TOP 5 Midi Tower Gaming PC Cases

Aerocool GT-A without PSU

The GT-A is part of the GT lineup, which sits between the low-cost GT-R and GT series and the flagship full tower model GT-S. The design of the case contains arrow-shaped elements and stylized air intakes, which give it a slightly aggressive look, although not as brutal as the PGS Xpredator Cube. The interesting appearance of the system is complemented by a tinted acrylic window on the left side, which opens a view of the system components.

The strength of the GT-A is the control panel, which, in addition to the ports (including one USB 3.0), houses two fan controls. With their help, you can choose the rotation speed or stop of pre-installed coolers: one on the front panel, and the second on the back. The coolers are relatively noisy (26.5 dB), but they do their job well - the components cool well. The case has 5 areas for installing 120mm fans. So the system can be improved. Another interesting detail is that on the top panel, behind a sliding door, there is a SATA port for connecting a 2.5″ or 3.5″ hard drive.

In our selection, the AeroCool GT-A is the most affordable and this is reflected in the quality of its construction. The case is the lightest (5.4 kg) and narrowest (185 mm) in our TOP-5. It uses a lot of plastic, including with a glossy design, and metal 0.5 mm thick. There is enough space in the case to install a CPU cooler up to 160 mm high, as well as 310 mm long boards if they are installed in expansion slots from the first to the fifth, and 280 mm long for the sixth and seventh slots. It is also worth counting on a power supply with a length of no more than 240 mm.

To reduce the cost, the manufacturer had to save on other elements. Plugs for expansion slots on the back of the case are disposable and simply break out to install cards. Legs without a rubberized base, and baskets for drives did not receive dampers to reduce vibrations. In addition, it is unlikely that it will be possible to hide the cables - there is not enough space between the case and the wall, although there are special holes.

GT-A is a good low-cost model that is suitable for building an inexpensive gaming computer. Although AeroCool is inferior to more expensive models, which will be discussed later, as a design, it outperforms ordinary cheap models.

Chieftec LIBRA LF-01B black

The Taiwanese manufacturer has cases in its arsenal for any task, and the Libre series, and the LF-01B in particular, is suitable for assembling both a gaming PC and a workstation. In our review, this is the case with the most strict design and the only model without a window on the side wall. It does, however, have several other strengths.

On the top panel there is a control unit with two USB 3.0 connectors and two reobass that control the fan speed on the front and top panels. The case is initially equipped with five red coolers with a diameter of 120 mm. Two of them are installed on the front panel, two more - on the top and one - on the back. Another fan is designed to blow the video card. In addition, you can additionally install two more 120 mm coolers on the side cover of the case. Testing www.3dnews.ru showed that the standard system does a great job of cooling components, even when the fan speed is set to a minimum. On the other hand, in the reviews there are complaints about the "work" of dust filters.

There is enough internal space for installing large-sized components, and the place for a video card, thanks to a special mounting system, reaches a length of almost 400 mm. True, for this, the manufacturer has reduced the number of bays for installing drives. The case has only two 5.25" external slots, one 3.5" external and three internal slots (there is room for a 2.5-inch SSD). Interestingly, the hard drives are installed on plastic sleds without shock absorption, but the place of the power supply (which can be changed when the motherboard is installed) is supplemented with rubber dampers. However, these are trifles, but the distance between the motherboard tray and the wall of only 8 mm is sometimes not enough for hidden cable laying.

Libra LF-01B is suitable for building a powerful and inexpensive PC due to its user-friendly design, high-quality cooling system and thoughtful control panel with cooler speed controls. Unless, of course, you like its relatively modest appearance.

Zalman Z11 Plus black

The Z11 Plus has replaced the Z9 Plus. The manufacturer redesigned the exterior of the case, but almost did not change its internal structure. Thanks to its futuristic design, Z11 Plus stands out not only among the many similar low-cost cases, but also among gaming models. Its appearance is made up of many details - decorative grilles and glossy inserts; overlays that help to bring the heated air out; tinted acrylic window, unusual "roof" and blue lighting.

Behind the bright appearance lies a strong and massive steel construction. The case weighing 7.4 kg has walls of a normal thickness of 0.8 mm(and not thin, like many cheap models). The design pleases with attention to detail. The manufacturer equipped the case with rubber feet and dampers to reduce HDD vibration. Removable dust filters minimize debris ingress. A well-implemented cable management system will help to neatly place the wires, and a special window will simplify the installation and replacement of cooling for CPU. It is also convenient that there is room for a 2.5″ SSD, and one for five 3.5″ HDD slots converts to a platform for a second SSD.

The second key feature of the Z11 Plus is an excellent cooling system, according to the experts of the resource www.overclockers.ru. It consists of five pre-installed Zalman coolers. So, cold air is blown inside by a 120 mm cooler with a bright non-switchable backlight on the front panel (it can be replaced with a 140 mm fan). On the back and top panels there is another 120 mm cooler for blowing out (the top one is also decorated with backlight). In addition, there are two 80mm coolers on the sides of the case to cool the hard drive cage. Another platform for a 120 or 140 mm cooler is located on the bottom edge, and the top cooler can be replaced with two 140 mm fans. However, the standard system will cope with the cooling of a PC like Intel Core i5 with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970.

The Z11 Plus deserves to be in the middle of our rankings and is excellent value for money. After all, it has a bright appearance, a powerful cooling system and a solid design.

Thermaltake Chaser A41 black

Thermaltake has got a model with an interesting (but not aggressive) design. The side window and LED lighting are complemented by such “chips” as a folding headphone mount and a compartment for small items. Given these nuances, it seems that the Chaser A41 will be comfortable to use on the table. However, it stands on four legs, moved apart to the sides, and, apparently, is designed for floor installation.

The advantage of this model is a thoughtful and convenient design. First, you don't need a screwdriver to install hard drives and drives. A special internal hole allows you to change the processor cooler without disassembling the computer (even with a rear mounting plate). In addition, the engineers have provided places where you can neatly place the cables: there are not only the usual rubberized holes for their covert placement, but also a small recess in the door. Secondly, a copious amount of perforations (on the bottom, top and front panel) are covered with dust filters, and the "plugs" of the external compartments are protected by foam inserts. Therefore, dust will not settle inside the case. Thirdly, the reasonable use of internal space allows you to place almost any video card (limited to 315 mm) and cooling for CPU (up to 175 mm).

The case is equipped with three coolers with blue illumination: 120 mm front, working for blowing air, 120 mm on the back wall and 200 mm on the top panel, responsible for blowing it out. According to user reviews and test results on www.33dnews.ru, it can be seen that such a cooling system does a good job of maintaining a low temperature of the components. And additional coolers should be installed if there are two video cards in the configuration. In this case, you can replace the front cooler with a 140 mm model, and the top cooler with a pair of 120 + 120 mm or 140 + 120 mm coolers. Finally, if you plan to seriously "overclock" the system, you can also use water cooling.

Chaser A41 will please the owner not only with its design and standard cooling system, but also with ease of assembly and operation. We recommend this model to those who plan to change components from time to time and do not want to clean the case from dust.

Cooler Master Storm Enforcer black

The Enforcer belongs to the CM Storm line of cases. In the Cooler Master range, it occupies a place between the low-cost Elite and K series and the top HAF and Cosmos series. According to the manufacturer, Enforcer is aimed at players and fans of LAN-party. Its catchy design with an aggressive design of the front panel wants to be shown to others, and not hidden under a computer desk.

The internal components are protected by a robust design. In our rating, this is the most massive case made of steel and plastic - its weight reaches almost 9 kg. The internal space of the case can be rescheduled depending on the components used. At the same time, a screwdriverless system for assembling and installing components is used. There is enough space inside the Enforcer to accommodate a 270mm video card (or up to 390mm if you remove the optional HDD cage) and a CPU cooler up to 175mm high. The case is equipped with 4 external 5.25" expansion bays, 6 internal slots for 3.5" drives and two 2.5" slots. I am also glad that the cable management system will help to put things in order in the accumulation of wires and hide them from the eyes, and the kit includes an adapter for installing a 2.5-inch SSD drive.

Another advantage of the Enforcer is the cooling system. It has platforms for installing four fans. Initially, two coolers are pre-installed: 200 mm behind the front panel (with bright red illumination) and 120 mm on the rear perforated edge. A test at www.overclockers.ru showed that the system is efficient: it works quietly and cools components well. Although, there are complaints about the quality of the available dust filters. The top panel will accommodate another 200mm fan, two 120mm fans, or a 240mm wide liquid cooling radiator. Therefore, you can not worry about overheating of the components during hot network battles and even use a video card with passive cooling.

This mid-range model (by Cooler Master standards) has a relatively high price in our selection. We believe the price difference to more affordable models like the Aerocool GT-A is justified due to the combination of aggressive styling, well-thought-out construction and an efficient cooling system.