|
|
|
|
|
|
Specs:
|
Specs:
|
Specs:
|
Specs:
|
Specs:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 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 - ATX
- Dimensions: 495 x 290 x 466mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 165mm
- Max GPU length: 435mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 500 x 240 x 515mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 185mm
- Max GPU length: 435mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX
- Dimensions: 245 x 166 x 360mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 67mm
- Max GPU length: 320mm
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - ATX
- Dimensions: 467 x 220 x 496mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 175mm
- Max GPU length: 405mm
Most people who spend thousands on a high-powered gaming rig want to display their components in all their glory! Add RGB and custom water loops, and you’ve got a PC that’s as much a work of art as it is a machine capable of crushing the latest AAA games. What would be the point without a glass PC case that can do your system justice? We bring five such dazzling enclosures in our latest list.
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
Glass cases are all about presentation, and no one does presentation better these days than the newcomer, Hyte! While it’s only their second design, the 60 is our pick for best tempered glass PC case due to its unusual look and a good balance of thermals & noise, considering how enclosed it is. Some models on the list might be more functional, but none are as cool.
The Y60 could have passed for another O11 knock-off, but the additional 45-degree glass panel between the front and left is a game-changer. It houses the I/O and gives the case a unique look others will likely emulate. The usually bland right side holds huge angular vents, as does the top. They make a striking first impression, particularly if you go with the white or red variants.
Hyte wants you to display your beastly GPU and has preinstalled a riser cable. Three vertical slots would have been a no-brainer for last-gen cards, but check whether your RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX exceeds that width before committing.
The glass-centric layout means the Y60 lacks front fan mounting options. Two bottom fans and room for radiators on the top and side make this a non-issue. They can be 360mm and 280mm, respectively, letting you experiment with elaborate custom loops.
Storage is represented lightly, with cages that hold two HDDs or twice as many SSDs.
The Y60 doesn’t focus on airflow, so expect tolerable but higher-than-average temperatures. Conversely, it’s among our quieter suggestions.
NZXT H9 Flow
Dimensions: 495 x 290 x 466mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – ATX | Included fans: 3x 120mm side, 1x 120mm back | Max CPU cooler height: 165mm | Max GPU length: 435mm | Internal bays: 2x 3.5"/2.5”, 4x 2.5"
- Beautiful & seamless glass panels
- Excellent cooling with room for three 360mm radiators
- Spacious interior easily houses the largest GPUs
- Loud when idle
We already praised a member of the Flow family for its excellent balance of performance metrics and looks, but its bigger brother is even fancier! The H9 is a traditional glass PC case that can fit any component, looks stunning, and is optimized for the most elaborate water cooling.
We could have swapped the H9 for the O11 Dynamic, which it was clearly inspired by, but NZXT does some things better. The front and side glass panels integrate seamlessly and have curved edges. They protect the case’s innards but make it look like nothing stands between an onlooker and the RGB bonanza inside.
The H9 is on the tall side and wider than most mid towers. This is due to the sandwich layout, where the PSU gets tucked away behind the motherboard tray. The trademark NZXT cable cover sits next to the tray but doesn’t do much. Conversely, a panel behind it holds four SSDs while also covering up most cables.
The top, right, and bottom are perforated and make the H9 breezier than many cases that don’t sport as much melted silica. All three are also prime liquid cooling hardware mounting locations, allowing for as many 360mm rads.
Such a cooling potential makes the H9 as efficient as it is attractive. It’s among the louder cases we’ve come across while idling but quickly falls in line when you stress the hardware within. Cooling is excellent, as the breezy panels and spacious layout promote good airflow.
Phanteks G500A Performance
Dimensions: 500 x 240 x 515mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – E-ATX | Included fans: 3x 140mm front, 1x 140mm back | Max CPU cooler height: 185mm | Max GPU length: 435mm | Internal bays: 2x 3.5"/2.5”, 9x 2.5"
- Exceptionally cool and quiet
- Roomy for storage and any other components
- Excellent cable management
- Needs extra drive bays and screws to fully realize storage potential
- Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX - E-ATX
- Dimensions: 500 x 240 x 515mm
- Max CPU cooler height: 185mm
- Max GPU length: 435mm
We put style first when choosing our top two, but now it’s time for the performance king! The aptly named G500A Performance is the glass PC case to get if you expect chilly silence from your enclosures.
It even looks great whether you go for our favorite variant or any of the RGB versions. We’re sticking to this one since it comes with FOUR 140mm fans while costing only slightly more.
The glass panel might not be the G500A’s main draw, but it’s still a looker. Hinges and magnets seamlessly tie it to the rest of the case, and a handle makes opening it child’s play. The mesh front isn’t shabby either, sporting a stylized V and white LED bar. Its 1mm mesh holes also do dust cover duty and protect three 140mm fans.
You can install as many fans on the mesh-covered top, too. The G500A is high enough to combine thick radiators with accessible cable routing for any motherboard.
Speaking of cables, most come pre-routed and hide behind two removable back panels. Said panels and the motherboard tray also provide room for many 2.5″ SSDs. You can fit nine of them in, plus six HDDs and however many NVMe drives your mobo can handle.
The G500A earns the Performance bit of its name through excellent thermal and acoustic stats. Cooling is especially impressive as the case places near the top, whichever component you test. It’s almost as loud as the H9 Flow when idling but moves barely a few decibels when stressed, which evens out to make the G500A a quiet recommendation.
Lian Li Q58
Dimensions: 245 x 166 x 360mm | Supported motherboards: mini-ITX | Included fans: 1x120mm front | Max CPU cooler height: 67mm | Max GPU length: 320mm | Max PSU length: 160mm | Internal bays: 2x 2.5”/3.5", 3x 2.5"
- Split side panels are useful and attractive
- Great airflow potential
- Accommodates large GPUs and AIOs
- Installing ATX PSU limits cooling component choices
Glass and small cases don’t usually mix well. Ever the trailblazers, Lian Li found a way to make it work! Even though it’s cheating a little, the Q58 is the best tempered glass PC case for small form factor builds. It’s innovative, elegant, and neither as warm nor as loud as you’d expect.
While definitely still within SFF bounds, the Q58 is larger than most competitors. This is so a 280mm AIO can fit onto its top. The front is one solid slab housing the I/O and serves mostly as an SSD holder. You’ll also see an indent in the perforated bottom for another small drive or an additional fan.
By cheating, we refer to the Q58’s split sides. They’re part tempered glass and part mesh. The combination offers a fine balance of aesthetics and airflow, which you’ll need due to the sandwich layout. The back holds a 120mm fan and has four vertical expansion slots, making vertical GPU mounting a must.
Opening the Q58 up reveals Lian Li’s intent for you to mount the Mini-ITX motherboard upside down and connect the GPU through a riser cable. The layout places the card in front for everyone to admire, while the mobo & PSU share the back. There’s space there to tuck cables away. The Q58 might be cramped once you install everything, but it doesn’t need to be messy.
While hotter than larger cases, the Q58 fares better than most SFF competitors. All things considered, it’s not too noisy either.
Antec DF700 Flux
Dimensions: 467 x 220 x 496mm | Supported motherboards: Mini-ITX – ATX | Included fans: 3x 120mm front, 1x 120mm back & bottom | Max CPU cooler height: 175mm | Max GPU length: 405mm | Internal bays: 1x 3.5”, 3x 3.5"/2.5”, 2x 2.5"
- Excellent value for money
- Great cooling with unique inverse fan
- Attractive mesh front & glass panel
- Could be quieter when idling
Want an excellent tempered glass PC case without breaking the bank? Antec’s DF700 Flux is the sub-$80 gem for you, then! It punches above its weight class in many respects, offering goodies like reusable expansion slot brackets as well as fan & RGB controls.
Despite falling into the budget category, the Flux is among our most attractive recommendations. Its fine mesh front has a cool 3D wave pattern, and the glass side’s mounting hardware isn’t visible while assembled. The right side has a sizeable bottom vent, while a magnetic dust cover protects the top.
The Flux has a traditional layout with an open motherboard mounting area and perforated PSU shroud. The shroud holds a max of four 3.5 HDDs or three SSDs. Two more solid drives find purchase behind the mobo.
The shroud also houses an inverse 120mm fan that blows cold air into the case. It brings the fan total to a respectable five, and you can install a 360mm AIO to boot.
Cable management isn’t as refined as in more expensive cases, but you get plenty of Velcro straps to wrangle the mess yourself. GPU clearance isn’t an issue, not even for the longest cards out there.
Five fans make for excellent airflow! The Flux maintains some of the coldest temperatures on the list, and that’s saying something, given the competition. Sadly, it’s another case that can’t pipe up while idle, which some users might find distracting.
