Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Best Overall ATX Tower PC Case
NZXT H7 Flow (2024)
- Perfect panel fitment
- Precision piercings are an aesthetic plus
- Sturdy construction
- Excellent cable concealment
- Tiny vents may be excellent at dust capture
- No other dust filters
Most buyers will be drawn to NZXT’s revamped H7 Flow for its striking aesthetic and build quality; its cooling performance in our tests made us perk up. It’s a winner of a midtower PC chassis.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
External 5.25-Inch Bays
0
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
External 3.5-Inch Bays
0
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
2
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2), USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
7
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
3
Maximum GPU Length
410 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
185 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
270 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
21.4 by 9.6 by 18.75 inches
Weight
24.3 lbs
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Best Overall ATX Midtower PC Case
Corsair 3500X ARGB
- Well-priced, quality construction
- High interior visibility
- Supports two 360mm-format radiators
- Great ventilation from stock ARGB fans
- Fans are noisy at full speed
- In our tests, achieving top thermal results required full-speed fans
Corsair’s 3500X ARGB delivers solid build quality, flashy fans, and a good mix of convenience features in a midtower chassis distinguished by cool wraparound glass.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
2
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
7
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
3
Maximum GPU Length
430 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
170 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
270 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
Addressable RGB
Dimensions (HWD)
19.9 by 9.5 by 18.1 inches
Weight
20.3 lbs
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Best Budget Tower PC Case for Air Cooling
SilverStone Fara 514X
- Four installed 120mm ARGB fans
- Supports two 360mm radiators
- Sturdier materials than some competitors
- Good cooling at low noise
- Limited dust control
- Non-replaceable knock-out slot covers
- Number of #6-32 screws appears insufficient
A little pricier than some competitors, SilverStone’s Fara 514X ATX case offers plenty of effective, good-looking fans and a mostly solid build experience.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
2
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
7
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
4
Maximum GPU Length
406 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
168 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
249 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
Addressable RGB
Dimensions (HWD)
19.4 by 8.7 by 18.3 inches
Weight
18.7 lbs
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Best ATX Tower PC Case for the Very Tightest Budgets
Montech Air 903 Base
- Extra-low price
- Includes three powerful 140mm fans
- Slide-out power-supply dust filter
- Five 2.5-inch bays for storage pack rats
- Uses face panel as dust filter
- Noisy at full fan speed
Packing RGB fans, a fan and lighting hub, side glass, and more, Montech’s Air 903 Max offers value-conscious PC builders the features of a far costlier ATX case for less than $80.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
5
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
7
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
3
Maximum GPU Length
400 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
180 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
270 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
19.4 by 9.0 by 18.8 inches
Weight
16.8 lbs
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Best Tower PC Case for Quiet Running
Fractal Design Pop XL Silent
- Triple intake fans included
- Sound/vibration damped panels
- Room for oversize motherboards, larger liquid coolers
- No removable front-panel dust filter
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C cable must be purchased separately
Fractal Design’s Pop XL Silent PC case offers a valuable feature set, generous component space, and hushed-up, air-cooled operation for right around $100.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
ATX, Mini-ITX, MicroATX
External 5.25-Inch Bays
2
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
3
External 3.5-Inch Bays
0
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
5
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.0 (2), headphone, mic
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
8
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
6
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
4
Maximum GPU Length
430 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
185 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
285 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
20.5 by 9.0 by 20.6 inches
Weight
23.8 lbs
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Best Tower PC Case for Extreme Liquid Cooling
Be Quiet Shadow Base 800 DX
- Supports dual 420mm radiators
- Easy-access front and bottom dust filters
- Superb materials and build quality
- Competitively priced
- Thermal results suggest careful component choice is key
Support for twin XXL-size radiators, paired with typical Be Quiet build quality, makes the Shadow Base 800 DX a winning PC tower chassis for serious DIY builders.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
External 5.25-Inch Bays
0
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
External 3.5-Inch Bays
0
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
4
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
8
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
2
Maximum GPU Length
470 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
180 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
480 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
20.5 by 9.8 by 22.2 inches
Weight
24.7 lbs
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Best Tower PC Case for Pro Workstation Builds
Asus ProArt PA602
- 200mm intakes for high airflow at low noise
- Supports 420mm-format closed-loop cooling
- Superior cooling performance
- Great dust filtration, including dirty-filter detection
- Includes vertical graphics card bracket
- Very heavy
- Half of Type-A ports are USB 2.0
Roomy, hefty, and elegant, the Asus ProArt PA602 delivers superior cooling and noise control in a PC case that exudes imposing power for DIY-minded content creators and workstation users.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
4
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
8
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2), USB 2.0 (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
8
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
6
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
3
Maximum GPU Length
460 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
190 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
240 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
22.3 by 9.8 by 23.7 inches
Weight
34.6 lbs
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Best Tower PC Case With Bundled Liquid Cooler, Power Supply
Cooler Master TD500 Max
- Includes ML360 Max AIO CPU cooler, GX III Gold 850 power supply
- Powered ARGB/fan hub comes pre-installed
- Sockets for power-supply cables built into motherboard tray
- Second PCIe 6+2 power cable is missing
- Uses face panel mesh as front dust filter
- Noisy
Builders putting together a rig that needs exceptional CPU liquid cooling, as well as a power supply with above-average wattage, will find a compelling deal in Cooler Master’s TD500 Max three-in-one case bundle.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
3
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
7
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
4
Maximum GPU Length
380 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
165 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
200 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
Addressable RGB
Dimensions (HWD)
19.7 by 8.25 by 19.7 inches
Weight
25 lbs
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Best Tower PC Case With a Unique Face (Wood)
Fractal Design North XL
- Easy to build in, with well-apportioned accessory kit
- Supports maximum-size EATX motherboards
- Supports graphics cards more than 400mm long
- Can fit a 420mm and a 360mm radiator simultaneously
- No stock exhaust fan
- GPU vertical-mount adapter is an $80 option
Fractal Design’s wood-faced North XL makes a professional-look PC build easy-treesy, while providing room for jumbo cooling arrangements and long graphics cards.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
External 5.25-Inch Bays
0
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
External 3.5-Inch Bays
0
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
4
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
7
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
3
Maximum GPU Length
413 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
185 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
200 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
20.1 by 9.5 by 19.8 inches
Weight
21 lbs
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Best Tower/Midtower PC Case for Color Choices
Thermaltake View 270 TG ARGB Matcha Green
- Unique color scheme
- Supports big and medium-size radiators on top and side
- Inlet dust filters on top, side, and bottom
- Tested version includes three ARGB fans
- Thin sheet-metal outer panels
- PCI Express slot covers are the disposable knock-out kind
- GPU size limitations when a side radiator is installed
Thermaltake’s mid-size, budget-priced View 270 TG ARGB comes in distinctive colors and delivers a surprisingly good feature set for the money.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
2
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
7
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
6
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
3
Maximum GPU Length
428 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
180 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
280 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
Addressable RGB
Dimensions (HWD)
18.02 by 9.07 by 17.9 inches
Weight
14 lbs
Best Tower PC Case for Reverse Motherboards
Corsair 6500X
- Supports three 360mm radiators
- Lower dust filter slides out from front
- Optional accessories for walnut trim, vertical card mounting
- Cleaning side filter may be tricky
- Base kit does not include any fans or hubs
For PC builders who prefer a cavern of a chassis into which they can pour their creative visions (perhaps employing a reverse-connector motherboard), the Corsair 6500X provides a roomy framework for a neatnik’s big dream desktop.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
External 5.25-Inch Bays
0
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
2
External 3.5-Inch Bays
0
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
4
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (4), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
8
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
10
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
0
Maximum GPU Length
445 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
190 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
280 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Side
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
None
Dimensions (HWD)
19.5 by 12.75 by 18.75 inches
Weight
31.6 lbs
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Best Tower PC Case With a Modular Design
InWin ModFree Deluxe
- Modular case design lets you add, remove, and reposition sections
- Supports 420mm radiators on front and top
- Divider supports another 280mm/240mm radiator
- Includes four beautiful 140mm ARGB fans
- Includes powered hub for eight devices (ARGB/fan)
- Mount for just one 3.5-inch drive
- Slide-in dust filter gets stuck in the middle
- Complicated and pricey
Designed to support multiple big radiators, InWin’s ModFree Deluxe is a unique modular PC case that lets you flip the motherboard, add or remove parts of the frame, and more.
Motherboard Form Factors Supported
E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Internal 3.5-Inch Bays
1
Internal 2.5-Inch Bays
4
Front Panel Ports
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2), HD Audio
Side Window(s)?
Yes (Tempered Glass)
PCI Expansion Slot Positions
9
120mm or 140mm Fan Positions
6
120mm to 200mm Fans Included
4
Maximum GPU Length
390 mm
Maximum CPU Cooler Height
200 mm
Power Supply Maximum Length
390 mm
Power Supply Form Factor Supported
ATX
Power Supply Mounting Location
Bottom
Internal Chassis Lighting Color
None
Included Fan Lighting Color
Addressable RGB
Dimensions (HWD)
24.9 by 10.4 by 20.1 inches
Weight
31.6 lbs
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Buying Guide: The Best PC Tower Cases in 2024
If you’ve built your own PC in the past, you know that pinpointing the right PC case is not just a question of fitting the parts inside. It’s easy enough to match up the motherboard size, count the bays, and make sure the chassis has the front-panel ports you want. It’s the small stuff that separates a fine PC case from one that makes your build easy—or even makes it sing. That can be intangibles like cable-routing features, or the position of the power supply or the drive bays relative to the other parts. It can be the look; the case defines the identity of your PC.
Also, a PC case may be rated to accept a given motherboard—ATX, MicroATX, and so on—but that’s no indication that you’ll have enough room inside to build a system with ease. Clearances around the edges of the board may be tight, cable cutaways for routing wires behind the board may be scarce or ill-placed, and you may need to sacrifice drive bays to accommodate long video cards. Here’s what to know when assessing PC cases.
Why Should I Buy a Tower Case?
In our experience, tower cases tend to alleviate many of the space-related ails when building a PC. It’s not rocket science why: They’re simply bigger.
Most offer adequate room for cable routing and long video cards, and they should have room for enough drives, given today’s per-drive capacities, to satisfy most needs short of a server’s. If you have the room for one, a tower is an ideal platform for a new PC build or as a case upgrade for an existing system that’s running out of room inside for drives or card expansion.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
In the last few years, we’ve seen some clear trends among tower cases, too. Aggressive sci-fi and mecha themes were big for a while, but that has given way to subtler aesthetics: clean designs with neutral themes and an emphasis on the quality of external materials. (That said, you still can find those out-there PC-case designs in places, if you want them.) For a while, it looked like the DIY PC-case market was shifting over entirely to a blinged-up, geeky gamer aesthetic, but the design winds have shifted a bit. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a major move to glass and acrylic side panels, as well as the integration of mood lighting, whether one-color or programmable RGB.
What’s also shifted: the definition of a tower case. “True” towers—with huge banks of drive bays and bodies more than 20 inches tall—are still around, but the lines have blurred between these and larger mid-tower chassis, which tend to lie in the 18-to-20-inch height range. But even these are seeing their own splintering and hazy categorization: Just about all mainstream big cases, for example, have eliminated front-facing 5.25-inch drive bays, assuming that buyers won’t be opting for internal optical drives anymore. These really minimal cases were a subclass of their own a few years ago but are now the norm. As 5.25-inch bays have vanished, the really large towers have fallen out of favor with many buyers who aren’t doing elaborate modding or liquid cooling.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
With Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 30 and 40 series graphics cards the toast of the video-card world for the last few years, almost everyone is building PCs with just one GPU these days. With today’s decided shift to using just one video card, more moderate-size towers have been in the offing for most folks, but with a late-breaking twist: The very top-end GeForce RTX 40 Series cards, especially the titanic, enormously thick GeForce RTX 4090, are making the case for big towers again at the absolute high end.
Of course, you can still build out a PC with two or more older graphics cards in an AMD CrossFireX or Nvidia SLI arrangement, but giant tower cases with slot positions to take several double-wide video cards are best considered a niche within a niche. That said, users of GeForce RTX 4080s and RTX 4090s may need three slots or even four for just one card, depending on the card design!
Picking the right tower PC case for your build or upgrade is a complex interplay of the parts you have, the parts you may install someday, and the space you have available to stash the chassis itself. Here’s a brief rundown of the things to look for before we get deep into our favorites.
Motherboard Compatibility: ATX and More
Most towers, by definition, will support ATX-form-factor mainboards. If you’re looking to install a smaller MicroATX or Mini-ITX motherboard, a tower may not be the right choice. (That is, unless you know you need a tower’s wealth of drive bays, and you have the means to connect a heap of drives via that smaller board’s Serial ATA ports or a controller card.)
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
Larger tower cases may support additional form factors that are bigger than ATX, such as XL-ATX or Extended ATX (EATX). These are mostly seen in server-grade boards and occasional high-end consumer enthusiast/flagship models. Motherboards, especially, for AMD’s and Intel’s high-end desktop (HEDT) classes of processors, like the Ryzen Threadripper, tend to come in these oversize form factors due to extra RAM slots and the bigger actual CPU dies they host.
Support for these beyond-ATX form factors can indicate that the case will be big; if you don’t need that kind of size, steer for an ATX-max case.
CPU Cooler, Graphics Card, and PSU Clearance
First, think about CPU coolers: If you’re using liquid cooling in your PC, this won’t be an issue, but if you’re using an elaborate air-cooler that has a tall heat sink and fan assembly on top (performance coolers from companies like Noctua are what we’re talking about), you’ll want to measure the height of the cooler involved. PC case makers typically list the maximum cooler clearance on the case’s spec sheet—check it if you’re air-cooling. (More on liquid-cooling in a moment.) Most towers won’t present any problem for mainstream CPU air coolers, but always check your specs.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
As for video cards, this is a simple length measurement. Depending on the case design, the longest video cards—typically high-end ones measuring more than 11 inches front to back—may bump up against drive bays, fans, or other case structures in front. If you’re using a monster video card, keep an eye on this spec.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
The power supply unit (PSU) is the last element to consider. Almost all tower cases will make use of an ATX form-factor power supply, as opposed to the compact SFX and SFX-L form factor used in some compact cases. The main spec to pay attention to is the power supply’s physical length. Some cases mandate a maximum length that can fit without interference; this is less common in towers than in more compact cases, but it is still worth paying attention to before you buy. An extra-big power supply may require removing a drive cage to fit, or other compromises.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
Also worth looking into, but hard to discern from simple spec sheets: the reach of the eight-pin or four-pin CPU power cable or cables. In a few really big tower cases, it’s difficult or impossible to stretch this cable to the max to reach a far-flung CPU power port on the mainboard. An extender may be required. This is where reviews of cases, detailing their nuances and quirks, come in.
Drive Bays and Front-Panel Ports
The drive-bay equation is pretty straightforward: You need as many 2.5-inch, 3.5-inch, or 5.25-inch bays for SSDs, hard drives, or optical drives as you have drives, plus an allowance for future ones you might install. Many tower cases these days have dedicated bays for 2.5-inch drives (primarily for solid-state drives) and 3.5-inch drives; in most, the 3.5-inch bays also support smaller 2.5-inch drives via differently positioned screw mounts.
Note that, as we mentioned above, most cases, even big ones, have done away with 5.25-inch bays altogether, under the assumption that optical drives are now passé. If you need an internal DVD or Blu-ray drive in your build, be aware of that as you shop. Also, most big cases now favor mounting spots for large liquid-cooling radiators instead of the big banks of 3.5-inch hard drive bays that cases of the past often featured. Expect two to four 3.5-inch bays for hard drives in most towers these days.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
Front-facing ports, on the other hand, don’t vary too much among recent tower cases. The usual mix is one or two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one USB Type-C (usually USB 3.2 Gen 2), and possibly a pair of USB 2.0 Type-A ports, plus headphone and mic jacks. Make sure your motherboard has the proper mixture of headers for the ports on the chassis.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
That’s usually not a problem, though some motherboards more than a couple of years old may not have the connector (“Type-E”) for a Type-C front-panel port. A few cases may have four USB 3.0 ports and thus require two USB 3.0 headers to connect them all; many boards have just one such header. You may need an adapter to hook up the second set to a USB 2.0 header—be warned. (It will run at slower USB 2.0 speeds.)
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
Cable Routing
This is a tough area to assess outside the context of a review and actually building a PC into the case in question. It comprises two key areas: cutaways in the motherboard tray for running cables behind the case’s tray, and clearance behind the (usually) right-side panel. The latter is often ignored, but it’s important. Running thick cables such as the 24-pin main power-supply cable behind the right panel can be tricky if you don’t have enough room, and if it needs to crisscross other cables.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
As a result, you’ll want to pay close attention to our test build experiences to see how cable jockeying shakes out with a given case. Some cases will come with nicely pre-routed case cables or Velcro restraints to control cable excess, or have well-placed niches in which to stash extra-length or unused cables. A 2024 trend is the reverse-connector motherboard, which has all or most of the header and cable connections on the back of the board, peeking out through special cutouts in cases that support them. Dubbed Back to the Future (by Asus) or Project Zero (by MSI) these are efforts by two of the big board makers to hide cables completely.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
Liquid Cooling and Air Cooling
If you intend to install liquid cooling for your processor or graphics, you’ll want to examine the specifications for the size of radiator (or radiators) you can install. There are two aspects here: the radiator’s thickness, and the overall radiator length, measured in millimeters.
The thickness spec is to ensure that the radiator, its fans, and other hardware do not interfere with components on the mainboard because of overhang. The length is usually expressed as a multiple of the standard-size fans you install (which are, in most cases, 120mm or 140mm). So, you’ll typically see specs for mounting a 120mm-, 240mm-, or 360mm-long radiator unit. Match up what the case can accept with what you plan to install. Huge 360mm radiators are one of the main reasons old-school, really big towers still exist.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
As for air-cooling, how many fans are included in the case and how many you can install are two different things entirely. In most tower chassis, you will get at least a couple of pre-installed fans; additional ones are cheap, so we wouldn’t make the fan count a deal breaker. (If you’re doing liquid cooling, you may need to remove some of the installed fans, anyway, to make room for the radiator hardware you need to mount.) That said, be mindful of the sizes of fans that are included and supported. Replacements for nonstandard sizes like the 200mm whoppers used in some of the largest or widest towers are harder to come by than common 120mm and 140mm fans.
And then you have fan filters. Anyone who has dismantled a tower PC that’s been in service for some years knows about the dust, the dust, the eternal dust: caked on the case’s fan filters, rolling around inside the case in dust bunnies, and clotted on the fan blades. Better that it be caught in a cleanable filter: Look for removable filters over the intake fans (usually, the fans on the front) and over the power-supply intake (not the exhaust), which will be on case bottom or top.
(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)
Ready to Buy the Right PC Tower Case for You?
Once you choose your case, check out our roundups of the top graphics cards overall, the best graphics cards for 4K gaming, and our top-rated M.2 solid state drives. These are the most likely parts you’ll be shopping for next.
We’ve outlined our latest favorite PC cases here, with an eye to ease of build and attractiveness. (Or, if you prefer to skip the build process altogether, take a look at our top-performing prebuilt desktop PCs or gaming PCs.) We also have a roundup of much smaller Mini-ITX cases to check out if you decide a tower is too big a space commitment.
