Top 5 Best Airflow PC Cases of 2024

Many PC builders neglect to consider PC case possibilities or put off making a decision about the case until the very end of the component selection process. But when you’re planning your next build, you should start by thinking about your case possibilities.

The ideal PC case for your construction will determine the final appearance, dimensions, and character of the system as well as what may fit inside. Because of built-in fans and components like mesh or glass panels, the PC case also has a significant impact on how loud your system becomes (or remains) when it is operating under stress. These factors also have a significant effect on your rig’s cooling capacity.

One of the greatest Mini-ITX cases can be something to think about if you prefer compact PCs in order to lessen your PC’s footprint on your desk. Or you can get a chassis like Corsair’s Obsidian 9000D or Be Quiet’s Dark Base Pro 901 to house a massive workstation or gaming rig with acres of expansion possibilities.

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Last update on 2024-08-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.

Top 5 Best Airflow PC Cases of 2024

1.Fractal Design North

Last update on 2024-08-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.

We’re not sure who requested a PC case that combined great airflow with mid-century modern style (wooden slats and everything), but we’re happy Fractal style responded with the fantastic North mid-tower. This is possibly the most beautiful PC case ever made. It comes in two colors—black with incredibly beautiful brass accents and white with chrome accents on the IO and feet—and can be ordered with tempered glass or a mesh side, as we tested.

Additionally, the North boasts exceptional thermals because of its two 140mm fans and a side bracket (for the mesh type) that can accommodate two additional 140mm fans (not supplied). Please be aware that while delivering those temps, it may get boisterous. The side panel made of glass might help a bit on the noise front, but likely at the cost of at least some thermal performance.

The North case from Fractal is a mid-tower ATX case that looks like a lovely piece of furniture. The wood front panel of this case is undoubtedly its most alluring feature. Although I didn’t take woodshop in high school, this has a bamboo-like feel and appearance. I adore it; the North is as stunning as it is distinct.

Case companies frequently use pre-existing designs and alter the front panel primarily (or occasionally only). The North, which comes with a mesh or tempered glass side panel and is either in white or black, doesn’t have this problem (pardon the pun).

A detachable panel with a leather tab and a back for simpler removal is featured on the top of the North. For a case this cheap, the side panels may be removed with two thumb screws, which is a touch disappointing—and almost ironic, given the overall superb appearance of this chassis.
Even though we still prefer tempered glass, the mesh panel felt more appropriate in this setting because it has been a somewhat unusual option for side panels in recent years.

We also opted for the mesh side panel because it has a side fan bracket for improved cooling. It is a generous fit for a radiator or fan configuration, with the side fan bracket fitting up to 280mm.

Additionally, it may be installed in three various positions (top, center, or bottom) to best accommodate your build’s requirements. Two 140mm pre-installed Fractal Design Aspect fans are located underneath the wood; these fans or radiators may be adjusted up to 360mm in diameter. The same number of fans or radiators can be housed on the top panel. And finally, even though the case only includes the two front fans, the back fan mount may accommodate a 120mm spinner.

2.Phanteks XT Pro Ultra

Last update on 2024-08-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.

It wouldn’t have cost much more not too long ago for a PC case with four 140mm RGB fans and a tempered glass side panel. However, Phanteks is able to provide it, along with support for expensive parts and newly developed rear-connector motherboards, in both black and white, for a mere. For builders that want to assemble a gaming rig with excellent cooling and want to concentrate most of their budget on essential components like the CPU and graphics card, this is a superb case.

The four RGB fans that come with the package provide a lot of ventilation, and they may also operate rather quietly if you adjust certain BIOS or software settings. And all the holes lined up when I put an MSI Project Zero motherboard in the casing.

The Phanteks XT Pro Ultra is the greatest option to cross our test bench in a while if you’re looking for a contemporary, airflow-focused PC case on a budget, even though it doesn’t offer any revolutionary features. Based only on its features and specifications, the XT Pro Ultra is a strong contender for a spot on our list of the Best PC cases. But to find out if it really shines out or if Phanteks made too many compromises to keep the price cheap, we’ll need to go deeper into its features and develop a system in it, which we’ll do below.

The XT Pro Ultra feels and looks like your standard midtower made largely of steel right out of the box because that is exactly what it is. The panels and frame of the case don’t feel as sturdy as Corsair’s 2500D Airflow, for example, and they shouldn’t since that it costs twice as much without fans. However, Phanteks’ casing feels and looks substantial. Almost everything on the casing is made of metal, with the exception of the fans and feet, and all of the cutouts are smoothed out and/or folded over for a polished look. Although I would prefer that the right-side panel didn’t distort and wobble as much, considering the features and price, I can’t really complain.

3.Lian Li Lancool 216

Last update on 2024-08-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.

Lian Li’s Lancool 216 case, (you can pay an additional for additional USB ports and an RGB controller), has some of the same great design elements as its more expensive O11D Evo and Lancool III cases, but it also has a clever PCIe fan mount and big 160mm RGB intake fans. If you want to keep the case on your desk, you can relocate the top IO to the left, close to the bottom.

Although the LanCool 216 isn’t a silent case, it has great thermal performance, especially when you use the provided bracket to install a rear 120mm below the GPU mounts. There are hundreds of cases that cost about $100, but the 216 sticks out because of its unique characteristics for its price, great airflow, and solid design, with superb cable routing. We just wish an extra fan for the PCIe bracket were included in the price.

For the past few years, Lian Li has gained attention mainly because of the O11, which expertly strikes a balance between ventilation and tempered glass. Other noteworthy chassis from the business include the O11D Evo, which is a transforming chassis, the tiny Q58, and the Lancool line, which was most recently represented by the Lancool III.

However, with two 160mm fans, a rotatable PCIe bracket, and a GPU fan mount, the company’s most recent case, the Lian Li Lancool 216, still manages to distinguish apart in a field of successful sister cases. I anticipated this case to cost more than most because it has so many special features. However, the Lancool 216 base model, while the RGB versions.

A mid-tower chassis that draws some design cues from the Lancool III we examined earlier this year is the Lian Li Lancool 216. In fact, it resembles that situation almost exactly at first inspection. However, several notable distinctions exist, such as the front fans. The Lancool 216 has two large 160mm fans; the Fractal Torrent, which was possibly one of the most well-liked cases of 2021, is the only other case with these spinners on the market. The Lancool 216 takes an atypical approach to cooling, and it comes with a PCIe fan mount to direct airflow towards your GPU in addition to the front fans. Soon, more on that.

Much like every other airflow-focused case available, the Lancool 2016 has nearly full mesh on the front. The lackluster thermal performance of the Lancool III was one of my complaints. Though they belong to the same case family, the 216’s cooling system is very different from the Lancool III’s, as testing will reveal.

4.Corsair Obsidian Series 4000X RGB

Last update on 2024-08-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.

The stylish gaming tower Corsair 4000X RGB has three RGB spinners and two glass panels. It’s not cheap but its well-thought-out design makes it evident where Corsair’s reputation for gaming and PC building originated. It’s true that building a system with the 4000X RGB (and the related 4000D airflow) is quite simple and convenient, and everything just makes sense.

Although the dark tinted glass ensures that you only see RGB lighting within the casing, you can be a little careless with cable management because you won’t be able to see it anyhow. Premium materials like aluminum won’t blow you away. In addition, Corsair offers the best RGB ecosystem, and you’ve got a very pretty case that’s convenient in use and always looks good, no matter what you install inside it.

On the other hand, the Lian Li Lancool III RBG is a remarkable choice with moveable front IO, superior cable management, and plenty of internal space if you’re looking for something with a little bit more versatility. It’s not as simple to recommend as Corsair’s 4000X RGB, though, because it costs approximately $30 more than the Corsair case and has rather noisy fans and CPU thermals that weren’t quite as nice as we’d expect from a mesh front box with three 140mm spinners.

The front of the chassis of the 4000X RGB has a tempered glass panel that conceals three fans. The front of the 4000D will be covered by either a meshed front panel on the 4000D Airflow or a solid metal slab. It will come with two non-RGB fans. The cases are the same from one another except from those distinctions. Therefore, the 4000X will be the main emphasis of this study; however, don’t worry, we’ll also provide testing data for the 4000D Airflow.

It’s evident from circling the casing what Corsair’s 4000 series design philosophy was: straightforward, uncluttered, and minimalist. A few minor design elements are there, but they are all tastefully done and unobtrusive. The sleeker Corsair branding and fresh yellow accent color go really well with this look.

With the help of two thumbscrews on the back, both side panels loosen and spring out from behind pegs before swinging out and momentarily hinged at the front before falling out. This approach is actually pretty good, and I think it’s better than the standard sliding mechanism, especially for cable management, since it solves the common problem of forcing the side panel into position against a tangle of wires.

5.NZXT H7 Flow

Last update on 2024-08-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.

In our testing, the NZXT H7 Flow beat or competed well against more expensive chassis with more fans and glass panels, thanks to its skeletal frame and perforated front panel, which house just two of the company’s F120Q Airflow case fans. It also manages to produce great temperature and noise level ratings. With excellent cable management and a $130 MSRP that seems fair in this day of apparently endless price increases, it’s also a pleasure to build in.

For many builders, this will be a welcome change as the main element lacking is RGB lighting for your system. This makes this case not the best on our list, but it can look decent with some tasteful lighting provided. It also has a boxy appearance with a perforated front via your components, extra fans or a light strip. And if you don’t like the look of the fully vented front and you aren’t that concerned about keeping your temps a low as they can go, the non-Flow H7 model has a solid front, but with everything else we loved about the H7 Flow.

The NZXT H7 Flow measures 19.8 x 9.1 x 18.9 inches (505 x 230 x 480 mm), thus it’s not the smallest or largest mid-tower. But I thought this case’s dimensions were ideal for building in. It wasn’t until I was done constructing in the H7 that I realized how little time had actually elapsed—that is, excluding the time I needed to take out my hardware from the old case.

Although this case includes the standard NZXT cable routing trenches, it has all of the front panel connections consolidated into a single cable, which really saved me time and is something I wish more businesses would do.

NZXT claims that the H7 series cases are compatible with SSR-CEB/EEB (E-ATX) motherboards. However, as is customary, if you genuinely want E-ATX support without having to deal with issues like cable routing holes that are blocked or other major clearance concerns, you should go with a full-tower case that is made specifically for large motherboards. In the NZXT H7 Flow, our normal ATX Gigabyte Aorus Z690 Ultra fit perfectly. There is plenty of room for the CPU and GPU, measuring 7.2 inches (183mm) and 15.7 inches (398mm), respectively. In order to provide some context, I managed to fit our Noctua U12S air cooler with triple-fan Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC graphics card working flawlessly together. However, if you were purchasing this case, wouldn’t you want to use one of the best AIO coolers—complete with RGB—to take use of the perforated top panel?

The best PC case: FAQs

Selecting the ideal PC case is crucial if you’re building a new computer, but it will also depend on the parts you want to use. If your budget is short, a mini-ATX case might be a better option, but if you’re going heavy on components, you’ll probably need at least a mid-tower case.

Which case is best for a gaming PC?

Selecting the ideal PC case is crucial if you’re building a new computer, but it will also depend on the parts you want to use. If your budget is short, a mini-ATX case might be a better option, but if you’re going heavy on components, you’ll probably need at least a mid-tower case.

What is the best airflow PC case?

If your primary concern is maintaining the temperature of your PC components without incurring large costs associated with intricate liquid cooling systems, the Cooler Master H500P Mesh ought to be at the top of your list. It has a lot of open space, greater fan capacity than many other mid-tower PC cases, and a stylish appearance.

What is the most overkill PC case?

Within the realm of PC gaming, we all enjoy going above and beyond what a gaming setup could possibly need, and it all begins with the PC case. When searching for an overkill PC case, the Corsair Obsidian 1000D is a great example of what to watch out for as it can accommodate two complete PC systems.