The Ultimate Guide to PC Cases for 2025

The Hyte Y70 Touch is an outstanding PC case overall due to its striking design, incredible water cooling potential, and gorgeous interactive 4k screen. With a 60Hz refresh rate and 1,100 x 3840 resolution, this IPS touch screen is truly impressive, offering not just PC overviews via widgets but also functioning as a handy second display.

Beyond the fancy screen, this is a beautifully designed case with ample capacity for building a powerful PC. Even the standard Hyte Y70 (without the touch screen) is an excellent choice. Its dual-chamber design brilliantly hides cables, ensuring a clean aesthetic. Vertical mounting of your graphics card is also straightforward, which not only looks great but can provide crucial support for heavier cards.

While this is a premium case, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t include any fans. Unless you’re repurposing existing fans, you’ll need to factor in the cost of new ones. Its clear view into the interior also means that color matching your fans and components becomes more critical for a cohesive look. This case was thoroughly reviewed.

Dual-chamber cases are incredibly popular today, thanks to their ability to neatly tuck away power supplies and cables in a hidden rear compartment, while prominently displaying your exciting, RGB-illuminated components. This design also significantly improves airflow, especially to the GPU, and often allows for two stunning glass panels on the front and side. However, most dual-chamber cases tend to be quite large, which is where the NZXT H6 Flow RGB truly shines.

This case is noticeably more compact than its wider counterparts like the Hyte Y70 or taller options such as the NZXT H7 Flow. While it’s still wider than a standard ATX tower, NZXT has cleverly relocated the extra bulk to the back, adding an angled corner panel that not only streamlines the case’s appearance but also provides an additional fan mounting area.

This innovative design delivers some of the best overall case airflow we’ve ever seen in a case of this size. Crucially, unlike many dual-chamber designs that primarily focus on GPU cooling, this case provides fantastic CPU cooling as well, alongside its excellent GPU cooling performance.

Combined with its clean, minimalist design (available in black or white), robust build quality, and straightforward assembly, this case is a clear winner, especially given its attractive price point. This model received a thorough review.

If you’re in search of the ultimate large, conventional tower PC case with a breathtaking glass panel view into your system, the HS 420 is currently the top contender. Its design features a single-piece curved glass front and side panel, along with an internal glass panel airflow baffle, creating a truly unique and striking aesthetic.

Furthermore, this case supports up to E-ATX motherboards and provides abundant room for fans and various mounting options for water cooling radiators and AIO coolers. This means you can house incredibly powerful gaming PC hardware without sacrificing a tidy build or struggling with cooling performance.

The version we extensively tested and reviewed is the vertical GPU (VGPU) model, which includes hardware for mounting your graphics card in a vertical configuration. This specific model also incorporates the internal glass baffle, crucial for directing airflow from the angled lower fan mounts to ensure cool air efficiently reaches the GPU fans.

In our tests, it comfortably cooled our AMD Ryzen 8 9800X3D and RTX 5070 Ti while maintaining reasonable noise levels. However, optimal performance from this case benefits greatly from using numerous fans running at very slow speeds, as its somewhat open, mesh-filled sides can readily allow sound to escape.

Additionally, acquiring enough fans to fully populate this case could significantly increase its already substantial cost, as it ships without any fans. Despite these considerations and its high price (around $300 for the VGPU model, $230 for the standard), this case still feels like a decent value. Its build quality is fantastic, cable management options are excellent, cooling is superb, and its styling is undeniably top-tier. Just be aware that achieving a pristine PC build that truly showcases this case’s potential will likely require a weekend’s dedication, not just a quick evening job. This HAVN HS 420 VPGU model was thoroughly reviewed.

The NZXT H7 Flow has been a staple in the PC building community, and its updated 2024 model significantly elevates its predecessor. The most notable enhancement is the inclusion of a vertical PSU mount, which creates more space for liquid cooling radiators, making it better suited for overclocking enthusiasts.

While the mount allows for additional fans, its airflow capacity is somewhat limited. Our testing revealed it ran two degrees warmer than the NZXT H6 Flow RGB, and even with extra fans added to the rear, roof, and base mounts, the temperature barely dropped by a single degree.

However, where it might fall short in raw airflow, it excels in cable management. With a prominent glass panel, maintaining a tidy setup free from tangled wires is paramount. This case not only provides ample space to tuck things away in front of the PSU but also comes equipped with numerous Velcro cable anchors. A generous cable-stowing area is cleverly located under the fan mounts, though it could be better concealed.

For those prioritizing a quiet setup, this is certainly one of the quieter models we’ve encountered over the years. A very slight high-pitched sound might be discernible from the fans at full speed, but running them at 75% renders the system essentially silent. At 50% speed, which is perfectly adequate for most typical operations, it operates without a whisper.

Naturally, the RGB lighting is a major selling point (and a reason for its slightly higher price). If this aesthetic isn’t for you, a non-RGB version of the NZXT H7 Flow is available, but we find this model to be quite stylish. The build quality is also exceptional, feeling premium as soon as you handle it. If you have a meticulously designed gaming space, this case will fit right in. This NZXT H7 Flow RGB (2024) model was thoroughly reviewed.

If you’re simply looking for a clean, well-built PC case with a traditional layout – without the complexities of dual-chamber designs that often demand dozens of elaborate fans to look good – then the Corsair 4000D Airflow is an excellent choice. While it doesn’t quite dip below the $100 mark for a perfectly tidy price, it remains a fantastic mid-range option for those seeking a quality, conventional case.

Featuring a multitude of cooling options and a straightforward, simple interior, it’s easy to construct a system within this case that looks smart yet unpretentious. Many of the fan mounts are cleverly concealed, meaning that using more affordable, non-RGB fans won’t detract from your system’s overall aesthetic. You receive two fans with the case, and while you’ll likely want a few more to maximize its potential – a common requirement for most cases in this guide – it provides a solid foundation.

Inside, there’s ample space for even the largest modern graphics cards, and vertical mounting is also an option, though it’s not ideal for this configuration as airflow can be restricted. Ultimately, this case doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it consistently delivers as a reliable, solid choice for anyone building a powerful yet discreet gaming PC with a standard ATX form factor. This Corsair 4000D Airflow model was thoroughly reviewed.

The NZXT H3 Flow offers an unbeatable combination of value, style, and impressive cooling capabilities for a microATX case. Despite its relatively compact size, it can comfortably accommodate large graphics cards, several AIO coolers, and provides ample CPU cooler height.

Its success largely stems from its intelligent use of more ventilated panels than you’d typically find in many cases. The glass side panel extends only three-quarters of the way down, with the lower section offering crucial ventilation to the power supply and the bottom of your PC, which can also benefit certain GPU cooler designs.

Both the front and entire top sections feature ventilated panels. This means that even with only one 120mm fan included (mounted at the rear), it still achieves excellent cooling performance. While all that ventilation means noise can escape a little more readily than with other cases, this can be easily mitigated by using more, slower-spinning, and quieter fans.

As a microATX case, your selection of motherboards will be more limited – there’s a surprising scarcity of high-end microATX motherboards. And while it’s not the absolute smallest microATX case available, it perfectly hits the mark for those seeking something notably more compact than a full ATX model.

For just around $60, this case delivers exceptional value. While some premium touches like rubber grommets around cable routing holes are omitted, it remains a superb choice for builders looking to save money on a chassis without making significant compromises. This NZXT H3 Flow model was thoroughly reviewed.

The Jonsbo D30 is our top choice for the best small microATX PC case. It boasts a very compact design and comes with three 120mm fans, making it an excellent foundation for a truly miniature microATX PC without the need to purchase additional fans. Furthermore, it offers superb mounting options for both air and water cooling, all at an attractive price point.

The ingenuity behind this case’s design lies in its relocation of the power supply from the bottom (where it typically resides in most cases) to the top front. This clever arrangement means that when the case is placed on a desk and viewed through its main window, your graphics card takes center stage at the bottom, rather than a bulky power supply or its shroud.

Moreover, this configuration facilitates clean airflow directly to your graphics card from the ventilation grille that spans the entire bottom length of the case – a perfect setup for through-flow GPU designs.

One drawback of this case is the somewhat awkward power supply placement, which can appear unsightly if not deliberately covered. Jonsbo’s promotional images often show 2.5-inch SSDs mounted in front of this section, but these drives are less common now. We suggest filling this space with a custom image or a colored panel for aesthetic purposes.

Due to its vertical airflow design, this case is also best paired with a 240mm AIO CPU cooler, rather than a traditional air cooler. Despite these minor considerations, we are genuinely impressed by the combination of style, cooling performance, and value that the Jonsbo D30 delivers. This Jonsbo D30 model was thoroughly reviewed.

The Fractal Design Terra achieves a perfect balance of compactness, style, and performance. This mini-ITX case boasts a truly stunning design, particularly in its now-iconic jade green and walnut color scheme. However, its appeal goes far beyond mere aesthetics.

This cleverly engineered case largely eliminates the need for extensive case ventilation by incorporating perforated panels on its top, bottom, and sides. Air is efficiently drawn in from the sides by the SFX power supply, CPU cooler, and graphics card fans, then naturally vents out through the top and bottom.

Building within this case presents inherent challenges due to its compact nature, but Fractal has eased the process by designing the entire vertical motherboard mount to be adjustable from side-to-side. This allows for accommodating various sizes of CPU coolers and graphics cards.

Key limitations of this case include its requirement for an SFX power supply, rather than a full-size ATX unit. You’ll also need to use a low-profile CPU cooler, such as the Noctua NH-L9. Furthermore, it cannot be fitted with a window, meaning you won’t have a visible, showy interior. While it is quite expensive, this cost is justified by its superb build quality – featuring solid wood on the front – and excellent performance.

The Fractal Design Torrent possesses three compelling features that make it incredibly attractive. First is its sleek design; while aesthetics are subjective, we believe the sharp angular lines of its front ventilation grille and gracefully rounded corners help this case distinguish itself positively from the competition.

Its second significant feature is an inverted layout. Similar to many dual-chamber cases, this design dedicates the bottom of the case to ventilation, positioning the motherboard lower to bring your graphics card closer to this crucial airflow. However, unlike dual-chamber designs, the power supply is situated at the top of the case, where it remains surprisingly well-hidden.

The final standout characteristic of this admittedly large case is the inclusion of two massive 180mm fans in its front panel. Due to their substantial size, these fans can operate at slower speeds than typical 120mm fans while still delivering impressive airflow, resulting in a quiet yet remarkably cool setup right out of the box.

While it may not be the most optimized for advanced water cooling, for a system utilizing a standard air cooler or an AIO cooler on your CPU paired with a conventional graphics card, it proves to be an excellent choice. This Fractal Design Torrent model was thoroughly reviewed.