The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best PC Cases Buyer’s Guide – Winter 2023

The Best PC Cases Buyer’s Guide – Winter 2023

By Ari Altman | Published January 16, 2023 | Updated January 16, 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. You’ll see some some ultra-compact mini-ITX options, a great mATX case, mainstream ATX cases, as well as super-towers, and 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 Winter 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!

Speaking of airflow, just as important as the case design is 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 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 links we provide, which provide TBG a small commission at no cost to you.

Mini-ITX Models

  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    SilverStone ML09B

    $93
    Silverstone has done some serious engineering work here, and there’s simply nothing else like it on the market today. Despite its compact dimensions, the ML09 can fit a mini-ITX motherboard, a low-profile dual-slot video card, four 2.5″ drives, and an SFX power supply. It’s amazing – learn more in our hands-on review!

    The Guru’s Tip

    For a high-powered office system, one nice option is to remove the optical drive bracket and included 120mm case fan, and install in their place a high-performance low-profile CPU cooler - with these components removed, there's 70mm of clearance.
  • SilverStone SG16
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    SilverStone SG16

    $82
    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!
  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    Cooler Master NR200

    $103
    This amazing case is one of a kind. Coming in at 18 liters, it has space for just about every component you could imagine, and looks fantastic too! That includes a huge GPU, a variety of powerful cooler options, and an SFX-class PSU.

    The Guru’s Tip

    You may wonder why we list both the SG16 and the NR200, given the similar shape and similar price. The reason: they are for very different users due to their sizes. The NR200 is about 50% bigger, which opens up lots of GPU options... if you need them!

Micro-ATX Models

  • SilverStone PS15 Pro
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    SilverStone PS15 Pro

    $78
    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

  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    Corsair 4000D Airflow

    $105
    The 4000D is simply the best performance-oriented case you can get for the money, thanks to its fantastic airflow design, dual 120mm fans, and a plenty of builder-friendly touches, like excellent cable routing, captive screws, and plenty of fan mounts.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is the top-selling case in the US for a reason!
  • Lian Li 205 Mesh C RGB
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Lian Li 205 Mesh C RGB

    $120
    Lian Li established itself as the leading PC case manufacturers in the early 2000s, and after a quiet spell, it has come out to dominate the market yet again. The 205 is an example of how Lian Li proves enhanced performance does not need to cost more, it just needs to be designed right! With dual 140mm ARGB fans in front and a 120mm ARGB fan in the rear, plus a mesh front panel, this case offers a great light show, but more importantly, it offers superior airflow to anything else in its price range.

    The Guru’s Tip

    The big 140mm fans in the front of this case really set it apart from competitors!
  • Phanteks P500A
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Phanteks Eclipse G500A Digital RGB

    $158
    Phanteks cases are simply exquisite; no other manufacturer can quite match the great blend of quality materials, attention to detail, and high performance, especially for the price. And the G500A may be Phanteks’ crowning achievement: an ultra-high performance ATX case with killer looks! The three 140mm ARGB fans in front look great and provide massive airflow. A few other cool touches on this case include the hinged glass door on the left side and the integrated RGB light pipe on the PSU shroud. No one does it better!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This case has the fit and finish that only Phanteks can offer!
  • Lian Li LanCool III
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Lian Li Lancool III RGB

    $205
    Lian Li has been on a mission to totally dominate the high-end case market, just as it did in the early 2000s. There’s no clearer sign of its resurgence than the Lancool III. Building on the huge success of the Lancool II, the III goes bigger and cooler! You get triple 140mm ARGB fans up front, a 140mm black fan in the rear, and space for practically any CPU cooler on the market. But it goes beyond extreme airflow, with convenient and stylish hinged glass panels on both sides, plus flip-down doors providing access to PSU cabling and hard drives. This kind of innovation is what makes building a system a whole lot more fun. The Lancool III really is the best of all worlds!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is a big, no-nonsense, high-performance case for serious PC builds!
  • Lian Li 011
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic Evo

    $178
    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, 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.
  • CoolerMaster HAF 700
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO

    $633
    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!

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