If you choose the best PC case under $ 100, you don’t have to make significant compromises in building quality, design, and features compared to more expensive PC cases. A cheaper PC case doesn’t mean it looks cheap because this price category is the most sought-after. Manufacturers are simply competing to give a more attractive and high-quality offer.
The new case shouldn’t only look good. Still, it must also have well-resolved components cooling with the possibility of installing water cooling, quality cable management, and an affordable price. Choosing the best case under $ 100 can be pretty challenging, but after much research, I have reduced the choice to 5 gaming cases that may be very interesting to you.
Table of Contents
Best PC Case Under $ 100
Picture | Name | Details | Price |
NZXT H510 |
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Corsair 4000D Airflow |
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Phanteks P400A |
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Thermaltake Core V21 |
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CM MasterBox Q300L |
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1. NZXT H510
NZXT H510 | |
Material | SGCC Steel, Tempered Glass |
Dimensions (inches) | 16.85 x 8.27 x 18.11 |
Weight (pounds) | 14.55 (6.6. kg) |
Motherboards Support | Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX |
Case Fans | 2 Included (120mm), 4 Max |
Drive Bays | 3.5’’(2+1) , 2.5’’ (2+1) |
Expansion slots | 7 |
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Brief description
With the NZXT H510, you won’t go wrong because you get an exceptionally high-quality case that you can choose from in three colors; white, black, and red-black. The price is the same for all available colors, and this is good to fit the desired color into your interior at a reasonable price. The case looks firm, and NZXT opted for a steel and tempered glass combination.
The transparent side is easily removed with just one screw and provides an excellent interior overview. You can place a mini-ITX, microATX, or ATX board inside the case. At the top comes the power button, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, and a headset audio jack.
The NZXT performed cable management well because the H510 has pre-installed cable routing channels. Good cable management means the cables will not bother you during normal airflow. And regarding airflow, the H510 comes with two pre-installed Aer 120mm fans, one at the front and one at the rear.
The NZXT has installed removable filters on the front and under the power supply unit to prevent dust from collecting quickly in the case. You can easily remove and wash these filters when you notice dust accumulating.
If you want to install water cooling, the maximum size of the radiator is 240 mm. If you opt for NZXT AIO cooling, I recommend Kraken X53/Z53 or Kraken X63/Z63 with front radiator mounting.
Overall, the NZXT H510 is a simple yet attractively designed case with well-resolved cooling. It has enough space for storage and long graphics cards up to 380mm (15 inches). However, if you intend to install water cooling, check the technical specification of the housing well before purchasing.
2. Corsair 4000D Airflow
Corsair 4000D Airflow | |
Material | Steel, Tempered Glass, Plastic |
Dimensions (inches) | 17.83 x 9.06 x 18.35 |
Weight (pounds) | 17.3 (7.8 kg) |
Motherboards Support | Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX |
Case Fans | 2 Included (120mm), 6 Max |
Drive Bays | 2x 3.5’’ , 2x 2.5’’ |
Expansion slots | 7+2 |
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Brief description
The Corsair 4000D Airflow features a minimalist design without exaggerated details. The beautifully designed front metal plate comes with vents. It’s easy to remove, and behind it, a dust filter is also easy to remove and maintain. 4000D comes with one 120mm suction fan and one hot air exhaust. You can install up to 360mm radiator in the front if you want water cooling.
You can easily remove the glass side panel with two screws, but it can be a little too dark for your taste on the aesthetic side. At the top is a large magnetic dust filter with excellent detail in the form of a yellow tab (and a Corsair inscription) for easy removal. Under the filter, you can place two fans of 140mm or 120mm, or a radiator up to 280mm. Below the power supply unit is a dust filter, which can be easily removed and cleaned.
At the top, there is an on/ off button, one USB 3.0 Type-A port, one USB 3.0 Type-C port, a combo audio jack, and a reset button. The case’s interior is known and already seen in Phantex or NZXT by the number and arrangement of storage devices, good cable management, etc. Otherwise, according to your affinities, you can buy the case in black or white.
In short, the Corsair 4000D Airflow is a likable case if you like a minimalist design that will fit into any interior. In addition, thanks to the front grille, good cooling is provided inside the housing, similar to the Phanteks model. You get a high-quality ventilated case with small details that don’t disturb the aesthetics.
3. Phanteks Eclipse P400A
Phanteks Eclipse P400A | |
Material | Steel, Tempered Glass |
Dimensions (inches) | 18.5 x 8.3 x 18.3 |
Weight (pounds) | 15.4 (7 kg) |
Motherboards Support | Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX |
Case Fans | 3 Included (120mm), 6 Max |
Drive Bays | 2x 3.5’’ , 2x 2.5’’ |
Expansion slots | 7 |
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Brief description
The Phanteks P400A (Digital) is a real example of how a quality build comes at an affordable price. Its attractive but straightforward design easily fits into your interior. You can choose between black and white. The Phanteks case looks quality and firm, thanks to the mix of metal, steel, and tempered glass.
The transparent side of tempered glass is fixed with four screws and is easy to remove and install. Phanteks has provided an ultra-fine steel mesh front panel for this model. This mesh catches dust bust also gives the chassis improved airflow keeping the system cooler. The magnetic dust filter is located at the top of the case and the bottom below the PSU.
The case is compatible with all known motherboard formats on the market, and you have enough space inside for all components. It’s possible to install a radiator for water cooling up to 360 mm.
Phanteks also took care of the excellent cable management to not interfere with normal airflow. Space to accommodate two SATA SSDs (or 2x 2.5” HDDs) is behind the motherboard, and there are slots for 2x 3.5” HDDs in the PSU chamber.
At the top comes the on/off button, 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A, mic, headphone, reset button, and fan speed button with digital RGB controller (P400 A Digital). The regular version of the P400A comes with a fan controller and two black Phantex 120mm fans (one for cold air intake and one rear for hot air exhaust). The P400A digital comes with 3 RGB fans on the front.
The P400A is an excellent case with enough space for even the most powerful components that will be well-cooled thanks to well-resolved ventilation.
4. Thermaltake Core V21
Thermaltake Core V21 | |
Material | Steel, Plastic |
Dimensions (inches) | 13.2 x 12.6 x 16.7 |
Weight (pounds) | 14.3 |
Motherboards Support | Micro ATX, Mini ITX |
Case Fans | 1 Included (200mm front), 14 Max |
Drive Bays | Three 3.5’’ or 2.5” , Three 2.5’’ |
Expansion slots | 5 |
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Brief description
Core V21 is a cube small ATX case of the modular type because you can combine several such cases into one whole. You can stack Core V21s on top of each other, so only your imagination is the limit of what you can and want to do. The practical design of the Core V21 allows for vertical or horizontal installation of the motherboard. A detachable dust filter comes at the bottom of the case. In addition, impact-resistant rubber seals on the PSU holder help reduce noise and vibration during operation.
You can fold two housings and extend the liquid water cooling system in the upper ones. Also, the upper cube can be a solution for storing or even creating a double system design. The possibilities are various, and the concept is exciting and original. The Core V21 supports the installation of micro ATX and mini ITX motherboards.
You can rearrange the sides of the V21 according to your taste, which gives you free rein when building your gaming configuration. For example, if you don’t like the case’s acrylic window on the left or right side, you can move it to the top.
The Core V21 has a 200mm fan on the front, under the mesh, with a lower rpm, but it cools sufficiently. The mesh is a good solution because more air enters, unlike the housings, with a front panel made of glass or solid plastic without openings. Instead of a 200mm fan, you can place two 120 mm or two 140mm to improve cooling. It’s also possible to install a maximum length of 280 mm radiator.
Thermaltake Core V21 is a desirable small ATX case, wholly subordinated to your needs, thanks to its concept and functionality.
4. Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L
Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L | |
Material | Steel, Plastic |
Dimensions (inches) | 15.39 x 9.06 x 15 |
Weight (pounds) | 8.15 |
Motherboards Support | Micro ATX, Mini ITX |
Case Fans | 1 Included (rear-mounted), 6 Max |
Drive Bays | One 3.5”, Two 2.5'' |
Expansion slots | 4 |
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Brief description
The Q300L is a small ATX case with a practical design and a sophisticated look that can easily fit into your interior, whether you are a gamer or a regular user. Although small, it can accommodate a standard-sized PSU and slightly larger graphics cards. You can install microATX or mini ITX motherboards.
Cooler Master offers the Q500L model of marginally larger dimensions to place full ATX format motherboards. Other differences, except in size, are minimal. There is also the Q300L TUF model designed within the Asus TUF Gaming Alliance, so together with Asus TUF components; it will make a great gaming symbiosis.
You can set the front I/O panel to 6 different positions to find the one that suits you best. The acrylic transparent side panel gives you a clear view of the interior. Still, unfortunately, there was no place to install tempered glass at this price. The disadvantage of the acrylic side panel is the sensitivity to scratches, so be careful when working on the case.
At the top and front, the Cooler Master has installed stylized magnetic dust filters that are easy to remove and clean. There’s a lot of space behind the motherboard bay to hide the cables, and you can do good cable management.
At an affordable price, you get a friendly and straightforward design with valuable and easy-to-maintain magnetic dust filters, the possibility of installing radiators and other cooling fans, and enough space for quality cable management.
If you already have an ATX format motherboard, look at the MasterBox Q500L model, which offers everything like the Q300L but is slightly larger.
Conclusion
As you can see, for under $ 100, you can take an excellent case and transfer the rest of the money from the planned budget to a better processor, motherboard, graphics card, etc. Whether the PC case is the first or last component you buy, you need to check the dimensions of the motherboard, the length of the graphics card, the type of cooling, and all other parts to make it fit without problems.
Read the specification carefully to ensure that your future case will receive all the components without any problems. The most critical parameters for the type of cooling you want to install in the coming case are the TDP of your CPU and graphics card. If you wish to install AIO cooling, see if your case supports this option and mounting method.
The case must have well-resolved cable management, which means smooth airflow and better performance for your future computer. This article recommends midi tower ATX enclosures that support mini-ITX, Micro ATX, and ATX board formats. If you don’t have enough space on your gaming desk, consider buying even smaller ATX cases.