The PC case design trend has gradually moved into minimalist territory in recent years. NZXT was renowned in the industry for offering simple, yet effective designs for its PC cases, and other manufacturers are following suit. If you’re not looking for a PC case that’s too flashy, our collection of the best minimalist PC cases will come in handy. We consider a minimalist PC case to have few accents and elements for a clean aesthetic and are often found among the best PC cases, but we’ll also include some more budget-friendly options.
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Source: NZXT
NZXT H9 Flow
Best Overall
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Source: Corsair
Corsair 5000D Airflow
Runner-up
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Source: Fractal Design
Fractal Design North
Best Premium
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Phanteks Evolv Shift 2
Best Compact
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Source: Vetroo
Vetroo AL-MESH-7C
Best Value
The very best minimalist PC cases you can buy
Source: NZXT
NZXT H9 Flow
Best Overall
NZXT is king of minimalism and the H9 Flow is the king of cases.
NZXT H9 Flow is a premium mid-tower chassis from the reputable brand, offering a unique take on the traditional PC case design. It has ample support for water cooling, excellent thermal performance, and a gorgeous aesthetic.
- Motherboard Size (Max.)
- ATX
- Graphics Card Size (Max.)
- 435 mm
- 3.5″ Drive Slots
- 2
- 2.5″ Drive Slots
- 4+2
- Power Supply Size (Max.)
- 200 mm
- Exterior Dimensions
- 495 x 466 x 290 mm
Pros
- Gorgeous design
- Best-in-class cable management
- Excellent thermal performance
Choosing a minimalist-looking PC case is an easy job nowadays with the evolution of chassis design. If we were to recommend one as the top pick, it would be the NZXT H9 Flow. The brand has excelled in this category of cases for many years now and its collection of matte black and white cases is a favorite among many within the community. These PC cases offer some of the best cable management in the business, excellent cooling support with frequent 360mm radiator mounts, and good thermal performance. The NZXT H9 Flow is a hero PC case, as showcased in our in-depth review.
We found it to be an almost perfect PC case (and one of the best mid-tower PC cases), thanks to its stunning design reminiscent of the Lian Li O11 Dynamic series. There’s ample support for water cooling with the H9 Flow, including space for up to three 360mm radiators, making it possible to go all out with your own custom open-loop solution. It’s a little on the pricey side, especially compared to our other recommendations here, but we believe the NZXT H9 to be well worth it if you want one of the very best PC cases to build a system.
Source: Corsair
Corsair 5000D Airflow
Runner-up
Corsair cut it back to the basics and created something special.
$160 $175 Save $15
The Corsair 5000D Airflow is an impressive piece of kit with a simple, yet elegant design. The front panel has large cut-outs for allowing mounted fans to pull in cool air. A large side tempered glass window will showcase all the components installed within and support for up to a 360mm radiator ensures everything will run cool.
Pros
- Stunning design
- Large internal space
- Solid thermal performance
The Corsair 5000D Airflow is essentially a larger version of the 4000D Airflow we’ve recommended in other collections. We’ve selected it here as one of our larger PC cases, though it still fits comfortably within the mid-tower segment. Up front is a perforated front panel for maximizing airflow, but the rest of the panels rock a sleek design with very little noise. The side tempered glass window is massive, allowing plenty of colored light out. This is one of those cases whereby it’s easy to install a system inside, but it’ll look like a premium prebuilt PC once you’re up and running.
For cooling, it’s possible to cram inside not one but two 360mm radiators, and two Corsair blowers are included for good measure. Dust filters cover all the intake panels, including the top, bottom, and front panels, as well as the PSU area. As an added bonus, two of the 11 available PCI slots are vertical, making it possible to install the GPU without the use of the best vertical GPU mounts (you will still require a riser cable, however). Corsair makes some excellent hardware and the 5000D Airflow is a solid choice for a minimalist PC.
Source: Fractal Design
Fractal Design North
Best Premium
Add some wood to your office with this stunning natural case.
Fractal Design North is a unique take on the mid-tower PC case. It has a bespoke design with real natural materials. The front mesh panel is accented by strips of real walnut or oak. The design is complemented by sleek brass or steel details and an integrated tab for easy access to the top of the case. Then there are the multiple mesh panels that create a stunning look.
- Motherboard Size (Max.)
- ATX
- Graphics Card Size (Max.)
- 355 mm
- 3.5″ Drive Slots
- 2
- 2.5″ Drive Slots
- 2
- Power Supply Size (Max.)
- 155 – 255 mm
- Exterior Dimensions
- 447 x 215 x 469 mm
Pros
- Unique design
- Good thermals
- Natural materials
The Fractal Design North was designed for those who want something a little different. It’s an elegant-looking PC case with good use of real wood on the front panel. Fractal Design has always focused on creating cases that emit less noise without sacrificing thermal performance. The Fractal Design North isn’t the quietest PC case around, but it’s not attempting to win any awards for acoustic insulation. The front, top, and side panels are full of perforated holes that emit sound from within, but they counter that with excellent airflow. Install a 360mm radiator on the front panel, and you’ll be good to go with the latest and greatest from AMD or Intel.
The case isn’t designed to be flashy, which is why Fractal Design includes two fans without RGB lighting. In fact, we’d recommend against RGB lighting just about anywhere on the inside as there’s no tempered glass side panel unless you pick the model with the window. It would create a unique effect with light shining through the three panels, but you won’t be able to see as much as you would with glass on other cases. The inside is almost completely bare, aside from the PSU shroud for hiding away unnecessary cabling. Speaking of which, Fractal Design provides ample space behind the motherboard tray for routing all the connections between hardware. It’s easy to create a clean PC with the North.
Phanteks Evolv Shift 2
Best Compact
Use your available desk space wisely with this ITX chassis.
$105 $110 Save $5
The Phanteks Evolv Shift 2 is one of the best-looking PC cases on the market. It’s not the easiest case to work with but enthusiasts will find plenty to like about it.
- Motherboard Size (Max.)
- Mini-ITX
- Graphics Card Size (Max.)
- 335 mm
- 3.5″ Drive Slots
- 1
- 2.5″ Drive Slots
- 4
- Exterior Dimensions
- 170 x 490 x 274 mm
Pros
- Gorgeous looks
- Compact design
Cons
- Maximum 120mm radiator
- Limited space
Looking for a Mini-ITX case for a small form factor PC build? Look no further than the Phanteks Evolv Shift 2. It’s a stunner with a tower design that saves desk space and allows for a powerful system to be installed inside a compact chassis. It’s aluminum and well-built with all the sides and panels being easily removed for 360-degree access to everything contained within. You will be limited to Mini-ITX motherboards and some care will need to be taken with the choice of CPU cooling and the GPU, but the Phanteks Evolv Shift 2 is surprisingly spacious.
GPUs with a width of up to 2.9 slots can be installed inside this case and SFX or SFX-L power supplies have to be used, as an ATX unit simply won’t fit. A single 120mm fan is included, but an additional two can be installed. The maximum size for a radiator is 120mm so choosing an AIO can be a little challenging. Still, Phanteks was able to include mounting for 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives, which should come in handy, as Mini-ITX motherboards don’t typically come with more than two M.2 slots. Finally, the tempered glass window allows one to gaze inside.
Source: Vetroo
Vetroo AL-MESH-7C
Best Value
Save a little without sacrificing quality design.
$120 $130 Save $10
The Vetroo AL-MESH-7C is an impressive PC case from the up-and-coming brand. It almost completely flips the traditional case on its head with the power supply installed up front, freeing the rest of the case for maximum airflow.
- Motherboard Size (Max.)
- ATX
- Graphics Card Size (Max.)
- 325 mm
- 3.5″ Drive Slots
- 2
- 2.5″ Drive Slots
- 2
- Power Supply Size (Max.)
- 180 mm
- Exterior Dimensions
- 452 x 221 x 409 mm
Pros
- Stunning design
- fits a 360mm radiator
Cons
- Awkward-looking PSU shroud
We’ve awarded the Vetroo AL-MESH-7C with the best value badge, but it’s also a strong consideration for the top spot. Sure, it’s more affordable than many cases out there, but Vetroo has to make a name for itself and the AL-MESH-7C is a great way to do so. This chassis does things a little differently in that the PSU is actually installed behind the front panel, as opposed to beneath a shroud as is tradition nowadays. This frees up space around the motherboard, making it easier to install radiators and route cables, resulting in a clean look. Throw in a large tempered glass side panel and a sleek exterior, and you’ve got one gorgeous PC case.
That PSU location is great aside from the rather awkward bar that covers it toward the front. It would have been good to see Vetroo do something different here, as it looks almost unfinished. The rest of the case is excellent, including some cable management (though not on par with the likes of NZXT) and plenty of options for cooling. We’d recommend choosing one of the best liquid CPU coolers you can afford to use inside the Vetroo AL-MESH-7C.
Choosing the best minimalist PC case
We’re big fans of the NZXT H9 Flow for many reasons. First, it’s one of the best-looking cases in the collection. There are so many options for configuring an AIO liquid cooling solution, and it’s incredibly easy to use. The cable management is second to none, and while no RGB hardware is included with the case itself, using your own ARGB fans and completely transforms the H9 Flow. If you’re looking for something a little more affordable, we’d go with the Vetroo AL-MESH-7C.
Source: NZXT
NZXT H9 Flow
Best Overall
The very best in minimalistic design for a PC.
NZXT H9 Flow is a premium mid-tower chassis from the reputable brand, offering a unique take on the traditional PC case design. It has ample support for water cooling, excellent thermal performance, and a gorgeous aesthetic.