We rated, reviewed, & compared some of the best gaming PC cases across various budgets. These top computer cases are perfect for gamers or anyone else looking for the best tower for their upcoming build.
Your computer case is a lot more important than you think. For starters, it plays a critical role in the cooling process of your system. And, your case will also determine what you can and cannot do in the future with your computer (in terms of upgrades.)
Not only that but for a lot of people, the style of their PC case and the way it looks is also an important aspect. Let’s face it, if you put a Lamborghini engine inside of a Toyota Corolla and priced it the same as the Lamborghini, fewer people would buy it. People like style.
So, despite the little direct impact that your gaming computer’s tower will have on your gaming experience, it’s still crucial that you take your time and select one that will give you excellent airflow, upgrade opportunities, and that will look the way you want it to. Because, in the end, your gaming PC’s case is the only part of your computer that could still be relevant and usable 5-10 years down the road.
In this post, we will take a look at the best gaming cases in 2021 at various categories and price ranges. And, if you’re specifically looking for a mini-ITX case, or a micro-ATX case, check those links for our list of the top options at those form factors.
Table of Contents
1. Our Top Picks for the Best PC Cases
2. Top Large Case: be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900
3. Best Value Case: Fractal Meshify 2
4. Top Mini-ITX Option: NZXT H210i
Our Top Picks for the Best Computer Cases
For a quick look at some of the best PC case options, the table below shows our picks for the top options for different use cases. We’ve chosen the best overall PC case, the best value option, the top mini-ITX chassis, the best case under $100, and the best cheap case.
|
|
NAME | SPECS | RATING | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
LARGE
|
 |
be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 |
|
/10 | |
|
VALUE
|
 |
Fractal Meshify 2 |
|
/10 | |
|
MINI-ITX
|
 |
NZXT H210i |
|
/10 | |
|
SUB $100
|
 |
Corsair 4000D |
|
/10 | |
|
BUDGET
|
 |
MasterBox MB600L |
|
/10 |
*For more information on each of these cases, just click the “Read Review »” button to skip to read our overview on that case. You can also keep scrolling to see more case options based on your budget.
1. be quiet! Dark Base PRO 900
The best large computer case
If you have a larger budget to work with for your next PC case but you’re still concerned with getting a good return on the amount you’re going to spend, you might want to consider be quiet!’s Dark Base Pro 900 (rev. 2) full tower case. The Dark Base Pro 900 does come in at a whopping ~$260, but considering the cost of other extra large PC cases, that seems like a steal considering what the Pro 900 offers.
With the Dark Base Pro 900 you get a large-form-factor case that has clearance to hold graphics cards up to 18.6″ in length and CPU coolers up to 7.3″ tall; both of which will provide you with enough clearance to hold any graphics card and any air CPU cooler currently on the market.
The Pro 900 can also accommodate up to 420mm long radiators and you can hold up to four different radiators inside of the case simultaneously. And, as it is a be quiet! case, the noise level on the Dark Base Pro 900 is exceptional. So, if you’re looking for a high-end case that will give you plenty of options to build a high-end system and that will also help cut down on the noise levels of your PC, the Pro 900 is worth a look.
2. Fractal Meshify 2
The best case for the money
Fractal Design’s Meshify 2 is one of the most popular cases currently on the market. It doesn’t come with a bunch of RGB lights and it doesn’t have a ton of clearance for extra long GPUs or super tall CPU coolers.
However, what it does come with is a full mesh front and top panel that allow for nearly unrestricted airflow in and out of the case. If you’re looking for a fairly affordable case that can take your cooling to the next level, the Meshify 2 is probably an option you’ll want to consider.
It comes with a full length PSU shroud, the ability to hold up to seven fans (including two fans preinstalled), and room for radiators on the front, top, and rear of the case.
Again, its GPU clearance won’t blow you away (14.1-inches max). However, as there are RTX 3090 graphics cards out there that come under 14.1-inches long, this case won’t prevent you from building an extreme system inside of it.
Ultimately, if cooling performance is your main goal and you’re looking for a PC case under $150, then the Meshify 2 is probably the option for you.
3. NZXT H210i
The best mini-ITX gaming case
If you’re looking for a high-end stylish mini-ITX case, you might not want to look further than the NZXT H210i. The H210i takes the latest trends in computer cases (namely, PSU shrouds, tempered glass, and RGB lighting control) and combines them into a compact chassis.
However, the H210i isn’t so small as to limit you to the kind of performance you can get if you were to build inside of it. It can hold graphics cards up to 12.8″ long and air CPU coolers up to 6.5″ in height (so, you won’t be limited to a low-profile CPU cooler). While the graphics card clearance is low compared to the other options on this list, the reality is that there are RTX 2080 Tis out there that come in shorter than 12.8″ long. So, unlike other mini-ITX cases where you’re forced to use a low-profile graphics card, in the H210i you can easily fit a full-length graphics card inside of it.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a feature-rich case that will work with a mini-ITX motherboard and that won’t limit you on the kind of performance you can get from your system, the H210i is a solid choice if you have the budget to accommodate it.
4. Corsair 4000D
The best case under $100
A solid alternative to the Fractal Design Meshify 2 that won’t cost quite as much is Corsair’s 4000D. Both cases offer similar interior space and come with mesh front and top panels for better cooling.
The 4000D can accommodate graphics cards up to 14.1-inches long and CPU coolers up to 6.7-inches tall. It comes with a tempered glass side panel and is available in either black or white (the Meshify 2 doesn’t come in white, so if you’re on the fence between those two cases, the 4000D is your best bet.)
For liquid cooling support, the 4000D can accommodate up to a 360mm radiator on the front panel and up to a 280mm radiator on the top panel.
The bottom line is that, for just under $100, the Corsair 4000D has everything you need in order to build a high-end gaming PC inside of it.
5. MasterBox MB600L
Budget-friendly gaming computer case
The sub-$50 PC case market has changed dramatically over the past couple of years. Two years ago, the only affordable PC cases you could find were not very attractive options and they didn’t have fully transparent side panels and PSU shrouds. Now, there are a bunch of those options.
And, the best of those options might be Cooler Master’s MasterBox MB600L. Not only does it come in at just under $50, but it also sports a fully transparent side panel and a shroud for your power supply.
The other thing that helps it stand out in the sub-$50 category is how much interior space it offers. The MB600L can hold GPUs up to 15.7-inches long (400mm) and CPU coolers up to 7.1-inches tall (180mm). It can also hold up to 360mm AIO coolers.
All of that means that this budget-friendly case is large enough to fit a high-end system.
The only real downsides to this case are that there isn’t a lot of great cable management options, the front panel is not grilled (which would help with airflow), and the side panel is acrylic instead of tempered glass. However, you’re not going to find a case for under $50 that has all of those features and offers as much room inside of it as the MB600L So, the bottom line is that, if you’re looking for an affordable case that will allow you to build a powerful budget gaming PC inside of it, the MB600L is a worthy option to consider.
Which Case is Right for Your Gaming PC?
The case you choose for your gaming PC is not going to increase your framerate or improve your load times. It’s also not going to increase how much storage space you have or how much memory your PC contains.
However, the case does hold all of your components and, as such, dictates which components you can use. If you choose a case that doesn’t have a lot of clearance for your graphics card, you will be limited to choosing a smaller graphics card. And, while a lot of graphics cards manufacturers are packing their higher-end cards into smaller offerings, in most cases, the smaller the card, the less power it provides.
Another key component of your case is air flow. The better the design of the case is, the more airflow can enter into it and keep your components cool. And, of course, one of the most important parts of choosing your case is aesthetics. While some people don’t care what their case looks like, for others, the design is the most important aspect.
So, when looking for the best computer towers, it’s important that you take those three factors into consideration. Fortunately, though, the options listed above will give you plenty of choices to choose between, from cheap computer cases all the way up to the best computer cases.
ItzCopiouz says
What about the Cooler MB511, K500, H500, and NR600
Vinny says
No mention of the Lian Li O11 Dynamic?
abeid salim says
You forgot phanteks evolve x,not only can it fit 10 hdd and 9 ssd it supports dual systems!
Florea says
These are the best pc cases of 2018.
Which one of these cases is the best choice?
https://youtu.be/6blGtgRbSvI