Powerful, cool, quiet: the best PC gaming cases of 2024

The perfect case for gamers, the Corsair iCue 4000D is a highly popular design thanks to its strong airflow, spacious mid tower design and impressive level of optionality for a huge range of PC builds. One of the best features of the Corsair iCue 4000D is its mesh front panel, which creates a massive amount of airflow compared to standard gaming PC cases. This open design helps to ensure that even the most power-hungry hardware keeps cool under the stress of next-generation games.

Supporting motherboards of various sizes, as well as even the largest graphics cards, we're looking at you, NVIDIA RTX 4090, your PC build is not limited whatsoever - so you can pick that graphics card of your dreams without hesitation. There's a huge amount of drive bays, supporting two HDDs and two SSDs all at once, limited storage won't be a problem again.

What separates the Corsair iCue 4000D from its cheaper Corsair counterparts is its fantastic RGB lighting, which is on its three front fans. iCue software has a huge range of customisation options too, so you can tune your PC build's lighting to your taste.

What's slightly disheartening about this PC case is its limited I/O ports, which aren't the best for peripherals such as gaming keyboards or mice. It's certainly something worth considering if you're planning on filling your deskspace with PC gadgets.

Overall, the Corsair iCUE 4000D is a terrific PC case with plenty of space for a vast range of builds, giving gamers the freedom to easily upgrade in the future. If you're building a budget gaming PC this year, it's certainly one of the best options to consider.

For those on a tighter budget looking for the same high-quality level of customisation options, and impressive airflow, all in a subtler design, then the Corsair 4000D might just be your best bet. This understated PC case is perfect for gamers who prefer something a little more low-key and less flashy, without compromising its gaming capabilities.

The same basic design as the Corsair iCUE RGB 4000D, but without the flashy fans included, the 4000D is almost half the price of its RGB counterpart, making it a truly worthwhile option for budget shoppers. The large mesh front of the 4000D is perhaps its best feature, offering no end of ventilation, whilst also looking fantastic.

We love the tempered glass look, which might not be incredibly appealing to those who plan on showing off their high-end GPU, but its certainly a look that'll blend your PC into your office space well.

For the price, the level of optionality PC builders get with this case is hard to come by, fitting a bigger graphics card along with a big motherboard has never been easier, and it's all made neater by the hidden cable sorting compartment. As with its flashier counterpart, the small amount of front ports on the 4000D is undeniably disappointing: it doesn't give you much room for peripherals and makes finding a spare port a trickier challenge.

For the most part, however, choosing one of the best gaming motherboards will ensure you've got plenty of ports, so it's not a catastrophic misstep on Corsair's behalf. For the best budget gaming PC case, you can't go wrong with the Corsair 4000D, one of the cheapest and most reliable cases of the year.

If you're building a truly massive PC with a huge amount of performance power, then the Corsair iCue 7000X is a stellar pick for its price. If you're wondering if you need a full tower or a mid tower design, the most general purpose of full tower PCs is for fitting multiple GPUs, a huge amount of storage and plenty of RAM inside, in what will be a massively powerful PC.

Yes, you might prefer the aesthetic of a full tower, and there are certainly ventilation benefits to the 7000X's enormous design, but it's certainly not a must even for 40-series NVIDIA graphics cards.

As for its design, this huge PC tower can fit six HDDs and three 2.5-inch SSDs all at once, along with the ability to support a massive amount of radiators up to 480 mm long, so cooling is hardly an issue. Equipped with RGB lighting and a huge glass window, your precious hardware will never have looked so good, it's a true gaming spectacle to behold.

If we were to nitpick about Corsair's 7000X full tower PC case, we'd certainly note its near-22kg weight, which is absurdly heavy. Not counting your components, this is very heavy for a PC case, so if you need something portable, you might want to look elsewhere.

For an incredibly solid full tower PC, Corsair's 7000X might be the best on the market right now and is certainly an option to consider if you're building something special.

Fractal Design's full tower is the perfect pick for those with a larger build in mind but without the high price tag. Adopting a more professional aesthetic, this full-tower design is sleek and spacious, with a large tempered glass window to pile in plenty of high-end hardware, with even the largest cards finding space in its massive case.

Never shall you struggle for storage space, this large PC case has seven slots for SSD storage and two for HDD storage, which is more than you'll likely ever need for your PC build. Gamers might rejoice at the fact that the Fractal Design Pop Air comes ready-built with RGB lighting inside, so you'll get that iconic gaming PC glow, even if your hardware doesn't already feature any.

There's also a particularly large hidden cable sorting compartment on its right side, so your build can look as neat as possible. Cooling is bound to be strong too with this gaming PC case thanks to its large size, which gives hardware plenty of breathing room.

For some, however, the Fractal Design's aesthetic might not be the most appealing: it's mostly solid black, with very little flair that gaming PCs are known for. If you're not a fan of the overtly futuristic designs of gaming PCs, however, this might be a great selection for you.

A strong performer and an affordable case, the Fractical Design Pop Air full-tower PC case is a remarkable deal that's more than worth picking up.

Perhaps one of the most affordable gaming PC cases on the market right now, the MSI MAG FORCE 100R mid tower is a perfect pick for those with not a whole lot of room left in their PC building budget for a case, and it certainly looks the part too.

This angular case design might not be for everyone, but it's far from boring: the fantastic mesh front and tempered glass panel create the ultimate gaming PC aesthetic, which you can scarcely believes costs less than £50.

There's a strong amount of slots for SSD and HDD storage and plenty of room for an ATX motherboard, but its fan and radiator space certainly leaves much to be desired. The graphics card support is also limited, not having enough space for the larger cards on the market.

But if you're building a budget PC anyway, a smaller PC case isn't going to affect you too much - you'll have no problem fitting standard cards in this PC, and for the most part, even more powerful GPUs will find space in this mid tower.

A great choice for less than £50, it's one of our favourites this year and is absolutely worth considering for your build.

For those who want the most performance out of their PC for the longest possible time, choosing a wider, better-ventilated case is a sound decision. Enter, the Corsair Crystal Series 680X RGB ATX gaming case is an aesthetically phenomenal, high-end case that's perfect for massive PC builds, with hardware that'll generate a lot of heat.

This ultra-wide gaming PC case from Corsair certainly looks the part: its array of RGB fans and its side and top window gives gamers an unparalleled view of their hardware. The Crystal Series 680X is covered with mesh and can be filled with fans, creating an incredibly cool and spacious environment inside.

Capable of fitting four drive bays, a massive amount of fans and radiators and the largest cards, the Crystal Series 680X is a versatile, great-looking PC case which would work equally well for office computers.

Considering its size, its wider design might make finding desk space for it particularly difficult, it's not the best for smaller spaces. But if you're looking for an impressive gaming PC case to keep your components running like new for a long time, the Crystal Series 680X is the case for you.

The Thermaltake Divider 200 TG Air Snow micro-ATX case might not be for everyone on account of its smaller size, but its a great choice for gamers looking for something a little more portable and space-efficient.

This white metal case features strong, angular design aspects with a design that can be easily opened up to make building a breeze. Despite its smaller size, it can fit even larger graphics cards into its design, which is a massive bonus for those with micro-ATX motherboards who might typically struggle.

Most people's major concerns about building with a smaller PC case are around cooling and ventilation, but the Thermaltake Divider 200 has you covered: the entire design is covered with grills and cooling fans, making it perhaps a little better ventilated than most larger PC cases.

The major flaw of the Thermaltake for some might be its most superficial: its aesthetic. It's not the prettiest case, and its somewhat limited viewing angles might leave some users frustrated in using it, but it's certainly a matter of taste. We happen to love the sloping angular design of the Thermaltake Divider 200's side panels, and find it a creative and unique micro-ATX case overall.

For a fantastic value micro ATX PC gaming case large enough to accommodate the most powerful graphics cards, then the Thermaltake Divider 200 is an absolutely solid choice, you cannot go wrong.

For the smallest of gaming PC setups, you're bound to struggle to find a better-looking case than Fractal Design's Terra Graphite mITX walnut case. An extraordinarily classic-looking case, blending classic retro and modern simplicity, the Terra Graphite gaming PC case is beautifully compact and ideal for smaller desk spaces or for those travelling with their equipment on a frequent basis.

Along each side of the PC case is covered in slotted vents which look phenomenal compared to a typical mesh design. The ventilation slots offer solid airflow, although it is easily outcompeted by larger PC towers with more open designs.

One of the most unfortunate features of Fractal Design's Terra Graphite is its limited amount of I/O ports, with a single USB 3.2 and Type-C port on the front. Suppose you're looking to support a great number of peripherals. In that case, it's not really possible without a strong motherboard: which is unfortunate, but perhaps necessary on account of this laptop's smaller size.

That being said, if you equip this PC case with solid fans and have a strong CPU radiator, you'll find that performance is strong and stable, and we think it's worth the risk considering just how good this design looks.

A fantastic pick for smaller setups at lower prices, the Cooler Master MasterBox NR200P is a relatively no-frills PC case with plenty of ventilation, and a great deal of space for larger graphics cards, along with a good deal of storage.

This all-black mini ITX case fits comfortably on any desk without costing gamers much in terms of hardware potential. You'll need a mini-ITX motherboard to use it, and once you've bought your hardware, you'll find that building your PC is incredibly easy. This highly modular design easily disassembles, creating an open space for you to safely put in a delicate CPU or sit a graphics card without damaging the delicate pins.

As for aesthetics, the Cooler Master MasterBox NR200P isn't exceptional, it's certainly one of the plainer designs on the market, which might suit those who enjoy a seamless look to their PC setup. A solid PC case that's lightweight, easily positioned on a desk and blends well into surfaces is a fantastic choice for those looking for a less flashy PC case.

Fractal Design's wooden walnut aesthetic is one-of-a-kind, and it looks simply fantastic on this mid tower PC design. An ultra-modern aesthetic that blends seamlessly into desk spaces, its a great pick for those sick of ultra-bright PC cases bursting with RGB lighting crammed into the angular chaos of what appears to be someone's presumption of what a future technology might look like.

Instead, the future is gorgeously simplified, and subtlety goes a long way here: its black metal mesh sides are simple, drawing your eye to the walnut front panel which covers yet another large mesh. Not only does this PC case look the part, it also provides a great deal of ventilation.

The mesh panel on the side as opposed to a black tempered glass might not be everyone's cup of tea, but we think it looks fantastic, and it takes away the harshness of a PC's preset flashy RGB lighting, something which we certainly appreciate.

As with a number of Fractal Design PC cases, however, there are a limited number of I/O ports on the case itself. Though it has more than the smaller iteration of this design, just three ports is a little lack-lustre, albeit standard.

A classic, yet modern look, the Fractal Design mid tower PC gaming case is a reasonably priced mid tower that's perfect for blending into your gaming space and works well for thebest all-in-one PCs too.