Our Top Picks
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While the majority of gamers dream of ATX cases, there are a few among us that also prefer micro ATX cases for many different reasons.
Some people who travel a lot often look for a small PC case to build their battle station since it is easy to carry around.
Secondly, Linus has been setting the trends for building a gaming rig in these small micro ATX cases and the gaming community is following in his footsteps.
Furthermore, since the release of Xbox series x, PC gamers were in awe of this design and wanted something similar so NZXT came up with its own version of the Xbox Series X knock-off case called NZXT H1.
Moving on, It’s the beginning of a new decade, and the gaming industry is something that is ever-evolving.
From mini-ITX to E-ATX, we gamers have a wide variety of cases to choose from and at times, it feels like a difficult choice to choose the right case for you.
But to make things a little easier for you, after extensive research, we found these boxes to be the best smallest micro ATX cases that are currently available in the market.
Comparison Table
Small Form Factor (SFF) | Mini-Tower (Micro-ATX) | Mid-Tower(ATX) | Full-Tower (E-ATX) |
Motherboard – Mini-ITX | Motherboard – Mini-ITX & Micro-ITX | Motherboard – Mini-ITX, Micro-ITX &ATX | Motherboard – Mini-ITX, Micro-ITX,ATX & E-ATX |
Dimensions (Expected) – 14 x 3 x 10 inches | Dimensions (Expected)- 17.5 x 7.9 x 14.9 inches | Dimensions (Expected)- 16.2 x 7.8 x 18 inches | Dimensions (Expected)- 27.3 x 12.1 x 27.4 inches |
Expansion Slots – 2 | Expansion Slots – 4 | Expansion Slots – 6+ | Expansion Slots – 10+ |
Fan Mounts – 1 | Fan Mounts – 2-3 | Fan Mounts – 4+ | Fan Mounts – 6+ |
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Best Smallest Micro ATX Case
1. Antec Dapper Dark Phantom DP301M
It’s 2022 and the first thing to look at inside a PC case is RGB lights and thankfully, Antec Dapper Dark comes laden with RGB strips to lighten up your mood.
It is a micro-ATX case with a solid metal chassis and tempered glass on one side.
The front of the case looks amazing with RGB LEDs glowing at a normal pace and the combination of mesh grill and matte-black exterior also adds to the beauty of this case.
Furthermore, you’ll find a radiator mount on the top of the case next to an I/O panel that holds 2x USB 3.0 ports along with an LED control button.
The inside of the case is just as good and offers a spacious environment where you could easily fit the latest components. A graphics card with a length of less than 36cm could easily fit inside this micro-ATX case.
As for the airflow, you could install additional radiators and 120mm fans to maximize the airflow. Unfortunately, you won’t be getting any additional fans with this case.
Moreover, Antec Dapper Dark is easy to assemble and we’d recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a futureproof micro-ATX case.
2. Thermaltake Level 20 VT
Nope, this one is not an ice-box to keep your beverages cold.
Thermaltake Level 20 VT is a sophisticated micro-ATX case with tempered glass on all four sides. For minimalistic geeks, Thermaltake Level 20 VT would be the cleanest rig that you can build inside a micro-ATX case.
At the first glance, the case looks quite attractive and it seems like it could easily fit an ATX PSU and a twin-fan graphics card.
However, the case is very fragile and you’ll have to be extremely careful when you’re assembling this one.
Durability-wise, if you’re careful then Thermaltake Level 20 VT could serve you for years but for efficient airflow, you might need to add a couple of heatsinks to avoid overheating issues.
Furthermore, Thermaltake Level 20 VT features an advanced I/O panel with compatibility for USB 3.0. Also, Thermaltake Level 20 VT is spacious enough to fit a liquid cooling piping inside of it to keep the temps on the down-low.
If you’re building a high-end rig then instead of adding 120mm fans, we recommend the liquid cooling system to be installed inside this case for low temps and higher durability.
3. Cooler Master MasterBox NR400
If you’re looking for a case with the strongest chassis then Cooler Master MasterBox NR400 would be an excellent choice.
MasterBox NR400 features a grey-ish exterior with side tempered glass and a dotted grill at the front with a 120mm fan featured on the front of the case for better airflow.
Similarly, there’s another 120mm at the rear grill of the case to maximize the airflow and we don’t think that you will need any more additional fans for temperature management. Additionally, there is a radiator mount on the top lid, right next to the I/O panel.
Furthermore, NR400 might be compact in size but it features 3x slots for 3.5’’ and 2x slots for 2.5’’ additional drives.
A dual graphics card would be quite easy to fit in there along with a tall CPU heatsink.
Moreover, there’s also additional space behind the side metallic panel for cable management as well and if you’re a cable modder then NR400 would be a dream come true for you.
At this price, we think that NR400 is an excellent choice and it adheres to budget.
Unlike some other overrated micro-ATX cases, Cooler Master NR400 offers the best bang for the buck.
4. CORSAIR CRYSTAL 280X
For our fellow gamers with deep pockets, Corsair Crystal 280X isn’t a bad choice either.
It offers a wide clearance for graphics cards along with additional space for storage devices and cable management.
Corsair Crystal 280X features a very unique design where you will get two different front panels. One of them features a mesh grill where you’ll find 2x RGB fans, and on the other side, there’s a solid matte-black chassis that features the I/O panel on top of it.
Additionally, there’s a side-tempered glass on the left side and a mesh-type sort of grill at the right side of the case to maximize the airflow.
However, this strangely placed gap on the left side of the case isn’t really ideal because it’s quite difficult to clean that part of the case.
As for the price, Corsair Crystal 280X is quite expensive and you’ll have to pay a good amount to get your hands on this one.
And, if you’re looking for the best bang for the buck then this case is probably too much for you.
5. Fractal Design Core 1100
For those looking for a budget-orientated option, this is the one for you.
Fractal Design Core 1100 is one of the cheapest micro-ATX cases that you can find in the market. It may not feature any RGB strips or tempered glass but this one will do the job for you.
Fractal Design Core 1100 features a black-ish metallic chassis with an I/O panel featured on the front of the case where you’ll find 2xUSB 3.0 ports along with the standard headphone jacks and the power button.
On the side panel, there’s an exhaust fan mount where you could easily install a 120mm fan for better airflow. There are also two more fan mounts in the case to further decrease the temps.
This case is very compact and could only handle a few additional devices, and the clearance for graphics isn’t very great either.
A low-profile graphics card would easily fit inside of it but anything with a twin fan is not a viable option with this one.
As for durability, Fractal Design Core 1100 features a solid chassis that would serve you for many years to come.
If you’re looking for a cheap micro-ATX case then Fractal Design Core 1100 is a very decent choice.
6. Thermaltake S100
It’s safe to say that Thermaltake S100 is one of the most attractive micro-ATX cases in the market and its mouth-watering sleek metallic chassis will leave you in awe.
Thermaltake S100 is another excellent choice if you’re looking for a high-end micro-ATX case for your battle station.
Thermaltake S100 features a spacious interior that can hold a GPU with a maximum length of 12.9in and a tall CPU cooler with a maximum height of 11in.
Furthermore, there are more than a handful of additional trays for you to install 3.5’’ and 2.5’’ storage devices.
The biggest perk of Thermaltake S100 is the magnetic filters on the top grill of the case that restricts dust particles from getting too close to the internals.
A dust-free case would keep the internals safe for a very long time whereas a dusty one will slowly damage the heatsinks that cause overheating problems.
Final verdict, we’re quite impressed with this exceptional case and the price is also quite reasonable. It’s durable and futureproof, and we’d really recommend it to a friend.
7. Phanteks EVOLV
Phanteks Evolv is a unique smallest micro-ATX case with a very complex design that is a bit hard to describe.
At the first glance, it looks like a descendant of Optimus prime but no, it’s just a compact gaming chassis with dual-chamber openings.
On the left side, you’ll find tempered glass with magnetic hinges that are quite easy to access.
Similarly, on the right side, there’s a smoked glass that also comes with magnetic hinges that offer durability to its users when assembling their rigs.
Phanteks Evolv is a very clean case and by the looks of it, it seems like there’s enough clearance for a twin-fan graphics card and a tall CPU heatsink.
However, we didn’t see any 120mm fan mounts inside this case but if you have the budget you could easily fit a water cooling radiator inside it.
Furthermore, the I/O panel is displayed on the top of the front panel where you can find USB 3.0 ports along with the traditional headphones jack and power button.
Additionally, there are some expansion slots for 3.5’’ and 2.5’’ drives as well.
Phanteks Evolv could be a bit expensive for a few but it is worth every single penny.
8. Thermaltake Core V21
If you travel a lot then buying Thermaltake Core V21 will make a lot of sense to you.
We’ve had some complicated PC cases over the past few years but Thermaltake Core V21 might still seem like alien technology to us.
It’s a square-shaped box with a mesh grill at the front that comes with a pre-installed 200mm fan and a similar grill on the top lid for external fans and cooling radiators.
Furthermore, both sides feature tempered glass and use the chamber system where you can easily open both side panels and assemble the internals whenever you want.
You’ll also find the I/O panel next to the tempered glass on the left side which is a bit awkward but we could say the same thing for the whole case.
The inside of the case is quite spacious and it seems like you could easily throw in a twin-fan GPU. Similarly, a water cooling system could also be installed inside of this one.
Furthermore, you’ll find 3×3.5’’ slots in there which is surely more than enough for a case of this caliber.
For this price, we think that it’s a very good bargain and we’d really recommend it to our readers.
9. Cooler Master Silencio S400
Shhh!! No noise allowed.
If you’re looking for a case that makes the minimum noise then you won’t have to look any further because Cooler Master Silencio S400 is the best that you’re going to get.
This silent micro-ATX case comes laden with sound dampening sheets that significantly reduce the noise levels coming out of the case.
Moving on, at the first glance, Silencio S400 looks like a very clean case with a grey-ish exterior that is a sight for sore eyes.
You won’t find any tempered glass with this case but there’s an opening on the top side of the case for cooling radiators that are also covered with a sound dampening panel.
Similarly, both the side panels are featured with sound dampening sheets which is great for reducing the noise but for better airflow, we don’t think that it’s quite effective.
The interior of the case also looks very neat and clean but it’s not quite spacious. There’s just enough clearance for a graphics card to fit in there that is shorter than 9.7in.
But, for this price, you would be getting yourself a pretty sweet deal.
10. Rosewill FBM-X2
Last but not the least, Rosewill FBM-X2 is another micro-ATX case that you should take a closer look at.
For gamers that are looking for aesthetic modern cases the Rosewill FBM-X2 would be a dream come true.
It features a minimalist design with solid matte-black chassis backed with a spacious interior where you can throw in all kinds of radiators and modern graphics cards.
Rosewill FBM-X2 also offers excellent features like cable management, four expansion slots for 3.5’’ and 2.5’’ drives, exceptional airflow, and mounts for cooling radiators.
Furthermore, it features a simple I/O panel at the top with 2x USB 3.0 ports along with headphone jacks.
The only downside of Rosewill FBM-X2 is that it only comes with a 1x120mm pre-installed fan but there’s enough space to mount up to 5x120mm fans.
I guess you’ll have to buy the additional fans yourself if you’re looking for top-notch airflow that will keep the temps on the down-low.
Rosewill FBM-X2 is more than a pleasing option and for this price, I suggest you quickly get your hands on this one.
FAQs
Is Micro ATX Smaller Than Mini ATX?
On the contrary, mini-ATX cases are quite small and could only offer up to 3 fan mounts. In other words, mini-ATX cases are smaller than micro-ATX cases and they’re quite cheaper as well.
Is Micro-ATX Cheaper Than ATX
One could say that there’s a marginal difference between the price of the two but ATX cases will always be a bit more expensive than micro-ATX cases.
Is Micro-ATX Good For Gaming
If you own a decent micro-ATX case with efficient airflow then a micro-ATX case would serve you really well.
Conclusions
We’re living in modern times and PC cases come in every size and shape. But for those who are looking for micro-ATX PC cases, we’ve mentioned the best micro-ATX cases that are available in the market right now, and one of them is surely made for you.
That’s all folks!