Conclusion
Unfortunately, none of the eight MicroATX cases we tested really impressed us. The workmanship and sturdy front panel of the Silverstone SST-LC04 were the best, yet this flat aluminum model got a red light for hardware installation and expansion. We did a double-take on the price, which at $148 was not what we had expected. With all the other cases we were bothered by the shoddy workmanship, especially that of the front panel. Thin plastic is used instead of light aluminum which can easily snap with repeated opening and closing. Hey, manufacturers - why not just do away with the front panel then altogether ?
The Antec cube is a humorous solution that looks like a small form-factor PC but is really a cube for MicroATX motherboards.
The model with the most points, the Enermax Venus CS-10068, has everything you could want from a MicroATX case. Its only fault is its two plastic front panels which don’t make a very favorable impression at all. Its strong points are inside, i.e. its easy installation of hard drives and 5.25" drives. Two CD/DVD drives fit into the Venus despite its slight dimensions.
Before buying one of our test candidates you should take a good look at whichever is your favorite. From a distance these plastic cases look pretty good, but close up they all look cheap except for the Silverstone SST-LC04. For that reason none of these MicroATX cases got our recommendation.
A final group photo of all the test candidates
