The 10 Best Looking PC Cases of 2022
After 100s of reviews, these are the ones that look extra special
Source: Robeywankenobi
We updated this feature in June 2022 after reviewing some of the new aesthetic cases on the market. Our top picks remain the same, but we’ve added a couple of decent alternatives for choices that occasionally run low on stock.
Come on now, don’t lie.
When looking for your perfect chassis, you may be focussed on the classic factors; motherboard fit, airflow, etc.
But we all know you’re also looking for the most beautiful PC case you can find!
And that’s fine! I strongly disagree with some of the elitist advice that suggests your desired aesthetic shouldn’t be a key part of your final choice.
There are so many great-looking towers, in all shapes and sizes, that fit the bill in offering fantastic utility for a powerful build. In other words, you don’t have to choose between functionality and aesthetics, you can have both.
I’ve reviewed a ton of options throughout What in Tech. Today’s feature is to guide you through the best-looking PC cases for gaming, general use and much more.
Source: jerameyj
Overall Best Looking PC Case: Lian Li PC-O11
Pictures of this case simply do not do it justice.
I’ve seen many completed builds across my community of the PC-O11 and they always look fantastic. But what’s more impressive than that is when I reviewed it in person, it looked even more aesthetic.
Built on a gorgeous, thick SECC steel exterior and aluminum front, the PC-011 looks and feels very high quality. Moreso than other cases in its price range.
Covering the front and left side of that exterior is two high-quality tempered glass windows.
A glass side panel is nothing out of the ordinary, but the addition of the one on the front gives your build beautiful visibility.
The other reason this is such a good-looking PC case is its dual-chamber layout. This is when you have a separate, dedicated, secluded chamber to hide some of your “less attractive parts”. Think PSUs, HDDs, and various cables.
Essentially, the PC-011 offers the best of both worlds between offering transparency to show off your build while still offering you space to hide components. I slightly prefer this to fully exposed looks like the Thermaltake P3.
Source: Jinair
Having a nice-looking PC case is one thing, but there’s something even better about the PC-011: it’s not just pretty.
One of the top picks on the market, there is so much utility here for a powerhouse ATX build.
That includes:
- GPU cards of up to 420mm
- 2 x 3.5″ / 4 x 2.5″ drive bays (no 5.25″)
- Up to 9 x 120mm fans or 1 x 360mm, 1 x 280mm & 1 x 240mm radiators
- 8 expansion slots
The utility available makes this an ideal basis for any mainstream build type. Be it for gaming, streaming, video editing to other high-end production
Not only do you have the room for demanding hardware, but fantastic ventilation between the cooling capability and the dual-chamber layout ensuring cables/other hardware isn’t blocking airflow.
Is there anything we don’t like about the PC-O11? Honestly; not really.
The price and size are on the larger end of cases, which is why I’ve covered plenty of smaller/cheaper options below.
Beauty is, of course, subjective too. Even though I’m confident it’s hard to make a build that doesn’t look fantastic in the PC-011.
If it’s within your budget and fits your idea of a beautiful chassis, then I would say it’s a no-brainer.
This is easily the all-around best-looking ATX case and my undisputed pick as the best PC case in any category.
2022 mid-year update: For 2 years running, the Dynamic PC-011 remains my top pick for the best-looking chassis and the best overall PC case. I’ve seen some other beautiful chassis enter the market but nothing that balances everything as well as this beauty.
Source: Mar.Mak
Runner-Up Best Looking PC Case: NZXT H510 Elite
If you’re familiar with NZXT and their various cool PC cases, I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that one of our top spots goes to this flagship model.
The build quality of this chassis is fantastic. With an SGCC steel exterior and thick tempered glass window on the front and side.
The exterior is given a matte finish. Different from the Lian Li which goes for more of a “metallic” aesthetic.
Both look and feel great. It’s really up to you which type you prefer.
While not a dual-chamber tower like our top pick, you are still getting decent utility to cover “uglier” parts with good cable management space and the bottom portion of the case being covered to hide the PSU.
The H510 Elite is also one of the best-looking RGB PC cases, offering a lot of lighting features out of the box, with:
- 2 x NZXT AER RGB 2 case fans
- Included Smart Device 2 fan/RGB controller
- 1 x LED strip to shine in the exterior
Tied with its clear, visible glass presentation, you have an amazing basis for an RGB build in the H510 Elite.
Source: Yolenzo
And for non-aesthetic features, the case really shines too. Including:
- 7 expansion slots + 2 vertical slots: great to show off your GPU
- VGA lengths up to 381mm (without front radiator installed, 320mm with)
- 2 x 2.5″ & 2 x 3. 5″ drive bays, with an option to expand to one more of each (likely not needed for a gaming tower)
- Up to 2 x 140mm & 2 x 120mm fans or 2 x 140mm & 1 x 120mm radiators
While some of this space isn’t super impressive for an ATX case, the H510 Elite is a “compact mid-tower”.
Essentially meaning it’s on the smaller side of mid-towers. Really carefully balancing a nice tight look while still offering the space you’ll need for most builds.
Tied with the good internal ventilation/cable management utility, you’ve still got everything you need here for a powerful gaming machine.
If you want a slightly cheaper option you can check out our budget pick below, and we also break down the difference between the NZXT 510 models in another feature.
NZXT H510 Elite vs Lian Li PC-O11
So with all this said, why do I rank the PC-O11 over the H510 Elite?
Well, it’s a close one, as the H510 is fantastic across the board and I enjoyed what it had to offer. But I think the PC-O11 wins in space (particularly with its dual-chamber to better hide less attractive parts), build quality, and in overall aesthetic when a setup is fully built with its fully transparent front panel.
I also love how the PC-O11’s windows run down the full length of the front and side. the 510 Elite has the more traditional PSU shroud which covers about a third of the inner case.
That said, this is all very subjective. If you prefer the look (or the price tag) of the H510 Elite, know that it is still an amazing option and easily one of the coolest, most aesthetic ATX PC cases around.
Source: MarkHawk
High-End Best Looking PC Case: Corsair 680X RGB Edition
One of the most featured cases through What in Tech, the 680X has so much going for it across all the important chassis areas.
But focussing on aesthetic: you’ve got a wonderfully built, unique design that really shows off a good-looking interior build.
With a thick, high-quality steel exterior, the 680X has one of the nicest metallic finishes I’ve encountered and feels as great as it looks.
Alongside that steel material, the exterior is surrounded by 3 x beautiful tempered glass windows.
Having an extra window over our above picks, its third window is on the top of the case, making room for even further visibility.
Now while you can get this case without fans, we specifically recommend the RGB edition as it comes included with 3 x LL120 RGB fans & a Corsair Lighting Node Pro Fan Controller.
I consider these to be some of the best RGB case fans available. The LL120s look beautiful shining through the glass front.
Source: jjzeng21
Like our Lian-Li top pick, this is a dual-chamber PC case.
But the 680X takes it one step further, with its second chamber being particularly large.
If you look at example pictures of a finished build with it, you’ll see you can get an incredibly clean-looking interior that only displays your most “attractive” parts.
Now with all that said, I love this case for much more than its aesthetic. Including:
- 10 expansion slots (2 vertical)
- GPUs up to 330mm
- 3 x 3.5″ & 4 x 2.5″ drive bays (hidden in the second chamber)
And then there’s the cooling capability. With up to 8 120mm fans or 360mm front, 280mm top, 140mm rear & 280mm bottom radiator support.
When you consider the excellent ventilation that the dual chambers add, the fact that you can have so many fans/radiators makes this one of the best PC cases for airflow and cooling I’ve encountered.
There’s no denying it, this is an expensive chassis.
But if you want a gorgeous computer case that also ticks the box for building one of the most powerful PCs possible. Then this is the option for you.
Source: dannybae.16
Best Looking Budget PC Case: NZXT H510
If you’re looking for a cheap PC case that doesn’t compromise on awesome aesthetics, you can’t go wrong with the H510.
Topping our list of best NZXT towers due to its insane value for money, I’ve seen this as the basis for loads of quality mid-range builds.
NZXT H510 vs H510 Elite
You’re getting the same high-quality SGCC steel+ matte finish as the NZXT elite.
This cheaper version only has a tempered glass window on the left, but the front of the case still looks very slick even if it offers less transparency of your internals.
If you’re looking at a budget build too, you may not be as focused on high visibility on the inside anyway (with hardware not being as “aesthetically pleasing”).
Source: Zuby300
This more “covered” exterior tied with the sharp edges and coloring give it a fantastic, slick “monolith” look. Really nice if you’re looking for more of a minimalist style.
In terms of non-aesthetic features, this case is practically identical to the H510 Elite specs listed above.
The only exceptions are that you’re not getting the RGB fans/controllers/strips and 2 x vertical GPU expansion slots.
But really, for budget builds, these aren’t things you’re going to need. You can always pick up RGB upgrades later too.
Simply put, if you’re on a tight budget, this is the best-looking mid-tower available and still offers plenty of utility for a great gaming PC.
Source: neo457
Best Looking Unique PC Case: Antec Torque
We know that some of you will be wanting something more….unique.
Well, look at this thing!
There are plenty of excellent innovative PC case options out there like the Thermaltake AH T600 and the Cougar Conquer.
But this incredible offering from Antec is on its own level.
Built with 14 aluminum panels and thick tempered glass on both sides, I was blown away by how this case looked and felt in person.
Consider too that all of these panels are uniquely curved/tilted, this is so far gone from a traditional “cuboid” PC.
With its beautiful open-air presentation, it really shines once a build is fully installed/powered on.
If you created a decent RGB setup in here, it’s hard to imagine coming across a more unique-looking rig!
Source: neo457
There’s also plenty of hardware room in the Torque too, with:
- 7 expansion slots
- GPUs up to 450mm in length
- 1 x 2.5″ & 1 x 3.5″ drive bays
- Compatible with EATX motherboards up to 12″ x 11″
We think it’s great that Antec has managed to create a PC case suitable for SLI/crossfire (if desired) despite the focus on design.
The disappointing spec here is, of course, the storage capacity.
We expect this is because the Torque is so aesthetic-focussed (and HDDs/SSDs are often on the “uglier” side) so creating too many hidden bays would hamper its appearance.
But with a large capacity SSD, HDD (and potentially some NVMe storage on the motherboard), you’ll still have more than enough storage for gaming and most other build requirements.
The most impressive feature the Torque offers is its cooling.
The case can host up to 6 x 120mm fans or 2 x 360mm radiators.
While this may not seem too out of the ordinary for a mid-tower, this is an open-air PC case. These types of chassis usually offer way less cooling utility as they instead rely on high/open ventilation. Manging to pack this much fan/water cooling availability with the number of open areas is fantastic.
So with that said, while the selling point of the Torque is its design, I’ve seen some powerful builds and overclocking achieved with it as a basis.
If you have the budget and want to stand out from the crowd, this luxury PC case is such a treat.
2022 mid-year update: The Torque is still our comfortable top pick for the best-looking unique chassis, but we’ve observed some occasional stock issues over the last several months. If you need an alternative to the Torque, there is also the fantastic Thermaltake AH T600 case available. You can also check out our unique-focussed feature for some crazier choices.
Source: PTjutsu
Best Looking Micro ATX Case: Corsair 280X RGB Edition
If you’re looking for the most beautiful PC case in the mATX form factor, you really can’t go wrong with the 680X’s little brother.
This chassis has the same fantastic steel exterior and triple tempered glass presentation.
Its height/width gives it more of a cube PC case design, looking very unique for its form factor.
This case comes with 2 x Corsair LL120 RGB case fans and a Lighting Node controller.
This is some of the best RGB hardware around. The fans really beautifully illuminate such a high proportion of the case given its compact size.
This is certainly another chassis aesthetic that you can only fully appreciate when you see a fully built rig powered on within it.
Source: mgkhn
It’s also another dual-chamber tower (and the best one for mATX builds. With great capability to hide your cables, PSUs, and drives; keeping the focus on the “prettier” hardware.
Corsair 280X vs 680X: Both cases are built with the same focus on build quality & aesthetics, so the decision for your build really comes down to which version meets your space/cooling requirements (the 680X will perform better in cooling/airflow given its large size, but the 280X is still formidable for most builds).
The utility you’re getting is great for the mATX form factor, with:
- 4 x expansion slots
- Graphics cards up to 300mm
- 2 x 3.5″ & 3 x 2.5″ drive bays (in the hidden chamber)
- Up to 6 120mm fans or 1 x 280mm top & 2 x 240mm front/bottom radiators
The cooling, in particular, is great for the size. I’ve seen great results for mATX overclocking here compared to many competitors.
It’s pricey, but bear in mind the inclusion of its top-tier RGB kit and build quality really set it above so many other towers.
Looking for a cheaper option in this size? The darkFlash DLM21 is a great choice with a range of different colors/designs.
That said, if you’re after the best-looking mATX case around that is also capable of running a powerful gaming/production machine, I don’t think you can get better than the 280X.
Source: THLNG
Best Looking Mini ITX Case: NZXT H1
I know from experience that some of the best looking builds are in the smallest form factor.
The NZXT H1stands at the top of those tiny offerings. It has been featured several times on What in Tech.
Aesthetically, the case boasts an incredibly unique “monolith” style. Standing tall but also very small with an awesome SGCC steel exterior.
The tempered glass surrounding a lot of the case is tinted. Cases with window tinting really stand out to me amongst the crowd as they make the presentation of a bright internal build feel so much more tasteful in presentation.
The case most excels at being so incredibly compact which adds so much to the style. This is easily the most aesthetic portable case available.
The H1 achieves its size by a really intricate dual-chamber build layout, designed to accommodate a decent gaming/production build despite its small volume.
Source: Jinair
That means the case does excellently in features for its size too, with:
- A PCIe riser card for vertical GPU install
- 2 expansion slots and GPUs up to 305mm in length
- 2 2.5″ drive bays – even some larger ITX cases only have 1
The GPU room means you’ll have space for most of the mainstream graphics card choices (but remember to understand the dimensions before buying parts for such a small build).
The chassis may come across as a tad expensive, but bear in mind you are getting a pre-installed 650W 80+ Gold PSU.
Not only does this really add to the value factor, but the case was designed with this PSU in mind (meaning you’re not losing out on the case having to accommodate different types of custom PSUs).
And to top off the value; you also have an integrated AIO 140mm Liquid Cooler for your CPU.
Due to the GPU and CPU residing in independent chambers, while you’ll never get the airflow of an ATX case in a Mini ITX form factor, it still offers impressive cooling for the size.
For a high-end ITX build, you would need a compatible PSU and cooler anyway so it’s not like you’re paying a tall premium for just the case. There is a lot of value in the price tag.
We’d go as far as to say that the NZXT H1 isn’t just the best-looking ITX case on the market, but one of the best value cases for a compact/portable gaming build too.
2022 mid-year update: We still love the H1, but it has run into some stock issues over the past year. If it’s not available but you like the look of it, check out our other ITX pick below (A1 Plus) or the SilverStone LD03B is the nicest-looking computer case similar to the H1.
Source: Sherlock_Q
Best Looking Clear PC Case: Thermaltake Core P3
When ranking picks for this feature, I’ve focused as much as possible on the design of the case itself.
However, sometimes, a minimalist PC case that focuses more on very high visibility for inner parts (versus a more covered exterior) is what you may want to make your next build look amazing.
Featured on What in Tech several times, the Core P3 is an absolute monster.
A perfect option for wall mounting, RGB builds, and much more, the Core P3 gives you so much potential for expression in your build.
Pictures don’t do this chassis justice. If you’re building your own PC, chances are the hardware you’re buying will look awesome if given the visibility the P3 offers.
Source: LmNoPg007
Your GPU, CPU, and Motherboard will be displayed through a thick, high-quality tempered glass and plenty of space for an ATX gaming build, including:
- 8 x expansion slots
- Installation option for vertical GPU (perfect for showing off)
- Graphics card lengths up to 450mm (with cooling reservoir removed)
- 2 x 2.5″ or 3.5″ hidden and 2 x 2.5″ or 3.5 visible drive bays
Cooling-wise, the P3 has space for either 3 140mm fans or a 420mm radiator.
This may not seem like much for a mid-tower chassis, but remember that this is an open-air PC case (with 4 sides of open ventilation). The high visibility doesn’t just make the case look better but offers great airflow too.
Don’t be deceived by this not getting a “best overall” pick. The P3 is the best-looking case for someone really wanting to show off their internal parts above all else.
2022 mid-year update: If you like the look of the P3 but want something different size-wise, check out our clear PC case guide.
Quick-Fire Picks
The above 8 picks are our favorite recommendations for the best good looking PC cases around today.
That said, we wanted to show a few alternative options that are still worthy of consideration.
Alternative Best Looking Mini ITX Case: InWin A1 Plus
From a fantastic PC case brand, we’ve featured the inWin A1 Plus several times before. With a power supply included and wonderfully unique ARGB lighting, this is one of the coolest tower cases available for a compact build.
Best PC Case with Monitor Built-In: iBUYPOWER Snowblind S
That’s right, you heard us correctly.
This iBUYPOWER PC case has a transparent monitor built-in to the window side panel!
A fantastic unique looking PC case, the Snowblind S also comes with great build quality and an internal layout for a decent gaming build.
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