wants to build their first gaming PC and plans to go big. There’s a removable bracket at the top, which gives you easy access to everything within – this alone is pretty handy, but on top of that, it’s been designed to enable users to install drives without the need of tools. It’s wonderfully accessible.

Fractal Design North

Most aesthetic PC case

Fractal Design North specifications:

Case type Mid tower
Motherboard support ATX, mATX, ITX motherboards
Panels 2 x mech side panels
Cooling 2 x 140mm fans
I/O 2 x USB Type-A, 2 x 40mm
Dimensions ‎ 447 x 215 x 469mm
Reasons to buy

  • Beautifully stylish design
  • Great thermal performance
Reasons to avoid

  • Not so good noise-insulation

Sometimes you just want the prettiest option. If you’ve got a gorgeous gaming room all setup and looking just the way you like it, then you’re going to want to make sure you’ve got a suitably delightful PC case too. These Fractal Design North cases are some of the nicest we’ve seen, and with a variety of designs to choose from, we’re sure you’ll find one to match your aesthetic.

To clarify, this is not a case of style over substance. The mesh substance used for its panels means that it’s naturally good at keeping cool, with a decent pair of 140mm fans in there too. Admittedly, they’re not the best at noise insulation, and it can get a bit noisy sometimes, but that’s one of only very, very few flaws.

It’s also one of the cheaper options on the list. Its look perhaps might not exactly scream “gamer” but it does scream “cozy space in a beautiful home” and we think it’d look great in a slightly more mature gaming setup.

Cooler Master Cosmos C700M

Best high-end PC case

Cooler Master Cosmos C700M specifications:

Case type Full tower
Motherboard support ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX
Panels 1 x curved glass panel, 1 x curved metal panel
Cooling 4 x 140mm fans
I/O 4 x Type-A USB, 1 Type-C USB, 2 x 3.5mm jack
Dimensions 651 x 306 x 650mm
Reasons to buy

  • Absolutely gorgeous
  • RGB lighting options
  • Excellent cable management
Reasons to avoid

  • Expensive
  • Too large for smaller set-ups

If money is no object to you, the Cooler Master Cosmos C700M is the case you’re going to want to get. Its curved glass side panel looks absolutely fantastic, and this is a rare example of a PC case that has RGB lights both inside and out. If you’ve got one of the best gaming motherboards, you’ll even be able to synchronize the lighting across them.

Its enormous size means that you can fit practically anything inside it. If you know how to overclock your CPU and GPU, you know that the extra space will be essential (though it is less convenient for anyone with a simpler setup). Heck, it even has space to install a DVD drive, which is going to be good news for anyone who wants to play their old physical games, or just wants to be able to watch their movie collection on their gaming PC.

Of course, this is a very expensive choice, so it’s not going to be for everyone – but let us reassure you, you get what you pay for. There are toolless drive slots, spaces for 5.25-inch bays, and the cable management on this thing is fantastic. The perfect PC case may not exist, but this thing comes pretty darn close.

Lian Li Lancool 205M

Best micro ATX PC case

Lian Li Lancool 205M specifications:

Case type Mid tower
Motherboard support Micro ATC, Mini ITX
Panels 1 x glass panel, 1 x metal panel
Cooling 2 x 120mm fans
I/O 2 x Type-A USB, 2 x 3.5mm jack
Dimensions 210 x 415 x 400mm
Reasons to buy

  • Affordable pricing
  • Glass side panel available
Reasons to avoid

  • Limited orientation options
  • Design is a bit dull

One of these cases will help you to cut down the size of your PC without some of the sacrifices to airflow and PSU compatibility that you often get with smaller mini ITX variants. With a flashy glass side panel that allows you to show off any RGB components, plus a steel frame, this is a pretty impressive piece of work.

While it is advertised as having room for a 240mm AIO cooler, it’s actually pretty difficult to get one in there, so we would advise against it, which is pretty disappointing. All in all, it’s not bad for smaller setups, but you do need to be extremely conscious of measurements with this one, and keep in mind that you’ll have limited orientation options for certain components.

Nonetheless, it’s a decent price and a fantastic option for a Mini-ITX chassis. It’s also available in a few different colors, so, despite the slightly bland design, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting it to match with everything else in your gaming room.

Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB

Best RGB PC case

Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB specifications:

Case type Mid tower
Motherboard support ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX
Panels 1 x glass panel, 1 x metal panel
Cooling 3 x 120m RGB fans
I/O 1 x Type-A USB, 1 x Type-C USB, 1 x 3.5mm jack
Dimensions 453 x 230 x 466
Reasons to buy

  • Beautiful RGB setup
  • Lovely and quiet

Do you have a stunning games room filled with a beautiful display of RGB lights? The Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB will be right at home. With the iCUE hub, you have complete control over its RGB displays, allowing you to synchronize it perfectly with any other devices, or components that are displayed behind its glass panel.

We should mention that a few users have reported that the glass panel shatters quite easily. We can’t say that we have experienced this ourselves, but it is something to be conscious of. As long as you are careful (as we suspect most gamers already are around their custom PCs) we don’t anticipate that this will be a problem.

Meanwhile, this case is not only a treat for the eyes but also a treat for the ears. Though it doesn’t keep things quite as quiet as our top choice on this list, it has to be said that this case is very good at keeping noise distractions to a minimum. While it could have been better designed to facilitate airflow, if you’ve got a few coolers, they’ll easily fit and then there’s almost nothing bad to say about this case.

How to choose the best PC case

We’ve listed the best PC cases in a range of prices, styles and sizes so you can find exactly what’s right for your needs and budget. To narrow down your choices, here’s what to consider:

  • Pricing: Prices of the best PC cases vary enormously. While there are some options out there upwards of $500, cheaper ones like the Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB we have covered here are still excellent.
  • RGB lights: Do you have lots of RGB lighting in your gaming setup? If so, you might want a case that matches. While you might pay fractionally more for lots of RGB lights, it’s a relatively inexpensive addition and every case on this list includes it in some way or another.
  • Space: What size are the components that make up your custom gaming PC? Obviously, the answer to that question will be different for everyone, but make sure to check your measurements against the dimensions of each case.
  • Airflow: A good PC case will have plenty of vents to ensure that it has good airflow and that the components can remain cool. We haven’t included anything with overtly bad airflow, but those with more vents are better than others, and those with fewer should be supplemented with a CPU cooler or AIO cooler.
  • Noise: Do you use your PC to play new, high-end games that will push your processor to the max? If so, you might want to be conscious of your case’s sound insulation. You may need lots of fans to keep a CPU or GPU cool, but this may make a lot of noise, which in turn might ruin your experience of the game. Many of these have been designed specifically to stifle the noises made by a gaming PC in operation, and we recommend you choose one of those if you’re worried about noise.

Any questions? Check out the FAQs below.

Which PC case brand is best?

The answer to this question will depend on your taste and your needs, but anything from Corsair, Cooler Master, or Be Quiet in particular is going to be a notch above many of the cheaper, unknown brands.

Is a black or white PC case better?

In most cases, this is a matter of style. Which would look best in your room? However, if your gaming PC is going to be positioned in direct sunlight, then we recommend going for a white one so that it can reflect the light that shines onto it and reduce the risk of overheating.

Does PC case airflow matter?

Yes, absolutely. Especially if you are planning to push your gaming PC to the limit. While it might be the case that you can achieve a lot with CPU coolers, it’s always going to be better to go for a case that facilitates airflow as much as possible to reduce the risk of overheating as much as possible.

Which PC case has the best airflow?

We recommend the high-end PC case, the Corsair Carbine 175R, the second option on our list. Though every case on this list has good airflow, that one is the best that we’ve come across.

Will my components fit?

If you’re going for a smaller mini ITX case, be sure to check out the supported dimensions for larger components like the best graphics card or the best CPU cooler, as they won’t always fit. You’ll also need to check whether you’ll have to purchase an SFX power supply rather than the usual larger ATX power supply. In addition, these smaller cases can be a headache to build in depending on their design, although Cooler Master’s MasterBox NR200 is an exception to this problem thanks to its 360-degree dismantling granting you easy access to all areas.

For more on finding the right case and building the right setup, read our guide on how to manage cables. You might also be interested in reading our gaming PCs vs gaming laptops piece, for more information on getting the right setup for you. Having second thoughts about building your own? Our guides on the best mini gaming PC and the best gaming PC will give you some ready-made options to consider.