Best Horizontal PC Cases

Thermaltake Level 20 VT

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Mini Tower | Motherboard: Micro ATX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 185mm | GPU Length: 350mm | Dimensions: 348 x 330 x 430 mm | Radiator Support: 3x 240mm, 120mm | Weight: 8.66 kg | Current Price: $119.99 |

When you need more space in a compact chassis, you’ll find Thermaltake Level 20 VT a great option for big components in a small footprint. It is a cube-shaped case that looks like a fish tank, with tempered glass on all sides, enhancing the aesthetics for showcasing your build with RGBs. It gives a customized preference in two chambers, whether you create a high-end gaming PC or a compact workstation: the top chamber holds the M-ATX motherboard and PCI-e cards, enabling room for large video cards up to 350mm in length. While the lower one houses the typical PS2 PSU and HDD bays for neat cables to give a better appearance.

The removable side panels and top make the construction process considerably easier. The 2.5″ and 3.5″ drive racks can be removed to create a suitable ground for larger components like a twin 240mm liquid cooling loop on top, a single 240mm AIO cooler in the front, and a 120mm in the rear, all of which are visible for cool impressions. The good thing about this top-tier micro enclosure is you can create both liquid and air-cooling systems as you find your budget capable.

For savings, you can stay with air cooling and use the front preinstalled 200mm fan, which can be adjusted for two 140mm fans, and add up two additional 140mm fans on top and one 140mm fan in the back to avoid the costly LCS systems, which we recommend for our listed best PC cases for watercooling projects.

SilverStone Grandia GD09B

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Mini Tower | Motherboard: SSI CEB, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 88mm – 138mm | GPU Length: 309mm – 345.44mm | Dimensions: 440 x 170 x 358 mm | Radiator Support: 120mm AIO | Weight: 4.2kg | Current Price: $117 |

To satisfy your need for a sleek desktop, SilverStone Grandia GD09B is one of the best horizontal PC cases for multi-genre builds. You can use its 26.8-liter volume capacity to build a sleeper gaming PC, an HTPC, or a rackmount computer. There is flexible compatibility for SSI-CEB and ATX motherboards, and because the casing is flat, all of the components will settle securely. From the exterior, you can notice that there is a 5.25″ optical disk drive slot (ODD), that can be replaced for either one 3.5″ or two 2.5″ SSDs, which may be a useful part for HTPC but not for a gaming system.

This 5.25″ drive bay restricts the maximum CPU cooler height and VGA length. The available area for a video card with ODD installed will be limited to 12.2″ (309mm), while the accessible space for a CPU cooler limits down to 88mm. By removing it, you can easily install a 13.6″ video card and, if needed, a 138mm tall cooler will also fit nicely. Combining the two 3.5″ drive caddies from inside with two external SSDs at the ODD tray, We found the addition of motherboard M.2 SSD to be beneficial for media center creation, without needing to mount an external hard drive.

In terms of cooling, there’s quite good ventilation. SilverStone provides it with one 120mm fan that sits on the left side whereas the right side panel has space for two additional 120mm fans. Also, the rear vents take up to two 80mm fans, quite small but good for exhausts. Moreover, the GD09B can easily rest on a table, on a shelf, under a TV cabinet, or in a server rack with a depth of 358 millimeters.

Throughout, the big complaint we have with the Grandia GD09B is the lack of liquid cooling, even though its flat capacity can be used to house modern graphics cards, you cannot install a 240mm radiator, however, 120mm AIO support is possible. Similarly, you can look at our list of the best slim ATX cases for more options that take up less space on your computer desk.

Cooler Master HAF XB EVO

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Mini-Tower | Motherboard: ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 180mm | GPU Length: 334mm | Dimensions: 442 x 330 x 423 mm | Radiator Support: 240mm, 120mm | Weight: 8.2kg | Current Price: $123 |

Cooler Master HAF XB Evo is one of the evergreen horizontal PC cases that does not age with time. It is recognized as both a LAN party box and test bench that keeps the fancy at bay and functionality at the forefront. You can expect it to go beyond your expectations for building a non-throttling Home Theater PC (HTPC) with no worries about component fittings.

It comes equipped with a horizontal motherboard tray takes up to 13.1 inches large VGA and has support for a 240mm radiator at the front and a 120mm small radiator at the rear. The mesh aperture in the surrounding region allows fiery components to breathe freely, which is one of the main reasons test bench enthusiasts enjoy it. Aside from that, it can be a great air-cooling build, with two 140mm fans in the front, one 200mm fan on top, and one 120mm exhaust fan in the rear.

The simplicity of the square design, in our experience, benefits reliable and stable builds, which the HAF XB Evo does very well at. It is similar to our list of the best minimalist PC cases in that it is aimed at creating a portable workstation that can be transported easily using integrated grips.

Fractal Design Node 202

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Small Form Factor | Motherboard: Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 56mm | GPU Length: 310mm | Dimensions: 377 x 82 x 330 mm | Radiator Support: Nope | Weight: 3.5kg | Current Price: $103 |

With a capacity of 10.2 liters, Fractal Design Node 202 is one of the slim PC chassis that values everyone, including gamers, minimalists, and those who need a confined chassis that can work horizontally and vertically for small builds. The thin design is similar to that of a console, making it suitable for small ITX gaming setups and small personal-level servers while keeping a luxurious computer appearance for an office, living room, or workbench.

If you are keen to build one of the most compact forms factor PC, Node 202 is ideal, but you’ll need to pick specific parts, such as; an SFX PSU that is no more than 130 mm long, a short-height CPU cooler with a maximum clearance of 56mm and GPU not bigger than 310mm-length. And, it is a very compact chassis, we’ve found a few considerations. The major issue with the Node 202 chassis is its cooling; It runs quietly with two 120mm intake fans but there is no exhaust.

So, when planning a VR gaming or HTPC system, you must look for a blower-style dGPU that can cool itself in a constrained chassis, because triple or twin fan-style cards may have thermal throttling with limited airflow unless undervolted. Other than that powerful hardware got challenges to cooling down when configured horizontally, but the vertical layout works well because the heavy components like the graphics cards and the CPU cooler can breathe through side vents.

On the plus side, two 2.5-inch internal drive bays are included, and a PCI Express 3.0 riser cable. Finally, I recommend this case if you are willing to put your talents to the test to build a compact console-sized computer with the bare minimum of components.

Rosewill RSV-L4500U 4U Chassis

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Mini Tower | Motherboard: E-ATX, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 158mm | GPU Length: 272mm | Dimensions: 19.1″ x 7″ x 27.2″ (inches) | Radiator Support: 240mm, 120mm | Weight: 14kg | Current Price: $260 |

Rosewill RSV-L4500U is a 4U server chassis designed for rack mounting in server rooms, and because it has the characteristics to be more, we think it’s a great recommendation for those who need a dependable computer case that doesn’t limit motherboard compatibility, cooling, and storage, as well as rigidity and ease of transport.

If you favor simple computer enclosures, this Rosewill 4U case has an easy-to-understand design and plenty of ventilation from front to back with eight pre-installed fans. This makes it a good deal for quickly assembling an HTPC with all-natural cooling, but you shouldn’t mind the fan noise, as it does, and it’s best not to have thermal issues.

We consider it a pretty huge case since it can accommodate up to 15 internal 3.5″ HDD bays, a full-size E-ATX motherboard, and 7 expansion slots capable of adding multiple 272mm large GPUs (RTX 3070) with little modifications. This is comparable to our top choices for best rack-mountable PC cases, which you can see for additional options.

So far Rosewill 4U has gained DIY knowledge for several outstanding projects but does not bother with creative thought for being a practical option for all future upgrades. It offers excellent build quality and the security of a front panel lock to keep your case safe around children.

The front of the case included a power button, a recent button, and single USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, alongside the LED indicators for power, HDD, and LAN status monitoring. But there is no audio jack, USB-C port, or controller for fan speeds.

In-Win CE685 SFF Slim Case

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Mini Tower | Motherboard: Micro ATX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 80mm | GPU Length: 187mm | Dimensions: 334 x 96 x 370 mm | Radiator Support: No | Weight: 5.4kg | Current Price: $110 |

If you need a strong and small chassis, the In-Win CE685 is a fantastic choice. It is a thin, small form factor case that can hold an HTPC with a micro-ATX or mini-ITX motherboard. This small flat case is capable of competing with sleeper PC cases and has two external bays, one for a 5.25″ optical disk drive (ODD) and another for a 3.5″ hard disk drive (HDD), making it easier to manage NAS and media centers.

The biggest drawback we’ve found is the restricted amount of real estate, which only allows for a modest CPU cooler of 80mm and is surely not suitable for mounting huge video cards, even with riser cables. If you take our suggestions into account, we believe a single blower style dGPU will suffice under 187mm length, although an APU with iGPU is preferable to keep things cool in this In-Win small chassis.

SilverStone SUGO 14 (SG14)

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Mini Tower | Motherboard: Mini-DTX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 182mm | GPU Length: 330mm | Dimensions: 247 x 215 x 368.1 mm | Radiator Support: 240mm, 120mm | Weight: 4.89kg | Current Price: $110 |

SilverStone SUGO 14 is a cube case with practical benefits for enthusiasts who need a small case but do not want to compromise on a full-size dedicated GPU, which makes it the direct opposite of the In-Win CE685 SFF chassis. It is rated for constructing the most powerful Mini-DTX and ITX configurations while maintaining modularity and versatility. Allowing you to install a three-slot graphics card (330mm), an ATX power supply, and up to two AIOs, one 240mm radiator on the side and one 120mm radiator in the back, which helps to kill thermals.

To my surprise, this even comes with a regular 5.25-inch optical drive, which might be useful for the few users who still favor traditional DVDs and Blu-rays. However, it is still usable for conversion to modern HDDs and SSDs. Moving to the IO ports configurations’ they are located at the front of the chassis consisting of a single microphone and headphone combo jack, two USB 3.0 ports, and a USB 2.0 port. It still doesn’t have a USB-C port, but other than that, it’s a pretty good mini ITX chassis for the money at $90.

Thermaltake Divider 200 TG Air

SPECIFICATIONS

Form Factor: Micro Case | Motherboard: Micro-ATX, Mini ITX | CPU Clearance: 185mm | GPU Length: 310 – 340mm | Dimensions: 364.7 x 333.2 x 425.7 mm | Radiator Support: 240mm, 120mm | Weight: 8.97 kg | Current Price: $140 |

The Thermaltake Divider 200 TG Air is the best option for those seeking a high-end PC case that can meet their needs for uncompromised gaming and workstation builds. It is safe to say that Thermaltake created this square-shaped box as a stylish micro-ATX chassis that satisfies all of the demands of a contemporary PC builder, who prefers glass windows at the side, mesh grills at the front, and sturdy construction for durability.

Compared to the Divider 200 Tempered Glass model, which has a sealed front and RGBs, we like the Divider 200 TG Air for its mesh opening front that permits sufficient airflow to the internals. We didn’t notice any dropped elements between the two, both have modular designs with identical triangular side panels that serve as windows, but the difference is in the front face. The Divider 200 TG Air that we recommend comes with a 200mm front fan and one 120mm rear fan for $140, which is exactly the budget segment price where we anticipate it will benefit budget-conscious buyers.

What’s more, the horizontal motherboard can accommodate a vertical GPU without the use of riser cables, and the horizontal “divider” panel on the side allows for a partial view of the internals, which is useful for maintenance reporting. Out of the box, this case is large and allows you to fit multiple water-cooling radiators at the same time. We believe it is aggressive. You may end up investing in two 280mm large-size AIO radiators for the front and side mountings, as well as another 120mm for the rear.

So, if you need a high-performance horizontal case, the Divider 200 TG Air gives you maximum fluidity for both your budget and performance. It also contains the ideal port selection on top, including a USB USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen 2), two USB 3.0 ports, and separate audio and mic jack, and a reset button and a power button in the middle.