The mid-tower ATX case is one of those PC parts that has been around forever dutifully holding our gear, and yet rarely gets the respect it deserves. Sure, it's not as flamboyant as a massive full tower, or as charming as a small Mini-ITX case, but that's why we like it. The best gaming PC chassis doesn't need to take up a lot of space, can be as unassuming as you wish, and yet can hold a ton of hardware while allowing for semi-radical cooling and high-end builds. And since mid towers accept full-sized ATX motherboards, the world is your oyster when shopping for parts.
With this in mind, we have rounded up a few of the best mid-tower cases for consideration in your next build. These options offer a variety of features, including flashy RGB lighting, sleek designs, and loads of cooling. We've made these selections based on our many years of PC building expertise, so without further ado here are the top mid-tower PC cases for you to ogle, and consider when you get around to your next build.
TL;DR – These are the Best Mid Tower PC Cases:
- Lian Li Lancool II Mesh
- Corsair 4000D Airflow
- Phanteks Eclipse P300A
- Cooler Master H500
- NZXT H510 Flow
- Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo
- Fractal Design Define 7
- Phanteks Eclipse P600S
- be quiet! Silent Base 802
- Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact
1. Lian Li Lancool II Mesh
Best Mid Tower PC Case
Lian Li can make a mean case, and the Lancool II Mesh exemplifies just how well. This case is ready for just about any build, as it can support up to E-ATX motherboards and down to ITX boards. If you're looking to load up on tons of storage, you can even fit up to nine drives. You also get a removable cable management bar to keep everything nice and tidy. And, swapping parts in your rig is a breeze with hinged side panels you can quickly flip out to get inside — no tools necessary.
The Lancool II Mesh is designed for high airflow thanks to the mesh panels with a honeycomb vent design and three 120mm ARGB fans included in the kit. You can fit even more fans up top, and there’s room to mount two 120mm fans above the power supply chamber. If you want really powerful cooling, you can take advantage of the space for a 240mm radiator at the top of the case or even a 360mm radiator at the front. Overheating will be a thing of the past with this case.
2. Corsair 4000D Airflow
Best Budget Mid Tower PC Case
If you're not interested in an expensive and flashy RGB-lit case, then the Corsair 4000D Airflow is for you. Sure, you lose out on the cool lighting, but the tempered glass side panel can show off the RGB on your high-end components anyways. That panel also slides off for easy part swapping. And, you can squeeze in a wide range of systems from E-ATX to ITX builds. There's tons of additional space for CPU air coolers, radiators, and large graphics cards, too. You can even slide in two SATA SSDs and two hard drives on top of however many PCIe SSDs your motherboard supports, giving you plenty of flexibility on storage.
Of course, airflow in a case matters. It might be the most important feature, and the 4000D Airflow has earned its name. It totes a well-ventilated front panel with room for three 120mm fans, and you can add even more fans to the top of the case. Plus, two fans are already included in the front and rear, so you've got a strong start for your cooling needs. The case also has plenty of cable tie down points to help you manage all those unsightly wires. However, we think your favorite feature might be the $105 price tag.
3. Phanteks Eclipse P300A
Best Ultra Cheap Mid Tower PC Case
Sometimes you want to spend more on your internals and be a bit thrifty when it comes to your computer case. That's where the $80 Phanteks Eclipse P300A steps in. It offers a decently spacious mid-tower to build in with loads of airflow. A metal mesh front panel helps move the heat out, and you can even use the front as an outlet for air blown through a radiator as large as 280mm. The case also features a filtered fan port on top, so you can direct airflow as needed. Plus, at this price, a rear exhaust fan is still included.
The Phanteks Eclipse P300A is pretty roomy, and it fits most motherboards as well as full-sized power supplies. There's plenty of space for storage with two mounting points for 2.5-inch SSDs and two 3.5-inch drive trays that slide out of the front of the case. Phanteks provides zip ties to help with capable management as well. And, you can see everything working inside thanks to the tempered glass side panel.
4. Cooler Master H500
Best High-Airflow Mid Tower PC Case
Do you tend to do a lot of overclocking? Then you want to snag a case with loads of airflow to ensure things keep cool even when your components are working their hardest, and the Cooler Master H500 is the best option for the job. First off, you get dual 200mm intake fans that move air like it's nobody's business while managing to stay super quiet. There are loads of additional fan mounts on the front, top, and rear to cool every last part of your PC. The mesh front and filtered ventilation system on top ensure that hot air gets out. Plus, you even have room for a liquid CPU cooler setup too, or a home-brew kit if you're ready for it.
Everything is going to be kept nice and frosty while residing in the Cooler Master's H500, so you can pack this case full of powerful parts. It fits a range of motherboards and has a large GPU clearance of 410mm. You can also add additional storage thanks to the four drive bays. And, to top everything off, you get an ARGB lighting system.
5. NZXT H510 Flow
Best Looking Mid Tower PC Case
NZXT has upgraded the great H510, but the NZXT H510 Flow sticks to its sleek and simple design. You’ll have an easy time making a clean setup inside the case as it features NZXT’s special cable management bar, which lets you route, attach, and effectively hide your cable runs. Since your computer’s interior is going to be that much easier to make pretty, the tempered glass side panel helps you show everything inside off.
The NZXT H510 Flow has ditched some of the glass this time around for more air intake. It's now got a perforated top and front panel, letting loads of air come through to efficiently cool off internals. All of the air intakes on the case are also filtered, so you can worry less about dust slipping in and gunking up your system. To top off the cooling prowess, the NZXT H510 Flow comes with two case fans, one in the front and one in the rear, but it has room for an extra front fan and a top fan. There's even room radiators up to 280mm.
6. Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo
Best High-End Mid Tower PC Case
If you’re looking to show off your build with a flashy case, the Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo is the premium mid-tower of your dreams. This tower is built to impress with two tempered glass sides that display all of the high-end components you’re kitting out your PC with. The chassis is reversible, so you can experience the tempered glass showroom view from either the left or right side. Aside from showy tempered glass, aluminum fine mesh paneling allows for optimal airflow and dust filtering, helping keep the quality parts packed inside running smooth. A personalized ARGB lighting strip completes the stunning design.
The modular build of the Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo makes the most of the space inside. There are tons of opportunities for cooling thanks to the upright GPU kit. In total, you can load this case up with three 360mm radiators and ten fans. The ample airflow also allows you to add ample storage, and it has space for nine SSDs or six HDDs plus three SSDs. And, if you’re worried about struggling to mount everything, it shouldn’t be too difficult thanks to quick release brackets for the fans and anti-sag brackets for the GPU.
7. Fractal Design Define 7
Best Minimalist PC Case
- See it on Amazon (with metal side panel)
When it comes to subtlety, Fractal Design has it all figured out with the Define 7. This case doesn't go all out with wild, RGB fans and lights, rather sticking to a simple but refined design. It's also built to stay quiet with sound-damped panels on the front, top, and sides. And, if airflow is a major concern, the sleek steel top panel can be swapped out for filtered ventilation. There's also a tempered glass side panel to see all your high-end components inside.
The Define 7 has three panels that pop off to offer easy access while building or modding your PC, and there is loads of room to do just that. The case's open layout allows for pretty much any motherboard, including E-ATX. Plus, it can fit up to nine fans for extreme cooling and even a 420mm radiator can be squeezed in. There's room for up to 14 hard drives and 4 SATA SSDs providing ample storage. Plus, you get loads of port variety on the top of the case.
8. Phanteks Eclipse P600S
Best Modular Mid-Tower Case
To a degree, most computer cases you’ll find are somewhat modular. After all, you get to choose what kind of motherboard you want to install, how many fans, what type of storage, and so on. Some might limit you, but the bigger they are, the more options they generally provide. But, the Phanteks Eclipse P600S goes the extra mile. This case provides plenty of room for your choice of even E-ATX motherboards, but a special bracket you can buy lets you build a secondary ITX-based system right inside the same case as your primary system. Imagine having your streaming system built inside your gaming system.
Beyond the motherboards, the Phanteks Eclipse P600S has room for a ton of large fans or radiators, and it even includes a PWM hub to support eight fans. You’ll find an anti-sag bracket if you choose to mount your graphics card horizontally, but there’s also a vertical mounting bracket. And, there are a ton of bays for storage, with ten slots for hard drives and three for SSDs. Even the front of the case is modular with an acoustic front panel for silent operation. However, you can remove it to increase airflow.
9. be quiet! Silent Base 802
Best Silenced Mid-Tower PC Case
- See it on Amazon (out of stock)
When it comes to silent PC parts, be quiet! is a brand you can count on, so why not go with a full case for silent operation? That's just what you get with the Silent Base 802 PC case. It totes three of be quiet!'s own Pure Wings 2 140mm fans already pre-installed, so you'll get hushed cooling right off the bat. There's also the option of ventilated front and top panels or solid panels to cut down on noise. And, if you want the option to easily go from minimal noise to maximum cooling, a four-step fan controller on the top of the case lets you quickly manage up to six fans at once.
The Silent Base 802 mid-tower is designed for quiet PC builds big and small with support for E-ATX motherboards on the large end and ITX on the small end. The case has an extra trick with a moveable motherboard tray that lets you invert the layout to control airflow how you see fit. You can also fit in a CPU air cooler up to 185mm tall or you can go all in on liquid cooling with support for a front-mounted 420mm radiator or top-mounted 360mm radiator.
10. Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact
Best Mesh Mid-Tower PC Case
If you're concerned about performance, then you're probably going to want a PC case that has plenty of airflow. Mesh is essential in ensuring your case fans have easy access to cool air and a place for fans to push out the hot air. The Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact is designed with this in mind. The case has a subdued aesthetic with a stylish mesh front panel. A nylon filter is included to help keep dust out of your computer, but you can remove it for even more airflow if needed.
The rest of the case continues to offer more potential cooling options. You can fit two fans on top of the case, one on the bottom, and one more for the exhaust on the rear. For the price, Fractal Design includes three Dynamic X2 fans: two 140mm and one 120mm. Don't worry about not being able to show off your rig, though, as the case also has a tinted glass side panel.
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Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark
