When building a new gaming PC, too many people will focus on the best graphics card or the latest CPU, completely missing the importance of choosing one of the best PC cases for airflow.
TL;DR – These are the Best PC Cases for Airflow:
- Corsair 5000D Airflow
- Fractal Design Torrent
- Thermaltake Core P8
- Phanteks Eclipse G360A
- Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO
Another issue is too many people focusing on aesthetics over functionality, it’s all good to have an RGB-riddled case that looks like something you would find at a 90s rave, but it needs great airflow or performance will take a hit.
Not only does poor airflow impact performance, but it can also have an impact on the overall lifespan of components in your PC, making it an important part of your rig that needs plenty of research before spending your hard-earned cash.
The Best PC Cases for Airflow:
1. Corsair 5000D Airflow
Best PC case for airflow
Pros:
- Easy to build in
- Great cable management
Cons:
- Unnecessary tinted glass
Corsair is known for creating high-quality PC cases perform well and incredible while doing it. The Corsair 5000D Airflow is easy to work with and offers incredible airflow and easy-to-use cable management.
The Corsair 5000D Airflow has room for up to 10 120mm fans, and 4 140mm fans and can house multiple radiators up to 360mm. Thanks to its spacious design, it also has room for larger powerful GPUs, such as the Nvidia RTX 4090.
The only real downside to the Corsair 5000D Airflow is its tinted viewing window, which frustratingly makes your RGB masterpiece look, well, less RGBey, that’s a word, right?
2. Fractal Design Torrent
Best looking PC case for airflow
Pros:
- Incredible thermal performance
- Includes 5 RGB fans
Cons:
- Questionable cable management
If you’re looking for the best possible airflow, it doesn’t get much better than the Fractal Design Torrent, and with its uniquely striking design, this case is cool in more ways than one.
The Fractal Design Torrent comes pre-fitted with 2 180mm fans on the front and 3 140mm fans on the bottom and offers plenty of room to add more.
The thermal performance is so good, that had it not been for the clumsy cable management, which lets it down, the Fractal Design Torrent would have been at the top of the best PC cases for airflow list.
3. Thermaltake Core P8
Best PC case for Hybrid Cooling
Pros:
- Fully modular design
- Great cable management
Cons:
- Extremely heavy
Some PC cases are like Doctor Who's Tardis: They look small on the outside, but inside they can hold some serious hardware. And then there’s the Thermaltake Core P8, a giant among cases that weighs a back-breaking 49.8 pounds.
Fitting up to a whopping 18 120mm fans, and a modular design that lets you remove parts of the chassis and redesign the case to your liking, the Thermaltake Core P8 is one of the most heavily customizable E-ATX cases on the market today.
The Thermaltake Core P8 can be used as an open or closed design and is even wall mountable. Although considering its size and weight before you’ve even put parts in, let alone liquid cooling, you might want to make sure you’re wall is structurally sound enough to withstand this monstrosity.
4. Phanteks Eclipse G360A
Best white PC case for Airflow
Pros:
- Great value
- Includes 3 aRGB fans
Cons:
- Frustratingly bad cable routing
If you’re looking to create an all-white build, the Phanteks Eclipse G360A is right up your alley. While most white components cost extra, the Phanteks Eclipse G360A offers style and performance at a very competitive price.
The Phanteks Eclipse G360A has incredible airflow considering its low price, but sadly it's held back by a few flaws. It doesn’t feature the best cable routing, lacks a proper front air intake filter, and can be a pain to fit even a standard PSU in.
If you’re willing to look past a few flaws and spend a little extra time working on cable management, the Phanteks Eclipse G360A is one of the best white PC cases for airflow out there, and it comes at a reasonable price too.
5. Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO
Best E-ATX PC case for airflow
Pros:
- Extremely stylish design
- Impeccable thermal performance
Cons:
- Pricey compared to other high-airflow cases
Reinforce your desk, and brace yourself to lift the Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO, because this bad boy is big, and it's heavy. It stands at an impressive 64.9 pounds, and that’s before you’ve even started to build in it.
Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO’s slogan is Air to the Throne, and they’re not kidding, with multiple radiator support up to 480mm, impeccable cable routing, and rotatable radiator brackets, this high-airflow case gets style and functionality right in every way.
The Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO also comes with a built-in LCD assistant that looks cool and gives you real-time updates on component temps.
Upcoming High Airflow PC Cases
Although there are no notable upcoming high airflow PC cases, we may see new releases when the latest round of graphics cards hits the shelves throughout the year. With many new GPUs now exceeding over 270mm in length (some even more than 300mm like the Nvidia RTX 4090), there’s a need for new cases that can handle the size.
How To Choose the Best PC cases for airflow
When choosing a new PC case for airflow, there are a few things to bear in mind. Firstly, make sure that the case has great cable routing. Poor cable management can block airflow and any restriction to the case’s airflow is going to have an impact on the temperatures, as well as possibly impacting overall performance.
Not only does poor cable management restrict airflow, it looks awful too, meaning you end up with terrible airflow and a PC that you start to wish didn’t have a viewing window.
The number and position of fans are an important part of a case too. When building a PC it's important to maintain the correct balance between positive and negative pressure, to do this it’s important to ensure that the case supports well-positioned fans that allow for a near-equal number of intakes and exhausts.
Many gamers tend to pick their PC cases based on aesthetics, choosing a PC case based on the design and often its RGB lighting. While it’s important to love how your custom PC build looks, ensuring the best possible thermal performance should always be the top priority.
FAQ
Does Your PC case matter for airflow?
Yes, there are many aspects of a case that impact airflow, such as cable routing, and the number and positioning of fans. Some designs feature an air-filtering mesh, while others will have a tighter build, and some might even have a more open-case design, each one having its own impact on the airflow.
Does a bigger case have better airflow?
Most of the time, a bigger case will offer better airflow. This is due to them having more room to work with, making it easier to do better cable management, as well as being able to house more fans, and in many cases, giving ample room for liquid cooling. However, there are some smaller cases that are exceptionally well-built that break this rule.
Do open PC cases cool better?
Closed is generally better, as not only will this help reduce dust build-up as well as offer protection for your expensive components, but it will also help maintain the balance between positive and negative pressure.
