The Best PC Cases in 2024

PC cases come in many sizes and configurations. And the thing is, best PC cases for some aren’t even near the best for others. Some users love silent PC cases, others prefer maximum airflow. Some users want the biggest case they can get, others adore small-form-factor cases.

While it’s impossible to decide on the best PC case around, it’s possible to make a limited selection of best PC cases in different categories. Today, we picked the best among full-tower, mid-tower, Micro ATX, and Mini ITX cases. No matter your preferences you will find an excellent case, just for you. Let’s start.

fractal torrent
  • Extremely open airflow design
  • 2x 180mm fans either on the front panel or bottom of the case
  • The new appealing design and high-quality build

We will start this comparison of PC cases with a new case you should look out for because it is scary good. We already know that Fractal and Lian Li are very good at their airflow designs but it is nice to see that Fractal finds innovative ways to get as much air inside of your PC as possible without looking like every other PC case on the market.

The Fractal Torrent was designed with the sole purpose of keeping your temperatures as low as possible with as many fans as possible. The Torrent comes with 2x 180mm/3x 120/140mm fans intake fans, 3x 120/140mm or 2x 180mm bottom fans and a 120/140mm rear exhaust fan.

This design is made with one purpose in mind – cooling your CPU and GPU to the maximum. The interior of the case is also open to make sure the cool air does not have any barriers and can get directly to your components.

The build quality of this PC case is extremely good and it comes with a lot of bells and whistles like a pre-installed fan hub, external cable straps, 4 SSD brackets, etc.

Overall this case is a beast and although new to the market it is already a fan favorite to beat even the most popular cases!

Pros:
  • Extremely good cooling
  • Extremely good looks
  • Very easy to work in
  • All the modern features you would expect from a case
Cons:
  • Not cheap
  • Other quirks might surface later on as the case is very new on the market

Lian Li Lancool 215

Jack of All Trades – Best Overall Thermals & Design

lian li lancool 215
  • Mid-tower case
  • 2x 200mm ARGB front case fans
  • Modern cable management and routing features

Considering the sheer amount of PC cases available on the market it is extremely hard to say that one specific PC case has it all.

At the same time, the Lian Li Lancool 215 is not the biggest, not the fanciest, does not have the best build quality or airflow, BUT at the same time it does everything we mentioned above to a good enough degree and when considering the price of the Lancool 215 it becomes an extremely good deal.

The case is very good at keeping your components cool and comes equipped with 2 massive mm front intake ARGB fans. It might not have all the bells and whistles but it has enough modern cable management and cable routing features to not give you any trouble at all.

It also comes with a 120mm fan for an exhaust so you have enough stock fans to have literally one of the best cooling on the market without investing anything in the case.

Considering the price at which this case comes in, it becomes really hard to not recommend it to anyone building a case and doesn’t want to splurge on the PC case.

Pros:
  • Extremely good cooling
  • Very strong cooling power with stock fan configuration
  • Can fit even the biggest of components
  • Has a glass side panel that adds some style points
Cons:
  • Not the cheapest
  • Doesn’t do anything particularly well (jack of all trades)

CORSAIR iCUE 5000T

A Light Show at Every Angle

corsair icue 5000t
  • 208 addressable LEDs
  • 3x LL120mm RGB fans included with the case
  • Customizable fan mounts allowing for side-mounting (3x 120mm fans or 360mm radiator)

There are many cases on the market that look good, but if you want the absolute best RGB light show possible integrated into your build then you need to be looking at the Corsair iCUE 5000T. This case is lit up 160 RGB LEDs integrated into the front, roof, and floor panels, plus 48 LEDs in the included fans rounding up to a grand total of 208 LEDs in your case.

The case itself is spacious and well cooled with the mesh front/roof panels and 3 Corsair LL120 RGB fans allowing for most air or water cooled configurations to work well with the case. The case has a customizable fan mount allowing you to side mount a 360mm radiator or 3x120mm fans for good looks and more cooling options.

Storage is also not a problem with a possible 5x 2.5’’ SSDs or 2x 3.5’’ HDDs due to the combo drive trays available in the case. Everything sounded great until now but here comes the painful bit – the case is 400$ and that is not a joke. It kind of makes sense considering that this is basically a tiny disco case with both performance and looks in one, so before buying one be sure that you have the finances to do so.

Pros:
  • Good enough to have a party in your room with all the RGB
  • Good cooling with mesh front and top panels
  • The side mounted fans look cool no matter how you look at it
Cons:
  • This thing costs as much as a main component in your build (CPU/GPU)

Lian Li LI PC-O11 Dynamic EVO

Best Display Case

lian li li pc-o11 dynamic evo
  • Mid-tower chassis with normal and reverse modes
  • Front and side tempered glass for RGB and components display
  • Supports up to 3x 360 radiators and a maximum of 10 fans

The O11 Dynamic EVO is a mainstay in the PC market building for a while now and there is a very good reason for this fact – this case is one of the best to use if you want to showcase just how cool your build is.

Even though this is a mid-tower case it is designed to have a TON of space for building and cooling components. You can install 3x 360mm radiators in this beast and deck it out with 10 RGB fans across the top, bottom and the side-mount. There is also a lot of space for storage where you can use the side drive tray, cable management bar, drive cage and even the bottom fan bracket ALL for holding your 2.5’’ or 3.5’’ storage solutions.

The O11 Dynamic Evo has a mix of functionality with easy cable management, good airflow,and great looks all in one package. The only real downside is that this is not exactly a cheap case but if you want to look good you better be ready to spend a pretty penny.

Pros:
  • Very spacious inside which helps with building
  • Has extremely good fan/radiator support
  • One of the best looking cases on the market
Cons:
  • The cable management is decent but not the best
  • You have to pay a premium price for a case that has it all

Lian Li Lancool II Mesh Performance

Best Out of the Box Thermal Performance

lian li lancool ii mesh
  • Mesh front, bottom left panel, and honeycomb vents
  • Included 3x 120mm ARGB fans
  • Great build quality

If you want to just buy a PC case and put your components in without ever worrying about thermal performance then your best bet is to buy the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh. As the name implies the main feature of this case is the front mesh panel, honeycomb vents and left shroud panel that allows for A LOT of air to come and go.

Added to this are 3 ARGB 120mm fans that come with the case in order to keep it cool at all times. You even have modular PSU shroud covers that can be removed so you can stack even more fans inside for extra cooling capacity.

Besides the cooling capacity, this case supports up to 9 drives, great cable management, flip panels and shrouds, and an overall good quality design.

If you do not want to research for cheaper airflow cases then just get the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh.

Pros:
  • Best cooling with a stock PC case
  • Has spots for even more fans in the case
  • High-quality design and features
Cons:
  • Pricey
  • Can be hard to find in stock sometimes

How To Choose A PC Case

There’s a lot to consider when looking for a new PC case. Let’s talk about the most important things.

Picking The Right Size

There are three main PC case form factors. We have humongous full tower cases, which can host any motherboard along with multiple GPUs and a bunch of fans or multiple water-cooling radiators.

Mid-tower cases are mainstream. They aren’t huge but can host full-size boards (ATX) along with dual GPUs, multiple fans, and large radiators. Some mid-tower cases can host large, EATX motherboards, but that’s not a common feature.

Small form-factor cases include Mini Tower and Mini ITX cases. The first ones are made for MicroATX and Mini ITX motherboards and are between mid-tower and Mini ITX cases when it comes to size. Not big but not super small.

Finally, Mini ITX cases are perfect for HTPC and low-profile gaming builds. They support Mini-ITX motherboards and, in very rare cases, mATX boards. Also, their airflow usually isn’t the best. But they offer compact footprint. Mini ITX cases take much less space than any other form factor.

Going Silent

Most PC cases are built to provide high airflow. But there are also cases built for maximum silence. They use various methods to reduce the noise. Such as silent case fans, special padding that soaks the noise from HDDs and fans, soundproof metal covers, and more. Do note that many quiet cases provide solid airflow, just don’t expect superb results.

Think About Features You Need

After you decided about the size and whether you want a silent or a regular PC case, it’s time to look for specific features you need. First of all, every case that comes into consideration has to have tool-less design and solid cable management. That’s the basis of every quality case. Additional features include:

Drive Bays – decide how many drive bays you need for your storage devices. Even smaller cases can host a large number of hard drives and SSDs so smaller size doesn’t have to mean just a couple of drive bays.

And make sure you’re satisfied with the number of bays because you won’t be able to increase them in the future. Except by getting a new case.

Number Of Fans Supported – another important thing to look for. If you want a high airflow case, make sure it can house plenty of fans. Just remember that even two fans can be enough for a solid airflow.

Radiator Mounts And Water Cooling Support – water cooling is more popular than ever so many cases support radiators for AIO liquid cooling systems.

Mid-tower and smaller cases usually support up to 280mm radiators. Some mid-tower cases have enough room for 360mm radiators.

When it comes to pumps and custom loops, look out for that. Some cases may come with space for one or two radiators but they won’t have enough room for a proper pump.

Dust Filters – another interesting feature that seems unimportant but can come handy. Cases with multiple dust filters make cleaning inside of the case much easier. All you have to do is to remove the filters and suck the accrued dust with a vacuum cleaner.

Cut-Out On The Back Of The Motherboard Tray – if you’re into custom air coolers for your CPU you might look for the CPU cutout at the back of the motherboard tray. The cutout allows users to replace the cooler without removing the motherboard, which can make the process much simpler and faster.

Space For The CPU Cooler – if you like huge air coolers for your PC, make sure the case you want has enough room for your cooler. There are some huge coolers that even full-tower cases cannot house.

Space For Graphics Card – last but not least, always check that the case you’re interested in is long enough for your graphics card. This is a small oversight that can completely ruin your setup. Each PC case lists max graphics card length in its official spec sheet. Do not forget to check that before buying a case.

Carrying Handle – there are great PC cases out there that feature a carrying handle. If you’re moving your rig often, think about getting a case with a handle attached.

Don’t Forget About The Front I/O Panel – The front I/O panel is the last thing many users look for in a PC case, but it can be important. For instance, if you have a VR headset a front placed HDMI port along with multiple (more than 2) USB 3 ports is a godsend.

Also, if you have a bunch of chargers and other USB accessories hooked up to your PC all the time, it’s handy to be able to hook them all to the front of the case.

About The Author

Goran Damnjanovic

Goran studied psychology but video games and PC hardware were much more interesting. On top of that he likes writing so he decided to become a writer. And it was the right choice. Other than games and hardware, Goran is interested in basketball, Sci-Fi literature, and music.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments