The 5 Best Budget PC Cases | Best Review Guide (Tested)

You don’t need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a case to build a great PC. There are many amazing options in the sub-$100 market. These best budget PC cases not only give you performance but also allow you to spend money on things that actually matter.

In this guide, we will explore the 5 best budget PC cases that we tested ourselves. We want to provide the best advice and guidance to our readers so we’ve focused on budget-friendly options to help you make the right buy decision.

Each of these best budget PC case is tried and tested by us. We have taken size, ventilation, expandability, design, and obviously the price – into account. And we assure you that all these cases will keep you happy for several years to come. 

Best Budget PC Cases for Affordable Builds | A Quick Glance

Ranking	Best Budget PC Cases	Reviews
1.	Cougar MX330-G	5 out of 5
2.	Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L	5 out of 5
3.	AeroCool Cylon RGB Mid Tower with Acrylic Side Window	4 out of 5
4.	Thermaltake Core V1 SPCC Mini ITX Cube	4 out of 5
5.	Thermaltake Versa H15 Micro ATX Mini Tower	4 out of 5

Best Budget PC Cases for Cheap Builds | A Detailed Review

1. Cougar MX330-G

Cougar is a top brand for PC components. Their products are often built like tanks. Cougar MX330G is the tempered version of the MX330. It usually sells for $40-50. It is a more compact case than some of the others. 

The case comes with great features like a full mesh front and dust filters. At this price, we believe the tempered glass is an outstanding feature The I/O panel has four USB ports instead of two as in most cases. So, that’s impressive.

Coming to cables now. You can hide cables from the backside of the case thanks to excellent cable management. So, no more untidy and messy cables, just throw them at the back of your case. And bingo! You are done!

Two fans can be installed at each end of the case: one at the back, two at its top, and two at the top. This is not the most efficient, but it will work well enough for most builds. This also means that 360mm radiators won’t work in this case. 

This case is a great deal and can be used with high-end builds. It provides great performance along with sufficient features. This is why we ranked this case at 1st  position because it is affordable yet feature-packed.

2. Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L

The MasterBox Q300L is another high-quality yet affordable Micro-ATX case. We love how the extra 28mm of routing space allows for a tidy cable management system. It is impressive how this cheap case makes your rig look neat and clean. 

An audio jack for your headphones and mics is on the front panel has 2 USB 3.0 ports. This mini-tower case supports Micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboards. But guess what, this gaming PC case also has 5 expansion slots. Pretty impressive!

The case has magnetic dust filters at both the top and bottom. This helps to keep dust away. This is something we love about this minimalist PC case and appreciate the efforts of manufacturers for including such a feature. 

This cheapest ATX PC case is a mixed bag in aesthetics. First, the unusual design of this case makes it look attractive when you look it at for the first time. Although the side window is acrylic it adds a fine and nice aesthetic touch to this case.

Talking about the front, it is a very strange choice by Cooler Masters. The front is made of perforated metal and has a magnetic filter attached to it. But we still love its looks because it’s obvious that the gamers with fine taste will love this case.

3. AeroCool Cylon RGB Mid Tower with Acrylic Side Window

As we have mentioned earlier. We love gaming. So, we were more than pleased to get our hands on this RGB case from a brand like AeroCool. There is something about RGB LEDs, that keeps us looking at it. They are high-tech, fun, and exciting.

This case, along with its transparent side panel, screams gaming. While it is great to see its aesthetics, what matters most is whether the case can actually do the job. This is why we will take a detailed look at this cheapest ATX PC case below.

It is a mid-tower case, so, it can house all the necessary equipment for a gaming system. Here a high-end graphics card with a cooling solution is important. And, AeroCool, a  gaming-oriented product offers exactly what it promises

The problem with long graphics cards is not a concern. However, cooling is more difficult. You can mount a radiator up to 240mm in the front. However, this can still prove to be a little difficult. The fan is pre-installed in the rear and you can mount it to the top.

This case is best for those who want a professional look at a budget. This minimalist PC case is obviously attractive and we were amazed by the cable management options. So, we really love its affordability and clean looks. Grab this great gaming PC quickly!

4. Thermaltake Core V1 SPCC Mini ITX Cube Gaming Computer Case Chassis

The Thermaltake mini ITX case is our fourth pick on the list. The V1 cube is the right name for this case, which looks very much like a small cube. This ITX case is a compact and affordable case. It features a mesh design and grills around.

The radiator can be used with a 140mm radiator and has a large 200mm fan at the front. The device can hold a 285mm graphics card, which is quite impressive considering its small size. It has two 2.5-inch drives and two 3-inch drives for storage. 

This case is surprising in that it has excellent cooling and airflow. It is also very well built. This is the best case for beginners as it is smaller and easier to build. Because of the small space, cable management is easy, neat, and tidy.

The Thermaltake case does a great job of insulating fan noise. It features two USB 3.0 ports a mic jack and a headphone jack in the front. We highly recommend this best budget PC case to those who want to use it as a home theater PC.

Overall, we will conclude that go for this case if you want something adventurous and modify the standard form factor. Buy this highly demanding case before it goes out of stock. Now, grab your best gaming chair and best gaming keyboard and enjoy your games!

5.  Thermaltake Versa H15 Micro ATX Mini Tower

Thermaltake’s Versa H-Series impressed us a lot. This is a solid lineup of budget-friendly cases. We’ve provided a picture of the Thermaltake V1 above, but the Thermaltake Versa H15 is also a good option.

The Versa H15 does a great job of holding all your components in a well-constructed case. The case comes with a pre-installed 120mm fan and you get a removable disk drive bay that can hold two drives conveniently.

With this Thermaltake case, you can mount SSDs easily at the back. If you want to install beefy cooling, it’s all possible with space in the front and top panels. Both can accommodate units up to 240mm.

We were impressed by its construction quality. You will often notice that screw holes and cut-outs aren’t lined up properly in some cases, or just general flimsiness during a build. But with this case, you get the excellent finishing touch.

A dust filter is located underneath the case at the rear. The dust filter will draw air from below the case and protect your PSU as it is installed upside down. After you are done with your gaming, just remove the filter for easy cleaning!

This tower felt extremely solid throughout the entire build. Everything is lined up perfectly. We also easily replaced the panels by removing them. This proves that the designers built this product for you with maximum care.

We Believe you are a Gaming Enthusiast, You Might like Best Unique PC Cases

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the Best Budget PC Case Presently?

The best budget PC cases are:

• Cougar MX330-G
• Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L
• AeroCool Cylon RGB Mid Tower with Acrylic Side Window
• Thermaltake Core V1 SPCC Mini ITX Cube
• Thermaltake Versa H15 Micro ATX Mini Tower

Q2. Is Building a PC Cheaper?

People think that building a PC is more expensive than buying pre-built machines. A PC can actually be cheaper in the long term than buying a prebuilt build. You won’t need to replace or repair any component when you build your PC yourself. You can build a cheap gaming PC for under $100 by choosing the affordable cases mentioned below.

Q3. Can I Fit a Micro ATX Board In a Mid-tower Case?

It obviously will. All mounting holes spaced for a micro ATX board resemble those on any ATX board. The fact is there are only fewer. You can install a micro ATX board easily in any mid-tower case and it will just work fine.

Q4. What PC Case Sizes Do I Need?

Does it depend on your motherboard’s size? Although the full PC case sizes case can support the massive  E-ATX boards, it will use much space below or above your desk. 

For example, the NZXTH200i is a small case that can hold Mini-ITX boards only & is not suitable for large GPUs components. 

The common option you get here is the mid-tower case, which supports every ATX board along with some E-ATX boards. So, yes, PC case sizes do matter.

Q5. Will A Budget PC Case Work for your Build?

Yes, a budget PC case will definitely work for your PC build. It is all up to what you want from a PC case, if you want advanced features then you will need expensive PC cases. If you are happy with the standard features, a budget case is best for you. 

Any of the budget-friendly PC cases mentioned above will allow you to get a sturdy case that won’t break your budget. So, if you’re looking for a low-cost PC case to go with your next build, consider one of these options.

Q6. Do I also need Water Cooling?

It depends on many factors. You might consider water cooling if multiple fans have been installed on your unit but they are not enough to cool down your gaming system. The best thing about best budget PC cases is that they have room for a radiator for water cooling.

Q7. Are Bigger PC Cases Better?

It is a myth that a bigger PC case is better than one with fewer fans. The fact is that the compact cases can cool your CPU and GPU effectively by optimizing airflow. You don’t need to have a lot of fans if the airflow is sufficient.

A Last Piece of Advice

Although often ignored, a PC case is an essential part of your computer system. Your PC case protects all other components and allows optimal airflow to keep them running at the right temperature. So, you should choose only the best budget PC case for your build. 

We believe, now you have all the information you need to pick a case that suits your needs, be it airflow or water cooling. The list here contains the best budget cases that we tried and tested personally. Finally, which PC case did you choose? Tell us below!