When it comes to choosing the best PC cases, ATX midi towers, have become the go–to choice for many computer enthusiasts. These cases offer a great balance between size, build quality, and performance, allowing you to fit plenty of hardware in a small form factor.
With so many options on the market, it can be hard to decide which one is best for you. In this article, we will discuss how to find the right PC case.
PC case – How to find the right one!
The housing of every PC is one of the most important building blocks for many. After all, the PC case is what you see all the time. In addition to the optics, it is also responsible for many functions such as cooling, expandability, and volume. The selection in the price comparison is large and therefore extremely confusing.
The cheapest midi towers start at 20 euros, and the most expensive models even go for several 100 euros over the virtual counter. But what are the differences? What makes a PC case so expensive?
Above all, unusual designs far away from the standard models let the manufacturers pay dearly. Special design towers also cost 500 euros and more. But the choice of material can also drive up the price of a PC case.
On the one hand, all-aluminum towers are light, look elegant, and promote rapid heat dissipation, but they cost more than normal PC cases made of steel and plastic. But even with such simple materials as steel and plastics, there can be striking differences in quality and material thickness, which ultimately affect the price.
In addition to the factors mentioned, the features of a PC case also play an important role. What is the maximum CPU cooler that can be installed? Does the desired midi tower even offer enough space for my hardware? Can water cooling be installed? If so, what is the maximum possible radiator size? Are there enough drive slots for my hard drives and SSDs?
Will my long, high-end graphics card fit in the tower? Can other fans be installed in addition to the ones already installed? You should be able to answer all these questions before buying a PC case so that you avoid making a bad purchase. From almost 500 different PC cases for the ATX format, the HardwareSchotte editorial team has selected the currently best ones as well as the best ones in terms of price/performance and listed them clearly with the best prices of the day.
What should I look out for when buying a PC case?
Most potential buyers of a case often find the optics the most important. From a purely technical point of view, however, it is much more important that the hardware to be installed also fits into the tower.
Therefore, the first or at least the second look at a PC case should fall on the technical data. If the midi tower you want offers enough space for the CPU cooler or water cooling, the mainboard, the hard drives or SSDs, and the graphics card, then nothing stands in the way of a purchase.
What information is important for a PC case?
As already mentioned, the dimensions of the CPU cooler and the graphics card have top priority. It is equally important that the mainboard be installed to fit into the desired housing. A look at the supported format helps here.
If the mainboard is in ATX format, it fits in all ATX towers. If the mainboard is smaller, i.e. in µATX or mITX format, then it also fits in all common PC cases for the ATX format – but E-ATX mainboards do not. It also makes sense if the desired case already has pre-installed fans, because in this case, you don’t necessarily have to retrofit them.
If there is no fan included ex-works, you should also think about sufficiently good ventilation.
What is the advantage of insulated PC cases?
Insulated housings ensure a significant noise reduction. If the built-in components are also very quiet, ideally you can hardly hear anything from the PC during operation.
If you don’t pay attention to the volume of the other components, the insulation can reduce the noise of the loud components, but not make them inaudible.
The disadvantage, however, is that the air often accumulates more quickly in insulated housings, since the installation options for fans are limited. This can lead to a higher operating temperature of the PC.
Does it make sense to install many fans in this case?
That depends entirely on the desired midi tower. If sufficient fans are already pre-installed at the factory, it is not absolutely necessary to retrofit them. Many fans that blow in all directions can even worsen the airflow in the PC.
A sensible concept, for example, is to mount two fans in the front, which draw in the fresh air, and two fans on the back and in the back of the lid, which transport the warm air outside. This ensures a continuous flow of air from the front to the back of the housing.
Where should that be the PC case?
There is actually only one important rule: In any case, on a level surface. Because most PCs suck in fresh air for the power supply unit from below. So if you place the PC on a carpet, it may be that the power supply unit does not get any fresh air and/or quickly gathers dust.
For the same reason, the PC should be set up as freely as possible so that there is no air congestion. A position near the heater or in direct sunlight should also be avoided.
Why are there hardly any cases with an external drive slot?
DVD or even BluRay drives are being used less and less, as USB sticks and hard drives are preferred in most cases. In addition, the airflow in the case is also better without these drives.
If you still don’t want to or can’t do without such a drive, there are either external drives with a USB connection or you can grab a case that still has 5.25″ slots. Can’t find the PC case you want? All PC cases / ATX midi towers in a price comparison