Best PC Cases For Water Cooling Buying Guide: With Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA releasing more powerful processors and graphics cards every year, the cooling requirements for a desktop computer have also significantly increased, with manufacturers relying on beefier heatsinks and all-in-one liquid cooling solutions. However, custom loop water cooling has become one of the most effective and aesthetically pleasing methods to keep a PC cool in recent years. It performs exceptionally in terms of thermals and also transforms regular old desktop towers into a gorgeous showpiece.
Now there are a few obvious drawbacks of custom loop water cooling, with the first being cost. Buying individual radiators, tubes, fittings, coolant, CPU and GPU water blocks, pump-reservoir combo, fan controllers, and other components essential for a custom cooling loop can cost as much as an entry-level gaming PC.
Secondly, planning out a custom loop can be quite time-consuming and very challenging to build, even for a veteran DIY PC builder. And finally, such cooling solutions require a lot of interior space inside a computer chassis since there are so many additional components to fit in.
If you are up for the challenge nonetheless, odds are you have already figured out everything else except the case, which is why you are here. Lucky for you, we have gone through some of the best PC cases for water cooling and selected a few that we consider better than the rest in this guide.
The Best PC Cases For Water Cooling
Whether you need a large case that can fit in many fans and radiators, a regular mid-tower chassis that has more than enough room for custom cooling hardware, or a modular enclosure that’s easier to build a custom loop into, we have got you covered.
Check out our following picks to find yourself the best case for water cooling. We have thoroughly discussed and briefly detailed the pros and cons of every case on this list. It’s so that you know what you are getting.
1. Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic
- Form Factor: Mid-tower
- Dimensions (W x H x D):7 x 17.5 x 17.5 inches
- Weight:7 kg / 21.3 lbs
- Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Radiator Support: 360mm / 240mm / 280mm
- I/O: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 3.1 (Type-C), 2 x HD Audio
- Materials: Aluminum, Steel, Tempered Glass
- Warranty: 2 Years
Lian Li makes some of the most stunning water cooling case PC cases out there, and its PC-O11 Dynamic is no exception. The case not only looks good but is also functional and easy to build into at the same time. It’s spacious enough to accommodate a custom water cooling loop, providing plenty of radiator mounting spots and support for two power supply units.
From pictures, you may mix up the Lian Li O11 Dynamic with other PC cases on the market, but it’s something unique. This is a stylish, well-engineered enclosure that manages to simultaneously look elegant and be extremely functional. Lian Li also partnered up with extreme overclocker der8auer to ensure the case has optimal cooling properties to keep OC’ed CPU and GPU temperatures at bay.
Speaking of cooling, the O11 Dynamic offers clearance for up to three 360mm radiators. It also supports up to nine 120mm fans, allowing air to flow inside the case through the three dust filters. Additionally, the case has plenty of room for up to an E-ATX motherboard.
There’s enough space for six 2.5” and three 3.5” drives, along with eight PCIe expansion slots. One highlight of this case is that users can remove the HDD cage to fit in a secondary PSU. The O11 Dynamic is particularly great for a clean custom water cooling build, thanks to its cable management features.
It’s worth mentioning that the Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic also has a “Mini” version. Despite being more compact than the original, it supports up to a standard ATX motherboard, but you do have to opt for an SFX power supply unit.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Gorgeous design and spacious interior |
Doesn’t include any fans |
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Supports up to three radiators |
The dust filters come off too easily |
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EKWB offers a special distro plate for this case |
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2. Thermaltake Tower 900
- Form Factor: Full-tower
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 19 x 16.7 x 29.6 inches
- Weight: 25.5 kg / 54 lbs
- Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Radiator Support: 480mm / 560mm
- I/O: 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x HD Audio
- Materials: SGCC Steel, Tempered Glass
- Warranty: 3 Years
The Thermaltake Tower 900 is a computer case of its class, oddly resembling those claw machines found in arcades and shopping malls. Given its massive size, it doesn’t even cost more than other full-tower PC cases. But if you are looking for the best case for water cooling, this is about as solid as it can get.
With nearly double the width of a typical tower, the Thermaltake Tower 900 is built to showcase incredibly complex custom water-cooled builds. The spacious interior accepts up to 14 120mm/140mm fans in total, with support for two gigantic 480mm and 560mm radiators on the left and right sides. This much room for rads, pumps, reservoirs, and tubings makes this case a paradise for enthusiast PC builders.
The Tower 900 has space for up to a large E-ATX board. It also offers a vertical mount for graphics cars. In terms of storage expansion, you can install up to eight 2.5” drives (or six 3.5” and two 2.5” drives). The HDD rack is removable in case you want more space for ventilation and cable management.
The top-front I/O panel is quite handy, featuring four USB 3.0 Type-A ports for high-speed data transfer, 3.5 mm jacks for headphones and mics, alongside the power and reset switches. Unfortunately, there’s no USB Type-C port found on the Thermaltake Tower 900.
The use of SGCC steel and three 5mm thick tempered glass panels contribute to the case’s 24.5 kg weight. But once you build an entire system into the Tower 900, it would be a very challenging chassis to move around. Thus, it’s highly recommended you build the PC on the same desk where you plan to keep it.
The Thermaltake Tower 900 is an excellent case for anyone planning to work on a custom water cooling PC build. Most of the panels, racks, and brackets inside this case are dismantlable, so you get plenty of space to build your system freely.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Massive interior for water-cooled builds |
I/O panel lacks a USB-C port |
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Supports up to a 560mm radiator |
Huge and heavy |
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Ample amount of storage expansion |
It isn’t the most user-friendly case to build into |
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3. Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB
- Form Factor: Mid-tower
- Dimensions (W x H x D):65 x 20.47 x 20.47 inches
- Weight:84 kg / 30.51 lbs
- Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Radiator Support: 360mm / 280mm / 240mm
- I/O: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 3.1 (Type-C), 1 x Audio In/Out
- Materials: SGCC Steel, Plastic, Tempered Glass
- Warranty: 2 Years
The best pc case for water cooling must also be an attractive one but not thermally restricted by any means. Thankfully, Corsair has scored big on both fronts with its iCUE 5000X RGB, a mid-tower chassis for anyone looking to build a custom water-cooling PC in a more reasonably sized case.
Due to the general lack of space, most mid-tower cases are not suitable for water-cooled builds, but the iCUE 5000X RGB is an exception. While not as big as a full tower, it surprisingly offers ample space for intricate water cooling loops, along with ten 120mm fans at the top, front, right, and rear sides of the case. In addition. there’s an expansion potential for multiple radiators, including up to three 360mm units in front, top, and next to the motherboard tray.
The rest of the iCUE 5000X RGB is brilliantly designed too. It’s covered by four tempered glass panels, with dust-filtered air channels behind them to allow users to showcase their builds without obstructing too much airflow. There’s also 25mm of space behind the motherboard tray for clean cable management, though you can choose to conceal it with the detachable steel door.
PCIe expansion-wise, the case has nine horizontal slots and two vertical ones for a vertical GPU mount. It fits up to four 2.5” and two 3.5” storage drives. The iCUE 5000X even accommodates an E-ATX motherboard if you want to. The top-mounted I/O panel features two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a single USB 3.1 Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack, and the power and reset buttons.
The 5000X also comes with three front-mounted 120mm Corsair SP RGB Elite fans, offering concentrated airflow inside the case at near-silent noise levels. The included iCUE Lighting Node CORE hub allows you to control and synchronize the RGB lighting and RPM on the included fans through the Corsair iCUE application. All it requires is a USB 2.0 header on your motherboard. The hub also provides additional connections for three more fans, with up to six fans in total.
The Corsair iCUE 5000X is best suited for smaller desk setups, but the sheer interior volume also makes this mid-tower chassis great for custom water cooling. It’s available in both black and white colors and is covered by two years of warranty.
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Cons |
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More than enough space for water-cooling hardware |
PSU shroud can cause clearance issues |
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Comes with three 120mm RGB fans |
Sort of expensive for a mid-tower case |
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Surrounded by four tempered glass panels |
Managing the fan cables can be a mess |
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4. Corsair Obsidian 1000D
- Form Factor: Super-tower
- Dimensions (W x H x D):88 x 31.49 x 31.49 inches
- Weight: 5 kg / 65.03 lbs
- Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Radiator Support: 480mm / 420mm / 360mm / 280mm
- I/O: 4 x USB 3.1, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-C), 2 x Audio In/Out
- Materials: Aluminum, Steel, Tempered Glass
- Warranty: 2 Years
The Corsair Obsidian 1000D is simply an enormous case, capable of fitting two PC builds inside. Yes, you read that right. You can fit in two motherboards, two power supply units, and more in just a single enclosure. It’s a true super-tower chassis reserved only for the best water-cooling builds.
Cooling-wise, this behemoth of a case allows the installation of two 480mm radiators on the front, up to a 420mm unit on the top, and an additional 240mm on the back. It even has enough clearance for up to four 480mm radiators in a stacked configuration, which is outright overkill cooling inside a single case. And it just doesn’t end here.
The Obsidian 1000D has up to 18 120mm fan mounts, with eight fans on the front, eight additional fans on the top, and two fans on the back. Optionally, you can have three 140mm fans on both the front and top sides of the case depending on the radiator sizes. There also are mounting points for a pump and reservoir combo inside.
This cooling case supports four different fan and radiator configurations. Plus, the tool-less, slide-out mounting trays on the front and top make fan and radiator installation effortless. The slide-out dust filters are also easy to take out.
One of the key elements of the Obsidian 1000D is its dual motherboard layout. The vertical motherboard tray supports up to an SSI-EEB or E-ATX motherboard, with eight PCIe expansion slots. Then there’s the horizontal tray on the base, allowing up to a mini-ITX board to be installed, along with a vertically mounted dual-slot PCIe add-on or graphics card. The rear panel does have two I/O cut-outs for both motherboards. There are two mounting spots for an ATX and an SFX power supply unit.
Another highlight of the Obsidian 1000D is its French door-style cable routing compartments, allowing builders to not only conceal their messy cable management job but also up to five 3.5” HDDs and six 2.5” SSDs. The HDD tray can be removed to make room for an additional pump and reservoir combo.
Behind the compartment is where a Corsair Commander PRO hub resides, granting full RPM and lighting controls for up to six fans via the Corsair iCUE software. The RGB LED-illuminated front panel I/O is also packed. It features four USB 3.1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C ports, and two 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks.
The potential for a giant and roomy case like the Obsidian 1000D is immense. For instance, you can put a beastly gaming PC and a capable streaming PC, then build a custom water cooling loop for both of them inside the same enclosure. Both will have concurrent access to an ample amount of cooling and airflow.
Then again, the use of steel, aluminum, and thick tempered glass panels make the Obsidian 1000D an extremely heavy case, coming in just under 30 kilos. A finished build will unlikely ever move from your desk.
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Cons |
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Ideal for enthusiast water-cooled builds |
Extremely large and heavy |
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Supports up to 18 fan mounts and 4 large radiators |
Very expensive |
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Built-in smart lighting and fan controller |
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5. Thermaltake Core P3
- Form Factor: Mid-tower
- Dimensions (W x H x D):1 x 20.2 x 18.5 inches
- Weight:3 kg / 22.7 lbs
- Motherboard Support: ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Radiator Support: 420mm / 360mm / 280mm / 240mm
- I/O: 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x HD Audio
- Materials: SPCC Steel, Tempered Glass
- Warranty: 3 Years
If you are planning a showcase build without spending a fortune on a case, the Thermaltake Core P3 is a fantastic choice. It’s an open-frame chassis with no front, rear, top, or bottom panels. The only transparent side panel is made of 5mm thick tempered glass and is detachable from the chassis by undoing a few screws.
In fact, every part of this case is detachable, whether it’s the steel panels, racks, brackets, covers, or mounting plates. The modular design makes the Core P3 very easy to work with and one of the best PC cases for water cooling. It’s also aesthetically brilliant, and you can get it in either black, white, or red color.
Since almost everything is placed onto the side of the Core P3, you can install up to a 360/420mm radiator for a custom loop water-cooling build. Although you can only have three 120/140mm fans installed on the radiator, there’s no need to worry about airflow due to the case’s open nature.
The motherboard tray takes up to an ATX-size board, and you get eight vertically laid expansion slots for vertical GPU and PCIe add-on card mounts. The bottom of the case has enough clearance for a full-sized ATX PSU, along with a reservoir and pump combo. In terms of storage expansion, the Core P3 offers two 3.5” and three 2.5” drive mounts outside the chassis, and two additional 2.5/3.5” drive mounts on the other side of the motherboard tray.
The front I/O consists of two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and dual 3.5 mm audio jacks for headphones and mics. This case has been around for quite some time now, so it lacks a Type-C USB port.
The clever design allows the Core P3 for use in vertical and horizontal orientations. You can even mount the case to the wall to show off your custom loop water-cooled PC and save yourself some desk space at the same time. The steel back panel does have holes for a wall bracket mount, but you will need to buy it separately.
Overall, the Core P3 is the ideal blank canvas for extreme liquid-cooled builds. Thermaltake is kind enough to include a PCIe riser cable for the vertical GPU mount, but it only maxes out at Gen 3 speeds. If you plan to put a newer NVIDIA Ampere or AMD RDNA 2 graphics card in your build, you must get a PCIe 4.0 x16 riser cable like this one.
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Cons |
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A unique open chassis design |
Included PCIe riser cable maxes out at 3.0 speeds |
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Easy to build a water-cooled PC |
Prone to accumulate more dust |
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Unrestricted airflow |
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6. be quiet! Silent Base 802 (water cooled pc case)
- Form Factor: Mid-tower
- Dimensions (W x H x D):06 x 21.22 x 21.77 inches
- Weight:15 kg / 28.9 lbs
- Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
- Radiator Support: 420mm / 360mm / 140mm
- I/O: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-C), 2 x HD Audio
- Materials: Steel, Tempered Glass
- Warranty: 3 Years
If you want your custom water cooled PC to operate at whisper-quiet noise levels, the Silent Base 802 from be quiet! is the cooling PC case to buy. It has a subtle design that looks industrial, and the sheer focus on airflow, thermal properties, and noise levels is simply astounding.
The Silent Base 802 is a mid-tower chassis, but it’s slightly on the larger side. It can house up to a 420mm radiator on the front, 360mm on the top, and up to a 140mm unit on the back. It’s more than enough for a custom loop configuration.
Similarly, you can install up to three 120/140mm fans at the front, three more at the top, and a single 120/140mm fan at the rear. The front and top panels also come with removable dust filters to keep the insides dust-free. Additionally, the Silent Base 802 includes two interchangeable front panels, giving you the option to maintain lower noise levels with the solid front or maximize airflow with the mesh front.
The motherboard tray supports up to E-ATX boards. Since it’s removable, you can install it alongside the left panel for an inverted layout. You get nine expansion slots in total for your graphics card and other PCIe add-on cards. Two of them are for a vertical GPU mount.
The cosmetic shroud covers the PSU, power cables, and the HDD cage. Note that you will need to remove it to install a front radiator larger than 280mm. This be quiet! case also offers a serious amount of storage expansion, with room for up to fifteen 2.5” SSDs and seven 3.5” mechanical hard drives.
The front I/O panel is also quite modern. It features two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a single USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port, and dual 3.5mm audio jacks. There’s also an RPM toggle for the preinstalled fans that are connected to the built-in fan controller. Note that the hub doesn’t offer any software-based lighting controls.
The main selling point of the Silent Base 802 is its superb noise dampening capabilities. The front and side panels come with 10mm thick dampening mats to isolate the fan and pump noise. The three included 140mm Pure Wings 2 fans also operate at near-silent noise levels while offering solid airflow.
Overall, the be quiet! Silent Base 802 is an exceptional case for a water-cooled PC, especially for its potent noise dampening features, roomy interior, and semi-modular design. It’s available in black and white colors, but make sure you choose the one with the tempered glass side window to showcase your build.
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Cons |
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Excellent design and premium build quality |
Cable management can be a challenge |
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Optimized for silence |
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Amazing airflow and radiator support |
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How to choose the best case for water cooling?
While you can purchase any mid-tower or full-tower case for water cooled PC build, it’s best to keep a few vital factors into consideration. Here’s what you should look out for when buying the best PC case for water cooling:
● Motherboard Support: This is very important if you have already purchased a motherboard for your water-cooled PC build. Most mid and full-tower cases support at least the standard ATX-size boards, but E-ATX compatibility may vary.
● Radiator Support: If you want the best thermal performance, the PC case you plan to buy must support multiple radiators that are as large as 360mm. Some chassis even provide ample clearance for 480mm and 560mm radiators.
However, you also need to verify whether a case has enough space for a pump and reservoir combo or a distribution plate.
● Dimensions: It’s vital to choose a case with proper dimensions depending on your desk space. If you want a roomy interior for packing beefy water-cooling hardware and tidy cable management, go for a large full-tower or super-tower case.
But if you have tight desk space, a reasonably sized mid-tower case would be perfect. That said, it would be a bit difficult to build a clean, custom water-cooling loop inside.
Other decision-making factors include I/O, storage expansion, dust filters, included accessories, etc. Since you are building a PC with custom loop water cooling, the price shouldn’t be much of a concern.
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Wrapping up
If you are in search of the best case for water cooling, our suggestions are a good place to start. In this buying guide, we have highlighted the very best PC cases for water cooling, with a variety of options from renowned brands like be quiet!, Corsair, Lian Li, and Thermaltake. You will find buy links to every case mentioned on the above list.
If we are allowed to make a recommendation, the Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic is one of the most affordable, versatile, and easiest water cooling PC cases to work with. But those who want to go overboard with extreme cooling solutions should go for either the Corsair Obsidian 1000D or the Thermaltake Tower 900.
Which water cooling PC case on this list is your favorite? Do you have any suggestions for other water cooling PC cases? Let us know in the comments below!
