Their spacious interior allows for mounting large PC parts, installing massive storage drives, and DIY custom liquid coolers. Some will even support dual motherboards and dual PSU for dual system builds. Others cater to specific needs like efficient airflow, showcasing, and silent operation. In this guide, I’ll help you choose the ideal full-tower pc case for your build. It includes buys tips and my best recommendations for different budgets. All the listed cases are well-built for durability and efficient performance!
Best Full Tower Cases Overview
How to Choose the Best Full Tower PC Case
The case is usually among the last components to pick when building a custom PC. Well, that’s unless you are an experienced, enthusiast gamer who has built PCs multiple times over. Full-tower cases are best for extremely complex builds. Their roomy interior allows for high airflow and supports massive storage drives, large PC components, and custom loop liquid coolers. Normally, you will go for a full tower case when you want to get the most out of water cooling or when using large PC parts. Say a GPU like the monster NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 which measures 313mm. At times, you might want to build a dual gaming and streaming system in the same chassis. Or dual gaming and productivity PC with a large E-ATX and a Mini-ITX motherboard. Yet, even with the many available options, it can be quite overwhelming to niche down to the ideal full-tower case for your build. The following buying tips and insights should help you navigate this process with ease.
Build Quality and Design
It’s a no-brainer that the PC case is at its basic the house of your system! So, you want to pick a chassis with solid build quality. Remember, you’ll be building with large, heavy components like E-ATX boards which need the best support you can get. The good thing is that most full-tower cases are well-built with steel and/or aluminum material. Such a premium build quality offers great support and durability to suit such complex builds. While assessing the build quality, also don’t forget to consider the system design. Your ideal case should have all the feature sets needed to fit all the parts that will go into your build. Simply put, if you’re planning to do a custom loop cooling, ensure the interior is roomy enough to support it. The same case goes with the number and type of storage drives that you will use among other factors. Once you’re convinced the case is well-built and suits your design needs, you can then consider your aesthetic needs. These include the glass panels for display, RGB lights, and the overall looks.
Cooling Support and Airflow
The thermal support of your PC case plays a huge role in its overall performance. That’s regardless of whether it’s for gaming, productivity, or an everyday PC. Given that you’re building with a full-tower case, your components will most likely be powerful. And the more powerful or high-end the PC part is, the more heat it produces, especially GPUs and overclocked CPUs. While full-tower cases come with roomy interiors, some don’t offer the best airflow. You want to get a case with enough airflow vents and dust filters to keep your system cool and clean. On a similar note, you should also pay attention to the cooling support. Will you use an air-cooled system or a water-cooled system? Depending on your needs, ensure there are enough room and fan mount locations to meet your needs. Some full-tower cases will allow you to mount up to four 120mm fans and 480mm radiators on the front, top, and sides. I recommend getting these because they are designed with optimal cooling performance in mind!
Cable Management
Cable management can be a pain if the PC case doesn’t offer cable routes and straps. Some full-towers are well-built with eye-catching designs and plenty of feature sets but lack proper channels for routing cables. An extremely complex system with a lot of internal components means you will be dealing with very many cables. So, you want to have enough cable routes and straps for cable management to keep your build neat and tidy!
Noise Dampening
If you are building a PC for productivity, then you want to get a case that offers silent operation. Some brands like Be Quiet and Fractal Design have full-tower PC cases that are designed with noise dampening material. These cases will also come with almost silent fans that offer low noise cooling support. When picking a full tower case, also remember to consider getting such silent fans and coolers to complement their silent design.
Other Feature Sets
The number of storage drives needed, RGB lighting, and front I/O ports will differ from one build to another. Normally these are personal preferences and don’t affect the overall design quality of the case. But it is still important to consider all these feature sets when choosing your ideal case. Keep in mind that some mid-range priced full-tower cases come with two or three preinstalled RGB fans, which can be quite a bargain!
Best Full Tower PC Cases for ATX & E-ATX Builds
Corsair 7000D Airflow – Best Overall
The Corsair 7000D Airflow gets just about everything right for the ideal full-tower PC case. It’s well-built in a great design with plenty of airflow vents and a spacious interior. And its pricing is very reasonable!
Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, Mini-ITX Front I/O Ports: 4 x USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Type-C, Audio In/Out Combo Included Fans: 3 x 140mm Corsair AirGuide fans Max GPU Length: 450mm Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 190mm Max Radiator Support: 480mm Side Panel: Yes, Tempered Glass Drive Bays: 4 x 2.5”, 6 x 3.5” Dimensions: 550mm x 248mm x 600mm Expansion Slots: 8 Horizontal + 3 Vertical Weight: 18.7 kg Color: Black, White
With the 7000D Airflow, you have all the room you need for expansion. You can install a whopping twelve 120mm or seven 140mm cooling fans. It comes with three preinstalled 140mm Corsair AirGuide fans. What’s more, you can opt for radiator cooling with either AIOs or a custom water loop with Hydro X. It has room for up to three 360mm radiators (front, side, roof) or two 420mm radiators (front, roof), or a massive 480mm radiator on the side. I personally like minimalist but efficient builds. So I would have built with the three pre-installed fans (two front, one rear). Then mount the powerful Corsair iCUE H170i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler on the roof for optimum CPU cooling.
Phanteks Enthoo 719 – Best Value
Phanteks cases are known for their solid build quality with attractive designs and rich feature sets. The Enthoo 719 doesn’t fall short of this repute, despite its compelling price tag!
Motherboard Support: SSI-EEB, E-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, Mini-ITX Front I/O Ports: 1x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen-2, 4x USB 3.0, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: None Max GPU Length: 503mm Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 195mm Max Radiator Support: 480mm Side Panel: Yes, Tempered Glass Drive Bays: Up to 11x 2.5”, Up to 12x 3.5” (4 Included) Dimensions: 570mm x 240mm x 595mm Expansion Slots: 8 Horizontal + 3 Vertical Weight: 14.3 kg Color: Black
It features a very unique design that supports dual systems for complex builds or dual PSU for more power output. It supports up to the massive SSI-EEB motherboards on the main system for multi-CPU builds. You will need the Revolt X power supply for a dual system build. And for dual PSU, you will need the Revolt Pro power supply. Keep in mind that you can only mount a Mini-ITX board on the second system. It comes with all the additional parts and accessories you will need, including a dual system bracket and dual PSU bracket. To complement its complex design, this case comes with great thermal support for optimum performance. You can mount up to 15 fans or mount dual 480mm and dual 360mm radiators simultaneously for extreme cooling!
Phanteks Enthoo Pro – Best Budget
The Phanteks Enthoo Pro is well-built for extreme cooling and expansion. It comes at a super-affordable price tag despite its great feature sets. The interior is spacious enough to fit an E-ATX motherboard among other large PC components.
Motherboard Support: SSI-EEB, E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX Front I/O Ports: 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: 1 x 200mm & 1 x 140mm Phanteks SP Series Fans Max GPU Length: 347mm (Without HDD Cages) Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 193mm Max Radiator Support: 420mm Side Panel: Yes, Split Window Design Drive Bays: 7 x 2.5”, 6 x 3.5”, 3 x 5.25” Dimensions: 550mm x 235mm x 535mm Expansion Slots: 8 Weight: 11.9kg Color: Black
It supports up to ten 120mm fans or up to seven 140mm fans including two on the front (one included) and three on the roof. You also have the option to use one 200mm fan on the front (included) and another at the top. Yet, if you prefer water cooling, you can mount a massive 420mm radiator on the roof. You also have the option of mounting other radiators in different configurations including a 240mm at the front for optimal cooling. The Phanteks Enthoo Pro would suit gamers who want a cheap case for an E-ATX build. But if you’re looking for an affordable case with sound-dampening, then I recommend checking the Phanteks Eclipse P600S.
Thermaltake Tower 900 – Best Showcase for Water Cooling
Thermaltake Tower 900 is quite an eye-catching chassis, which is expected for a brand known for designing stylish PC cases! It features a unique style that was designed in collaboration with Watermod France.
Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX Front I/O Ports: 4 x USB 3.0, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: None Max GPU Length: 400mm (Without HDD Cages) Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 260mm Max Radiator Support: 480mm Left Side, 560mm Right Side Side Panel: Yes, Tempered Glass (Front & Both Sides) Drive Bays: 2 x 2.5”, 6 x 3.5”/2.5”, 1 x 5.25” Dimensions: 752mm x 423mm x 483mm Expansion Slots: 8 Weight: 24.5 kg/54 lb Color: Black
The Tower 900 is premium-built with high-quality SGCC material and tempered glass panels on the sides and front. This design offers a panoramic view of all your internal PC components, making it the best for showcasing! What’s more, it offers plenty of cooling options. You can mount up to 14x 120mm or 140mm fans for air cooling. But I find it great for water cooling with dual 480mm and 560mm radiators on both sides. The Thermaltake Tower 900 is arguably one of the most stylish cases that suit hardcore gaming enthusiasts. It’s the ultimate case for doing your dream custom loop water cooling and showcasing your build with high-end internal components.
Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL – Best Minimalist Design
The Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL features a well-built minimalist design that would suit both gaming and productivity PC builds. It’s very spacious with enough room to accommodate a large motherboard up to E-ATX and SSI-EEB.
Motherboard Support: SSI-EEB, SSI-CEB, E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX Front I/O Ports: 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: 3 x 140mm Dynamic X2 GP-14 fans Max GPU Length: Up to 549mm (Without the Front Fan) Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 185mm Max Radiator Support: 480mm Side Panel: Yes, Dark Tint Tempered Glass Drive Bays: 2 x 2.5” (Up to 5 Positions), 6 x 2.5”/3.5” (Up to 18 Positions) Dimensions: 600mm x 240mm x 566mm Expansion Slots: 9 Horizontal + 3 Vertical Weight: 14.1 kg Color: Black
This case looks and feels premium. It comes with a dark-tinted tempered glass side panel for display. Both the side panel and top part are fully removable for easy building and cable routing. Yet, my favorite feature is its thermal support. It comes with the iconic mesh design for maximum, unobstructed airflow. You can mount up to eleven 120mm fans or up to nine 140mm fans (three 140mm are already included). The Meshify 2 XL is great with both air and liquid cooling. It supports radiators up to 420/480mm on the front and top. You can also mount a 240/280mm radiator at the bottom for comprehensive cooling.
Thermaltake View 71 RGB – Best Full-Tower Showcase with RGB Lighting
Unlike the uniquely designed Thermaltake Tower 900, the View 71 RGB features the usual design of a full-tower PC case. But as expected of the brand, this case is stylish and of premium build quality.
Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX Front I/O Ports: 12 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.0, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: 3 x 140mm Ring RGB fans Max GPU Length: 310mm (Up to 410mm without HDD Rack) Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 190mm Max Radiator Support: 420mm Side Panel: Yes, Tempered Glass (Left, Right, Front, & Top) Drive Bays: 4 x 2.5”/3.5” (Accessible Via HDD Rack), 6 x 2.5” or 3 x 3.5” (Hidden) Dimensions: 577mm x 274mm x 592mm Expansion Slots: 8 Horizontal + 2 Vertical Weight: 19.1 kg/42.10 lb Color: Black, White
It features four tempered glass panels on the top, front, and sides for a complete display of your build. Both of the side panels come in a swing-door design with hinges to easily access the internal components. The interior space is spacious enough to support large components and custom cooling loops. It supports up to nine 120mm fans or up to seven 140mm fans. But you can opt for mounting large 420mm radiators at the front, side, and top.
Corsair Obsidian Series 1000D – Best Super Tower Case for Extremely Complex Builds
The CORSAIR Obsidian Series 1000D is a monster-size PC case with an iconic, high-end build design. In fact, Corsair markets it as a super-tower! It comes with premium tempered glass side panels and smart fans and RGB lighting controls.
Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX Front I/O Ports: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen-2 Type-C, 4 x USB 3.0, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: None Max GPU Length: 400mm Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 180mm Max Radiator Support: 480mm Side Panel:Yes, Tempered Glass (Front & Sides) Drive Bays: 6 x 2.5”, 5 x 3.5” Dimensions: 693mm x 307mm x 697mm Expansion Slots: 10 Weight: 29.5 kg/60 lb Color: Black
Like the Thermaltake Tower 900, this case supports dual system builds. It can fit both a large E-ATX and a Mini-ITX motherboard simultaneously for complex builds. It also supports dual-PSU for optimum power supply! The Obsidian Series 1000D is all about massive room for internal components. It offers a whopping 18x fan mount location with room for radiators up to 480mm. What’s more, you can mount up to four 480mm radiators simultaneously! The Corsair Obsidian Series 1000D is the full-tower case you get when building your ultimate gaming rig. It’s well-built, stylish, and with plenty of useful features to support a complex dual system build.
Be Quiet! Dark Base PRO 900 Black Rev. 2 – Best Silent Full Tower Case
The Dark Base PRO 900 Black Rev. 2 is arguably the best full-tower case for silent builds! But unlike most silent PC cases, this one features a stylish design with tempered glass panels that will suit both gaming and productivity PC builds.
Motherboard Support: E-ATX, XL-ATC, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX Front I/O Ports: USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 2 x USB Type-A, Dedicated Mic, Headphone Included Fans: 3 x Silent Wings 3 140mm PWM fans Max GPU Length: 472mm Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 185mm Max Radiator Support: 420mm Side Panel: Yes Drive Bays: 10 x 2.5″, 5 x 3.5″, 2 x 5.25″ Dimensions: 577mm x 243mm x 586mm Expansion Slots: 8 Weight: 31.75 lb/14.4 kg Color: Black, Orange, Silver
It’s made of steel with noise-reducing vents all around the case for quiet operation. The design offers full-circuit airflow, making it suitable for extreme overclocking and super silent liquid coolers. To complement the excellent airflow, it features up to 10x fan mounting locations. You can mount up to three 140mm fans at the front and top, and up to two 140mm fans at the bottom. It comes with a 140mm rear and two 140mm front fans! Be Quiet! Dark Base PRO 900 Black Rev. 2 is an amazing full–tower case for silent builds. It’s well-built with high-quality material and comes in a stylish design. The front I/O features an integrated wireless charger for Qi-enabled devices.