Best PC case

Find the perfect home for your gaming PC with our best PC case buyers guide that features models large and small from the likes of Antec, Corsair and Fractal.

Corsair 4000D Airflow case in black

Are you looking for the best PC case to suit your needs? If so, this is the place to be. Our PC case buyers guide includes recommendations for most budgets, from under $100, all the way up to over $400 and includes cases both large and small.

We’ve tested hundreds of cases over the years so we know just where to look for potential flaws in usability or build quality. We also thoroughly test each case for its cooling performance by using real, overclocked hardware to provide a realistic and repeatable stress test. We use the SmallFFT test in Prime95 with AVX disabled to load up the CPU to 100 per cent and the Unigine Superposition stress test (1080p, high settings, fullscreen) to load up the GPU. We leave these running for 15 minutes to fully warm up the case then average readings are taken over the next five minutes. We subtract the ambient from the component temperature to give a delta T reading, which you’ll see referenced throughout our PC case reviews.

Here are the best PC cases in 2023:

1. Antec DF700 FLUX

The best budget PC case is the Antec DF700 Flux.

Antec DF700 FLUX

The Antec DF700 FLUX is an amazing buy considering its modest $110 / £70 price. It includes five fans, three of which have digital RGB lighting and can be operated with an included lighting controller/fan hub. Plus it has premium features such as easy-to-remove dust filters, additional side panel cooling, a tempered glass panel and Velcro cable ties.

The fans enable the DF700 FLUX to hit some seriously low CPU and GPU temperatures too. The case is also sturdy, well made and sports a striking mesh panel in the front, plus it provides plenty of space for all-in-one liquid coolers and even custom loops. Find out more in our full Antec DF700 FLUX review.

Pros

  • Excellent CPU and GPU cooling
  • Superb value
  • RGB lighting

Cons

  • No USB Type-C
  • PSU limits the effectiveness of rear PSU cover fan
  • No vertical GPU mount option

Antec DF700 FLUX specs:

Dimensions (mm) 220 x 467 x 486 (W x D x H)
Material range Steel, plastic, glass
Available colors Black
Weight 7.4kg
Front panel Power, 2 x USB 3, LED control, stereo, microphone
Drive bays 3 x 2.5/3.5in, 3 x 2.5in
Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX
CPU cooler clearance 175mm
Max graphics card length 405mm

Price: Expect to pay $110 USD / £70 GBP.

2. Corsair 4000D Airflow

The best mid-range PC case is the Corsair 4000D Airflow.

Corsair 4000D Airflow case in black

The case that started Corsair back on a fine run of form is still one to beat. It’s got the looks, performance and build quality to match anything in its price range. It’s not packed with dazzling features but is a solid workhorse of a case that’s relatively quiet too. Find out more in our full Corsair 4000D Airflow review.

Pros

  • Looks great
  • Quiet stock fans
  • High performance

Cons

  • PSU cables obstructed by cable channels
  • Cable cover gap is too tight
  • Drive cage needs refinement

Corsair 4000D Airflow specs:

Dimensions (mm) 230 x 453 x 466 (W x D x H)
Material Steel, plastic, glass
Available colors Black, white
Weight 7.85 kg
Front panel Power, Reset, 1 x USB 3 Type-A  1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, Combined audio jack
Drive bays 22 x 2.5in, 2 x 2.5/3.5in
Form factor(s) E-ATX (up to 277mm) ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
CPU cooler clearance 170mm
Max graphics card length 360mm

Price: Expect to pay $160 USD / £169 GBP.

3. Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact

The best compact mid-range PC case is the Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact.

Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact black

The Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact won’t house larger E-ATX motherboards – as the Compact part of its name suggests – but it’s still a very capable case for standard ATX and mATX systems. It’s extremely quiet yet has excellent airflow, making for low CPU and GPU temps, plus its design is stylish and build quality is excellent. For its modest price, it’s a great buy, if keeping overall case size down is a priority. To get the full low down on this case, check out our full Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact review.

Pros

  • Excellent cooling
  • Very convenient build process
  • Good water-cooling support

Cons

  • Only two hard disk mounts
  • CPU cooling not chart-topping
  • Reasonable rather than excellent value

Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact specs:

Dimensions (mm) 210 x 424 x 475 (W x D x H)
Material Steel, plastic, glass
Available colors Black, black/white
Weight 7.7kg
Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, stereo, microphone
Drive bays 2 x 2.5/3.5in, 2 x 2.5in
Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX
CPU cooler clearance 169mm
Max graphics card length 341mm

Price: Expect to pay $160 USD / £120 GBP.

4. Fractal Design Meshify 2

The best sub-$150 PC case is the Fractal Design Meshify 2.

Fractal Design Meshify 2 black glass side panel

The Fractal Design Meshify 2 may not have the most striking design but it provides an excellent balance of price, features and cooling. The pull-open front panel makes it easy to clean its dust filter while the pull-out top section makes hardware installations near effortless. The inclusion of three large 140mm fans also makes for excellent airflow right out of the box. This isn’t a small case but it offers loads of features for its price and its size means you can house large E-ATX motherboards as well as loads of other gear. Find out more in our full Fractal Design Meshify 2 review.

Pros

  • Simple hardware installation
  • Great water-cooling support
  • Plenty of storage options

Cons

  • Comparatively bland design
  • Only three 4-pin ports on fan hub

Fractal Design Meshify 2 specs:

Dimensions (mm) 240 x 542 x 474 (W x D x H)
Material Steel, plastic, glass
Available colors Black
Weight 13.8kg
Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, stereo, microphone jack
Drive bays 7 x 2.5/3.5in, 2 x 2.5in
Form factor(s) E-ATX (up to 285mm wide), ATX, micro-ATX
CPU cooler clearance 185mm
Max graphics card length 467mm (315mm with optional hard disk mounts)

Price: Expect to pay $150 USD / £130 GBP.

 

5. Fractal Design Torrent RGB TG

The best premium PC case is the Fractal Design Torrent RGB TG.

The Fractal Design Torrent RGB TG PC case

The Fractal Design Torrent is a refreshingly different take on an ATX case that looks great, offers stellar airflow and has decent water-cooling potential. You’ll need to consider your options if you want to use liquid cooling, as you might need to move fans around, but with an eye-catching front panel, RGB lighting and superb cooling, the Fractal Design Torrent is the ATX case to beat right now. Find out what else makes this perfectly premium case tick in our full Fractal Design Torrent RGB TG review.

Pros

  • Excellent airflow
  • Large fans with low noise levels
  • Attractive design

Cons

  • Rather pricey
  • No RGB lighting hub
  • Limited storage support

Fractal Design Torrent RGB TG specs:

Dimensions (mm) 242 x 544 x 530 (W x D x H)
Material Steel, plastic, glass
Available colors Black, white
Weight 11.1kg
Front panel Power, 1 x USB 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, stereo, mic
Drive bays 2 x 2.5/3.5in, 4 x 2.5in
Form factor(s) E-ATX (up to 285mm wide), ATX, micro-ATX
CPU cooler clearance 188mm
Max graphics card length 423mm

Price: Expect to pay $250 USD / £220 GBP.

6. Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB

The best RGB PC case is the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB.

The The Corsair iCue 5000T RGB PC case

The Corsair iCUE 5000T is a stunning-looking case thanks to its prominent RGB fans and exterior lighting strips, the latter of which house a total of 208 LEDs. The exterior LEDs are quite a bit brighter than the fans (and can’t be dimmed independently), and internal lighting is a touch lacking, but you still get masses of dazzle for your outlay – the LED strips and controller are worth the better part of $200 alone.

Stock cooling performance is decent too, thanks in large part to Corsair’s excellent LL120 RGB fans, plus the case has been optimally set up out of the box. It’s far from a cheap case, and certainly not worth considering if RGB lighting isn’t your highest priority, but it’s a great buy if that’s your thing. Find out more in our full Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB review.

Pros

  • Excellent airflow
  • Large fans with low noise levels
  • Attractive design

Cons

  • Rather pricey
  • No RGB lighting hub
  • Limited storage support

Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB specs:

Dimensions (mm) 251 x 530 x 560 (W x D x H)
Material Steel, plastic, glass
Available colors Black, white and grey
Weight 17kg
Front panel Power, reset, 4 x USB 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 x stereo/mic jack
Drive bays 4 x 2.5in, 2 x 3.5in
Form factor(s) Mini-ITX, micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (305 x 277mm)
CPU cooler clearance 170mm
Max graphics card length 400mm
Maximum PSU length 250mm

Price: Expect to pay $350 USD / £350 GBP.