Choosing the best case for water cooling can get a bit confusing. On paper, almost every PC case out there will support some form of water cooling. Despite that, not every tower out there will accommodate the sorts of serious custom liquid-cooling loops demanded by high-end hardware.

Whether you’re in the market for a titanic super-tower fit for dual systems or want to challenge yourself with water-cooling a mini-ITX rig, we’ve got the cases for you. You can skip ahead to the category you’re interested in via the list below:

• Mid-tower water cooling cases
• Full-tower water cooling cases
• Micro-ATX water cooling cases
• Mini-ITX water cooling cases

Still, we’d recommend you read through the whole list anyway. Who knows, maybe you’ll get inspired.

Best Mid-Tower Water Cooling Cases

Full-tower cases are undoubtedly the easiest ones to use for water cooling. But mid-tower cases are still capable options, provided you’re aware of the drawbacks compared to full-towers.

For instance, you’ll have to watch out for radiator clearance issues when using more than one. You’re also likely going to be giving up some (or all) of your drive bays to accommodate a reservoir or radiator. But as long as you’re aware of the space limitations there’s nothing stopping you from building a killer liquid-cooled rig in a mid-tower case.

Lian-Li O11 Dynamic

Lian-Li’s O11 Dynamic is a versatile, roomy mid-tower case designed from the ground up for water cooling. The main selling point of the O11 Dynamic is its open layout, support for three simultaneous 360 mm radiators, and strong aftermarket distro plate options.

The O11 Dynamic features a dual-chamber design standard amongst cube-style cases from the past few years. The PSU and storage are kept separate from all the main heat-generating components, which opens up space for some heavy-duty water cooling equipment in the primary chamber. The dual-chamber design also gives you room for two PSUs; niche, but worth noting because it’s so rare in mid-tower cases.

The O11 Dynamic is about an inch wider than standard mid-towers, allowing for a side-mounted radiator with adequate airflow. This clever radiator layout means that the Lian-Li has room for three 360 mm radiators without any of the usual clearance issues between top- and front-mounted radiators.

The side-mounted radiator also allowed the designers to opt for a tempered glass front panel without obstructing airflow. There’s no need to choose between aesthetics and ventilation with the O11 Dynamic, which has undoubtedly played a part in its immense popularity amongst water cooling enthusiasts.

That popularity does mean that it’s a lot harder to stand out from the crowd with the Lian-Li O11 Dynamic. But if you care more about having one of the best water cooling cases available than trying to be different, you’d do well to start here first.

The Lian-Li O11 Dynamic comes in black and white. If the standard O11 Dynamic isn’t quite the right size for you, you can size up with the O11 Dynamic Mini.

Corsair 5000D Airflow

If you like the option of a side-mounted radiator but prefer a more conventional tower form factor, check out Corsair’s 5000D Airflow. The 5000D Airflow is one of Corsair’s newest cases, bringing with it top-notch cooling performance to match the company’s signature eye-catching aesthetics (especially in white).

At 20.5 inches tall and long, the 5000D Airflow is large for a mid-tower case. In fact, it isn’t far from being large enough to be considered a full-tower, so those looking for a more “standard” mid-tower probably won’t be keen on the 5000D. But the PC case makes great use of its dimensions, with enough space for a 360 mm push-pull radiator in the top panel and another 360 mm in either the front or side positions.

Corsair explicitly mentions that you can only install two 360 mm radiators simultaneously, so don’t expect to fill all three mounts. But two 360 mm radiators should be more than enough for almost anyone. Do note that you can still install fans on the side intake even with two radiators in the top and front positions if you wish.

Another handy feature is a hidden cable channel with 1 inch of space behind the motherboard for cable management. This space is concealed by a hinged steel door, like the French doors on the Corsair Obsidian 1000D super-tower.

The 5000D Airflow also comes with a PWM fan repeater that can support up to six fans. Connect the repeater to your motherboard’s CPU fan header, and you can control two sets of 360 mm radiator fans without taking up any extra fan headers. Nothing groundbreaking, but it’s a great feature to have.

All in all, the Corsair 5000D is one of the company’s best PC cases we’ve seen in a while. It excels at both air- and liquid-cooling and has a look that’s sure to help you stand out from the crowd. It’s available in both black and white.

Fractal Meshify 2

Want something a bit smaller and less attention-grabbing than the Corsair 5000D Airflow? The Fractal Design Meshify 2 might be right up your alley. The Meshify 2 excels at both air- and liquid-cooling by combining a mesh front with a modular internal layout that can be configured for water-cooling hardware.

If you opt for the open layout without drive cages, the Meshify 2 has enough room to fit two 360 mm radiators and a 230-mm (9-inch) tall reservoir while accommodating a 13-inch GPU. The Meshify 2 achieves this by being a bit longer than most other mid-towers. The extra room also means that there’s enough space for a snazzy distro plate if that’s what you prefer.

We like Fractal’s cases because they boast excellent materials and are easy to build in. The Meshify 2 is no exception. The removable top panel is a feature we like even for air-cooled builds, but it really excels when building a custom loop. The convenience of being able to approach your rig from the top helps the build process immensely.

The Fractal Design Meshify 2 comes with two vertical expansion slots by default, but you can buy the Flex B-20 vertical riser if you want a bit more room between the GPU and your tempered glass side panel. It’s arguably less essential for a water-cooled rig, but adding a Flex B-20 will allow you to run dual vertical GPUs if that’s your thing.

Overall, the Meshify 2 is one of the best mid-tower cases for liquid cooling. The versatility and ease of use make it stand out from the competition and should help make your build an effortless, smooth experience. The Meshify 2 is available in black and white.

Best Full-Tower Water Cooling Cases

Do you need a lot of room for heavy-duty water cooling and lots of storage? Want to build a high-end system with few to no compromises? These cases are your best bet. They’re also the most straightforward cases to create custom loops in due to their size.

You’ll encounter fewer compatibility issues and component conflicts with full-towers, making them ideal for any first-timers looking for a smoother custom loop experience.

Phanteks Enthoo Luxe 2

The Phanteks Enthtoo Luxe 2 (or Enthoo 719) is easily one of the most full-featured full-tower cases you can get. Whether you want to load it up with a ton of fans or chuck a bunch of radiators in, the Luxe 2 will handle it capably.

The main advantage full-tower cases have over mid-towers for water cooling is fewer fitment issues.  You won’t have to compromise on radiator length or thickness to fit multiple radiators. For example, the Luxe 2 can accommodate 360 mm radiators in the top and bottom with a 420 or 480 mm radiator in the front.

If that isn’t enough cooling for you, there’s room for another 480 mm radiator next to the motherboard. That should be more than enough for even the beefiest multi-CPU or multi-GPU workstation setups.

Phanteks has also included handy fill and drain ports in the Luxe 2’s chassis. These ports make loop maintenance a breeze. Sadly, they’re not as common as we would like on PC cases, even those supposedly designed for water cooling.

Like some of the company’s other cases, the Enthoo Luxe 2 has room for a secondary Mini-ITX system on the reverse of the motherboard tray. The Luxe 2 even comes with all the required mounting hardware from the factory, unlike the P500A (for example). That said, we think you’re better off with our next choice if you really want to build two systems in one case.

The Phanteks Enthoo Luxe 2 is definitely one of the best full-tower cases for water cooling you can buy right now. It has all the room you need without going overboard and packs all the clever design touches that have made Phanteks one of the premier PC case manufacturers in 2021.

The Enthoo Luxe 2 is available in black and Anthracite Grey.

Corsair Obsidian 1000D

Take a look at the Corsair Obsidian 1000D, and the first thing you’ll undoubtedly notice is its colossal size. At 31.5 inches tall and deep and just under 20 inches wide, the 1000D dwarfs even full-tower cases, so much so that Corsair markets it as a “super-tower” case. This makes it perfect for complex, extreme builds.

The Obsidian 1000D sports a triple-chamber layout with a main E-ATX motherboard tray, a Mini-ITX tray that doubles as a PSU cover, and a “French-door-style rear storage compartment” to help with cable management and keeping your cable slack tidy. The 2.5” drives also attach to these doors.

The 1000D has room for enough radiators to water-cool both of your systems, especially the dual front and top radiator mounts. Having dual radiators side by side means you can dedicate one radiator to each set of components to maximize cooling performance.

You will have to buy an extra set of brackets to run dual 480 mm radiators in the top, though. While that’s not a massive issue, it isn’t great when the PC case already costs so much.

The Obsidian 1000D also comes with slide-out radiator and fan trays that make installation a breeze. It’s especially convenient for the front-mounted cooling, as the tempered glass front isn’t as easily removable as your average front mesh door or snap-on plastic panel. This is a feature we’d love to see in more cases.

There’s no denying that the Corsair Obsidian 1000D is overkill for most people. But if you happen to need a case for dual systems, multiple 480 mm radiators (or both), then this is really the only option. Don’t expect all that space to come cheap, though.

Beyond the exorbitant price and niche appeal, the only real negative we can see is the relatively limited amount of included drive bays. Sure, space for six 2.5” drives and five 3.5” drives is decent compared to your average mid-tower. But it still pales in comparison to the Phanteks Enthoo Luxe’s 11 2.5” drive mounts (all included) and 12 3.5” mounts.

But if storage is less important than sheer water cooling grunt or dual system support, this is your case.

Thermaltake Tower 900

Thermaltake is known for its eye-catching cases, and the Tower 900 is no exception. In fact, it might be one of the company’s most attractive cases. That’s saying a lot when it’s a company with a bunch of great open-air cases in its product lineup.

The Tower 900’s unique selling point is right there in the name. It’s a tempered glass-clad tower with a vertical layout that’s perfect for showing off your water cooling. Like our other full-tower case choices, the Tower 900 has a multi-chamber internal layout. The main chamber, which faces the front, houses your internal components and reservoirs. The rear compartment is where your radiators, cabling, PSU, and storage go.

Despite the Tower 900’s size, the layout and design mean you only really have space for two radiators. That said, this won’t be an issue as the PC case supports 480 mm and 560 mm radiators simultaneously.

You won’t have to choose between fans and radiators, either. The Tower 900 will still have free fan mounts in the top and rear of the case, even with two radiators installed. Great for keeping some heavily overclocked RAM or hot NVMe SSDs cool.

Thermaltake includes two dedicated reservoir mounts in the Tower 900’s main chamber. Unfortunately, these only work with the company’s own products by default. That’s fine if you’re buying water cooling parts specifically for the case, but it’s something to watch out for if you plan to use components you already have.

the Thermaltake Tower 900 isn’t for everyone. Do you have the skills to pull off a clean hardline build and want to show it off in the best way possible? This has to be one of the cases on your list. If not, we’d recommend just going for the Phanteks Enthoo Luxe 2.

Best Micro-ATX Water Cooling Cases

Now we’re starting to creep into slightly more niche territory. You’ll have to get creative with your loop’s component choice and layout once you start building liquid-cooled Micro-ATX cases. But there’s a lot of potential for interesting builds here if you know what you’re doing.

Corsair Crystal 280X RGB

If you’ve been keeping up with our content, you’ll probably have noticed that the Corsair Crystal 280X RGB has featured in quite a few of our case roundups. And it’s for a good reason: the Crystal 280X RGB is one of the best-looking and best-designed cases in the Micro-ATX form factor.

The Crystal 280X RGB has a dual-chamber design that separates the core components of your system (such as the motherboard, CPU, and GPU) from your PSU and storage. The usual benefit of this is improved cooling, as there aren’t any drive cages to get in the way of airflow.

But the absence of drive cages in the main compartment also makes the 280X RGB a perfect case for water cooling. The open layout gives you enough room for three 240 mm radiators in the case’s front, top, and bottom. If you go without a front radiator, you can opt for 280 mm units in the top and bottom.

As with all of Corsair’s RGB-equipped cases, the 280X RGB is an iCUE-equipped PC case that comes with two LL120 fans from the factory. While the LL120s look great, we’d recommend swapping them for fans with improved static pressure if you’re looking to build a fully liquid-cooled computer in the 280X RGB.

Overall, the Corsair Crystal 280X RGB is a solid option for a water-cooled Micro-ATX build. Not many Micro-ATX cases on Amazon will let you fit three 240 mm radiators; if that’s something you need, then the Crystal 280X RGB has to be at the top of your list. And even if you don’t, it’s still a great water cooling-friendly PC case that’s well worth checking out.

The Crystal 280X RGB is available in black and white.

Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX

Like with our mid-tower case recommendations, we’re aware that not everyone likes the idea of a cube-shaped PC case. The Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX is for those who want to stick with the mATX form factor but prefer a more traditional tower layout.

The tower layout means that you won’t be able to fit three 240 mm radiators simultaneously like in the Corsair case, but two 240 mm radiators or a 280 mm and 240 mm combination will still offer plenty of water cooling for even enthusiast-grade parts.

You can fit a 360 mm radiator in the front, but you will have to remove the 3.5” drive cage to do so. We’d generally recommend two 240 mm radiators to maximize your loop’s surface area, but a single 360 mm will also work if you don’t mind sacrificing the 3.5” drive bays.

The Evolv mATX only has two 2.5” drive mounts, though, so sacrificing the 3.5” bay might not be ideal if you need a lot of storage. But limited storage isn’t a problem unique to the Evolv mATX, so we won’t count it as a real significant negative. That said, the Corsair Crystal 280X has one extra 2.5” mount, which can make all the difference depending on your setup.

The Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX is definitely a PC case worth checking out if you want a Micro-ATX-sized water cooling case. It’s priced reasonably for what you’re getting, and it has all the features and design details you’ll need to get a custom loop going.

Best Mini-ITX Water Cooling Cases

This is where things get serious. You’d better have your wits and knowledge about you because building a water cooling loop in a mini-ITX case is going to test your skills and patience. But the reward may just be worth the effort, as you’ll have a build that’ll keep your components running at excellent temperatures while still being small enough to chuck in a bag.

Louqe Ghost S1

Louqe’s Ghost S1 is a sleek, minimalist small form factor (SFF) case perfect for a portable liquid-cooled PC. Sure, it isn’t the only SFF case you can fit a loop into, but it’s one of the few that’s readily available online. Louque has also designed “TopHats” that can be added to the Ghost S1 to increase the case’s height to make it even more suited for water cooling.

Louqe sells three TopHats in small, medium, and large sizes. The large TopHat is what you want for the best water cooling performance, as the extra 2.2 inches of height is perfect for a 240 mm radiator. The TopHats can be installed on the top or bottom of the case, allowing you to expand the case in either direction.

Or you could install two TopHats and run dedicated radiators for your CPU and GPU. Sure, it’ll cost you an extra $110 over the PC case itself, which is already very pricey. But that’s not something you can pull off with just any SFF case.

You can, of course, run the Ghost S1 with an exposed 240 mm radiator, but we’d only recommend that if you’re diligent about keeping your environment and PC clean and dust-free.

Beyond the TopHats, the Louqe Ghost S1 has a few features that make it perfect for water cooling. The motherboard tray has a generous cutout for water cooling pipes, and you also get “zip tight holes” for water pipes in the top panel. These will help with pipe runs which are essential in such a compact case.

The Louqe Ghost S1 is an impressive SFF case that’s well-thought-out and flexible enough for even enthusiast-grade water cooling. That said, SFF water cooling isn’t for everyone. Fitting components is a hassle, and you’re spending a lot of money and effort for cooling performance you could get for cheaper in a larger case.

But if you want to keep dimensions low and cooling performance high, few cases are as ideal as the Loque Ghost S1. The all-aluminum body also exudes quality and makes the Ghost S1 feel like the premium product that its price says it should be. The Ghost S1 is available in three colors: Limestone (white), Ash (black), and Pangea (moss green), all with matching TopHats.

Antec Striker

Antec’s Striker is a rare beast amongst PC cases. It’s a Mini-ITX case designed expressly for custom water cooling loops. It’s an open-frame case designed to offer a “challenge” to “experienced modders.”

The standout feature of the Striker is its GPU mounting setup. Unlike almost every other PC case you’ve seen, your GPU goes in the front of the Striker. Thankfully, Antec includes a riser cable with the Striker so that you won’t have to wait around for one if you don’t have a spare laying around.

The GPU is mounted on an adjustable “GPU rack” that moves up and down to accommodate different GPU sizes. That said, you’re still limited to graphics cards that measure 5.9 x 2.3 x 13 inches (D x W x H). It should be enough for most cards but do check your card before committing to the Striker.

The front-mounted GPU is perfect for showing off a killer GPU waterblock. While you can install a standard air-cooled GPU there, we’d advise against it because of potential dust issues. That said, nothing’s really stopping you from rocking an air-cooled GPU in the Striker. Beyond the 2.3-inch maximum thickness, that is.

Antec’s Striker is definitely going to split opinion. On the one hand, it’s an eye-catching case that should be the perfect canvas for some creative modding. On the other hand, it’s a bit silly to have a “Mini-ITX” case that’s almost the same size as a standard mid-tower. It’s definitely not a practical case.

But practicality goes out the window if you want to build a showcase rig that’ll display your creativity and design skills. If that appeals to you, the Antec Striker might just be the Mini-ITX case you’ve been waiting for.

Closing Thoughts

There are no one-size-fits-all choices when it comes to picking out the best water cooling case for your next build. But the best PC cases all share a few essential features. These include open interior layouts that can accommodate multiple water cooling radiators, tempered glass panels to show off your painstakingly assembled loop, and extra touches such as fill ports and pre-drilled reservoir mounts.

The Lian-Li O11 Dynamic is the default choice for water cooling these days, so it’s definitely a solid starting point. If you want a case that’ll just work, it’s probably your best choice. But every item on our list has something unique to offer, so maybe take a chance and see how you get on. All the best!​