Data · June 2026
Cooling, clearance and build — spec'd from the source · vendor pages + reviews, synthesized in UltraDB

The 2026 PC Cases breakdown.

Current ATX, micro-ATX and Mini-ITX PC cases compared by what actually constrains a build — cooling capacity (radiator + fan support), GPU clearance, airflow design, build quality/features and size — then ranked by value. Every number traces to a manufacturer spec page or a reputable review.

Start with the job — it drives every chart below

Price vs capability

Each bubble is a case; further right = more capable (cooling capacity + GPU clearance + airflow design + build + size); color = brand. Re-scores when you pick a job — e.g. the SFF filter reframes 'size' for small builds.

What works with what

Cases linked to the modern features they bring — USB-C front I/O, tempered glass, mesh airflow front, tool-less panels, dual-chamber, vertical-GPU support, panoramic glass and 360/420mm radiator support.

Compatibility — cases ↔ chassis features

All cases

Method & honesty

Capability index — the formula (audit it)

Capability is the average of the five scored axes (cooling capacity, GPU clearance, airflow design, build/features, size); value = capability² ÷ price.

No single case wins every axis — the full-tower / dual-chamber water-cooling beasts (Lian Li O11D EVO XL, Antec Flux Pro, Fractal Torrent) top cooling and clearance but cost the most; mesh-front mid-towers like the Corsair 4000D Airflow, NZXT H7 Flow and Montech AIR 903 MAX deliver most of the real-world cooling for a third the price; glass showcase cases (Hyte Y70, Phanteks NV5) trade stock airflow for looks; ITX cases (Fractal Terra, NR200P) deliberately give up capacity for a tiny footprint. For most builds a $90-150 airflow mid-tower is plenty.

Honesty. Accuracy is priority #1, and this category has an honest limitation: there is NO consistent cross-brand independent airflow/thermal benchmark (reviewers test on different CPUs/GPUs, ambient and fan curves, so degree numbers aren't comparable case-to-case). So nothing here is 'measured' — cooling capacity is a CAPABILITY PROXY (max radiator length + total fan-mount count from the spec sheet) and 'airflow design' is scored categorically from documented panel type + included fans (mesh/3-way intake scores higher than a closed glass showcase). These reward the airflow-first design philosophy and the cooling hardware a chassis can hold, not a benchmarked result — a glass showcase case can still cool well with the right fans. GPU clearance is the vendor's max-length spec (some quote it with front fans removed; that's noted on the card). Prices are mid-2026 MSRP / street where resolved and are volatile. Nothing is fabricated; unknowns stay blank.