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- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - SSI-EEB
- Dimensions: 666 x 291 x 622mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 166mm
- Max GPU length: 490mm
- Supported motherboards: SSI-CEB - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 544 x 242 x 530mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 188mm
- Max GPU length: 461mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 550 x 248 x 600mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 190mm
- Max GPU length: 450mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 455 x 285 x 462mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 160mm
- Max GPU length: 375mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 526 x 238 x 523mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 185mm
- Max GPU length: 420mm
- Supported motherboards: ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 580 x 248 x 560mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 195mm
- Max GPU length: 503mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 465 x 285 x 459mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 167mm
- Max GPU length: 422mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 522 x 230 x 520mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 185mm
- Max GPU length: 455mm
The E ATX form factor lets manufacturers cram even more features onto motherboards or space them out for better thermal performance. With Zen4 and Raptor Lake, such boards are starting to trickle down into the mainstream. Naturally, you’ll want the best E ATX case to house yours without a hitch.
Evolving component trends have caused shifts in PC case design. HDDs and 5.25″ bays aren’t standard or necessary these days, so even moderately-sized enclosures can comfortably house the largest motherboards.
Case size is just one factor, though. E ATX cases can get pretty expensive, and they differ in terms of storage and cooling support. Some promote optimum airflow, while others are built like monuments to the beastly PCs within. Our guide explores diverse options, so you’re sure to find the right case to fit your preferences.
Cooler Master HAF 700
Dimensions: 666 x 291 x 622mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – SSI-EEB | Included fans: 2x 200mm front, 2x 120mm back, 1x120mm bottom | Max CPU cooler height: 166mm | Max GPU length: 490mm | Internal bays: 9x 3.5”/2.5"
- World-class cooling potential
- Outstanding storage support
- Exceptional GPU clearance
- Still Expensive
- Smaller CPU cooler clearance than expected
The HAF 700 EVO is one of the most stunning cases ever created. It’s also eye-wateringly expensive. Cooler Master ditched the LCD, glass front bits, and EVO part of the name to offer what we consider to be the best full tower case around. It’s absolutely massive, holds all the storage you could need, and remains cool as a cucumber due to extensive AIO and fan options.
The gigantic HAF 700 looks similar to the EVO, with a massive glass panel on the left and vent-studded metal on the right. Its front underwent the most changes as a large mesh filter replaces the EVO’s costly doodads. The mesh has no dust filter and offers a prime view of the two large 200mm front fans.
Despite the sandwich-style setup, the interior is cavernous. Its dedicated motherboard tray holds everything from ITX to workstation boards, so even E ATX looks puny.
To put things into perspective, there’s still room behind the tray for bays fitting four HDDs and an ATX power supply! The main back panel next to those holds two more drives and obscures most cables. Three additional disks fit towards the front. That brings the total to nine, not counting your mobo’s M.2.
Whether you create an elaborate water loop or stud the HAF 700 with fans isn’t important – its cooling performance is exemplary either way. Two 120mm back fans and one on the bottom join the front spinners. The top is wide enough to accommodate two more 360mm radiators, while the bottom and right sides are compatible with 420mm units.
The I/O is a two-parter. Four USB-A ports plus USB-C are on the right side, while audio jacks and the off & reset buttons are on the left. The five included fans have vivid RGB you control through intuitive proprietary software.
Fractal Design Torrent
Dimensions: 544 x 242 x 530mm | Supported motherboards: SSI-CEB – E-ATX | Included fans: 2x 180mm front | Max CPU cooler height: 188mm | Max GPU length: 461mm | Internal bays: 4x 3.5"/2.5”, 2x 2.5"
- Exceptional airflow
- Room for the largest coolers and AIOs
- Cool design with top-mounted PSU
- Lackluster RGB
Fractal design made some iconic case lines in the past but seemed to have taken a creative hiatus for a while. The Torrent line marks a return to form for the swedes. Its largest member is the best E ATX case if you want to air-cool your build. It sports practically limitless CPU cooler clearance, has loads of room for fans, and doesn’t get loud!
Unlike the Pop, one look at the Torrent tells you this case is different. Its edges are rounded, and the front has an asymmetrical geometric pattern in Fractal Design’s usual fashion. A dust filter sits behind the mesh and follows its contours, ensuring uninterrupted airflow.
Both side panels are glass, with your choice of clear or tinted for the left one. The top cover is solid, but you can remove it to access the PSU bay more easily. That’s right – you mount the power supply above the motherboard, and it works.
So what about a PSU bay, then? The Torrent’s bottom houses fans instead. You can place three 140mm fans or even a gigantic 420mm AIO there to provide powerful intake. Two 180mm fans are already in front, which makes for a fierce combo.
All storage drives inside the Torrent are out of sight. Two 3.5” HDDs or smaller SSDs fit behind the motherboard tray, while four 2.5” bays are stacked vertically behind the front. A cable trench runs beside the latter. You get plenty of Velcro straps and hooks to help tidy up as well.
With 188mm CPU clearance, even the NH-D15 or Dark Rock Pro 4 have no trouble fitting. It’s similar with GPUs since even the longest ones aren’t close to reaching the front fans. Despite the closed top, the Torrent’s airflow is superb.
RGB is the only thing to complain about. The Torrent had a faulty controller at launch, which Fractal Design successfully fixed. However, the fan lights and PSU strip are dim and uninspired, so you’ll want to spruce things up on your own.
Corsair 7000D Airflow
Dimensions: 550 x 248 x 600mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: 1x 140mm front, 1x 140mm back | Max CPU cooler height: 190mm | Max GPU length: 450mm | Internal bays: 6x 3.5”/2.5", 4x 2.5"
- Emphasis on 140mm fans makes it cool and quiet
- Attractive design with good airflow and easy interior access
- Holds plenty of legacy and SSD drives along with long GPUs
- Separate mic and audio jacks would have been better
A larger size means room for bigger fans! Corsair took that to heart when designing the 7000D Airflow since it’s the best E ATX case if you want every single fan in it to be 140mm. While it sports a traditional layout, the case doesn’t disappoint regarding spaciousness or storage capacity either.
An emphasis on hexagonal meshes is the first thing the 7000D Airflow flaunts. They take up most of the front and top, and a thinner one on the otherwise solid right side allows you to install a 420mm radiator. The left side features heavily-tinted glass perfect for showing RGB off without blinding you.
The I/O will stretch your motherboard’s internal headers to the limit with USB-C and four third-gen USB-A ports. Their yellow color contrasts nicely with the textured black top. The front also houses two 140mm fans. One more fits there, as does a corresponding radiator. You can also switch any preinstalled fan out for a 120 variant.
What the 7000D Airflow lacks in innovation it makes up for with spaciousness. The PSU shroud runs almost the entire length of the bottom and covers six 3.5”/2.5” drive bays. You may mount four more SSDs behind the mobo tray. Interestingly, Corsair decided to close it and the adjacent cable trench off with an internal panel. While not necessary, it undoubtedly helps with tidiness.
140mm fans need to work less than smaller ones to move the same amount of air. That’s why you can expect a fully-stacked 7000D Airflow to perform superbly while remaining quiet. Even if you aren’t the air-cooling type, an abundance of hooks, mounting holes, and straps allow for clean-looing water cooling.
Hyte Y60
Dimensions: 455 x 285 x 462mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: 1x 120mm back, 2x 120mm bottom | Max CPU cooler height: 160mm | Max GPU length: 375mm | Internal bays: 2x 3.5", 4x 2.5"
- Unique design
- Lots of cooling options for AIOs and fans alike
- Easy access and emphasis on tidy building
- Vertically-mounted GPUs might get hot
Hyte burst onto the scene with the Revolt 3 and continues to innovate in the medium tower segment too. The Y60 is as much of a showpiece as a case, allowing you to proudly display your expensive components. You’ll get the most out of it through AIOs or custom water loops, but there are enough fan positions for air-based cooling as well.
Even though its style is similar to some Lian Li enclosures, the chopped-off side gives the Y60 a unique look. It has a separate tinted glass panel and houses the I/O consisting of 10Gbps USB-C, two USB-A ports, a power button, and a combo jack.
Glass encases the front and left sides, while the rest uses cool-looking vents for intake and exhaust. You get a 120mm exhaust fan in the back and two 120mm intake fans on the bottom. The case takes three more fans or a 360mm AIO on the removable top and a 280mm AIO on the right side. That’s where you’ll also find some custom open grommets that help tidy cables up.
Tidy is how we’d describe the Y60 as a whole. There’s room under the side-facing PSU for additional cable management, and two drive bays above it hold either a pair of HDDs or four 2.5” SSDs. The case includes a riser cable to let you mount your beastly GPU for all to see.
The solid glass panels make the Y60 a quiet case at the expense of thermals. A good radiator setup will mostly eliminate this problem. However, you might want to reconsider vertically mounting thicker GPUs since there won’t be enough space between them and the glass for adequate airflow.
Lian Li Lancool III
Dimensions: 526 x 238 x 523mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: 3x 140mm front, 1x 140mm back | Max CPU cooler height: 185mm | Max GPU length: 420mm | Internal bays: 4x 3.5”/2.5", 8x 2.5"
- Runs cool and quiet
- Spring-loaded components & multiple panels make building easier and clean
- Good value for the money
- Tricky 3.5” HDD installation
Any PC case list is unthinkable without Lian Li, and the third Lancool secures a spot on this one. The innovative enclosure demonstrates how far springs can go in making toolless, seamless PC building enjoyable. It’s similar to the 7000D in its focus on 140mm fans but doesn’t offer as many huge radiator mounting possibilities. If that’s not your cup of tea anyway, consider the Lancool for its more affordable price.
It’s easy to see how this is another airflow-obsessed case. The chamfered front is one large mesh that barely contains three included 140mm fans. Its top holds the I/O by default, but you can switch it to the bottom if the case resides on your desk. The mesh part on top is even larger and the only point on the Lancool that will take a 420mm radiator. Both sides might be clear glass, but even they have mesh segments on the bottom.
We mentioned springs earlier, and you’ll be using a lot of them. Springs power the suicide-style side doors as well as the hinged interior panels that keep everything clean. Five 2.5″ drive mounting positions strewn across the back also use springs to hold them in place.
Three smaller drives may also occupy the multipurpose PSU shroud top. Popping the shroud open reveals room for two 3.5” HDD cages. These aren’t as intuitive since you need grommets and screws to secure the drives. Removing one lets you install large PSUs.
The Lancool III leverages its pre-installed 140mm fans and generous CPU cooling limits effectively. It has some of the best thermals out of all the cases on our list. Its fans are large, and the sides are mostly solid, so noise isn’t a concern.
Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2
Dimensions: 580 x 240 x 560mm | Supported motherboards: ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: N/A | Max CPU cooler height: 195mm | Max GPU length: 503mm | Internal bays: 4x 3.5”/2.5", 11x 2.5"
- Effortlessly holds two PCs
- Room for 15 disks and as many fans
- No clutter despite potentially holding double the components
- No included fans
The most spacious cases still have plenty of room left over once you’ve built your system. Why not use that space to add a second one instead of going for a separate Mini-ITX case? That’s the idea behind the Enthoo Pro 2, the best full tower case for dual systems! While that other PC will have to use an ITX motherboard, it’s still great for having a dedicated streaming rig that takes the pressure off your main components.
The Enthoo 2 isn’t as imposing as the HAF 700, yet uses its space even more wisely. A fabric-covered mesh dominates the front, ensuring no dust gets inside while letting you slot in four 120mm or three 140mm fans. Phanteks decided not to include any! While it’s understandable that enthusiasts will want to hand-pick their fans, this adds more costs to the already expensive enclosure.
At least there are numerous mounting options to exploit. Three 140mm fans or their radiator equivalents fit on the top and bottom, and one fits in the back. The right side houses four 120mm fans for a total of fifteen. That’s also the number of storage drives you can cram into the case!
You get four stackable 3.5” bays that either go on the side towards the front or behind the PSU shroud if you don’t install a second PC. Each supports a 2.5” SSD, as do seven mounts on the back.
The ITX PC gets three expansion slots and doesn’t interfere with the primary system’s eight. The shroud it attaches to has a grommet connecting it to the PSU. There isn’t a GPU in the world that won’t fit inside the Enthoo 2 Pro, and CPU cooler clearance is much better than on the HAF 700 too.
Lian LI PC-O11 Dynamic EVO
Dimensions: 465 x 285 x 459mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: N/A | Max CPU cooler height: 167mm | Max GPU length: 422mm | Internal bays: 6x 3.5” & 3x 2.5" or 13x 2.5”
- Attractive design perfect for showcasing components
- Multiple radiator and storage locations despite mid-tower constraints
- Lets you reverse the motherboard and vertically mount a GPU
- Doesn’t come with fans
Next is another Lian Li refresh, the evolved version of the O-11 Dynamic they teamed up with Der8auer to create. It’s a flashy model that focuses on showing your components off and keeping things quiet. The Evo is also the best E ATX case for people interested in reverse builds or vertical GPU mounting.
It’s clear right away that the Evo wants you to admire it and its contents. 75% of the front is clear glass, while the other 25% is black aluminum with a fancy RGB strip as the divider. Like on the Lancool, the I/O can move. You may leave it on the left side or reposition it on the right, which makes sense if you’re going for a reverse build.
Lian Li also encourages experimentation with GPU placement. Eight horizontal and three vertical expansion slots aren’t unusual. You can also get an accessory that lets you mount the GPU vertically toward the glass side.
The Evo centers on water cooling and doesn’t come with fans. As expected, the default thermals aren’t spectacular. However, there’s plenty of room for up to three radiators on the top, bottom, and side. This is a mid-tower case and among the smallest on the list, so you’ll have to limit yourself to 360mm rads.
There are few such limits when it comes to storage. A cage above the power supply holds two HDDs or SSDs and another SSD on the ventilated top side. The Evo’s top and bottom have identical mounting capabilities and guide rails, letting you add four more large drives. Alternatively, the Evo can take 13 2.5″ drives if you’ve ditched your HDDs.
Fractal Design Pop XL Air
Dimensions: 522 x 230 x 520mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: 3x 120mm front, 1x 120mm back | Max CPU cooler height: 185mm | Max GPU length: 455mm | Internal bays: 3x 3.5”/2.5", 5x 2.5"
- Affordable compared to other full tower cases
- Comes with four fans
- Can hold two 5.25” drives
- USB-C costs extra
People interested in E ATX motherboards likely also want diverse drive mounting options not all enclosures provide. The XL version of fractal Design’s Pop Air is the best full tower case for anyone who finds 5.2″ bays useful. Even if you don’t, four included fans, lots of room to build, and a killer price for the size make this a tempting prospect.
The Pop XL Air shares much of its design with the Pop Air Mini, one of our favorite mATX cases. A hexagonal mesh front keeps it from being a dull box. The mesh doesn’t extend down completely since a closed-off portion on the bottom houses the featured 5.25” bays. A small drawer occupies one of them, letting you store screws, cables, or anything else you may need to optimize the case.
The left side is clear glass, while the right is a rigid metal panel. Leaving only enough vents on top to fit a 280mm AIO seems like a wasted opportunity, but at least it limits dust buildup.
Fractal Design generously includes three 120mm ARGB fans in front. You can replace them with a 360mm AIO. We like the RGB lighting they provide, especially since the I/O has a button that toggles the colors and effects.
The inside is as spacious as you’d expect, given the dimensions. Ridiculously long GPUs fit, as do the largest power supplies. The space behind the front drawer fits several HDDs. You may augment them with two SSDs through cages installed on the back of the motherboard plate or move them to the front if needed.
The Pop XL air expertly balances acoustics and thermals. The two solid side panels help dampen sound while creating a wind tunnel the intake and exhaust fans use to direct air efficiently. Our only gripe is with the I/O. It has a USB-C cutout, but you have to pay extra to get the actual port.
