The Final Five: Gaming Cases Between $80 And $120, Rounded-Up

By Thomas Soderstrom
published

Our 15-way shootout of cases priced between $80 and $120 ends as we compare the last five models to the previous ten, yielding an overall winner. Which chassis offers the best balance of quality, cooling, and noise reduction, and which is the best buy?

Building With The In Win Buc

Larger, sturdier, heavier, and with more drive bays than the previously-tested Mana 136, In Win’s Buc might just alleviate our doubts about the quality of In Win's Style brand.

Even with the higher-grade Buc, In Win continues to support the legacy AC'97 audio standard. This leaves an ugly cable end flopping around inside an otherwise tidy system.

The Buc's installation kit matches a few competitors by sorting its screws into separate packs. In Win also adds a four-pin drive power connector to three-pin fan power adapter, though we certainly hope that anyone using this case has enough three-pin connectors on their motherboard.

The Buc also features screwless card clips, a feature formerly associated with high-end cases. Conversely, the company goes cheap by using break-out-style slot covers instead of replaceable slot covers in six of the enclosure's seven slots.

The Buc’s drive tray uses noise-dampening grommets for 3.5” drives, but mounts 2.5” drives directly to the base. Offsetting the smaller drives to one side assures proper SATA connector alignment within the four-drive backplane.

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Pins on 5.25” external bays slide out to allow drive insertion, and slide back in to secure the drive.

The Buc lacks a proper access hole for passing our eight-pin EPS12V connector through the motherboard tray to the top of our board. A nearby access hole is simply too low for the connector to fit through. Also slightly inconvenient is a cable routing space that limits larger cords to a channel along the front part of the motherboard tray.

Cable-routing patience pays off in a dramatic (and practical) completed build.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
50 Comments Comment from the forums
  • idroid
    Hell yeah!!! NZXT Phantom 410 FTW!!
    Reply
  • idroid
    Toms should do a review on high-end cases featuring EXTREME watercooling.
    Reply
  • dudewitbow
    idroidToms should do a review on high-end cases featuring EXTREME watercooling.
    the only tiny problem at the most part i see in that is that it would be slightly harder to test thermal efficiency, since its being cooled by water, rather than air + hsf so in a wc build, the thermal ratings will be extremely close.
    Reply
  • now try to find the best micro-atx case...
    Reply
  • amuffin
    The Antec Solo II is not a case meant for gaming.
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    It would be nice to see a left-sided window case listing, there are definate advantages to a left sided window / upside down mobo config
    Reply
  • Crashman
    amuffinThe Antec Solo II is not a case meant for gaming.Well...Antec sent it anyway. Along with the Eleven Hundred. So they evidently had a plan.back_by_demandIt would be nice to see a left-sided window case listing, there are definate advantages to a left sided window / upside down mobo configDid you know that the reason many manufacturers abandoned the upside-down case was because some motherboard heat pipes supposedly didn't work right in that configuration?iknowhowtofixitBut, but, but.... The Phantom 410 is sooooo ugly...Eye of the beholder :)

    Reply
  • The Solo II would probably have done a little better with your LGA2011 / GTX580 setup, if Antec included at least one front intake fan. Any chance of a re-test with an added intake fan or two? :)
    Reply
  • antemon
    as
    Reply
  • antemon
    I'm a fan of smaller cases

    I have a qx-2000 case from aerocool. it's a nightmare for cable management and upgrading partsm but I like it

    can toms also do an in-depth article on smaller cases?

    particularly, I want a similar case as the qx-2000 but the PSU is mounted at the bottom so that adding items inside woundnt be too much of a chore.

    thermaltake armor a30 looks awesome, but still has a top mounted PSU
    Reply