Computer cases are optional for any build because you can also mount components on your table. However, it can give you some unnecessary pain because cases can prevent your system from liquid, bugs, and insects. Moreover, these cases are designed with technology that offers the best airflow throughout the PC and has dust filters and a cable management system. So, you might get the point that having a case for you is essential. As of 2021, the trend of building compact builds is on its peak and streamers, and office workers usually go with dual PC setup and use small form factor side-computer.
Usually, computer cases are categorized into four major categories according to their sizes. A small ATX case takes less space on your desk and gives you the same features and options as ATX cases. There are hundreds of PC cases available in the market, and all come in different sizes, looks, and opportunities. Selecting the right gaming case for your build can create confusion, and of course, you can’t buy every single case and start giving them tries. That’s why we had spent a lot of time reviewing some of the best smallest PC cases you can get for your next upcoming build and compiled a list of best choices.
So, there are several advantages and disadvantages to getting a small computer case. Sometimes small form factor computers cost you more than any full tower ATX build. In some cases, you can’t install multiple graphics cards because of the mini-ITX motherboards. If so, they will become much hotter and noisy because of the compact size. While on the other side these cases occupy less space and fit best for dual PC setups. They offer the same number of ports and the same options as any full tower case with their small size. So that’s all about these small cases and let’s start with the first one.
These are some of the best smallest ATX case with all functions and options available in full tower ATX cases. The only thing is that they don’t offer extra space as of full-tower cases and are compact and can be used for small form factor builds. Without doing further ado, let’s start with our first Cooler Master case.
The manufacturer has featured this PC case with high-end casing technology that you ever need for your ideal build. It provides you with a lot of space for excellent cooling potential and lets you set your required components without traction. A fast, clean, and more aesthetic setup is no more dream with this PC case because it gives you every possible solution for your casing complications according to your desired form factor.
Rather than typical fans, Corsair Carbide Air 540 comes with dual chambers with intake and exhaust fans to deliver more fresh air to inner components like CPU, motherboard, and graphics cards without restriction, which means it provides better airflow with low noise. It is no doubt a satisfying case for a clean and compact build. Another incredible thing is its innovative cable routing system that lets you manage pumps and tubes in the liquid-cooling system.
It is built-in featured to support both cooling systems, so you can also select or switch your cooling system according to your requirements without compromising on aesthetics or replacements. The PC case gives you tool-free storage and PCIe installation, quick and easy upgrading, and low maintenance requirements. You can also quickly shift your ATX build to Micro-ATX or even to Mini-ITX. In short, the case gives you what you paid for and what you expect for your smart build.
NZXT is very successful in selling their PC cases; they give an attractive look that every gamer loves. However, some users have reported that their cases are no good in terms of airflow. NZXT H510 CA-H510B-B1 is a compact mid-tower case that comes in three different color schemes. These color schemes match most of the latest motherboards, and you can select them according to your choice. This case gives aesthetics and excellent thermal and acoustic and one of the company’s most famous lineups.
NZXT H510 has seven expansion slots and supports ATX motherboards with a better cable management system than other cases. This case’s body is made up of steel and tempered glass on the right side and has matte black color throughout the case. For cooling, it supports four fans, from which two are on the front panel and intakes air, one on top and one on the rear side. You will also get two Aer F120mm fans in the box installed on the front panel. If you are super crazy about overclocking and temperatures, you can add water cooling systems and custom loops.
As I said, earlier NZXT cases are built so that they limit the airflow in the case. Having metal front and glass on the side might restrict airflow in case, but if you want to get the best airflow, I would recommend you to use static pressure fans on the front panel. If you mount a 140mm fan on the top side, it might block the eight-pin connector on the Motherboard. Also, the GPU holding screws setup is outdated in this case.
If you prefer aesthetics and RGB, this case is made for you, but the airflow is not the best in its class. This case hurts with the metal front panel, and it will be more than enough if it is made up of mesh.
Cooler Master is one of the best brands in terms of computer casings and power supply units. HAF XB EVO is the smallest ATX casing you can get for your upcoming build from Cooler Master. The build material used in this casing is steel, polymer, and mesh front bezel. It comes in black color, which gives it an attractive look loved by gamers. The height, width, and depth of Cooler Master HAF XB EVO are 13, 17.4, and 16.7 inches respectively. This casing comes with a removable top and side panel, which makes it a solid choice, and you can easily install or remove components in it.
There has a removable tray that allows you to install and remove the Motherboard easily. You can install ATX, Micro-ATX, and mini-ITX motherboards on it and can install multiple graphics cards. There is a large size cut on the top of this casing, which allows you to use any CPU cooler with it. There are two X-Dock bays that you can easily swap in or out to install hard drives. This computer casing supports a 180mm cooler and a 334mm graphics card. This case’s key features are its carrying handle, some liquid cooler holes, meshed front and top panel, and dust removing filters.
This casing’s built quality is good enough, but the plastic stabs on the front panel might break easily. This case is best for LAN gamers because of its small size and side handle; however, it weighs 18 lb, which is a bit high from other lightest cases available in the market. This casing has a unique cube type shape, which separates it from all other cases available in the market.
Overall, this casing is good for its price and gives you all options you need for your build though there are some other choices too; if you consider light or low cost, this one can be used as an all-purpose case.
The Pros
✓Good build quality.
✓Unique cube-like shape.
✓Removable top and side panels.
✓Lightweight best for LAN gamers.
The Cons
✗Plastic stabs on the front panel are easily breakable.
✗It’s lightweight but still heavier than other small cases.
There we have another Cooler Master case for you which looks gorgeous and is the best in its class. Cooler Master MasterCase SL600M is built with high-quality aluminum and has all the premium feature an enthusiast PC demands. This case’s color scheme is silver, and the interior is colored black, which gives it an attractive look. The airflow system of this case is high enough, and it can efficiently cool down high-end CPUs. Also, with that cooling, you are not going to listen to the noise of fans even under full load because they are set up in such a way to make noise at the minimum level.
MasterCase SL600M supports every type of motherboard, including mini-ITX to extended ATX, having nine expansion slots. This motherboard doesn’t have fans mounting space on the front or rear panel; instead, it has top and bottom. On the top side, you can install up to two 140mm fans and one 200mm fan, and on the bottom, there is mounting space for two 200mm fans. This fan arrangement gives the best airflow within the case and cool down all your components. You can install two 3.5 inches hard drives and up to eight 2.5 inches hard drives on it. There is enough space for graphics cards, and you can also use any big size CPU cooler, up to 191mm in height, with this chassis.
This chassis is best for you if you don’t like noisy fans or your PC mostly runs on high load. It comes with a modular I/O design having one USB 3.1 Type-C port and several high-speed USB ports on the front panel. It also has a proximity sensor that lightens up the USB ports so that you can install USB cables in the dark, but it’s too sensitive. This casing’s rear side looks quite different from other chassis, and it lacks PSU remote switch and rear fan mounting space. It has seven expansion slots, which are placed horizontally, and two are placed vertically. Overall, it’s the right choice for small form factor computers, but it’s not the right choice for LAN gamers. You can use it for home, gaming, and office builds, but there are some other choices if you are looking for something bling. I would recommend you consider this if you want a subtle look and can afford its premium price.
Corsair is a top-notch Gaming peripherals brand, and the reason behind their success is top quality products and affordable prices. Crystal Series 460X RGB comes with two-panel tempered glass and three RGB SP120 fans mounted on the front panel. You might be thinking, what does this SP mean? Corsair fans come in two models specializing in Airflow AKA AF, and the other one is Static Pressure or SP, and both are quiet and best in performance. This casing comes in black color and is made up of steel and tempered glass. This case is engineered well and packs all of your components in the best way to give airflow and aesthetics both.
CORSAIR Crystal 460X RGB comes with seven expansion slots and supports ATX, micro-ATX, and mini-ITX motherboards with multiple graphics card setup. As I mentioned earlier, it comes with three pre-installed fans on the front panel, one 120mm fans space on the rear side, and two 140mm fans mounting areas on the top side. This casing is designed in such a way to give maximum cooling to all the components inside it. There is mounting space for two 3.5 inches hard drives and three 2.5 inches SSDs or laptop-grade HDDs. You can install a CPU cooler with a maximum height of 170mm and a graphics card of length 370mm.
This casing’s main plus point is two-sided tempered glass and pre-installed RGB fans; however, the RGB controller lacks turn off the function. There is limited space for cable management because of its small size. It supports three 120mm fans for the front, but you can’t install three fans 120mm radiators on it; also, it doesn’t keep long power supplies. The number of bay drives is not enough for enthusiast builds but acceptable. Overall if you are looking for great aesthetics and cooling solution, this case is made for you. Its price is not high, just like other Corsair products, and gives features found in premium cases. However, you can’t carry this casing as it is not built for that purpose.
Like a smart manufacturer, Cooler Master better knows users’ needs and requirements. One of its powerful products, named Cooler Master MasterBox Q500L, is fully capable of meeting your micro-ATX build requirements. Micro-ATX has become an ideal set up these days because you need a massive system in general cases. Smart users like to build a standard rig that takes a reasonable space on their table. As quality and performance are not measured by size, a micro-ATX has become a favorite choice.
This Micro-ATX case supports only 386 x 381mm motherboards considered as standard motherboards. It comes to keep your system cool with fully perforated top, front, and bottom panels to offer airflow for multiple fan configurations. Another positive factor is its dual position option, which lets you set horizontal and vertical style with easy access to the I/O. The versatile PSU bracket and movable I/O panel are adjustable in six different locations. The frame is also flexible to place in different positions to utilize internal space according to your preference and form factor.
The case provides you good value for money by giving an ultimate casing solution at a reasonable price range. It is a supreme case with some great specs and features such as magnetic dust filters with rubber stompers, excellent fans, powerful radiators, and cable management. Besides, it is capable of ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX support. In short, the product gives you everything you paid and deserve.
Fractal Design is not that popular but building its reputation among its customers for several years by giving quality products for an affordable price. Meshify C is their casing line up, and it’s available in different colors and sizes. This particular model is colored in black and doesn’t have side tempered glass. Its design will not give your PC some fancy looks, as it lacks tempered glass, and innovation is straightforward. Fractal Design cases are cheap, but they released these lightweight models and shocked the chassis industry.
Fractal Design Meshify C is a full tower chassis and supports ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards. It helps seven fans, from which three can be mounted on the front panel, three on top, and one on the rear side. This case also comes with two pre-installed fans from which one is on the front side, and the other one is on the backside. This case supports two 3.5 inches and three 2.5 inches hard drives. You can install almost every CPU cooler and graphics card on it, and most of the commonly used models are fully compatible with it.
This casing fits best for ATX motherboards and has a lot of space inside it to better cool the component’s airflow flow. One bad thing with this case is it’s big enough but still doesn’t support big enthusiast sized Motherboards. If you have to install three fan radiators, it might need to remove the bay drives cage. Also, it lacks side tempered glass, while for a few more bucks, you can get the tempered glass version of it.
So, my final words are this case has everything you are looking for, comes with great features for a very affordable price. Overall, in my opinion, for any budget or mid-end build, this case is an ideal piece but be in mind that you are ignoring tempered glass.
The Pros
✓Best for ATX motherboards.
✓Available in different colours and models.
✓This case has enough room for large heatsinks and GPUs.
Thermaltake is another reputed brand providing the best value products for several years. Their products are well known for style points and usability, same as of Cooler Master. Thermaltake Core G3 ATX is a slim tower case and can be used for any small form factor build. This case’s interior and exterior are colored in black, and it is made up of steel. If you haven’t used slim cases before, you might find it strange because its front and rear side doesn’t look the same as mid-tower cases we usually use.
The Core G3 comes with two 120mm Turbo fans installed on the front panel. Inside the case, there are two slots for bay drives; it’s up to you either you install two 3.5 inches drives or two 2.5 inches drives. There are two expansion slots on the back of the chassis, and you can install any dual-slot graphics card, but you can’t use multiple graphics cards or PCIe x1 slots. As it is a slim size case, you can’t install big size coolers and PSUs on it, or they will conflict with the right panel. There is mounting room for the fan on the top of the case, and you can install a 120mm fan, which blows air on the graphics card.
Core G3 supports ATX, micro-ATX, and all other motherboards; however, your GPU must be placed vertically using e-raiser cables. You can install multiple fans on the front panel, and if you are planning to use a liquid cooler, you can also use a 240mm radiator. This case is right for LAN gamers because it’s lightweight and easy to carry. Cable management, in this case, is not that good, but it’s totally up to you how you manage it. Overall, this casing is best for slim or SFF builds and weighs approx. 9.3 lb makes it best for LAN gamers and is the cheapest case on this list. If you are looking for something that gives aesthetics and excellent cooling, you might better go with NZXT H510.
The Pros
✓Attractive look.
✓Best for LAN gamers.
✓Lightweight and easy to carry.
✓Supports all types of motherboards.
The Cons
✗Only two expansion slots.
✗Cable management is not that good.
✗GPU needs to be installed vertically through e-riser cables.
We are back with another Cooler Master case, but this one comes with enough performance and a premium price point. The launch price was high, but there is a price drop in the MSRP, and you can get it for a much low cost these days. Unlike the H510, this one has a removable mesh front, and full-size light grey tinted tempered glass, which gives excellent airflow and fancy looks. This case has cable covers, CPU cutout covers, and PSU shroud and supports a 360mm radiator on top or front.
This case supports almost every motherboard, including E-ATX, which is used in enthusiast builds, and cable management is also good. This case comes with two pre-installed 200mm fans and supports five fans, from which two are on the front, two on top, and one on the rear side. It supports graphics cards up to 412mm and can be mounted vertically using the e-raiser cables. There are two slots for bay drives for 3.5 inches, two places for 2.5 inches, and nine expa, tension slots. It comes with a built-in RGB controller, which allows controlling RGB lights within the case with ease.
Cooler Master MasterCase H500P is an excellent case in its class but is a bit expensive and doesn’t give the best value for its price. This case has everything you want but lacks a USB 3.1 Type-C port, which is very common in gaming cases. However, it has the best and reliable cable management system, has a built-in RGB controller, and efficient cooling technology. This case is not for enthusiast builds or has premium features, but it is still priced at a premium price point. If you prefer aesthetics with the best air cooling, I would recommend this case, but only if you can afford it.
Masterbox series cases are famous because of their prices and features that other cases lack for the same price. We have discussed some pricy or exceptional Cooler Master cases in this list, but this one is a budget case and can be used for compact builds. The interior and exterior of Cooler Master Masterbox 3.1 TG are colored in black, and three color trims come with it so you can match it with your motherboard. It has a dark mirror on the front panel and a broad Acrylic side panel from which you can see RGB lights and other things inside the case.
This casing supports mini-ITX and Micro-ATX motherboards and has a sound cable management system. It keeps two fans on the front, intakes air, and one fan on the rear side, which makes good airflow. It has two 3.5 inches slots for bay drives, one 2.5 inches slot, and four expansion slots. It supports large size CPU coolers up to 158mm and graphics cards up to 380mm and supports multiple graphics cards. There is a cable rounding tray behind the motherboard, which allows the best cable management in the case.
This case gives an attractive look, has a sleek design, a large size glass on the right side, and you can also fit large GPUs and CPU coolers in it. This case is affordable, but there are some other cheap options too, with the same features set. This case doesn’t support ATX motherboards, but there is a similar model that you can get for a few more bucks.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly Mini-ITX or Micro-ATX case, Cooler Master MasterBox Lite 3.1 is the best choice for you. There might be some other cheaper cases than this one, but it gives excellent value for its price.
Compact builds are useful, especially when you have less space in your room or on the table. These are some of the best ATX cases you can use for your upcoming build, and they provide excellent value for their price. Cooler Master is one of the top-notch brands in casings, although their cases are bit expensive but offer the best value for the price. While you want something similar, but for a low cost, some other brands like NZXT, Fractal Design, etc. but might lack some premium features. Cooler Master does not sponsor this post; we have reviewed some of the best smallest ATX cases, got this list, and shared our experience with you.
Hi, I'm Rustam Iqbal. I love traveling, computer hardware, and software. I’m constantly trying to learn new skills and programming languages. Reviewing new pieces of hardware is one of my favorites hobbies. Drop by any time to leave me a message if you have any questions.
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Cooler Master MasterCase SL600M
