Here’s a list of the best PC cases for gamers in 2022
A PC case is more than just an enclosure for the components. It acts as a solid platform for the overall build and plays a huge role in deciding a lot of other factors such as the radiator support for cooling, GPU support, and more. Besides that, a PC case also acts as a statement piece for your desk. If you’re spending a ton of money putting together a high-end gaming rig, then why not give it some personality? In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best PC cases for gamers in 2021.
As a gamer, you’re likely to build anything from a mid-range PC to a high-performance powerhouse to handle all the new and demanding titles on the market. We recommend picking up a good quality PC case with good support for cooling solutions. You must pick up a PC case that has a lot of space for all the high-end components or even a custom loop for water cooling. Perhaps picking up an airflow case isn’t a bad idea either. The best airflow cases on the market have a lot of air vents and space to install case fans.
Navigate this article:
- Best overall PC case for gamers: Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO
- Best full tower PC case for gamers: Corsair Obsidian 1000D Super Tower
- Best case for dual PC setups: Phanteks Enthoo Pro II
- Best RGB case for gamers: Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB case
- Best budget ATX PC case for gamers: Phanteks Eclipse P360A
- Best compact ATX case for gamers: Lian Li Air Mini
- Best miniITX case for gamers: Antec Cube designed by Razer
Best overall PC case for gamers: Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO
Lian Li has been making waves in the industry for quite some time now. The company has a ton of PC cases on offer and some of them are extremely popular in the PC hardware space. In fact, we picked the Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL as the best overall PC case in our collection of the best PC cases. We still think the O11 Dynamic is one of the best PC cases you can buy on the market, especially as a gamer. As such, the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is our pick for the best PC case in this collection.
The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is identical to the standard O11 Dynamic case. The main difference between the standard and the EVO version is the fact that the EVO version of the case can be flipped and used in reverse mode. This essentially means that you can move the tempered glass side from left to right. This particular process requires a full disassembly, but the fact that it’s doable makes it a unique case by itself.
Besides that, this is the same Lian Li O11 Dynamic PC case that’s packed with a ton of features. The O11 Dynamic is a mid-tower PC case with a dual-chamber design. This case, as you can see, has plenty of glass panels on both the front as well as sides. There’s a mesh panel on the top with vents for airflow. This is one of those mid-tower cases that have enough space for plenty of case fans or even a custom cooling loop.
You can install up to three 120mm or two 140mm fans on the front, top as well as bottom panels. There’s also space to add a 120mm fan at the back. As for the radiator support, you can mount up to a 360mm radiator on the top, bottom, or front. You can also mount smaller 60mm fans on the hard drive cage to maintain the temperature of the drives. While the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO PC case doesn’t come with any pre-installed fans, you do get a front panel LED strip. This LED strip can be controlled via the motherboard software or a hub.
Another interesting thing about this case is that you can move the IO ports of the case between four different locations on the case. This can be done without any tools, which makes it very convenient to customize. Notably, you can also buy a port hub as an additional accessory for the case to add more ports. This feature is unique to the O11 Dynamic EVO that no other PC case currently offers.
Overall, we think there’s a lot to like about the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO PC case. It’s obviously not a perfect case for everyone, but there’s still a lot to consider. It has plenty of space for all the components, support for dual PSU mounts, a cable management bar, modular design, and more. The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is available in black, white, and grey color options, so pick the one that suits the overall aesthetics of your setup.
- The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO PC case is a solid mid-tower cabinet with lots of customization options and plenty of space.
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Second best overall PC case for gamers: Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact
The Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact is one of the best mid-tower PC cases you can buy on the market right now. We think it’s one of the best Fractal Design PC cases right now mainly because of its form factor and the ability to keep the internals cool. The Meshify 2 Compact PC case, as you can see, comes with the iconic mesh front panel with an angular design. This stylish panel provides fresh filtered air to the chassis with the help of the fans fitted on the front. The top is also a mesh panel for airflow. You get an option to choose between a solid or a tempered glass panel for the side. Tempered glass is probably the one we recommend if you’re using this case to build a high-end gaming rig with RGB lights. The glass panel will allow you to see the internal components.
The front mesh panel also has a removable dust filter under it making it easier to clean. You can also remove the nylon filter for increased airflow. You get dust filters for both the top as well as the bottom panel of the case too. One of the best things about the Meshify 2 Compact PC case is that it comes with three pre-installed fans out of the box. You get two 140mm Dynamic X2 fans on the front along with a single 120mm fan at the back for exhaust. There’s space to add more fans, but you’ll have to buy them separately.
In addition to the one that’s already installed on the case, you can add another 140mm fan on the front, two 120mm or 140mm fans on the top and a single 120mm fan at the bottom. When it comes to the radiator, there’s space to mount up to 360mm radiator on the front, up to 240mm radiator on the top, and two small 120mm radiators at the back and the at the bottom each. The Meshify 2 Compact also comes with cable routing space, making it easier to manage the cables inside the chassis.
The Meshify 2 Compact PC case is big enough to house a ton of components inside the chassis. You can install GPUs with a max length of up to 341mm and CPU coolers with a max height of up to 169mm. The PSU sits inside a separate compartment at the bottom along with drive bays. The Meshify 2 Compact has seven expansion slots, two 3.5″ and four 2.5″ drive days at the bottom. It’s also relatively easy to build inside the Meshify 2 Compact PC case as the top panel can easily be removed. We recommend picking up the Meshify 2 Compact PC case mainly for its airflow capability.
You can easily build a high-end PC inside this chassis without worrying about the thermals. You can use both CPU fan coolers or AIO liquid CPU coolers with this case. You can also use an mATX motherboard and use the remaining space inside the chassis to build a custom cooling loop.
- The Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact is an excellent ATX case with plenty of space inside the chassis and a mesh front panel for airflow.
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Best full tower PC case for gamers: Corsair Obsidian 1000D Super Tower
The Corsair Obsidian 1000D may seem like overkill for most people, but we had to add this particular case to the collection mainly because of how much value it brings to the table. Full tower PC cases are known for their sheer size. Well, it can’t be better than the Obsidian 1000D PC case. This is one of the biggest PC cases on the market right now. The Obsidian 1000D is big enough to house two systems simultaneously. That’s right, the Obsidian 1000D is big enough to house two PCs inside.
We know there are plenty of gamers out there who also like to stream their gameplay on online platforms like Twitch, YouTube, etc. Having a PC case like this will help you build both your gaming as well as streaming PC in a single chassis. Not only will it save you some money, but it’ll also save you a lot of space. It’s also relatively easier to maintain a single case rather than having to deal with two cases for different rigs.
We think the Obsidian 1000D is also one of the best-looking PC cases on the market right now. It features smoked tempered glass panels, giving it a very unique look. This is one of those PC cases that’ll definitely attract a lot of attention. The Obsidian 1000D has a triple-chamber design that makes it very easy to work with. One of the best things about this case is that it has a ton of space to add case fans and radiators for cooling. In fact, the Obsidian 1000D also has radiator trays that allow you to install radiator mounts very easily to the unit.
When it comes to case fans, you can install as many as eight 120mm fans on the front, three 140mm fans on the top, and two 120mm fans at the back. As for the radiator mounts, you can install up to two 480mm radiators on the front, up to 420mm radiator on the top, and up to 240mm radiator at the back. This PC case can easily house a full-fledged water-cooled PC with a custom loop. You can also use this case to build just one PC and use the extra space to hide all your cables, add more storage or even have a dual PSU setup. The Obsidian 1000D also comes with built-in lighting and fan control. You’ll need that given the number of fans that can go into this case.
The Obsidian 1000D comes with 10 expansion slots, and six 2.5″ and five 3.5″ drive bays in total. Component clearance isn’t an issue with this case either. You can install a GPU with a max length of up to 400mm and a CPU cooler with a max height of up to 180mm. This full tower PC case also accommodates anything up to an extended ATX motherboard, so feel free to splurge all you want on high-performance components because the case will be ready for you. We recommend adding RGB fans or even some RGB lights for added bling. The tempered glass panels will allow you to see through the case, so it’s great if you like having a lot of RGB lights.
- The Corsair Obsidian 1000D full-tower cabinet is the biggest case we have in our collection. It can contain two separate PC builds inside.
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Best case for dual PC setups: Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2
While the Corsair Obsidian 1000D is also a pretty big PC case, we think the Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 has got to be the biggest PC case on the market right now. We’re talking about a case that’s big enough to easily accommodate two PC builds inside. In addition to the primary build with up to an E-ATX motherboard, the Enthoo Pro 2 has space for a secondary ITX system at the bottom too. This type of case is perfect for power users and streamers who can greatly benefit from a dual PC setup. The Enthoo Pro 2 is also largely used as an enterprise solution as it can house an SSI EEB motherboard too.
We wanted to add this case to the collection as a solid option for gamers mainly because of all the space it offers. The chassis is big enough to accommodate a fully water-cooled build, complete with a custom loop. We highly recommend investing in a case like this even if you don’t necessarily want to have a dual PC setup. You can use all the space to manage cables, add water cooling components such as a pump, a reservoir, and more.
One of the highlights of the Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 PC case is that it offers exceptional airflow performance. The case comes with a mesh front panel that uses Phanteks high-performance fabric material. This mesh panel is made out of rugged and durable nylon fiber for increased airflow. It also helps keep the dust from getting inside the chassis, which is good.
The Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 is big enough to house as many as fifteen 120mm fans. There’s space to install up to four 120mm or three 140mm fans on the front. The top panel can hold up to three 120mm or 140mm fans. You can also install up to four 120mm fans on the internal side panel and three 120mm or a single 140mm fan at the bottom of the case. There’s also space to add a single 120mm or a 140mm fan at the back for exhaust. Radiator support is also plenty inside the Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 case.
You can mount up to a 480mm radiator on the front, up to a 360mm radiator on the top panel, up to a 360mm radiator on the bottom panel as well as either a 120mm or a 140mm radiator at the back. There’s also space to add an option 480mm radiator inside the chassis on the side panel. It’s safe to say that the Enthoo Pro 2 is fully kitted to house a fully water-cooled system. The case also has massive storage support. You can add as many as eleven 2.5″ SSDs and up to four 3.5″ HDDs inside the case.
The big thing about the Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 case is that it’s not as expensive as a lot of other full tower PC cases on the market. It’s perfect for those who’re looking to build a high-performance PC, as you can use the money saved on the PC case on other core components such as the best CPUs, motherboards, and more.
- The Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 is a full tower PC case with space for up to two separate builds inside. It also offers great airflow performance.
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Best RGB case for gamers: Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB case
Corsair’s iCUE RGB-enabled PC cases are perhaps one of the most popular RGB cases on the market. Sure, you can always buy a normal PC case and add RGB lights to it, but the Corsair iCUE cases come with RGB-enabled fans out of the box. We’ve picked the Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB case for this collection mainly because this also happens to be one of the best mid-tower PC cases around. The iCUE 4000X RGB is a mid-tower PC case that comes in black or white-colored options.
The Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB, as you can see, comes with a tempered glass panel for both the front as well as the side. The top panel has air vents for airflow under which you can attach some fans to move more air in and out of the chassis. One of the best things about these Corsair iCUE RGB cases is that they come with ARGB fans pre-installed out of the box. This means you’re ready to build the PC without having to spend any more money on case fans.
The Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB case is equipped with three Corsair AirGuide RGB fans on the front. In addition to the ones that are already installed, there’s space to add more fans to the chassis. You can install two more 120mm or 140mm fans on the top panel along with a 120mm exhaust fan at the back. You also get decent radiator support with the Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB case for liquid cooling. There’s space to add up to a 360mm radiator on the front along with a 240mm radiator on the top. This may not be enough for a fully water-cooled build with a custom loop, but there are plenty of compatible AIO liquid coolers on the market that is worth checking out.
You can easily control the lighting of the case or any other RGB lights that you add with the help of Corsair iCUE software. The 4000X RGB case also comes with plenty of space behind the motherboard tray for cable management. It’s also worth pointing out that this particular case supports vertical GPU mounting, thanks to a couple of vertical expansion slots at the back of the case.
When it comes to the component clearance, you can install a GPU with a max length of up to 360mm and a CPU cooler with a max height of up to 170mm. You also get two 3.5″ and 2.5″ drive bays for storage drives. All in all, we think the Corsair 4000X RGB case is a solid option to consider if you’re looking for an RGB case for your gaming rig. You can also check out the Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB case if you want something bigger. The 5000X is a full tower case which means it’s more suitable for a fully water-cooled PC with a custom loop. Both of these PC cases are readily available on the market, so be sure to check them out.
- The Corsair 4000X RGB is a fantastic PC to for those who're looking to buy an RGB-enabled PC case for their new gaming rig.
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Best budget ATX PC case for gamers: Phanteks Eclipse P360A
Buying expensive components for a high-end gaming rig significantly increases the overall budget of your build. This is exactly why we wanted to add a relatively affordable PC case to this collection. We think the Phanteks Eclipse P360A is one of the best affordable mid-tower PC cases on the market. It carries a price tag of just $80, making it the most affordable PC case in this collection. But just because the Eclipse P360A is affordable doesn’t necessarily make it a bad PC case. In fact, this budget case is just as good as many other mid-tower PC cases we’ve mentioned in this collection.
The Phanteks Eclipse P360A comes with a mesh front panel for better airflow. A mesh panel is almost always better than having either a solid or a tempered glass panel. The installed fans on the other side of the case tend to benefit from the mesh panel as there’s more ventilation. The front panel of the Phanteks Eclipse P360A comes with a dust filter to keep the dust and dirt away from the internals. Another thing that’s worth mentioning about this case is that it comes with two 120mm D-RGB PWN fans pre-installed out of the box.
A lot of budget PC cases don’t come with pre-installed fans. The Eclipse P360A, on the other hand, comes with D-RGB PWN fans. You can also sync the fans with the motherboard and control it using any third-party lighting software. The included RGB fans add a touch of bling to the case and look great on both the black as well as the white variant of the case. The top of the case also has vents for airflow. There’s a dust filter on the top too, which is again a nice addition.
In addition to two 120mm fans that are pre-installed on the front, you can add two more 120mm or 140mm fans on the top panel. There’s also space to add another 120mm fan at the back for exhaust. When it comes to the radiator support, you can mount up to a 280mm radiator on the front along with another 240mm radiator on the top panel. There’s also space to add a small 120mm radiator at the back panel.
The Phanteks Eclipse P360A also comes with vertical expansion slots that lets you mount the GPU vertically to the system. You will, however, need a vertical GPU bracket for the same if you don’t have one already. You can install a GPU with a max length of up to 400mm and a CPU cooler with a max height of up to 160mm. The case also has two 3.5″ and three 2.5″ drive bays for adding more storage drives to the build. The front panel IO ports include two USB 3.0, audio ports, a power button along with buttons to change the LED mode and LED colors. This particular PC case can fit in motherboards ranging from E-ATX to miniITX, so we think it’s suitable for a variety of different builds.
- The Phanteks Eclipse P360A is the most affordable PC case in this collection. Despite the price tag, it comes with pre-installd RGB fans and a mesh front panel with dust filters.
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Best compact ATX case for gamers: Lian Li Air Mini
The Lian Li O11 Air Mini is essentially a smaller version of the regular O11 Dynamic PC case that we saw earlier in this collection. This particular case is perfect for those who don’t have a lot of space in their setup. It’s also worth pointing out that the Air Mini PC case is an airflow case. It’s got a mesh front panel instead of a glass panel to allow for more airflow. The top is also a mesh panel as we’ve seen on the standard variant of the case.
One of the best things about the O11 Air Mini PC case is that it comes with three pre-installed fans. This is the only Lian Li O11 case that comes with pre-installed fans out of the box. The O11 Air Mini comes fitted with two 140mm PWM fans on the front along with a 120mm PWM at the rear. Additionally, there’s space to add up to three 120mm or two 140mm fans on the top as well as the bottom panel too. You can also install two more 120mm fans on the side. It’s safe to say that there’s a lot of space to add fans to this PC case, making it one of the best airflow cases on the market.
Despite the small form factor, the O11 Air Mini is perfectly viable to be used for a water-cooled system too. You can install plenty of radiators inside the case without having to deal with any clearance issues. There’s space to mount up to 280mm radiator on the front along with a 240mm radiator each on the side as well as the bottom panels. There’s also a dust filter at the bottom of the case, which means it’ll keep all the dust and dirt away from the internals.
The O11 Air Mini may be a compact ATX case, but it’ll allow you to install either an ATX, an mATX, or a miniITX motherboard inside. The case also has a lot of space inside the chassis which means, you won’t have any issues with component clearance too. You install GPUs with a max length of up to 362mm and CPU coolers with a max height of up to 170mm. The Air Mini case also comes with up to seven expansion slots, allowing you to install even the most modern GPUs out there on the market. As for the front panel IO ports, the case offers two USB 3.0 ports, a USB 3.1 Type C port along with audio ports.
The Lian Li O11 Air Mini is available in black and white colors options, so you can pick the one that matches the overall aesthetics of your setup. The Air Mini isn’t exactly a small form factor PC case. It’s smaller than a lot of other ATX cases on the market, but you might want to look somewhere else if you’re looking for, say, a Mini-ITX case. This is still very much a compact ATX and we think it can be used even for a high-end gaming rig without having to worry about any thermal issues.
- The Lian Li Air Mini O11 is a smaller, airflow version of the bigger Dynamic O11 full-tower PC case.
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Best miniITX case for gamers: Antec Cube designed by Razer
We don’t necessarily recommend buying a miniITX PC case for a high-performance gaming rig. High-end PCs tend to have powerful internals that produces a ton of heat. Since miniITX PC cases aren’t the best for maintaining the thermal output, it’s best if you keep your expectations in check. That being said, if you’re still in the market to buy a new miniITX PC case for an entry-level to mid-range gaming PC, then you might want to check out the Antec Cube case.
The Antec Cube PC case is, without a doubt, the smallest PC case in this collection. This is good for those who don’t have a lot of space to accommodate a full tower or even a mid-tower PC case in their setup. There’s a lot to like about the Antec Cube despite its small form-factor, which is why we wanted to add this as a solid miniITX case option. The Antec Cube is a premium high-end case that comes with acrylic panels for the top, front and right side. The acrylic windows allow you to see the internals of the chassis.
Despite the small form factor, the Antec Cube has enough space to hold a couple of fans and radiators for liquid cooling. There’s space inside the chassis to install three fans. You can install two 120mm fans or a single 140mm fan on the front. There’s also some space to add either a 120mm or a 140mm fan at the back for exhaust. As for the radiator mounting options, you can install up to a 240mm radiator on the front and a small 140mm radiator at the back. There are plenty of AIO liquid coolers on the market that comes with a 240mm radiator, so you might want to consider those options for this build.
When it comes to component clearance, the Antec Cube has enough space for GPUs with a max length of up to 350mm and CPU coolers with a max height of up to 190mm. You can add an SFX PSU inside the case with a max length of up to 200mm. The Antec Cube comes with dust filers for all the vents on the case, which means you don’t have to worry too much about dust or dirt getting into the system. This is crucial for the SFF PC cases as it’s relatively harder to clean the internals of these small cases.
There’s a green-colored Razer logo with LED lights. You also get two USB 3.0 ports along with the audio ports as a part of the front panel IO. There are three expansion slots inside the chassis for your GPU along with two 2.5″ and a single 3.5″ drive bay. The Antec Cube trade blows with a lot of other miniITX cases on the market. We recommend this one over the other options mainly because of its premium build quality and decent component clearance. It’s a little difficult to get your hands on this case right now, but we think it’s worth waiting for a restock.
- The Antec Cube PC case is a solid option to consider if you're looking to buy a miniITX case for your build.
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Best PC cases for gamers: Final Thoughts
Well, that concludes our list of the best PC cases for gamers. We think the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is the best case to buy for your gaming rig followed by the Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact. Those leaning towards a high-end rig should consider checking out the Corsair Obsidian 1000D case. It’s one of the most expensive PC cases on the market, but we think it’s worth splurging for all the features it offers. The Lian Li O11 Air Mini is also a great option to consider if you’re looking for a compact case, but not necessarily a miniITX cabinet.
We also encourage you to check out our collection of the best white PC case and even the best pink PC cases if you want your PC to stand out from others. Picking a PC case is only the only first in your PC building process. We hope you’re pairing your case with the best CPUs, best GPUs, etc. for better overall performance. You can also consider checking out our XDA Computing Forums where you can discuss your PC builds or get more product recommendations from the experts in our community.
The post Here’s a list of the best PC cases for gamers in 2022 appeared first on xda-developers.
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