The Best Big Cases for Big Builds

MicroCenterOfficial

It's no secret that computer parts are getting big. Up until very recently, if your motherboard fit your case and everything was compatible, you were good to start building. Now, you have to make sure your GPU has clearance as well, so you don't accidentally make an open-air PC because you had to leave a side panel off!

Thankfully, there are plenty of cases with more than enough room to fit the latest and greatest GPUs. Our champions have picked out four of their favorites - check them out below!

Noctus Night OWL by Jarred B

NZXT H7 Flow Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Computer Case by @Vaganza

NZXT has constantly been improving their cases, generation over generation. Airflow has been reworked regularly in new ways to maximize the cooling potential of your components. Even in its infancy, however, I knew there was something special about NZXT cases with their aesthetic simplicity and great cable management options. Now, however, we have the best of both worlds.

The H7 Flow is the meeting of form and functionality. This is a sleek and very, very airy case with room for push/pull 360mm radiator in the front, a 360mm radiator on the top, and a 140mm fan in the rear. All of this with a nice, handsome mesh on the front and top, hiding filters for any fans you place. They say that the H7 Flow gets 62.18 CFM, compared to the 50.42 CFM the H510 would get. That's a pretty massive step up!

The cable management is so simple it is beautiful. There are two pairs of channels running through the back, perfectly lined up for easy connections. With holdbacks and tie-downs all over the case and a nice large opening at the top of the case to pull through all of the cables from the radiator on top, it's remarkably easy to keep this case looking absolutely clean. The rear channel for the CPU power cables is ample and has great holdbacks as well, with straps strategically located so that zip ties are an option. The bottom of the case is open and unobstructed for the power supply with only a removable 2 bay 3.5 inch HDD cage to cable manage around. It even has a nice opening at the bottom to sneak up the video card PCI-E power cables neatly.

But can it fit the biggest of GPUs comfortably? Absolutely! The motherboard bay is ample and deep, making it incredibly easy to maneuver components, with 400mm x 185mm of GPU clearance. Whether you opt for a standard GPU mount or spice it up with a vertical mount, you don't have to worry about anything bumping against the glass. And there is still plenty of room for great airflow!

NZXT has always had a minimalistic design, but it never sacrificed aesthetic for that minimalism. The H7 Flow is the perfect meeting of NZXT's visual design and airflow, making it a must-have for anyone building a big rig.

Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case by @tbarggs

If you’re in the market for a case to accommodate your new graphics card - large or small! - I recommend the Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB Tempered Glass Computer case. This case is an ATX mid-tower, which means it will have more than enough room for any components you may need to fit inside. I'm partial to the white version of the case, as it makes for a great match with the RGB components you’re inevitably going to put inside, but its also available in a clean black!

This case has a nice clear side panel, so you have a great visual of all your components and custom RGB. While specifically for ATX mid-towers, The Corsair iCUE 4000x does support ATX, eATX, microATX and Mini-ITX motherboards. Out of the box, this case will come with three 120mm RGB LED Fans as well. Whether you already have a power supply or need a new one, the standard ATX power supply fits perfectly. This case can also accommodate a radiator to liquid cool your processor, and supports up to a massive 360mm radiator. With clearance like that, this is a perfect case to accommodate your new graphics card while still being a cost-effective option!

Lian Li LANCOOL III RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case by @w8deywins

It's always a good idea to double-check that your components will fit in your case, and I'm frequently checking with customers buying a new GPU to make sure that it'll fit in their current case. If they say no, I'm quick to recommend the new Lian Li Lancool III. This is an incredible case and features an entirely toolless design, making it incredibly easy to set up. It even comes with four 140mm fans! It may seem giant on paper, stretching a length of almost 2 feet, but in person, it’s the perfect size to fit everything you need for a cutting-edge PC. It's got more than enough space for all your components, including an XL power supply basement for those beefy builds and plenty of cable management space! With what feels like unlimited SSD slots, this case supports up to eight 2.5” SSDs - never reach for external storage again! Jokes aside, this has been one of my favorite cases to recommend to anyone upgrading because of its practical, easy-to-build-in approach. Although it’s certainly a bigger case, I think you’re going to love the Lancool III for any and all builds!

ASUS ROG Strix Helios GX601 RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case by @TreBouncee

As more, larger GPUs hit the shelves, we're seeing more focus on case types and sizes. And we're seeing more folks rethink their case setup to accommodate their new GPU. There are a few options that are popular and make sense - from the MSI MPG GUNGNIR to the Corsair 4000D - but only one is my go-to recommendation. The ASUS ROG Strix Helios GX601 is a mid-tower case that offers plenty of room for modern graphics cards in addition to several expansion slots. It has room for two 3.5” Bays and four 2.5” Bays for storage and can accommodate nearly any motherboard. Part of the appeal is, of course, its inclusion as an ASUS ROG product so those invested in the ASUS line will likely feel right at home. But even newcomers will find a case with plenty of room, ports, and great thermals. I've been heartily recommending the GX601 and do believe that this case is a fantastic fit for anyone looking to upgrade their cases to fit the latest and greatest!

More from the Micro Center Community:

Looking for more information about Building a PC? We’ve got PC Build Guides as well as articles on How to Choose Parts for you Custom PC Build, Product Reviews, and Part Comparisons. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!

ChaosDTV

I finally bought me a new big case it was well needed

z0mghenry

I wish I didn't buy the Hyte y60 and then figure out the 4090 won't fit comfortably and be able to breathe

magarity

The title of the article says "big" cases but the name of every case listed is only "mid". For big cases I was thinking Corsair 7000D and LianLi O11D ROG

NBPDC505

Thermaltake View 51 was great for my current build also. 4090 fit very comfortably and I like the PSU being in a separate chamber behind the MB for a very clean look.

MattG

"The Best Big Cases for Big Builds"

1: Mid Tower

2: Mid Tower

3: Mid Tower

4: Mid Tower

Did you guys let the interns right this article? I don't think they understand what big means.

Scary_Guy

My case is a MasPar MP-2204 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MasPar

I finally wired up the door to the front panel to the connectors. LED's still aren't connected and that circuit board is sitting on my desk. Need to figure out how to at least get two of those working. Might just need to replace them if the board can't supply enough power for them, but I can't see that as being an issue.

Vaganza

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/46028#Comment_46028

The title was chosen after the article was written by the contributors, ideally, we were talking about cases that a 4090 would fit in.

Julia_V

To be fair I don't really know why the ROG Helios is a "mid-tower"... It's way too massive to be anywhere near "mid" level. The thing literally takes a 420mm radiator in the front and a 360mm on top.

Bitterman25

I've still got n Antec P180 from a dozen years ago. Plenty of room, good ventilation. It's not perfect but it did (and contines to do) everything I need. Buy a quality big case once and it should last you a decent long while.

w8deywins

Although some of those cases claim “mid-tower”, the Lancool III & Strix Helios are larger cases that support the mighty 4090. I feel like those terms are subjective and marketing fluff from the retro days. If you’re upgrading to a 4090, definitely go with the Lancool III or Strix Helios! 

Lesaol

Lancool series cases by Lian Li have been amazing for the past 3 generations. Can’t wait to try another for a new build 👍🏽

Shoan041

"Mid" tower cases now a days are as large as what would have been a "full" tower a decade ago. This just goes to show you have the cases are getting larger as time goes on. Lian li used to consider the Lancool II a Full tower and now they call it a Mid tower. A lot of these cases are great choices for fitting these new graphics cards that have gotten larger.

Elly

I really like the Lancool Mesh 2 tower, just bought it at Microcenter and am planning to use it soon!