Best CPU Cases for a Perfect Water Cooling System
All the gaming and PC enthusiasts have experienced processor heating problems when used of long periods. In such cases the best cases for water cooling can help you to solve this issue. This heating of processors and other components will hamper the performance of your systems as well as longevity.
Hence, it is utterly important to keep the temperature of your processors low, to exploit the maximum potential of your systems. Thus, to keep the temperatures of components down, best cases for water cooling are used for significant improvements in thermal performance.
There are tons of cooling cases available in the market that offer various cooling solutions, various number of fans, different designs different capacities, and of course with different price tags among which you have to find the best cases for water cooling.
First you need to picturize in mind about the motherboards in use and if the cooling case can hold it. The number of fans and the diameter of blades are utterly important as ultimately they decide the cooling performance of the case.
We have done this treacherous job of finding out the best cases for water cooling that are available in the market. Let's move to the list of the best cases for water cooling along with their main features, advantages, and disadvantages.
Table of Contents
- BEST CASES FOR WATER COOLING
- Review of the 10 BEST CASES FOR WATER COOLING
- 1. CORSAIR OBSIDIAN 1000D - BEST SUPER TOWER CASE
- 2. DARKFLASH PHANTOM - Best ATX MID-TOWER CASE
- 3. THERMALTAKE CORE P5
- 4. COUGAR CONQUER CASE
- 5. IN WIN 303C CASE
- 6. THERMALTAKE VIEW 71 - best custom water cooling kit
- 7. PHANTEK ENTHOO EVOLV X CASE
- 8. THERMALTAKE TOWER 900
- 9. COOLER MASTER COSMOS C700P
- 10. THERMALTAKE CORE V71 CASE
- How to choose best cases for water cooling
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- CONCLUSION
BEST CASES FOR WATER COOLING
Review of the 10 BEST CASES FOR WATER COOLING
Super TOWER CASE FOR WATER COOLING
1. CORSAIR OBSIDIAN 1000D - BEST SUPER TOWER CASE
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 3.94 x 3.94 x 3.94 inches.
- Weighing 65 pounds.
- Dual-system layout.
- Iconic and clean exterior lines.
The first product on the list of the best cases for water cooling is the Corsair Obsidian 1000D Super Tower case. This case is constructed from steel and aluminum and is equipped with tempered glass on the front and side panels. The flat glass panel allows greater air-flow.
This case can house an E-ATX and a mini-ITX and is one of the most spacious cases, which means it can be home to a couple of motherboards, with two power supplies, and a couple of full PCs.
The chassis of the case doesn’t come with any fans installed. But it has space for up to thirteen 120mm and 140mm fans, eight on the front, three on the top, and two rear. The front panel of the case can support up to a couple of 480mm radiators, the top panel supports a 360mm radiator, and the back panel can support 280mm cooler as well.
Both the PCs in the case have their front-panel I/O, which consists of their power, reset, power LED leads, and a USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C front panel connectors for both the PCs. The top and front radiator mounts are easily accessible as they are attached to the rails and glide out of the cases for easy installation.
The case has a built-in commander pro lighting controller that can connect with Corsair RGB LED fans and light strips, which you can adjust using the Corsair’s iCUE software. Corsair 1000D speaks for itself. There are various types of CPU cases available in the market, but from my experience, I will suggest you to pick Corsair 1000D - because it is affordable and overall, its performance is fascinating.
What we like
MID-TOWER CASE FOR WATER COOLING
2. DARKFLASH PHANTOM - Best ATX MID-TOWER CASE
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 24.2 x 22 x 11.8 inches.
- Tempered glass windows.
The second spot in this list of the best cases for water cooling is taken up by the darkFlash Phantom ATX Mid-Tower case. This PC case is designed to provide the features that DIY builders value the most and its layout fosters an enjoyable building process.
The case features 3 tempered glass panels on the front and sides of the case, has an efficient cooling system, and has extremely roomy internal space. The case offers wide compatibility, where you can use it with ITX/ATX / Micro ATX motherboards.
The case has 6 pre-installed fans. There are four 120mm RGB LED fans present in the front and with two 120 mm fans on the rear. You can install liquid cooler on CPU of up to 174mm high and a graphics card of up to 375mm in length.
Inside the case, there is sufficient room for accommodating up to a 280mm radiator at the front and 120mm radiator in the rear. The case supports rich connectivity since it consists of a couple of USB 3.0 ports, a couple of USB 2.0 ports, a couple of audio in/out ports, a fan RGB control, and a reset button.
The Phantom is not only a good-looking PC case, but it is one of the best cases for water cooling. Also, it provides you with all the features that you will ever need.
The 4mm thick high-quality tampered glasses add to the aesthetics and also make sure you get the quietest level of the computer system. The case comes with a relatively inexpensive price tag with such bag loads of features.
What we Like
3. THERMALTAKE CORE P5
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 22.4 x 9.5 x 23.9 inches.
- Weighing 40.7 pounds.
- AIO/LCS cooling support.
Thermaltake Core P5 case provides high-end performance, and it will be a cool computer case for water cooling if you like to have an open-air chassis that offers maximum visibility.
The Core P5 case can be laid horizontally or be stood up vertically, or mounted on a wall. But no matter how you set up the Core P5, it has be set in plain sight, and not to be tucked away under a desk.
The panoramic open-frame design of the Core P5 provides you with complete access to build your models, using liquid cooling components at your disposal. It is equipped with 5mm tempered glass and has eight expansion slots supporting full-size ATX components.
The front panel of the case features the power button, a couple of LED indicators, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, and a reset button. The motherboard is replaced in the top-left portion and the case supports up to a 200mm long ATX power supply.
On the rear-side of the case, you get about 1.5 inches between the motherboard tray and the back panel for wire management. Any PC build using the Core P5 will take a lot of time and is complicated.
This case is typical for closed loop water cooling. Kindly do check more about the closed loop vs open loop cooling to understand the differences.
What we Like
4. COUGAR CONQUER CASE
PRODUCT DETAILS:
If you are looking for a large case for water cooling system, then take a look at the Cougar Conquer case. The Conquer is a huge case and is large enough to easily fit a full ATX board at a diagonal, making it both taller and wider than standard cases.
The vast majority of the chassis of the Conquer case is made up of 5mm-thick aluminum and both sides are tempered glass, which makes it much heavier than the skeletal frame implies. The Conquer is technically an open-air chassis, but with a case-like frame, providing mounting points for numerous fans.
The case comes unassembled in the box, and thus makes it difficult for you to set it up. It consists of a lot of hardware parts. Those pieces include 3 fans with grills, adhesive cable ties and tabs, several screw packs, 2 feet, a power supply bracket and tray, a drive tray that supports either a couple of 2.5-inch or a 3.5-inch drive, and 5 cross braces.
Additionally, 2 more 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives can be mounted to the back of the motherboard tray before the motherboard installation. The top panel of the case supports a couple of 120mm radiators up front and three 120mm on top.
The case provides you with two USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, a reset button with an HDD activity LED in its center, and a power button with a power-on LED in its center. The conquer comes with a relatively lower price tag and thus is of great value for money and worth for the best cases for water cooling.
WHAT WE LIKE
5. IN WIN 303C CASE
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 18.8 x 8.4 x 19.6 inches.
- Crafted from 1.2mm SECC Steel.
Next up in my list of the best cases for water cooling comes the In Win 303C case. The In Win 303C has a steel body, plastic feet, and minimal design. The design works very well and quality-wise, the 303C case is worth for the money.
The primary panel is made of tempered glass and can be removed by releasing the latch at the top. It also includes a large tempered glass window with a thickness of 3 mm on the main site and the chassis is made of the highest quality SECC steel to become the best cases for water cooling.
This chassis of the case supports an ATX and Micro-ATX motherboard together, along with a graphics card of a maximum length of 350mm, a heatsink for the processor of up to 160mm in height, and a power supply with a length of up to 200mm.
The In Win 303C case’s front panel is equipped with a couple of USB 3.0 ports and a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port. The case has a great cooling system and also allows us to install three 120mm fans at the bottom or a 360mm radiator and a 120mm rear fan. The cable management area is quite spacious to keep the clunky cables in line.
The case has an easily accessible dust filter that is conveniently located on the bottom, for removing dust. The specialized GPU holder provides better support to graphics cards. Overall, the 303C is a simple yet good-looking chassis with a bright LED design.
What we like
FULL TOWER cases for water Cooling
6. THERMALTAKE VIEW 71 - best custom water cooling kit
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 23.3 x 10.8 x 22.72 inches.
- Supports triple-fan radiators on top.
If you are a gamer who is looking for liquid cooling CPU case? then Thermaltake View 71 Full Tower case is recommended for you. Because this case helps you to maintain the average CPU temp while gaming. Sounds good, right?
The View 71 TG features a full-tower design and can thus perfectly fit an E-ATX motherboard. It is equipped with tempered glass on the sides, front, and on top of the case. The case has about a 19.8-inch of internal depth that makes enough space for an E-ATX motherboard, a drive rack in front of it, and also a 42mm radiator in front of that.
The case features an included 140mm front fan, which is mounted between the in-front of the chassis and in-front of panel glass, inside the plastic fascia.
A slide-out filter covers the power supply inlet and a slotted bottom grill that is large enough to hold up to a couple of 120mm fans. The front and top faces have filter sheets with magnetic surrounds and tabs.
The top-panel radiator mount can support up to three 120mm and 140mm models. The View 71 TG cable kit is very simple and consists of only an HD-Audio, a couple of USB 2.0 ports, and a couple of USB 3.0 connectors.
The legacy leads on the front panel include a power LED connector that is split to support both standard 2-pin and legacy 3-pin spacing.
The case provides great cooling and RGB lighting but isn’t the quietest. One of the greatest features of this case and for best cases for water cooling is the existence of an 8th slot which makes it easier to use your graphics card in the bottom slot of your motherboard.
What we Like
7. PHANTEK ENTHOO EVOLV X CASE
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 20.5 x 9.4 x 20.5 inches.
Next spot in my list of the best water cooled PC cases is taken by the Phantek Enthoo Evolv X case. The Evolv X is the best cases for water cooling for extreme condition, as it has hinged, tempered glass doors on each side, the sturdy and heavy chassis hasn’t scrimped on materials.
The strips of RGB lighting is running down on either edge of the front panel, as well as along the PSU shroud. It can hold larger E-ATX motherboards in addition to the usual ATX, micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX form factors, and has high-build quality.
The Evolv X case features a couple of 140mm fans at the front and one at the back. The front set of the mount has enough space to hold up to three 120mm and 140mm fans, including space for equivalent radiators, up to 420mm.
On the top of the case, there are three 120mm slots and two 140mm slots, with space for radiators up to 360mm long.The front panel connectivity boasts a USB 3.1 Type-C port, a couple of USB 3.0 ports, microphone and headphone jack, and LED control.
The dust filter covering the front fans is great, as magnetic latching means it can be cleaned, removed, and replaced in no time. The case has dual-system functionality. As the Evolv X should contain two PCs, the Mini-ITX mounting bracket allows a second motherboard to be installed. Overall, this case is good, but most of its best features need to be bought separately.
What we like
8. THERMALTAKE TOWER 900
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 19 x 16.7 x 29.6 inches.
- Dismantlable modular design.
The Thermaltake Tower 900 is one of coolest pc cases you can get. This case is a premium, huge, and one of the heaviest cases around, reaching to a towering 752mm tall.
The Tower 900 case is quite attractive because of the extensive use of glass in the body and supports Mini-ITX, Micro-VAX, ATX, and E-ATX motherboards.
It has an all-black body, with two side panel vents covering the 4 dual-pattern, 140mm, and 120mm, fan mounts, along with a rear panel mount for a couple of more 140mm or 120mm fans.
The bottom panel of the Tower 900 is configured for a couple of fans, but the filter can’t handle a large intake for the power supply. The case is equipped with a nylon mesh filter with magnetic strip edging, which is found under the vents of every exterior metal panel, whereas the non-metallic top panel’s mesh is affixed with catch tabs.
The front section of the case has a couple of 3.5-inch trays with 2.5-inch drive mounting holes, two 2.5-inch trays, and an external 5.25-inch bay. The Tower 900 features 4 USB 3.0 ports, an HD-audio, 2 headset jacks, power and reset buttons and power/HDD activity LEDs.
The Tower 900 case is the best cases for water cooling for normal users, or even for normal enthusiasts because of its huge size and weight. If you own a customizing computer shop and you want to showcase your rigid-tube bending skills, Tower 900 case is perfect for you.
what we like
9. COOLER MASTER COSMOS C700P
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimensions of 12.05 x 25.16 x 25.63 inches.
The Cosmos C700P full-tower chassis has a stunning exterior appeal, with new flat handlebars, which used to be round-shaped, and the front I/O panel is updated for today's needs.
This case features the best cases for water cooling, a dual-curved tempered glass panel with no visible mounting points and added RGB lighting in the design that will make this chassis fit any need, and also connects to almost any motherboard with RGB lighting applications.
The case on its rear side features 8 expansion slots, a 140mm fan on slotted mounts, and another set of mounting slots for the screw spacing of 120mm fans. The side panels of the case aren’t latched but instead use special springs to make the panels snap tight when approaching the closed position.
A triple-fan bracket is housed behind the front intake panel, with a couple of mounted 140mm fans. The case has another triple-fan bracket that is mounted under the vented top panel. Both the vented panels include mesh dust filters, and both locations support radiators up to 20 inches long.
The front panel features with USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, 4 USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, power and reset buttons, and fan speed and RGB mode selectors.
Overall the case is great especially because of the highly versatile layout of the case, and the unique frame design supports a conventional, chimney, inverse layout, or a fully customized layout and the diverse cooling support.
what we like
10. THERMALTAKE CORE V71 CASE
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Rounding off the list of the best cases for water cooling is the Thermaltake Core V71 case. The Core V71 is a full-tower case that is designed to support extremely long video cards, multiple cooling options, both air and liquid, and a customizable hard drive cage layout.
The case has a black body with light blue highlights on the 3.5-inch drive trays that provide a nice contrast against the black of the case. The main side panel has a very large window, which provides a full view of the interior of the case.
The Core V71 case is equipped with three 200mm and one 140mm fan, and that is not the only cooling option available to the case as it has a large amount of space for more air cooling, or it can support up to 420mm liquid cooling radiators.
Inside the chassis, there are a couple of 5.25-inch bays, 8 drive trays along with 2 hidden locations for storage, and a motherboard tray that offers grommets and good wire management options.
The case allows Micro-ATX, ATX, and E-ATX motherboards to be installed. The case features a couple of USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and an HD-Audio for a best cases for water cooling.
The Core V71 has a great design and is filled with a bag load of features, but is a little on the expensive side. But, with the brand value of Thermaltake, the case is a must-have for enthusiasts.
what we like
How to choose best cases for water cooling
SIZE OF THE CASE:
The more internal volume a case offers, the more components it can accommodate and provide better ventilation. You can choose between a mini, a medium, a full, and a super tower. It's up to you which size you're most comfortable with, but be aware that two crates of the same size often have different headroom, depending on the case layout. You should first settle for a PC case you are considering purchasing and then choose a liquid cooler.
- Mini -tower:
These are small boxes (35 to 40 cm high), generally having three 5 "1/4 slots and two 3" 1/2 slots on the front, as well as two 3 "1/2 slots internally. These cases are intended for people who don't want to use too much space in their room for PC. The drawback with these pc cases is that they often do not dissipate heat optimally. So they are not intended for a large setup or too heavy use. - Mid Tower:
These are medium-sized boxes (40 to 50 cm high), with 3 to 4 5 "1/4 slots on the front and two 3" 1/2 slots. These are the most standard pc cases that are designed for everyday use and are quite scalable. It is a popular size, and it will be taller than other enclosures, but the width and depth will not vary much and therefore holding more material. This model is usually your home or even desktop computer. - Full tower:
These are large boxes (60 to 70 cm high), with 4 to 6 5 "1/4 slots and 2 or 3 3" 1/2 slots on the front, as well as two or three slots 3 "1/2 internally. The full tower is the larger version and is often large and used for heavier desktop use such as servers and file-sharing computers.
Radiator:
Make sure to select a CPU case with enough radiator space. The rise of sealed all-in-one coolers has made liquid cooling more popular. If you plan to cool your computer with water, pay close attention to the support provided by your case.
You probably won't use mini-ITX water cooling case and many mid-tower cases that only support 240mm radiators. The positioning of this radiator can be limited in height or width, depending on the dimensions of the case.
The larger the case, the more locations, and mounting possibilities will be. The most imposing models are to be preferred for the assembly of a custom-made water-cooling with several radiators.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What's the minimum size case do you need for water cooling?
It is recommended to have 240mm of radiator per water-cooled component, you are going to need a case that can support this. This is just a tip, and many builders have created some excellent custom loops in Mini-ITX cases, but a mid-tower and above will always be recommended.
2. Can you fit water cooling in a mid-tower?
Yes, it is possible to mount water cooling within a mid-tower. Moreover, most of the mid-towers are featured with spacious interiors, water cooling support, and logical layouts. Water cooling in a mid-tower might be a challenging task compared to a full-tower, but it is possible.
3. Are there any special case for water cooling?
There is no such thing as a special water cooling case. A case that provides water cooling support and sufficient room for other components is more than enough. Also, take the radiator size into account. Full tower cases offer more internal space, however, you can also find mid-tower cases.
CONCLUSION
This was my list for the best cases for water cooling, along with their features, advantages, and disadvantages. I hope this list will guide you to choose amongst the best cases for water cooling, available in the market. Also, let me know if this article was helpful for you.
