The Best PC Cases Buyer’s Guide – Winter 2023

By Ari Altman | Published November 12, 2023 | Updated November 12, 2023

CoolerMaster HAF 700Upgrade to the Best PC Cases, Not Just Popular Ones!

Here at The Tech Buyer’s Guru, we’ve reviewed dozens and dozens of PC cases over the years, so at this point we know the best PC cases when we see them. In this guide, we list our top 10 picks on the market today. Rather than segment them into arbitrary categories like best $50 case, $60 case, $70 case and so on, we simply picked the cases that we think best represent the state of the art in the PC industry. In total, we have five compact ITX and micro-ATX cases, and another five mid- and full-tower ATX cases. We’re pretty sure that if you want a new case, you’ll find a perfect option among our picks.

Spotting Not Just the Latest Trends, but the Latest Good Ones!

For Fall 2023, there’s one theme that rises above all others, and it’s airflow, which translates directly into higher performance! Sure, glass and RGB lighting are still a thing, but the most innovative manufacturers have shown that you can have these things and good cooling too! In fact, we’re seeing some high performance tower cases move away from RGB entirely, although for now, we’re still listing RGB models, as it gives you the choice to light up your system or go dark when you want to.

By the way, when it comes to performance, just as important as the case design are the fans used for case cooling, and we’ve conducted the most extensive case fan testing in the review industry to help you set up the best possible cooling for your case. Definitely check out our case fan reviews (in our case reviews section) and our cooler and case fan buyer’s guide.

Final Thoughts

Unlike a lot of other categories of PC components, cases can be used in multiple systems over time, making them a very good place to invest in the best you can afford. With that said, we’re seeing more rapid advancement of PC case design than ever before. This includes new USB connectivity standards, new fan standards, and new layouts to account for the move from big drives to tiny M.2 drives, and from compact externally-exhausting GPUs to huge, high-TDP, open-air GPUs that dump a lot of hot air into your system. So while you may want to keep a case for two or three generations, it may not be in the interest of your own sanity!

As always, to support continued development of these guides, please use the Amazon product links we provide to purchase any case we recommend. This provides TBG a small commission at no cost to you.

Mini-ITX Models

  • Case

    SilverStone SG16

    $87
    Coming in at just 13 liters despite impressive component compatibility and exceptional airflow, the SG16 stands alone. There are smaller “kick-started” cases out there, but they often come with a whole lot of “gotchas”, one of which is always an exorbitant price! The SG16, on the other hand, is a value-packed option designed by the biggest name in the ITX industry, SilverStone. It has 120mm fan mounts front and rear (almost unheard of in this size-class), and it can fit video cards up to 10.8″ long.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Unlike the older SG13 that we used to recommend, the SG16 does not need a separate adapter to use properly-sized SFX power supplies. The adapter is built right into the case!

  • Case

    IN WIN Chopin Max w/ 200W PSU

    $122
    The Chopin Max takes everything we loved about the Chopin Pro and “maxes” it out by adding another 7mm of CPU cooler clearance. Sounds like a small change, but it means DIYers can now use AMD’s CPU lineup and their included Wraith Stealth coolers. This was honestly something we had been wanting for years, because AMD’s budget CPUs and especially their coolers are so much better than Intel’s! Carried over from the Pro model is the impressive 200W Gold-rated power supply space for dual 2.5″ drives, and a gorgeous aluminum exterior, which gives this case a seriously-premium look!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This case cannot be beat when it comes to building an elegant, ultra-compact, high-performance system. Just keep in mind that there are handful of Intel CPUs that will exceed the limit of its power supply, so you'll probably be better off with an AMD model.

  • Case

    LIAN LI A4-H2O X4

    $156
    Lian Li has taken its design expertise and one-upped the entire Small Form Factor case industry with the A4-H20. It teamed up with the ITX design specialists at Dan Cases to create the A4-H20, which as the name suggests, supports liquid cooling despite coming in at an impossibly-small 11 liters. It uses a sandwich-style layout, putting the GPU behind the motherboard, while making room at the top of the case for a liquid cooler up to 240mm in size to exhaust all the system’s hot air. And take note: the X4 edition of this case includes a high-quality PCIe Gen 4-capable riser cable to ensure full bandwidth to the latest video cards!

    The Guru’s Tip

    You may wonder why any other ITX gaming case can even survive on the market given that the A4 is both among the smallest while offering tremendous GPU and AIO support. The answer is simple: in addition to being fairly expensive, this case isn't for beginners. It takes a lot of skill to get all the cables and hoses sorted.

Micro-ATX Models

  • Case

    Cooler Master Q300L

    $40
    Offering loads of style and performance for the price, the Q300L is by far the best buy in its price class. It features a mesh front panel, a 120mm rear fan, and slick magnetic dust filters on both the top and front. For style, it has a transparent side panel, providing a great look inside the chassis.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This case has been replaced in the Cooler Master lineup with a v2 model, but the discount on this model is simply amazing, making it by far the best value among any PC case on the market... until it sells out!

  • Case

    SilverStone PS15 Pro

    $75
    This stylish, modern mATX case offers great performance and flexibility in a compact package. Mesh panels in the front and top provide great ventilation, and the three included 120mm fans (two with ARGB lighting) will make the most of it! On top you’ll find two USB ports plus microphone and headphone jacks, and on the side is a tempered glass panel that offers great views of the interior. It has space for a CPU cooler up to 154mm tall, and a video card up to 12.3″ long.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Given the way the video card market has changed over the past few years, namely the end of dual-card setups, mATX cases like this one offer a great alternative to standard ATX towers.

ATX Models

  • Case

    Phanteks G360A

    $90
    The G360A offers awesome style, great performance, and the build quality only Phanteks can deliver around the $100 pricepoint. It has three high-quality 120mm ARGB fans, a built-in ARGB light strip, plus a tempered glass side panel to show off your build.

    The Guru’s Tip

    In addition to being an amazing value, this case has the fit and finish that only Phanteks can provide. Building in a Phanteks case always feels like a premium experience.

  • Case

    Lian Li Lancool 216 RGB

    $100
    The Lancool 216, which traces its heritage back to the trailblazing Lancool gaming cases of the early 2000s, is simply amazing for the price. You get dual 160mm (not 120mm or 140mm!) ARGB fans in the front, along with a 140mm fan in the rear, meaning this system has more cooling power than some cases that cost twice the price. To make the case even better, Lian Li equips it not only with mesh in the front, but mesh on the lower panels, so you can mount upward-facing fans on the PSU shroud to keep your GPU ice cold with a constant stream of fresh air. Simply put, Lian Li is making every other manufacturer look bad by offering premium cases at a budget-friendly price!

    The Guru’s Tip

    The big 160mm fans in the front of this case really set it apart from competitors!

  • Case

    Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic Evo

    $190
    Lian Li put itself back on the enthusiast map after years of relative anonymity when it launched the immensely-stylish 011 Dynamic, which offered glass panels arranged to provide an unparalleled view of the interior of the system. The 011 Dynamic Evo is a further refinement of the design, with a larger interior volume plus classy integrated RGB effects on the front panel. And with radiator and fan mounts on the bottom, top, rear, and sides, it’s also an airflow champ!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This case does not include fans, and we recommend you add three 120mm fans to the bottom, a 120mm in the rear, and use liquid cooling for your CPU, mounting the radiator on top. This setup will provide immense airflow while preserving the "greenhouse" look of the system. Want a more traditional build? Then just go for the cases we list above or below!

  • Case

    be quiet! Shadow Base 800 FX ARGB White

    $170
    The Shadow Base 800 FX is a thoroughly modern case, packing in the very best in design advancement to produce class-leading performance and silence. There’s no other case that can match it. Plus it has great customizable looks, thanks to the built in ARGB light strips plus the four Light Wings 140mm ARGB fans, which are also a key ingredient in this case’s chart-topping cooling!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is a big, no-nonsense, high-performance case for serious PC builds!

  • Case

    Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO

    $500
    It’s been a long time since a new super-tower case has come along that isn’t just bigger, it’s better. The HAF 700 is that case. Everything about this chassis is next-gen, from the gorgeous ARGB-lit glass grille that works with the case’s fans, rather than against them, to the integrated LCD screen in front for system monitoring, to the dual-chamber layout allowing unobstructed airflow from front to back and bottom to top, to the simply unparalleled radiator support: how does a 240mm rear mount, dual 360mm top mounts, and compatibility with 420mm and 480mm rads sound? Just take note: this case is beastly – at 54 pounds empty, and 121 liters in volume, you better be sure you have the ability to handle it!

    The Guru’s Tip

    If you want the most innovative, most stylish, and best performing case on the market, this is the one!

Pin It on Pinterest