Best Micro-ATX Cases for 2024

These mATX cases are perfect for your small form-factor PC.

Best Micro-ATX Cases 2024
Micro-ATX cases are a nice alternative to mini-ITX cases as they are typically less expensive and offer a bit more room to house bigger graphics cards and taller air CPU coolers.

And, fortunately, there are a lot of quality micro-ATX case options out there for you to choose between.

Also Read: Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX vs ATX: What’s the Difference?

In this guide, we’ve covered a handful of the top mATX case options currently available across a few different categories and pricepoints. So, whether you’re looking for the best airflow, or the most compact option, or the best budget-friendly choice, one of the micro-ATX cases below will likely work for you.

Watch: What to Look for in A PC Case

Watch our Beginner’s Guide to Choosing a Case below, or on our YouTube channel.

Our Top Picks for the Best Micro-ATX Cases

The table below represents our top selections for the best micro-ATX cases across a range of categories. We’ve chosen what we feel is the best mATX case overall, our runner-up pick, the best cube-style micro-ATX case, the best value pick, and the best budget-friendly option.

NAME SPECS RATING
TOP PICK
LIAN Li 205M Mesh

Lian Li 205M

  • 350mm GPU
  • 160mm Cooler
  • 5 Fans Max
  • 240mm Rad.
9.0/10

Check Price

Read Review »

AIRFLOW
ASUS Prime AP201

ASUS Prime AP201

  • 338mm GPU
  • 170mm Cooler
  • 4 Fans Max
  • 360mm Rad.
8.9/10

Check Price

Read Review »

CUBE STYLE
JONSBO C6

JONSBO C6

  • 255mm GPU
  • 75mm Cooler
  • 3 Fans Max
  • 140mm Rad.
8.7/10

Check Price

Read Review »

VALUE PICK
Montech AIR 100 ARGB

Montech AIR 100

  • 330mm GPU
  • 161mm Cooler
  • 8 Fans Max
  • 280mm Rad.
8.9/10

Check Price

Read Review »

BUDGET
Thermaltake Versa H18

Thermaltake Versa H18

  • 350mm GPU
  • 155mm Cooler
  • 5 Fans Max
  • 280mm Rad.
8.7/10

Check Price

Read Review »

*To read more about each of these mATX cases, click on the “Read Review »” link to skip to our write-up on that case. You can also keep scrolling down to find more micro-ATX cases based on your budget.

1. Lian Li 205M Mesh

The best micro-ATX case overall

LIAN Li 205M Mesh
  • GPUs up to 350mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 160mm tall
  • Holds up to 5 fans max
  • Radiators up to 240mm long

Our Rating: 9.0/10

Check Price on Amazon

Lian Li’s 205M micro-ATX case is the perfect option for anyone looking for a high-end moderatley priced chassis. The 205M is also one of the roomier mATX cases on this list with the ability to hold video cards that are up to 350mm in length and up to 160mm in height.

For reference, that means this case will be able to hold all the way up to an NIVIDIA RTX 4090 or AMD RX 7900 XTX. Those are the two top GPU choices at the moment, so this case won’t limit how powerful of a system you can build.

The case can also hold up to five different fans and can hold up to a 240mm AIO cooler on the top or front of the case. And, the 205M comes with two 140mm RGB fans preinstalled on the mesh front panel, which will provide excellent cooling out-of-the-box. However, there is no fan presintalled on the rear panel of the case, so you may want to pickup a 120mm fan if you opt for this chassis.

The 205M Mesh also comes with a tempered glass side panel and a full length PSU shroud. Both of these features help contribute to its aesthetics and will make building a visually-pleasing system a much easier task.

Overall, the 205M is one of the best smaller form-factor cases on the market overall, let alone one of the best micro-ATX cases. So, if you’re looking for a solid mATX case and you have a budget that can accommodate the 205M, it would definitely be worth considering.

2. ASUS Prime AP201

The mATX case w/the most cooling potential

ASUS Prime AP201
  • GPUs up to 338mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 170mm tall
  • Holds up to 4 fans max
  • Radiators up to 360mm long

Our Rating: 8.9/10

Check Price on Amazon

If cooling potential is your main concern, perhaps no micro-ATX case would suit your needs better than ASUS’ Prime AP201. The standout feature on the AP201 is its all mesh design. Every side of the case is fitted with a mesh panel to ensure maximum levels of airflow.

And, despite its compact size, the AP201 is still roomy enough to house a high-end system. It has clearance for graphics cards up to 338mm long and CPU coolers up to 170mm tall. That’s enough space to fit a tier 1 GPU and just about any CPU cooler on the market.

It also can house radiators up to 360mm long, so you can fit a 360mm AIO cooler in this case with no problems. And, while ASUS only lists compatibility for up to four fans (three on the top of the case and one at the rear), some users have installed as many as three extra fans on the bottom inside panel of the case as well.

So, the bottom line is that, if airflow and cooling performance are the most important factors for you in choosing a case, there is probably no better micro-ATX option than the ASUS Prime AP201.

3. JONSBO C6

A high-end cube-style mATX case

JONSBO C6
  • GPUs up to 255mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 75mm tall
  • Holds up to 3 fans max
  • Radiators up to 140mm long

Our Rating: 8.7/10

Check Price on Amazon

Another micro-ATX case that is popular among SFF system builders is JONSBO’s C6 chassis. This case is far more compact than the other options on this list and so you’ll be a bit more limited in the kind of system you’ll be able to put in it.

However, if you’re looking to build a mini system, but you want the option of using a micro-ATX motherboard, then the C6 is an option you’ll want to consider.

The C6 can hold graphics cards up to 255mm long and CPU coolers up to 75mm tall. For cooling, the chassis can hold up to three fans max and radiators up to 140mm long and all of the cases panels have a mesh design.

Ultimately, cooling is not going to be optimal in the C6 due to the compact nature of the case and the limit on how many fans you can install in it. That’s fine, though, as you can still build a mid-range system in this chassis and achieve adequate thermals.

4. Montech AIR 100 ARGB

The best mATX case for the money?

Montech AIR 100 ARGB
  • GPUs up to 330mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 161mm tall
  • Holds up to 8 fans max
  • Radiators up to 280mm long

Our Rating: 8.9/10

Check Price on Amazon

Most of the micro-ATX cases on the market all offer similar features and designs. It’s pretty standard for an mATX case in the ~$50-$100 price range to come with enough clearance to house a high-end system, a mesh front and top panel and enough spots to place fans and radiators for advanced cooling, and a tempered glass side panel and full-length PSU shroud for clean-looking aesthetics.

There are multiple cases on this list (and a lot more still not included on this list) that will offer those features. However, not all of them are priced the same and not all of them come with the same amount of pre-installed fans.

Case fans can add up in price (especially if you want RGB fans) and most cases only come with one or two fans preinstalled. That’s why the Montech AIR 100 stands out among the other options on this case. It provides all of the features listed above and it comes with four RGB fans preinstalled.

Not to mention, the case comes in at just under $60.

So, while the AIR 100 probably doesn’t offer the build quality or as much interior space as the Lian Li 205M Mesh, the lower price tag and the inclusion of extra case fans makes it a very attractive alternative.

If it were us and we were working with a low, or even moderate budget, we’d strongly consider choosing the AIR 100 over all of the other options on this list.

5. Thermaltake Versa H18

The best budget micro-ATX case

Thermaltake Versa H18
  • GPUs up to 350mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 155mm tall
  • Holds up to 5 fans max
  • Radiators up to 280mm long

Our Rating: 8.7/10

Check Price on Amazon

If you’re building a budget-oriented system and you’re looking to save as much as possible, there are a few micro-ATX case options you should consider. First, is the Montech AIR 100 listed above. Second is this Thermaltake Versa H18. And, third is the Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L listed below.

The Montech AIR 100 is the most expensive of the bunch, but it comes with four RGB fans preinstalled so it is easily the better value case.

The MasterBox Q300L is the cheapest of the three, but it has a cheaper build quality, has an acrylic side panel, and doesn’t come with a PSU shroud.

The Thermaltake Versa H18 sits in the middle and offers a nice middle ground.

The case has enough room on the interior (graphics cards up to 350mm long and CPU coolers up to 155mm tall) to house a high-end system and it has enough cooling support to ensure ideal thermals.

What more can you ask from a sub-$50 case?

6. Cooler Master MasterBox NR400

Another cube-style micro-ATX case

Cooler Master MasterBox NR400
  • GPUs up to 346mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 166mm tall
  • Holds up to 4 fans max
  • Radiators up to 280mm long

Our Rating: 8.8/10

Check Price on Amazon

The Cooler Master MasterBox NR400 is an interesting option as it offers a similar chassis option to the Lian Li LANCOOL 205M Mesh, but it includes an ODD bay.

While ODD bays are mostly obsolete, for the rare user who still has need of a disc drive, this is probably the only option that will make sense for you.

Fortunately, choosing the NR400 for its ODD bay won’t feel like settling, as the case has enough space to house a powerful system and comes with an adequate array of cooling features.

The case can hold graphics cards up to 346mm long, CPU coolers up to 166mm tall, up to four fans maximum, and radiators up to 280mm long.

So, in comparison with the other mATX cases on this list, the NR400 is right on par.

It is the same price as the 205M Mesh and a bit more expensive than options like the MONTECH AIR 100 and Thermaltake Versa H18. And, if you don’t need the ODD bay, we’d recommend opting for one of those cases instead. However, if you’d rather cut off an arm than lose the ability to install a DVD or Blu-ray drive in your build, then this is the perfect case for you.

 

7. Zalman M3 Plus

Nice-looking mATX case with handles

Zalman M3 Plus
  • GPUs up to 330mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 165mm tall
  • Holds up to 8 fans max
  • Radiators up to 240mm long

Our Rating: 8.9/10

Check Price on Amazon

The Zalman M3 is a very comparable option to the Montech AIR 100. Both options offer similar interior space, a similar design, and a similar cooling configuration.

Both cases also come with four 120mm RGB fans preinstalled.

The only real difference between the two options (outside of a few small aesthetic choices) is that the Zalman M3 costs ~$10 more and the Montech AIR 100 can hold a 280mm radiator, whereas the M3 can only fit a 240mm radiator.

So, while the M3 is a very nice option—especially with its four fans preinstalled), it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to choose over the AIR 100.

It would be worth checking out the case, though, as component prices change all the time. If the M3 were to drop down in price and/or the AIR 100 were to go up in price, the M3 might become the better option.

8. Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L

Another worthy cube micro-ATX case

Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L
  • GPUs up to 360mm long
  • CPU coolers up to 159mm tall
  • Holds up to 5 fans max
  • Radiators up to 240mm long

Our Rating: 8.6/10

Check Price on Amazon

If you’re looking to spend as little as possible on a micro-ATX case without limiting what kind of system you can build, perhaps no option is better than the Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L.

At just under ~$40, the Q300L is by far the cheapest option on this list. It also has plenty of room to house a mid-range (or higher) system. It can support graphics cards up to 360mm long (the highest VGA clearance on this list) and CPU coolers up to 159mm tall.

It can hold a total of five fans and it can house radiators up to 240mm long.

All-in-all, the Q300L is an excellent budget PC case that will allow you to save money to put towards other more important components.

Which Micro-ATX Case is Right for You?

Whether you’re looking for a stylish micro-ATX case that will make a statement, or a mATX case that can accommodate a high-end gaming PC inside of it, one of the options listed above should do the trick for you. There are micro-ATX cases above that come with RGB lights, clearance for even the longest graphics cards, and the ability to house robust liquid cooling systems. And, there are also plenty of budget-friendly options you can use to put together a solid entry-level gaming PC.

So, if you’re in the market for a new case, the 11 options above represent what we feel are the best micro-ATX cases currently available.

Hey, I’m Brent. I’ve been building PCs and writing about building PCs for a long time. Through TechGuided.com, I've helped thousands of people learn how to build their own computers. I’m an avid gamer and tech enthusiast, too. On YouTube, I build PCs, review laptops, components, and peripherals, and hold giveaways.

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