Big, flashy gaming PCs may get more attention for their looks and all the power that can be packed inside, but there's a lot to love about a compact, Mini ITX build. With a great Mini ITX case, you can pack in all you need for your computer into a build that's no bigger than a video game console. It's not just the size, though, but also the fact that you can now put surprisingly powerful components into these builds. Processers and graphics cards just keep getting better, and now you can find plenty of powerful components that run cool enough to live inside the tighter quarters of a Mini ITX case.
These compact computers make for great media center devices, as you can enjoy all the flexibility for a full desktop operating system and the power of a gaming PC without needing to have a big, chunky PC next to your gaming TV. Of course, there's also no harm building one just to have as your main computer if you want a stylish, minimalistic gaming desk setup. These builds can be a little trickier, as you really have to choose a lot of components based on whether they'll fit into the system you want to build. So, if you're ready to start kitting out your tiny, wonder PC, you'll want to choose a case first. Luckily, we have some truly great options picked out for you.
TL;DR – These are the Best Mini ITX Cases:
- Cooler Master NR200
- Thermaltake Core V1
- Fractal Design Node 202
- Thermaltake Tower 100
- Lian Li PC-O11D Mini
- Lian Li TU150
- NCase M1 V6.1
- Razer Tomahawk
- Phanteks Eclipse P200A
- BitFenix Prodigy M2 2022
1. Cooler Master NR200
Best Mini-ITX Case
The dream of the ultra-compact gaming PC is perhaps as alive as its ever been, but you don't want to have to sacrifice the option of high-end components just to make it happen. With the Cooler Master NR200, you're getting a case that's just 18.25 liters in volume, but it finagles its internal space to hold some serious hardware.You can go beastly with your CPU, as there's room for a decently sized air cooler or even a 240mm radiator to get that liquid-cooling action. You've also got enough room in the case for a 330mm-long graphics card, which is longer than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 FE. You'll also get dedicated holders for two 2.5-inch drives and one 3.5-inch drive, which can all back up the NVMe SSD you should definitely be planning to include in an SFX build like this. It's all the more surprising the amount of room this case has for fans.
2. Thermaltake Core V1
Best Budget Mini ITX Case
The Thermaltake Core V1 may not be the most elegant case you can get, but at its price, we can forgive a few foibles. This cubic ITX case does a decent job of letting you show off your components through its clear side panel, which you can put on either side or even on top. The case is also easy to build in since you can remove the sides and top to reach right in. You don’t have to fuss around with vertical GPU brackets to show off your card or avoid sag either, as this case actually orients your motherboard horizontally and thus puts your graphics card vertical.
You get plenty of ventilation with the Thermaltake Core V1 as well. It fits a 200mm fan at the front to quietly pull in plenty of fresh air, and the side panels have many openings. The rear can even fit a pair of 80mm exhaust fans. Another big perks of this small case is that you don’t actually need to go too small with all of your components as it has clearance for a 140mm CPU cooler, a 285mm graphics card, and even a standard ATX power supply — now there’s a budget saver!
3. Fractal Design Node 202
Best Console-Style Mini ITX Case
When you're on a mission to build a gaming pc that's more powerful but smaller than a console, there's no substitute for the Fractal Design Node 202. It's a 10-liter chassis that can fit full-sized graphics cards inside and keep you on budget with its $145 price tag with an included 450W power supply, though a $70 price model without a power supply is also available. Better yet, it has a very clean, modern aesthetic that wouldn't look out of place in your home entertainment center.There are only two mounting points for two 120mm case fans, but they'll have to be low-profile and the same goes for your CPU cooler—you can forget about liquid-cooling your CPU. However, even without any additional fans, the Node 202 offers plenty of ventilation for the CPU and GPU areas, which are also all protected by dust filters.
4. Thermaltake Tower 100
Best Compact Mini ITX Case
Getting jealous of the the Xbox Series X with its towering vertical orientation but don't want to abandon the league of PC gamers? The Thermaltake Tower 100 has you covered with a compact size and a design that'll let you show off your rig. This mini ITX case opts for airflow that ventilates out the top and either pulls in through the rear or from below, leaving the front and sides for glass panels to let your internal components shine.Though this is a small case for ITX builds, it actually is built with space for standard ATX power supplies, so you don't have to hunt down an expensive SFX power supply. You'll also get a decent amount of space for a CPU air cooler and a full-length graphics card. There's one quirk of this funky design: the motherboard I/O all comes out of the top, but it's cleverly tucked behind the top filter and there are some routing channels to have cables come out the back. Thermaltake's own front-panel IO adds even more easily accessible ports with two USB 3.0 slots and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port alongside mic and headphone jacks.
5. Lian Li PC-O11D Mini
Best Big Mini ITX Case
Some Mini ITX cases are all about seeing how little you can go, but it doesn't have to be that way. You can get a compact case that's not so tight that getting parts in is a struggle. You shouldn't have to make a ton of sacrifices just to go small. With the Lian Li PC-011D Mini, you don't have to. This case squeezes the power supply in its own small section, requiring a SFX or SFX-L unit. But, on the flip side, it leaves a ton of room for components.While this case will work for your ITX build, it actually has the space for mATX and even ATX motherboards. That means you can configure for ITX now, and switch your build up a few years down the line without needing to get a new case. There's room for four drives, including two 3.5-inch drives with easy-to-install caddies. You can also fit large CPU coolers and graphics cards, so you won't have to skimp on performance hardware. There's even a ton of room for fans and up to 360mm radiators – that's right, radiators plural. There's a lot of flexibility to how you build inside the Lian Li PC-011D Mini, and that explains why the D stands for Dynamic.
6. Lian Li TU150
Best Portable Mini ITX Case
Going with a smaller Mini ITX PC case to help you save room is nice but what if it also helped make your PC more portable. That's exactly what the Lian Li TU150 sets out to do as a relatively compact chassis with a retractable carrying handle. This case is a bit larger on the Mini ITX spectrum, but it has enough internal space to let you install an SFX power supply and a triple-slot graphics card.Despite its small size, there's plenty of places to move air in this chassis as there are mounting points for two 120mm fans on the bottom, then another spot on the front and back of the case. The Lian Li TU150 also features clever cable routing areas behind the motherboard tray and in the roof of the case.
7. NCase M1 V6.1
Best High-End Mini ITX Case
There isn't a more diehard group of PC enthusiasts than those in the SFF community and if you want a Mini ITX case made for the people by the people, you need the NCase M1 V6.1. Unlike most PC cases made by manufacturers, the NCase M1 V6.1 was crowdsourced using ideas of ardent small ultimate Mini ITX PC fans to create the ultimate case of their dreams. The result is a small chassis that surprisingly large enough to hold almost any sized graphics card, 240mm liquid-coolers, and more.The NCase M1 v6.1 is insanely impressive when you consider its size. The M1’s versatility also comes with top-notch build quality too, with aluminum construction, tool-less panels, and sleek aesthetics. It's also highly tuned for maximum cooling with its over 6,000 ventilation holes while a couple of well-placed dust filters will keep your PC components clean. That all said, the NCase M1 is pretty darn expensive at $210 and it's only available in limited edition runs, but if you want the smallest case possible without making big compromises, this is as good as it gets.
8. Razer Tomahawk
Best RGB Mini-ITX PC Case
When it comes to RGB lighting, few companies do it better on their PC accessories than Razer. So, it's time to get excited, because Razer now has the Tomahawk ITX case to let you go mini in size but major in color. You'll get support for Razer's Chroma RGB lighting effects on the bottom of the case, giving it a stylish underglow that'll fit right in with a wide variety of Razer's mice, keyboards, headsets or even Razer's monitor.The case may be small, but it still has room for a decently tall CPU cooler or even a 240mm radiator for liquid cooling. You'll want to watch out for your graphics card length though, as you can only go up to 320mm, but you will have room for a thicker card that needs three expansion slots. Impressively, there's still room in this case for three 2.5-inch drives, and Razer manages some strong port variety on the front panel.
9. Phanteks Eclipse P200A
Best Mini-ITX Tower Case
Not every ITX case has to feel like it was designed to be ultra-tiny and come with all the associated headaches to build in. The Phanteks Eclipse P200A is ready to hold your next ITX build but give it more of a standard tower design. And, in fact, will let you go with a lot more standard components not specifically designed for small form factors.
The Phanteks Eclipse P200A will let you build your system with an ATX power supply, has 165mm of clearance for a CPU cooler, and can fit a graphics card 355mm long with a 3-lot width. If you’re inclined toward water cooling, it can even fit multiple 240mm radiators with the front slot actually able to bump up to 280mm. The case may be fairly compact, but it’s not planning to choke your system. Phanteks has built a 1mm perforated mesh at the front with an integrated dust filter for airflow and cleanliness, and there’s a considerable number of fan mounting points. The case also comes with two 120mm D-RGB PWM fans that you can control the lighting of directly from the front panel I/O.
10. BitFenix Prodigy M2 2022
Best Mini ITX Cube Case
Mini ITX cases let you go compact, but cube-like cases can help you get back a bit of extra room for more standard parts. The BitFenix Prodigy M2 2022 case gives you a compact little case for your ITX or even Micro ATX build, but it’s actually got enough room for you to use most of the graphics cards, air coolers, and even power supplies you’re likely to find. It’ll fit standard ATX power supplies, particularly, letting you avoid the major uptick in price that comes from switching to a SFX power supply, especially when it's a high-power one to serve something like the RTX 3090 or RX 6900 XT that this case can accommodate.
The case will help you keep things cool. There’s metal mesh ventilation to let fresh air in without getting too dusty, and there’s room to mount a 120mm fan at the front, a pair of 120mm or 140mm fans at the top, and a 120mm fan at the rear. You can also opt for a 240mm radiator in the top slot, though you might prefer to show off your graphics card using vertical mounting for the card.
What to Know Before Building a Mini ITX Case
The main selling factor of Mini ITX cases is they're much smaller and don't waste any space, but that's also what makes them so challenging to build in. There isn't a single square inch of wasted space inside a Mini ITX case, which also means each square-inch will be essential to you for squeezing in a larger GPU, a second solid-state drive, or even what would seem like a simple power cable in a larger chassis.
With that in mind, you'll want to pre-plan your PC build before you even start buying parts. Measure the GPU and main compartment twice to ensure you can actually fit your desired CPU cooler or graphics card inside the case. Considering how small these PC cases can be, you might even want to buy some custom cables with shorter lengths, so that they don't take up any more space than needed.
Lastly, you should rehearse your PC build beforehand. It can be all to easy to start installing your motherboard, CPU cooler, and other components only to realize that you've blocked off access to your storage mounting points several steps ago.
Building a Mini ITX system is tricky work, but they're some of the most rewarding puzzles you can solve as a PC builder.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
