6 Best Water Cooled Pc Cases 2023
There are many ways you can build your PC. What I mean is that you can go for an air-cooled PC or a custom liquid-cooled PC. With the prices of components going down, it is now possible for people to build a water-cooled PC with a decent budget. Yes, you can build a mid-tier PC with custom water cooling.
But, what makes water-cooled PC so awesome?
Well, the first thing that you will notice a liquid-cooled system is it’s aesthetic. They look the best! They look clean with no wiring, and they can also be customized based on your requirement and preferences. So, you want a system with blue-colored liquid rotating in a specific manner? Well, you can do so using custom tubing and other modifications.
Do you need a water cooled PC Case?
But, before you decide to go ahead with the article, ask yourself, do you need a water-cooled case? In general, there is no need for liquid cooling. You can run your computer with air cooling and still make it perform at its best state. However, water cooling decreases the systems temperates to acceptable levels, which improves the hardware life capacity.
But there is another risk associated with the use of liquid cooling. If the liquid spills out of the pump or the reservor, the components get damaged. In most cases, there is no warranty from damage from liquid, but if you are using AIO, then thee might be some backing or support from the manufacturer. The thing is that liquid cooling is risky, and hence you need to make up your mind before getting into it.
Another thing that should be discussed is the cost. Yes, I said in the introduction that you could build a water-cooling system with a decent budget, but there are cases where you have to spend more than your allocated budget. This can happen due to failed tubes or components required to put the custom loop to work.
If you are using AIO, then things can be much simpler and under your control. But, AIO offers fewer limitations when it comes to customization. You cannot cut the tubes and customize it according to your requirement. The AIO is also hard to repair as they come pre-build.
Finally, the last challenge you may encounter is that it is hard to build a custom water-cooled PC. It requires expert hands and good knowledge about the domain. If you are building your liquid-powered case for the first time, the chances are that you will break a few things before you get it right.
So, what things should you keep in mind before getting a pc case for water cooling? Let’s find it out below.
Things to look out for before getting water cooled computer PC case
There are many things that you need to look in a case before you pick it up to build a water-cooled one.
- Check how radiators can be mounted on the case: Does it support them at the top or side? Can you mount two radiators at the same time? Or three? The idea here is to learn how the radiators can be positioned in the case. By doing so, you will have a good idea about what the case offers and then decide if you should pick it or not.
- You also need to check the maximum size of the radiator supported by the case. Make sure to also check the maximum value for the front, top and rear positions.
- Generally, the bigger the case, the better, the more comfortable you will be when building your water-cooled PC. This is especially true for first-time buyers. However, if you are an experienced builder, you can go for smaller cases and do good with them.
- Another thing that you need to check if the case supports both AIOs or custom loops. I am saying this is because not all cases are built similarily, and you will find some cases to be work better with AIOs and others with custom water cooling.
- The case that you are getting should have proper clearance for your custom build. Some cases might not have adequate support, and that can hamper your plans for creating a custom loop.
6 Best Cases For Water Cooling Builds
Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic
What You Get
Lain Li PC-011 Dynamic is an excellent pc case that offers you an excellent opportunity to build your liquid cooling setup. The case type is ATX Mid Tower, which means that you will have ample space for putting water-cooled components in there. The side panel is tempered, which means you can watch your components in all its glory.
You can fit in here ATX, MicroATX, and even EATX motherboard.
So, what type of radiator you can put in the case? Well, you can put a 360mm radiator at the top, but it should not be wider than 125mm. You can also put a 120mm radiator for GPU. It also needs to be similar width specifications to work. You can even up to 9 fans, which can give you the flexibility to mix and match.
There is also clean space for tubing, and you will not have to compromise over.
What I liked
- Clean and modern case
- Good cable management
- Good radiator support
- Dual-chamber design
What I Disliked
- Might not be perfect for every liquid build
Key specifications
- Radiator support: Three
- Radiator positions: 360mm at side and bottom, 360mm/280mm at front
- Case Size: 20.5 x 14.4 x 22.2 inches
Thermaltake Tower 900
What You Get
If you are building a high-end computer and want to water-cooled PC, then the Thermaltake Tower 900 is a good pick!
The case supports Micro VAX, Mini ITX, EATX, and ATX motherboard. The case also offers a vertical build type, which means that you can use vertical mounting for your motherboard and build a clean water loop around it.
The front I/O port on the case includes 4 x USB 3.0 and 1 x HD Audio.
The tempered glass on the case is also thick at 5mm. Also, it offers a modular design, which makes it easy to build your water-cooled PC.
Moreover, it also supports dual-loop systems that can be water-cooled.
What I liked
- Tower design
- Easy to build
- Modular design
- No GPU Shag
What I Disliked
- Case is heavy
- The case is costly
Key specifications
- Radiator support: Two
- Radiator positions: 480mm at left, and 560mm at the right side
- Case Size: Mid-Tower,19.00 x 16.70 x 29.60 inches
Phanteks Enthoo Elite
What You Get
If budget is not a barrier for you and you want the best full tower case for liquid cooling, then you Phanteks Enthoo Elite is for you!
It is a full tower build that offers excellent casing for pc when water-cooled. The case build is also excellent as it uses a 4mm aluminum exterior. As it is a big case, it also offers the right ways to hide your cables through proper cable management.
Another unique feature of the case is its tri-chamber design with access to the cooling chamber or Isolate storage, hidden PSU, and the Main Chamber.
The case is also perfect for the longest of the graphics card. Yes, you can take the biggest graphics card out there and put it in the case, and you will still have space left! That’s why it is an excellent pc case for liquid cooling.
It also comes with a vertical GPU bracket and support for 560 mm radiators at the front and 480mm radiators that can be put at the bottom, middle, or top.
What I liked
- Great build quality
- Proper cable management opportunity
- Great radiator support
What I Disliked
- Not for everyone
- Extremely costly
Key specifications
- Radiator support: 4
- Radiator positions: 560mm at the front, 480 mm at the top, middle, and bottom
- Case Size: 24.20 x 10.60 x 29.50 inches
Thermaltake Core P3 ATX
What You Get
If you are looking for a decently priced open case for the liquid cooling build, Thermaltake Core P3 is a good pick. It offers an open-frame design that gives you excellent views from the glass side panel.
The case comes with the support with vertical GPU mount. This way, you can also showcase your GPU to everyone.
But what about liquid cooling? Well, it comes with the support of a 420 mm radiator, which you can put on the left side. You can also put 3 x 140mm or 120mm fans.
What I liked
- Panoramic open design
- Native AIO support
- Good hardware support
- Dismantlable modular design
What I Disliked
- Nothing!
Key specifications
- Radiator support: 1
- Radiator positions: 420mm at left
- Case Size: 21.30 x 7.30 x 21.60 inches
NZXT H510
What You Get
NZXT H510 is a compact pc case that will not break your bank! The case comes with Type-C, which enables you to use your new modern hardware with support of the port.
The compact case is also liquid cooling ready. Also, you can choose the case in red or black to match your computer theme.
The tempered glass used in the case is of high quality. This means you can use the case to build custom -loop or closed-loop cooling!
Also, as it is an ATX board, you can use mini-ITX, microATX, and ATX with your build.
Moreover, it also provides a cable-routing kit where you can route the cables in a pre-defined way, and you do not have to spend hours to do cable management.
When it comes to radiators, it supports up to 240mm, which can be adequate for a mid-range PC build. You can also take advantage of the two F120mm that it comes with. Overall, it gives you good options when it comes to cooling your mid-tower case.
What I liked
- Comes with Type C
- Compact design
- Great tempered glass side
- Offers an excellent cooling system option
What I disliked
- No 360mm radiator support
Key specifications
- Radiator support: 1
- Radiator positions: 240mm at the front.
- Case Size: 16.85 x 8.27 x 18.11 inches
Corsair Crystal Series 680x
What You Get
The Corsair Crystal Series 680x is the last of the cases that we will discuss in our list. It is a dual-chamber design that provides you an easy way to go with your custom builds and does not have to worry about the cables. This saves you a lot of time as you can focus on creating the perfect liquid-cooled mid-tower cases pc.
The case comes pre-equipped with an excellent airflow cooling. It comes pre-equipped with three of the LL120 RGB fans that can be used to showcase 48 customizable RGB LEDs.
The tempered glass side is also of high quality, and you can see everything from your side. There is three tempered glass used in the case.
You will not get as much as space as here like a full tower, but you will find an adequate space to go for custom open or closed liquid cooling.
When it comes to the radiator, you will find this case to have the best support for all the different radiator sizes. Yes, it supports 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, and 360m radiators. This also means that it supports all different fan sizes, including the 140mm fans!
You can also utilize the iCUE compatibility to your advantage for the best possible RGB experience!
Overall, the case is excellent as it is also priced decently compared to the more expensive ones out there.
What I liked
- Dual-chamber design
- Supports a wide variety of radiator sizes
- Nicely priced
What I Disliked
- Takes a lot of space
Key specifications
- Radiator support: Many
- Radiator positions: Different from 120mm to 360mm
- Case Size: 16.65 x 13.54 x 19.88 inches
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Q: What is the best computer case for liquid cooling?
A: An big case that let you experiment and fits your requirement, it is for you. Currently, there are many useful computer cases for liquid cooling, and you can choose any of the above-listed cases for your build.
Q: Is water cooling worth it?
A: The answer is never a straight-forward Yes or No. Is the water cooling needed? No. Even if you are running high-quality components, air cooling can be sufficient. But, water cooling can help you improve your hardware component as it dissipates the heat better. Heat is known to make your components age faster. So, the less the heat, the more the age. But, if you go for water cooling, you also need to worry about leakage issues. And, leakage can instantly kill your hardware compared to a slow death to heat.
It would help if you also took into note that water cooling is expensive. So, if you do not have the budget, it is a good idea to stick to air cooling.
Q: Can I add water cooling to my PC?
A: Sure, why not? Anyone can add water cooling to their PC. All you need to do is research and get the right components. You can choose to do it yourself or ask a professional to do it for you.
Q: How much does a water-cooled PC cost?
A: There is no limit to water-cooled PC. You can spend a lot on water-cooling it. In general, it can cost anywhere between 300-700$ above the air-cooled equivalent machine.
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