So great to bring back Best Cases! We skipped the usual deep-dive thermals in 2023 since we were revamping our testing, so it's great to bring it back out now. Love this series. Cases are fun for us to work on since there are so many clever things that can be done. We've cut our third-party advertisers to bring you content! Grab our INDUCTOR DICE to support us directly! store.gamersnexus.net/products/inductor-full-tabletop-mtg-dnd-premium-dice-set-7-piece-dice-wooden-box-token-card or grab our SNOWFLAKE CAT dice: store.gamersnexus.net/products/snowflake-full-tabletop-mtg-dnd-premium-dice-set-7-piece-dice-wooden-box-cat-card Find our case reviews playlist here! ua-cam.com/video/2RytD3xII-0/v-deo.html Lots more coming up!
This a small error but I noticed that at 2:35 you highlighted the wrong video, the "Best CPUs of 2024" is to the right of the one that was highlighted. Anyway, thanks for you all of your hard work on reviews this year!
It's nice that you evaluate cases on a case-by-case basis. Really, this is the best case scenario for case reviews. I already have a great case myself, but I'll still watch this - just in case.
One has to ask what have you been watching to have this page land on your viewing list? Come to think of it why the heck did it land on my viewing list ???
I probably found the channel while watching Hardware Canucks. Their testing was not as intense but it was still one of the better case channels before GN's ascension and push for more functional cases.
If you want an antec flux pro this is what I did. It was sold out or delivering mid January do I kept checking back every couple hours and I thought it was a fluke but it was in stock and I ordered it so fast. I got it two days ago but haven't had the time to switch. Tom I'll do it. My son has been super sick so yea pc stuff gets the back burner.
If your looking for a case the lancool 216 and lancool3 have both been great for me, i almost bought the north xl but always wanted a LL case so it won
@@natel7382do you know the difference between the pro and non pro version? Only fan count? Because the pro version is either not available in Germany or cost 300€ more I am thankful for any helpful answers
Don't know that they review many as the airflow layouts are usually pretty bespoke to that case, plus they sometimes don't come with fans. Which makes it hard to compare them fairly.
There are SFF channels out there like Optimum Tech. His builds are a little crazy and he'll probably recommend a Ncase M1 over whatever he's reviewing but it's tiny cases all the way down.
I just wanna take a minute and let you folks know how much I appreciate your case reviews. My motherboard unexpectedly died a month ago so I was left scrambling to build a new PC, and since I was still using an old _FractalDesign Define R4_ case I figured it was finally time to upgrade, and immediately knew where to look for recommendations. It's a shame it happened right before this "Best of" video's release, but even still I was able to go through your playlist and ultimately decided on picking up the Lancool 216. It's quite a step up from my last case, and it's all thanks to the work you do that I was able to find it.
Same! I've just picked up a Lancool 216... wondering if I should just return it (I've not unboxed it yet) and get a 207. Although the extra space would be nice, especially since it mostly ties (apart from GPU thermals).
@@AnthonyFuller I also just got the 216 in black friday sale. The problem I had with the 207 is the unfiltered intake at the bottom rear of the case, for some reason they left that without fine mesh or filter so I was concerned about dust. I also really liked the look of the Antec Flux (non-pro), I don't think these guys tested the thermals but it comes with 5 fans and is similar size to the 207. Didn't end up getting it because the 216 can move it's front IO which is better for my setup.
@@benjaminbenzing2360 I agree, but I would've added some dust filtering there myself if I got the 207. I now remember why I actually rejected the 207 before buying the 216. It can only support up to 160mm PSUs, mine (Corsair HX1000) is 180mm.
With all those cases, Im gonna think y'all are case experts. As such, as a woodworker, I have this idea of building a case into the desk design, hiding the PC part. Would you guys be interested in making a video about dos/donts and suggestions for PC-component holding design and key principles? For instance, instead of computer intake fans, thinking of using a larger, quieter room fan. Stuff like that you could break the mould with when building completely custom.
Bought myself a Fractal Design Torrent last week based of your older reviews. Absolutely love it, so silent, amazing temps. Lighting looks good and cable management was amazing due to the top mounted PSU
Yeah iirc Torrent is still THE best case in the market, this list is for "Best case released this year only" so it doesn't change anything, quite a number of older cases still outperform new ones at least in-terms of airflow.
@@FeralFlare it's stated at 2:33 that this video is for every case available on the market, not just ones released in 2024, and the torrent is outperformed in many of the thermal benchmarks
As somebody who builds customs, I can attest for the Fractal North. The included fans are amazing, the build quality and customization is superb, it looks great
@@SpoonHurler not compared to other sub 100 dollar RGB cases. They seem fine to me but I'm using this in a 5600x build so they are perfect. I'm not one to spend a ton on fans, seems like a waste. My personal build is 5000T with 9 corsair RGB fans because that's what was in it when I bought it for $35.
Seeing this video makes me want to re-buy a North. An accident involving my system dropping 4 feet onto cement bent my original North case completely sideways. I still miss it
Just picked up an Antec Flux Pro for a build update, and am super excited for it. Antec really impressed me with both of their offerings this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next!
Fractal North 100% deserves the top spot. The case blew me away. I don't need a new build but I probably will build one soon. Amazing airflow in a functional and aesthetically pleasing form outside of a full mesh front? Almost unheard of
I ended up buying a non-Pro Flux, as the construction looks very similar to the Pro, but it’s cheaper and more readily available here in Europe, plus I prefer the midi-tower size.
I was hoping they'd have reviewed the APNX C1 this year. Maybe not the cream of the crop but still a very good case and it had great sales during Amazon Prime Days this summer and 2 of the 3 colors have remained at good prices since then. Metal case, with very good mesh behind that. It comes included with 3x 140mm fans and 1x 120mm fan, all 30mm thick (86.9 cfm airflow on each of the 140mm fans). The white and black versions remained $99.00 since Prime day, and was $79 on Prime day. The chromaflair color has returned to $169.90 though since Prime day... I was happy with the black. It supports up to 11 fans (3 front, 3 side, 3 top, 1 rear, and1 aimed at the rear of the motherboard/backplate). Further I was able to juryrig two additional fans onto the bottom, on top of the psu shroud. Why? Because my state gets very hot.
Mini ITX isn't a good grouping though. Do think of 20 liter cases? 15 liter? 10-8 liter? Or 5 liter ones? Do they even fit a GPU? I personally prefer sleek, console looking cases to the boxy _technically_ mITX cases that can fit a 4090, but they are not much smaller then a small ATX case, but come with all the drawbacks of mITX cases. But most cases that come out today are of the box variety.
I feel like Mini-ITX has been gradually left behind by the evolution of Raspberry Pi, Mini-STX builds as the Pi's prices increased, and now Mini PCs. Mini-ITX had more appeal back when Shuttle PC was in the conversation. With the size of modern GPUs, it seems more sensible to go no smaller than MicroATX or forego discrete graphics and get a Mini PC. IMO, of course. I know there are always people who want the most power in the smallest space and are willing to deal with challenges, but most of them are probably UA-camr tech channels.
@@dycedargselderbrother5353 Smallest isn't what it used to be either. Back in 2017 you could put an i7 and a 1080 Ti into a 7 liter case, and have THE best gaming PC in almost the smallest case. Good luck trying to squeeze a 4090 into any slim case. And single-board mini PC-s have move to fill in the space that mITX has left, It's just a shame that there is no standard there, each mini PC can only fin into it's own case.
Hey this was a perfect video for me right now! Currently looking to migrate my PC to a new case very soon. I’m tired of my 011D taking up 1/3 of my desk.
If room space allows for it, consider moving it onto a separate standing shelf. Monitor cables work just fine for a couple meters even at 4K moderate refresh rate, and so does USB. This gives back a lot of table space, lets you keep a big case, and makes the system "quieter" too.
Moving my 7000D Airflow over to a standalone cart desk , but a solid old school wood chair works wonders. I did have on a table long desk before but it's a bit nicer to have adjacent as a standalone it's less annoying and I can adjust to a better angle my case.
Alta D1 owner here - Just got this case and am mid-build with it (waiting on more storage to arrive). For niche high-end workstation builds this thing is genuinely amazing and very well built, but it should be noted that one of the two reviewers on amazon (hence the 3.5 star rating) noted that they got a case that somehow got through QC without some screwholes being tapped, and one screwhole being ruined from being tapped twice on the same part. Neither the other reviewer on amazon nor I have encountered this problem so it was likely a rejected part (hence the untappped screwholes) that accidentally got put back onto the assembly line. Cases designed around niche server or workstation usecases do tend to be rather expensive. If its not your niche, yeah its way overpriced - but if it IS your niche, its a dream case and something I would fully recommend. In my case though (pun not intended), I'm building an Epyc workstation with the enormous 13"x13" asrockrack GENOAD8X-2T and enough storage to actually make use of all that IO - but the build itself comes with a pricetag high enough that an $800 case that supports all the parts is actually quite sensible.
Over the past few years, because of this channel, my case of choice for my next build has gone from the 4000D to the meshify c to the torrent then finally to the 207. After years of holding off, I finally decided to go for a new build and chose the 207. My last case was an NZXT phantom 410 and I wish new cases had some of its qualities like drive bays for a bluray burner, and the small clear window for checking post codes and a mesh slot underneath that can fit up to a 140mm fan and tons of bays for drives. I went with the 207 for the compact size, thermal performance and price. If I had looked at the North more thoroughly before making my purchase then I may have gone that route. Overall I still much prefer the aesthetics of the meshify and torrent the most. If the 207 review hadn't come out then I may have never been able to decide between those two.
I am currently stuck between choosing the 4000D and the 207. I am just scared to commit to one because I will ne forced to stick with that case for a long time
The fractal North is the first case i bought over 120 euros for the past 35 years and i havent regretted it one bit (no pun intended ) . Looks classy and delivers good thermals . Im happy . :)
Would love to see an additional category for mATX and ITX cases in the future. Doesn’t have to be an entire video dedicated to it, maybe just another segment in this one. Awesome video, and I hope you keep the good work! I always appreciate how much effort you guys put into your videos! Whenever I’m looking at computer products to potentially buy; I always check out your channel for all the info that others skip out on!
I was wondering if you have blacklisted NZXT cases? I have a H9Flow case and I love it. Just curious because I saw no NZXT cases in your comparison charts.
The only downside I see with the Fractal North XL is that it seems to be noisier than the other top performers. 45 dB is by no means loud, but I heard that the wood in the front makes the fans spin faster or at least gives it a louder tone in use.
I already bought my case for my new build, but it's real good to see the one I bought pop up in multiple categories. Shouldn't be too surprising since I bought a Flux Pro based off prior recommendations from you in the first place, but still!
I'm 39 years old, started building pc's around the turn of the millenia. Through the entirety of many generations of hardware. I've had something like 4 cases lol. Maybe 5.
Bought my first PC in '93 and I'm on my 3rd case and I've decided that my Define R5 is good enough for my new build this month. I might mod it slightly for a bit more airflow though.
Same age. I think I was 15 when I bought my 1st no name Acrylic case with CCFL tubes in it. Then I switched to the OG Antec 1200 v1. Currently Using the Thermaltake WP200 (W200 + P200) and my next case will be the Lian-Li O11 Dynamic Evo XL. Before I built my own PC's I owned 2 Compaq Presario desktop. 1 with an Intel Pentium I 166MHz CPU and the other with a Pentium III 500MHz CPU.
I’m 45, built my first pc in 2003. Used the same lian li pc-v1000 case for the 4 systems I built before retiring it for a lian li 215 with the newest build in feb ‘23. 😂
Your timing is impeccable, I'm literally looking for a case right now after buying some parts yesterday! I was originally going to get the ThermalTakeTower 600, after seeing it as an ad on your channel, but, while it looks really nice, I then discovered the I/O is hidden under the top case fans... Time to see what else is available.
When I rebuild and upgraded my friends rig. the age old corsair one we had to use didnt fit the new AIo unless i forced it to sit on the outside.. Which the front panel *barely* allowed (Still ran cooler than the stock prebuilt cooler it used) So I convinced them to get a North XL to allow future builds and upgrades be done with ease They loved the wood, and I personally had a blast building in it that day and moving all things over
Thanks a bunch for your case review on the Light Base 600. I ended up ordering one and am loving it so far! Even if you don’t see this I love what you and your team does for this community.
Just bought the Hyte Y70 Infinite :) Been waiting forever for this to get back in stock again at Amazon (so I could use my bonus bucks). I love the Lian Li 011 look and this dials that up to eleven. I had a Corsair 4000D, which was nice to put lots of fans into, but really way too large for my desk work area. Was going to do a water cool in it, but never found the time and ambition and need MUCH less computer space taken
I feel like mATX has become even more niche since people started moving to NVMe storage, I guess? So it's ITX if you need size, and ATX if you need stuff, and for mATX you don't need much of anything so nobody really caters to this niche because anything goes for most there.
I built a new 12900kf system with the Fractal Pop XL (the first new build that I've done in 4 years). Not only is this case amazing with detachable trays for my hard drive and sata ssd's. It is one of the few cases left that has a optical drive slot (bottom front behind the door panel). There's actually a little tray behind that door, but it can be removed and it fits an optical drive perfectly. My current system is a 12700kf, but in its small case sometimes the video card shuts down because of heat. The Fractal XL is very well ventilated. It only cost about $120 from New Egg.
That sounds nice. I have similar machines from the sales last year, 12900KF 4090 in Corsair 7000D Airflow (upgrading to that case got the rather large PSU off my desk). Also has detachable trays. My 12700KF spare is in a Antec NX410 ATX case paired with 3060 12gb but could swap that out again later. My old 9600K (GTX1070) has an ITX board is also in a spare NX410. Fractal XL looks very nice though.
Back in like 2002-2006 when Thermaltake was going nuts, I was into fancy cases. Plus i always had a bunch of people coming over to use my other computers to game(good old BF 1942, BF Vietnam, and BF2 days!). I was young though, now ai could never bring myself to spend over $100 for a case andnonly if necessary. Ive been using the same case for my past 5 builds now, lol then again, I dont mind breaking out a drill, hacksaw and/or welder to make own improvements. My build looks like a borg cube with the 360mm RAD for my Sapphire 6900xt Toxic EE(a fantastic card btw!) bolted to the side with fence brackets. Lol
Unrelated to this video but I just got my copper coil dice in the mail and THE DICE SET IS FREAKING AMAZING. You guys went above and beyond. Well done!
I wish Fractal would have made an mITX version of the North. I wanted a Torrent Nano but they became impossible to find around the time I was shopping so I went with a Terra, which I do like, but I'd prefer something with a bit more air cooling performance.
Torrent still seems the best for an air cooled setup? Would much rather a solid panel on top rather than a pointless mesh/steel cover that exists only for an AIO, with holes that lets in dust and reduces positive airflow
Thanks a ton! All of the information was well put together, amazingly delivered, and worth every second of listening. Was already hard looking into the Antec Flux pro.. And now I m sold. Added to cart(From the affiliate link of course), and done.
Dude! Steve and his genius Team on Gamers Nexus NEVER cease to disappoint me! I was so frustrated 12 hours ago that NO WHERE was a good PC Case video from this years End! Great Job guys! Youre the Best :D
Hey Steve, what do you think about the Antec C7? You ignored it at Computex. I really like the design of the bottom chamber, and other reviewers said it has great build quality for the price.
Good timing on this! Thank you. My brother recommended this video to me as I am wanting a quiet case for my new PC build. The Antec Flux Pro is ready for me to purchase.
I want to love the Lancool 207, because the thermal performance at that price seems unbeatable; but I learned years ago that I just don't have it in me to deal with a cramped space for cable management.
I'm so happy to see you guys get back into cases this year! And I'm even more happy to see that case-design and improvement hasn't stagnated over the last couple years. I personally would have loved to see more honorable mentions, particularly considering price as price seems to fluctuate quite often.
It's a pitty that (almost) no one tested the Cougar MX600 this year. In my opinion, it's one of the best cases (strong competition to the Lancool 207 and the Antec Flux Pro) and it flies under the radar completely unjustly.
Recently got and built in the Flux Pro, and although the thermals were slightly better with a standard psu mounting, I really liked the iShift 90°psu mounting for cable management. Overall a great case, highly recommend. Thanks for the review Steve!
I'm building a system for visual effects right now and I got myself an NZXT H6 Flow, cuz I like the unique design and it provides good flow, while also being cheaper.
My past 4 cases have been Fractal Design Define R series cases. I'm already collecting my components for my next build and the Fractal North XL is going to be my next case after your recommendation.
Thanks again for putting these best PC part roundups. I bought the Phanteks Eclipse P400A a few years ago due to your recommendation, and it has been excellent!
Agree on the North. Put together a black and gold/bronze build using one and it was the most enjoyable assembly I've ever done. Came out great. Hell I was even able to squeeze the ASRock Taichi X670E in there even though the case isn't made for E-ATX.
Last year when building my first PC I went through a lot of videos (tons of them were in this channel) to understand what to buy and what to avoid. I finally decided what case to get based on the review you guys made of the Lian Li Lancool 216. Keep up the great work!
Coming from a 5000D Airflow, I'm tempted to go for Lian Li in the future. But overall these 4000D seem good even though, by experience, I'm using its bigger brother.
Perfect.. I am literally looking for a new case at the moment.. Could not decide with all the different offerings.. This video along with the review videos for both cases will make it easier to decide.. It's either the Antec Flux or the Lian Li 207.. Thanks. Keep up the great work. 😊
Lancool 207 is such a great performing case. Thank you Lian Li for not increasing the price after good reviews like what happened with the Lancool 215.
I decided to get the Havn420 based on your review. I'm glad it got the technical award, you can really feel the attention to detail when youre building in it. Having said that, after building in two of them, the North and XL version are definitely the better case for the vast majority of people when you consider things like size, weight, price etc.
Pls help me, What is the difference between the Antec Flux and antec flux pro? Only fan count? Because the pro version is not really available in germmay and cost 300€ more. I would be very thankful for answers
the pro is full tower, the none pro is midi tower, the pro has a ishift PSU mount system - turning it 90 degrees, and the pro has a GPU/CPU temp display also.
I managed to snag a 9800x3d at Microcenter at launch and it just felt wrong not getting a fresh case. When I saw the Fractal North XL I couldn't resist. Great looking case especially if you're a basic millennial with mid century decor. Glad to see it's also a top performer cooling wise as well.
love the vids as always.. first half of this felt like a lancool commercial, and i'd love to have seen a bit more on the lightbase pc case.. that one actually really interests me
I just received my Cougar MX600 Mini RGB case. Had to import it out of Canada since it's not for sale in the US yet. Would love to see a review of this one because it's an excellent option if mATX support is one of your main requirements!
I got the North XL while doing the first full update of my desktop since before COVID after seeing your review. I've been super satisfied with it and happy to see I really got a good one.
LOL I literally looked up best cases of 2024 today as I was planning to get a new one so this video comes in the absolute most perfect timing, Thanks Steve and Gamers Nexus Team!
I recently had a fantastic experience building my girlfriend's PC in a NZXT H6 Flow case. It's a dual chambered case, but the 360mm vertical intake that SO many manufacturers have copied from Lian-Li is actually at a 45 degree angle offering the GPU and CPU far more direct airflow. At $110, I thought it was pretty decent. The only thing I really dislike about the case is that the cable cutouts don't have rubber grommets. They are largely hidden as they are bent at a 90 degree angle at the end of the motherboard tray, but you have to be careful because the edges can be a bit sharp, especially at the top near the CPU power cutouts. Other than that though, my girlfriend's PC looks freakin' sick and stays nice and cool under load.
So great to bring back Best Cases! We skipped the usual deep-dive thermals in 2023 since we were revamping our testing, so it's great to bring it back out now. Love this series. Cases are fun for us to work on since there are so many clever things that can be done. We've cut our third-party advertisers to bring you content! Grab our INDUCTOR DICE to support us directly! store.gamersnexus.net/products/inductor-full-tabletop-mtg-dnd-premium-dice-set-7-piece-dice-wooden-box-token-card or grab our SNOWFLAKE CAT dice: store.gamersnexus.net/products/snowflake-full-tabletop-mtg-dnd-premium-dice-set-7-piece-dice-wooden-box-cat-card
Find our case reviews playlist here! ua-cam.com/video/2RytD3xII-0/v-deo.html
Lots more coming up!
With so many cases, you should hire a case manager.
This a small error but I noticed that at 2:35 you highlighted the wrong video, the "Best CPUs of 2024" is to the right of the one that was highlighted.
Anyway, thanks for you all of your hard work on reviews this year!
Meh..... cases are a waste of money.
I poke a few strategic holes in a grocery store paper bag and place my computer in it.
Where was the best polyhedral dice case category?
Thoughts on Lian Li Compact with mesh top?
It's nice that you evaluate cases on a case-by-case basis. Really, this is the best case scenario for case reviews. I already have a great case myself, but I'll still watch this - just in case.
Are you trying to make a case for something?
@@GamersNexus Case in point!
@@GamersNexusCase closed, back to you Steve
Sounds like you are going to case the joint. Not to worry, the best detectives are on the case. Case closed!
This really is an In Win Situation.
Almost 30mins of case talk, now this, this is what I subscribed for... I'm not even joking, it's how I found the channel in the first place.
Same 😅
Same here. Their review of the Phanteks P360A is the reason I have the system I'm typing this on in the first place.
One has to ask what have you been watching to have this page land on your viewing list? Come to think of it why the heck did it land on my viewing list ???
Exactly. I learned a lot. 😊
I probably found the channel while watching Hardware Canucks. Their testing was not as intense but it was still one of the better case channels before GN's ascension and push for more functional cases.
When i googled "best pc case 2024 gamers nexus" I didn't expect to find a video that came out 30 mins ago, talk about perfect timing.
Just like for hardwareUnboxed or should I say MonitorsUnboxed!
If you want an antec flux pro this is what I did. It was sold out or delivering mid January do I kept checking back every couple hours and I thought it was a fluke but it was in stock and I ordered it so fast. I got it two days ago but haven't had the time to switch. Tom I'll do it. My son has been super sick so yea pc stuff gets the back burner.
If your looking for a case the lancool 216 and lancool3 have both been great for me, i almost bought the north xl but always wanted a LL case so it won
Talk about best case scenario
@@natel7382do you know the difference between the pro and non pro version?
Only fan count?
Because the pro version is either not available in Germany or cost 300€ more
I am thankful for any helpful answers
this truly is a best case scenario. i’ll stop.
Boooo 😂
Let me show you out 🚪
The self awareness got a chuckle out of me ngl.
no please don't leave keep going
I want more
id love a category on SFF cases. the lian li m3 looks good but i havent seen many alternatives
Don't know that they review many as the airflow layouts are usually pretty bespoke to that case, plus they sometimes don't come with fans. Which makes it hard to compare them fairly.
Was also hoping for this category 😔
There are SFF channels out there like Optimum Tech.
His builds are a little crazy and he'll probably recommend a Ncase M1 over whatever he's reviewing but it's tiny cases all the way down.
I just wanna take a minute and let you folks know how much I appreciate your case reviews. My motherboard unexpectedly died a month ago so I was left scrambling to build a new PC, and since I was still using an old _FractalDesign Define R4_ case I figured it was finally time to upgrade, and immediately knew where to look for recommendations. It's a shame it happened right before this "Best of" video's release, but even still I was able to go through your playlist and ultimately decided on picking up the Lancool 216. It's quite a step up from my last case, and it's all thanks to the work you do that I was able to find it.
Same! I've just picked up a Lancool 216... wondering if I should just return it (I've not unboxed it yet) and get a 207. Although the extra space would be nice, especially since it mostly ties (apart from GPU thermals).
@@AnthonyFuller I also just got the 216 in black friday sale. The problem I had with the 207 is the unfiltered intake at the bottom rear of the case, for some reason they left that without fine mesh or filter so I was concerned about dust. I also really liked the look of the Antec Flux (non-pro), I don't think these guys tested the thermals but it comes with 5 fans and is similar size to the 207. Didn't end up getting it because the 216 can move it's front IO which is better for my setup.
@@benjaminbenzing2360 I agree, but I would've added some dust filtering there myself if I got the 207. I now remember why I actually rejected the 207 before buying the 216. It can only support up to 160mm PSUs, mine (Corsair HX1000) is 180mm.
I got Lancool 216 left year, this case is incredible. Looks really good and my temperatures are really low
I bought the Fractal North this summer purely for the wood and white aesthetic. Happy to know it got best case of 2024!
Nice! I have the black & brass version, but both look fabulous.
Same!
I’m getting that case 🤘
Bought a white, mesh side earlier this year. Haven't regretted it one bit.
I got that case last year. it is gorgeous and well built, totally agree with the award
Awesome! I'm happy to see case reviews back in action this year. The competition has been great lately, so many good options
TONS of good cases this year! Can't wait to get even more through testing.
@@GamersNexus Looking forward to the Videos!
@GamersNexus would be really great to see Deepcool Morpheus tested, even though it released quite a few months ago it's still a very strong option!
With all those cases, Im gonna think y'all are case experts. As such, as a woodworker, I have this idea of building a case into the desk design, hiding the PC part. Would you guys be interested in making a video about dos/donts and suggestions for PC-component holding design and key principles? For instance, instead of computer intake fans, thinking of using a larger, quieter room fan. Stuff like that you could break the mould with when building completely custom.
The North is just such a classy timeless design. Absolutely love it
Bought myself a Fractal Design Torrent last week based of your older reviews. Absolutely love it, so silent, amazing temps. Lighting looks good and cable management was amazing due to the top mounted PSU
Yeah iirc Torrent is still THE best case in the market, this list is for "Best case released this year only" so it doesn't change anything, quite a number of older cases still outperform new ones at least in-terms of airflow.
@@FeralFlare it's stated at 2:33 that this video is for every case available on the market, not just ones released in 2024, and the torrent is outperformed in many of the thermal benchmarks
Only thing is good in that case is the front and rear panel and the two fans. In bethween a lot of bs.
@@FeralFlare 16:45
As somebody who builds customs, I can attest for the Fractal North. The included fans are amazing, the build quality and customization is superb, it looks great
I just bought the Montech air max for $70, this case is HUGE and a dream to build in. Came with 3x140mm argb 1x140mm black and a controller.
It's the best sub $75 case imho... it can move all the air and is easy to build in.
@@SpoonHurler Yea all the other Montech cases I've built in were cheap crap. This is aa solid value case
@@gottahavitvt those fans are crap though but at least they are big
@@SpoonHurler not compared to other sub 100 dollar RGB cases. They seem fine to me but I'm using this in a 5600x build so they are perfect. I'm not one to spend a ton on fans, seems like a waste. My personal build is 5000T with 9 corsair RGB fans because that's what was in it when I bought it for $35.
Seeing this video makes me want to re-buy a North. An accident involving my system dropping 4 feet onto cement bent my original North case completely sideways. I still miss it
Sad to hear that. I use the North myself, and it still looks great. It's an elegant case for a more civilized age.
Rip
Now you have a Fractal West
I guess this is when things went south for you and the north 😂
@@NoughmadLOL
Just picked up an Antec Flux Pro for a build update, and am super excited for it. Antec really impressed me with both of their offerings this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next!
Fractal North 100% deserves the top spot. The case blew me away. I don't need a new build but I probably will build one soon. Amazing airflow in a functional and aesthetically pleasing form outside of a full mesh front? Almost unheard of
I hope every company put their best case forward at this trial, because judge Steve will be brutal in handing out his verdict.
I ended up buying a non-Pro Flux, as the construction looks very similar to the Pro, but it’s cheaper and more readily available here in Europe, plus I prefer the midi-tower size.
I was hoping they'd have reviewed the APNX C1 this year. Maybe not the cream of the crop but still a very good case and it had great sales during Amazon Prime Days this summer and 2 of the 3 colors have remained at good prices since then.
Metal case, with very good mesh behind that. It comes included with 3x 140mm fans and 1x 120mm fan, all 30mm thick (86.9 cfm airflow on each of the 140mm fans). The white and black versions remained $99.00 since Prime day, and was $79 on Prime day. The chromaflair color has returned to $169.90 though since Prime day... I was happy with the black.
It supports up to 11 fans (3 front, 3 side, 3 top, 1 rear, and1 aimed at the rear of the motherboard/backplate). Further I was able to juryrig two additional fans onto the bottom, on top of the psu shroud. Why? Because my state gets very hot.
I really wish you'd do more mini ITX cases.
ITX is kind of niche. I have built quite a few custom PCs for people over the years and not one was an ITX.
Mini ITX isn't a good grouping though. Do think of 20 liter cases? 15 liter? 10-8 liter? Or 5 liter ones? Do they even fit a GPU?
I personally prefer sleek, console looking cases to the boxy _technically_ mITX cases that can fit a 4090, but they are not much smaller then a small ATX case, but come with all the drawbacks of mITX cases. But most cases that come out today are of the box variety.
I feel like Mini-ITX has been gradually left behind by the evolution of Raspberry Pi, Mini-STX builds as the Pi's prices increased, and now Mini PCs. Mini-ITX had more appeal back when Shuttle PC was in the conversation. With the size of modern GPUs, it seems more sensible to go no smaller than MicroATX or forego discrete graphics and get a Mini PC. IMO, of course. I know there are always people who want the most power in the smallest space and are willing to deal with challenges, but most of them are probably UA-camr tech channels.
@@SupraSav I think it's more popular than ever, it's super popular in China.
@@dycedargselderbrother5353 Smallest isn't what it used to be either. Back in 2017 you could put an i7 and a 1080 Ti into a 7 liter case, and have THE best gaming PC in almost the smallest case. Good luck trying to squeeze a 4090 into any slim case.
And single-board mini PC-s have move to fill in the space that mITX has left, It's just a shame that there is no standard there, each mini PC can only fin into it's own case.
4:40 The fractal north looks good even if you use the top as the front lol
With all the fan configurations on the XL it may even work
Took me a moment to realize they were toppled. Was like - wait, do they come with a metal front too?!
Very happy with my Fractal North. When I saw it I had to make it my next build, and the airflow/performance is an added bonus.
I thought I missed a mesh edition of the North coming out
Hey this was a perfect video for me right now! Currently looking to migrate my PC to a new case very soon. I’m tired of my 011D taking up 1/3 of my desk.
You should get REALLY thick carpet, then set it on the floor.
If room space allows for it, consider moving it onto a separate standing shelf. Monitor cables work just fine for a couple meters even at 4K moderate refresh rate, and so does USB. This gives back a lot of table space, lets you keep a big case, and makes the system "quieter" too.
Moving my 7000D Airflow over to a standalone cart desk , but a solid old school wood chair works wonders. I did have on a table long desk before but it's a bit nicer to have adjacent as a standalone it's less annoying and I can adjust to a better angle my case.
Get a a3 lian li
is the NZXT H7 flow good? i rly like the look of the case. i have seen some good notes about it.
It's Good But there 3 Versions of this Case. Latest is the NZXT H 7 (2024) Case.
Gamers Nexus latest video is all about NZXT.
Alta D1 owner here - Just got this case and am mid-build with it (waiting on more storage to arrive). For niche high-end workstation builds this thing is genuinely amazing and very well built, but it should be noted that one of the two reviewers on amazon (hence the 3.5 star rating) noted that they got a case that somehow got through QC without some screwholes being tapped, and one screwhole being ruined from being tapped twice on the same part. Neither the other reviewer on amazon nor I have encountered this problem so it was likely a rejected part (hence the untappped screwholes) that accidentally got put back onto the assembly line.
Cases designed around niche server or workstation usecases do tend to be rather expensive. If its not your niche, yeah its way overpriced - but if it IS your niche, its a dream case and something I would fully recommend. In my case though (pun not intended), I'm building an Epyc workstation with the enormous 13"x13" asrockrack GENOAD8X-2T and enough storage to actually make use of all that IO - but the build itself comes with a pricetag high enough that an $800 case that supports all the parts is actually quite sensible.
just bought a Corsair 5000D Airflow to replace my Thermaltake Core X9, mere hours before this video dropped. THANKS, STEVE
6:40 - Holy crap that animation demonstration is badass guys. Very professional by your company.
IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
Us too!
Over the past few years, because of this channel, my case of choice for my next build has gone from the 4000D to the meshify c to the torrent then finally to the 207. After years of holding off, I finally decided to go for a new build and chose the 207. My last case was an NZXT phantom 410 and I wish new cases had some of its qualities like drive bays for a bluray burner, and the small clear window for checking post codes and a mesh slot underneath that can fit up to a 140mm fan and tons of bays for drives. I went with the 207 for the compact size, thermal performance and price. If I had looked at the North more thoroughly before making my purchase then I may have gone that route. Overall I still much prefer the aesthetics of the meshify and torrent the most. If the 207 review hadn't come out then I may have never been able to decide between those two.
I am currently stuck between choosing the 4000D and the 207. I am just scared to commit to one because I will ne forced to stick with that case for a long time
The fractal North is the first case i bought over 120 euros for the past 35 years and i havent regretted it one bit (no pun intended ) . Looks classy and delivers good thermals . Im happy . :)
Been scoping out a build for my s/o and she fell in love with the Fractal North basically at first sight. Glad to see it's holding up as a great case!
Thanks Steve! Now back to you Steve.
Lmao or when he roasted some company in his last video and cut to their executive saying "Thank you Steve"
Over to you Steve
never gets old
Would love to see an additional category for mATX and ITX cases in the future. Doesn’t have to be an entire video dedicated to it, maybe just another segment in this one.
Awesome video, and I hope you keep the good work! I always appreciate how much effort you guys put into your videos! Whenever I’m looking at computer products to potentially buy; I always check out your channel for all the info that others skip out on!
Hey @GamersNexus, you did an ad for Thermaltake’s Tower 600 a bit ago. Are you going to do a review of that case?
It's a bit odd because you would expect them to have at least tested it to advertise it, but we don't know that.
Building a PC for a friend. I encouraged him to get a North, and I'm feeling pretty damn glad I did.
I was wondering if you have blacklisted NZXT cases? I have a H9Flow case and I love it. Just curious because I saw no NZXT cases in your comparison charts.
NZXT is fire bro fr fr. No, seriously. Just go look at the gamers Nexus prior reviews.
@@Ojref1New versions are full of airflow with mesh panels. Why do you even talk about previous ones?
Reading this after their latest video is crazy
The only downside I see with the Fractal North XL is that it seems to be noisier than the other top performers. 45 dB is by no means loud, but I heard that the wood in the front makes the fans spin faster or at least gives it a louder tone in use.
I was literally looking at the 2023 version of this video earlier today, fantastic timing Steve!
I already bought my case for my new build, but it's real good to see the one I bought pop up in multiple categories. Shouldn't be too surprising since I bought a Flux Pro based off prior recommendations from you in the first place, but still!
I'm 39 years old, started building pc's around the turn of the millenia. Through the entirety of many generations of hardware.
I've had something like 4 cases lol. Maybe 5.
Ha, that's awesome. What were your first ones?
Bought my first PC in '93 and I'm on my 3rd case and I've decided that my Define R5 is good enough for my new build this month. I might mod it slightly for a bit more airflow though.
Same age. I think I was 15 when I bought my 1st no name Acrylic case with CCFL tubes in it. Then I switched to the OG Antec 1200 v1. Currently Using the Thermaltake WP200 (W200 + P200) and my next case will be the Lian-Li O11 Dynamic Evo XL.
Before I built my own PC's I owned 2 Compaq Presario desktop. 1 with an Intel Pentium I 166MHz CPU and the other with a Pentium III 500MHz CPU.
Very similar story to me. I'm still using my original case, CoolerMaster Ammo 533.
I’m 45, built my first pc in 2003. Used the same lian li pc-v1000 case for the 4 systems I built before retiring it for a lian li 215 with the newest build in feb ‘23. 😂
Your timing is impeccable, I'm literally looking for a case right now after buying some parts yesterday! I was originally going to get the ThermalTakeTower 600, after seeing it as an ad on your channel, but, while it looks really nice, I then discovered the I/O is hidden under the top case fans... Time to see what else is available.
Please review the Asus PA602 its got 200mmx38mm front fans
That case is really nice, especially for a silent non-rgb stealth build.
@@Cenkolino its what i have its really quiet. they are also bringing out a solid side panel version
@@RathOXI want this case for my upcoming build. There are not many reviews and want to know how quiet it runs with the build in fans.
@ very quiet, i run them at 400rpm
When I rebuild and upgraded my friends rig. the age old corsair one we had to use didnt fit the new AIo unless i forced it to sit on the outside.. Which the front panel *barely* allowed (Still ran cooler than the stock prebuilt cooler it used)
So I convinced them to get a North XL to allow future builds and upgrades be done with ease
They loved the wood, and I personally had a blast building in it that day and moving all things over
I'd like to see an MITX round-up!
Me too!
Me too
Thanks a bunch for your case review on the Light Base 600. I ended up ordering one and am loving it so far! Even if you don’t see this I love what you and your team does for this community.
I can't wait for the Best SFF Cases video!
You will have to
Just bought the Hyte Y70 Infinite :)
Been waiting forever for this to get back in stock again at Amazon (so I could use my bonus bucks). I love the Lian Li 011 look and this dials that up to eleven.
I had a Corsair 4000D, which was nice to put lots of fans into, but really way too large for my desk work area. Was going to do a water cool in it, but never found the time and ambition and need MUCH less computer space taken
You made a good case with this video.
Man, this round up is the best christmas present I'll get this year. Thank you!
We need a "Best Small Case" category
or maybe a different video with the same categories, but only for small cases.
I was eagerly waiting for this video. Thank you, Steve and crew! And of course, thank you to Snowflake for running such a good show!
Would love to see one about mATX cases :)
Ditto
I feel like mATX has become even more niche since people started moving to NVMe storage, I guess? So it's ITX if you need size, and ATX if you need stuff, and for mATX you don't need much of anything so nobody really caters to this niche because anything goes for most there.
I built a new 12900kf system with the Fractal Pop XL (the first new build that I've done in 4 years).
Not only is this case amazing with detachable trays for my hard drive and sata ssd's. It is one of the few cases left that has a optical drive slot (bottom front behind the door panel). There's actually a little tray behind that door, but it can be removed and it fits an optical drive perfectly.
My current system is a 12700kf, but in its small case sometimes the video card shuts down because of heat. The Fractal XL is very well ventilated. It only cost about $120 from New Egg.
That sounds nice. I have similar machines from the sales last year, 12900KF 4090 in Corsair 7000D Airflow (upgrading to that case got the rather large PSU off my desk). Also has detachable trays. My 12700KF spare is in a Antec NX410 ATX case paired with 3060 12gb but could swap that out again later. My old 9600K (GTX1070) has an ITX board is also in a spare NX410. Fractal XL looks very nice though.
so is it Case Herding, or Case Hoarding... 😂
Herding cases sounds like an interesting job.
Wait. That's my job.
Back in like 2002-2006 when Thermaltake was going nuts, I was into fancy cases. Plus i always had a bunch of people coming over to use my other computers to game(good old BF 1942, BF Vietnam, and BF2 days!). I was young though, now ai could never bring myself to spend over $100 for a case andnonly if necessary. Ive been using the same case for my past 5 builds now, lol then again, I dont mind breaking out a drill, hacksaw and/or welder to make own improvements. My build looks like a borg cube with the 360mm RAD for my Sapphire 6900xt Toxic EE(a fantastic card btw!) bolted to the side with fence brackets. Lol
the torrent is just my champion
The Torrent is GOATed for sure.
It’s really hard to think about ever having to change cases after the torrent. But I thought that about my define r5 and meshify c…
Unrelated to this video but I just got my copper coil dice in the mail and THE DICE SET IS FREAKING AMAZING. You guys went above and beyond. Well done!
I wish Fractal would have made an mITX version of the North. I wanted a Torrent Nano but they became impossible to find around the time I was shopping so I went with a Terra, which I do like, but I'd prefer something with a bit more air cooling performance.
So am I dude, it's crazy it hasn't come out yet. I'm PRAYING for it
While not made by Fractal, Lian Li did just release the DAN A3 mATX case. It basically looks like an mATX North, and GamersNexus did a review on it.
I absolutely love the Zaku II case you show in your background. It is outstanding just like your videos man. I appreciate what you do man!
Torrent still seems the best for an air cooled setup? Would much rather a solid panel on top rather than a pointless mesh/steel cover that exists only for an AIO, with holes that lets in dust and reduces positive airflow
I got a dirty Lian Li O11D from a local pc shop. Cleaned it up and now rocking it with my Z790 build
A dedicated award for SFF cases would be nice to see. Yes, it's niche but there are many enthusiasts in the sub 20L space.
Thanks a ton! All of the information was well put together, amazingly delivered, and worth every second of listening. Was already hard looking into the Antec Flux pro.. And now I m sold. Added to cart(From the affiliate link of course), and done.
Dude! Steve and his genius Team on Gamers Nexus NEVER cease to disappoint me! I was so frustrated 12 hours ago that NO WHERE was a good PC Case video from this years End! Great Job guys! Youre the Best :D
That actually meant that they always disappoint you.
Hey Steve, what do you think about the Antec C7? You ignored it at Computex. I really like the design of the bottom chamber, and other reviewers said it has great build quality for the price.
If it’s not on GN’s best case list, I don’t even consider it! You guys set the standard for case reviews.
Good timing on this! Thank you. My brother recommended this video to me as I am wanting a quiet case for my new PC build. The Antec Flux Pro is ready for me to purchase.
I want to love the Lancool 207, because the thermal performance at that price seems unbeatable; but I learned years ago that I just don't have it in me to deal with a cramped space for cable management.
I'm so happy to see you guys get back into cases this year! And I'm even more happy to see that case-design and improvement hasn't stagnated over the last couple years. I personally would have loved to see more honorable mentions, particularly considering price as price seems to fluctuate quite often.
It's a pitty that (almost) no one tested the Cougar MX600 this year. In my opinion, it's one of the best cases (strong competition to the Lancool 207 and the Antec Flux Pro) and it flies under the radar completely unjustly.
Recently got and built in the Flux Pro, and although the thermals were slightly better with a standard psu mounting, I really liked the iShift 90°psu mounting for cable management. Overall a great case, highly recommend.
Thanks for the review Steve!
In terms of thermal performance would the Flux Pro or 207 be a good upgrade from the Phanteks P500A or nah?
I'm building a system for visual effects right now and I got myself an NZXT H6 Flow, cuz I like the unique design and it provides good flow, while also being cheaper.
My past 4 cases have been Fractal Design Define R series cases. I'm already collecting my components for my next build and the Fractal North XL is going to be my next case after your recommendation.
Just built my first PC ever and put it in a Fractal North case, and, can confirm, it's so good!
Thanks again for putting these best PC part roundups. I bought the Phanteks Eclipse P400A a few years ago due to your recommendation, and it has been excellent!
Agree on the North. Put together a black and gold/bronze build using one and it was the most enjoyable assembly I've ever done. Came out great. Hell I was even able to squeeze the ASRock Taichi X670E in there even though the case isn't made for E-ATX.
I really liked the setting expectations section and the categories you picked.
Very nice overview. Would you please test the Sharkoon Rebel C70g case? It is like a more budget version of the Fractal north!
Nice to see Antec back and making quality cases again. I'm extremely happy with my Performance 1 FT and don't plan on parting with it anytime soon.
you're my go to channel for cases!!! do not stop!
Last year when building my first PC I went through a lot of videos (tons of them were in this channel) to understand what to buy and what to avoid. I finally decided what case to get based on the review you guys made of the Lian Li Lancool 216. Keep up the great work!
I am stuck between the Corsair 4000D and the Lian Li Lancool 207. What do you guys think?
Coming from a 5000D Airflow, I'm tempted to go for Lian Li in the future. But overall these 4000D seem good even though, by experience, I'm using its bigger brother.
Perfect.. I am literally looking for a new case at the moment.. Could not decide with all the different offerings.. This video along with the review videos for both cases will make it easier to decide.. It's either the Antec Flux or the Lian Li 207.. Thanks. Keep up the great work. 😊
Lancool 207 is such a great performing case. Thank you Lian Li for not increasing the price after good reviews like what happened with the Lancool 215.
The timing for this video is crazy. Thanks a lot!
I decided to get the Havn420 based on your review. I'm glad it got the technical award, you can really feel the attention to detail when youre building in it.
Having said that, after building in two of them, the North and XL version are definitely the better case for the vast majority of people when you consider things like size, weight, price etc.
Pls help me,
What is the difference between the Antec Flux and antec flux pro?
Only fan count?
Because the pro version is not really available in germmay and cost 300€ more.
I would be very thankful for answers
the pro is full tower, the none pro is midi tower, the pro has a ishift PSU mount system - turning it 90 degrees, and the pro has a GPU/CPU temp display also.
I managed to snag a 9800x3d at Microcenter at launch and it just felt wrong not getting a fresh case. When I saw the Fractal North XL I couldn't resist. Great looking case especially if you're a basic millennial with mid century decor.
Glad to see it's also a top performer cooling wise as well.
I switched to the Antec C8 last month, partly based on your review of it. Thanks Steve.
love the vids as always.. first half of this felt like a lancool commercial, and i'd love to have seen a bit more on the lightbase pc case.. that one actually really interests me
I just received my Cougar MX600 Mini RGB case. Had to import it out of Canada since it's not for sale in the US yet. Would love to see a review of this one because it's an excellent option if mATX support is one of your main requirements!
I got the North XL while doing the first full update of my desktop since before COVID after seeing your review. I've been super satisfied with it and happy to see I really got a good one.
Thank you as always for consolidating these reviews. Super helpful in narrowing now parts. Also, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Just bought C7 ARGB 2 weeks ago, it's not as represented as the C8 with reviews but I'm loving it so far. Great work from Antec!
What an insanely good video. I was struggling to pick which case to buy; not anymore.
the Dubili is fantastic, loved the industrial look and packaging innovation. I would get one if I needed a case now
LOL I literally looked up best cases of 2024 today as I was planning to get a new one so this video comes in the absolute most perfect timing, Thanks Steve and Gamers Nexus Team!
I recently had a fantastic experience building my girlfriend's PC in a NZXT H6 Flow case. It's a dual chambered case, but the 360mm vertical intake that SO many manufacturers have copied from Lian-Li is actually at a 45 degree angle offering the GPU and CPU far more direct airflow. At $110, I thought it was pretty decent. The only thing I really dislike about the case is that the cable cutouts don't have rubber grommets. They are largely hidden as they are bent at a 90 degree angle at the end of the motherboard tray, but you have to be careful because the edges can be a bit sharp, especially at the top near the CPU power cutouts. Other than that though, my girlfriend's PC looks freakin' sick and stays nice and cool under load.
Yesterday I was looking for "best PC cases 2024", and today you post this video... Thank you so fcin much!