Tuesday, February 02, 2021
The best PC cases out there for those looking to build their ultimate dream rig come in all shapes and sizes to suit any need. But it's also true that some come at a price premium. Luckily, a healthy market of sub-$100 options still looks awesome and has all the features the keen PC builder would want like fans, space, sound-proofing, and just overall style.
Affordable RGB
Phanteks P350X
Staff favorite
Despite being compact, there's plenty of space for an ATX or E-ATX build, with hidden drive cages in the base and at the back of the motherboard tray. The P350X features a tempered glass side panel joined by an RGB strip running along its base, along with two further RGB strips on the front. Each side of the front panel is covered in mesh, so you're getting solid airflow, and it supports dual 120mm or 140mm fans in the front or a 280mm radiator.
Small-form
Thermaltake Core V21
Little cases like Thermaltake's Core V22 are perfect for media PCs and storage boxes. It can fit an M-ATX or Mini ATX motherboard and accompanying components, but there's ample room in such a small chassis just in case you want to throw in a GTX 1080. Another bonus of the Core V21 is the price, which, as you can tell, is quite low compared to others on this list.
High Quality
Phanteks P400A
This is a stunning mid-tower, sporting ample room for even the largest GPUs, and has many features that make for a stunning PC build. It comes with a trio of 120mm fans and supports up to a 360mm radiator, along with full-sized power supplies. Plus, it has a full mesh front panel to improve airflow and help keep temperatures low. And the full-length tempered glass side panel will show off your handiwork to all who gaze upon it.
Spacious Cube
Thermaltake Level 20VT
You may think it impossible, but this case has four tempered glass panels for under $100. Inside you'll be able to build a stunning micro ATX system packed with drives and liquid cooling. You can even move the panels around to suit your particular design. Even with all that glass, you get excellent airflow, and you'll never be bored of looking at your PC in this case.
Looking Sharp
NZXT H510
NZXT's PC cases are always head-turners, and the sharp lines of the H510 are no exception. This mid-tower packs everything you'd want for a high-class build. It's available in different colors, has a pretty elegant cable management system, a pair of 120mm fans included with support for full water cooling setups, and a three-quarter tempered glass panel, plus USB-C on the front I/O panel. It looks pretty special with some RGB lighting, too!
Silence is Golden
Cooler Master Silencio S400
You might think you have to pay a significant premium to get a super-quiet PC case, but that's far from the truth. True to its name, the Silencio has sound dampening material on the front, sides, and top. There's no tempered glass here, but the front door can be reversed to open whichever way you desire, the top can be removed for added ventilation, and it comes with a couple of 120mm silent fans to get your build going.
Premium ITX
Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX
This is an incredibly well designed, well built ITX PC case for not a lot of money. Despite its size, you can still squeeze a full-length graphics card inside, a pair of 140mm fans at the front, a 140mm fan at the back, and a radiator on the roof thanks to the innovative offset bracket that's removable for an easy install. Add plenty of space for drives, even water cooling, and colossal dust filters, and you've got a premium ITX case on a budget.
Maximum Flow
Corsair 275R Airflow
Going for style and tempered glass doesn't have to mean sacrificing on important airflow, and the Corsair 275R is designed to combine all of these things. You can get it in white or black; it's designed for up to ATX builds and comes with a trio of 120mm fans to get you started. It also has support for up to six 120mm fans in total or a pair of radiators up to 360mm, so whatever you build will always stay frosty.
If we had to choose...
Building a great PC doesn't have to mean spending hundreds of dollars on a case anymore. The sub-$100 market is packed with amazing choices like the Phanteks P400A and Corsair 275R Airflow to name but two. Saving money on one of these great cases will allow you to spend more where it really matters, on what goes inside it.
But in both cases, you still get a high-quality product that looks good on the outside, has plenty of space for a pretty sizeable build inside, and lots of scope for cable management. It has to be good to build in as well, and these are.
It's also worth considering the Phanteks P350X. It has much of what more expensive cases have, including E-ATX support for the largest of consumer motherboards. Add in a sprinkling of RGB, excellent cable management, and a ridiculous number of drive caddies, it's an exceptional case to build in on an even tighter budget.
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