Best Micro ATX (MATX) Cases in 2023 – 5 Budget & Top Picks

The following recommendations are of solid construction, have spacious interiors, and promote excellent airflow . If you’re interested in seeing what sets them apart from other cases, then read on.

After careful consideration – and sifting through a ton of different options from numerous manufacturers – we came to the conclusion that the Phanteks Evolv is the best micro-ATX case overall. But we’ll talk more about that shortly.

In today’s article, we’ll be going through some of the best micro-ATX cases the market has to offer. We’ll be putting them through their paces to see how they stack up in build quality, aesthetics, thermals, noise levels, and overall build assembly.

Micro-ATX builds are pretty popular in the gaming community due to their cool aesthetics and affordable price points. These days, a lot of people are leaning towards Micro-ATX cases as they offer a much smaller footprint over mid-tower/ full-tower cases , while still offering enough room to house large GPUs and elaborate cooling setups too. They really are the best of both worlds when it comes to gaming setups.

With the tech and gaming industry currently booming, it’s no surprise to see today’s market playing host to a sea of high-performance PC cases that come to shelves offering a variety of different shapes, sizes, and price points. That makes choosing the right one for your specific needs a time-consuming and strenuous task – even more so if you plan on building it around the M-ATX form factor . Luckily, there is still a pretty large demand for Micro-ATX cases and we see new arrivals hitting shelves on an almost monthly basis.

Today we’re going to be looking at the best Micro ATX (MATX) Cases available right now. If you’re looking to build a new gaming PC , workstation , or otherwise, take a look at these Micro ATX cases to fit all your components in nicely.

How We Choose

Whether we’re reviewing new monitors or the best GPU on the market, choosing the right hardware can always be a tricky task.

It requires hours of product research, performance benchmarking, and reviewing user feedback to get anywhere close to a definitive conclusion on what to recommend.

If you aren’t tech-savvy and struggle to put the time aside to go through the above requirements, you may end up purchasing a micro-ATX PC case that simply isn’t right for you.

Fear not though, friends! Here at WePC, we like to take the stress of research away, and transform the whole process into an easy-to-follow, complete buyers guide. That’s right, our team of PC enthusiasts has done all the hard work for you!

How We Test

Testing the products we recommend is a huge part of the overall selection process in our best of guides. It’s a way to make sure what we recommend is, without a doubt, the best option in its specific category.

To be sure a product is “the best” it must show excellent performance in our tests, and display better qualities and features than the competition it faces.

Most of the products we recommend here at WePC have gone through a strict testing process that involves everything from the price and performance, to build quality, efficiency, and aesthetics. Each product is pushed to the limit to see how it performs under intense stress to make sure it warrants our coveted top spot.

Doing this enables us to provide you with the most accurate review of how the product performs and, ultimately, whether it’s worth your consideration.

Things To Know About Micro ATX Cases

The following factors are important and should be taken into consideration before buying your next micro ATX case. That’s why we’ll go over these things in some more detail.

There are a few things to consider before just clicking “buy” on a case you love. Firstly, be aware of the size of your components (form factor). Motherboards, GPUs, and PSUs form factor can vary in size, so it’s important to check the case can support your parts. Also, before jumping into a case purchase, it’s always worth considering what fan configuration you’re going to use and how many hard drives you plan on installing.

Motherboard Form Factor

You are going to need to know your motherboard’s form factor before you begin. The most common motherboard sizes are ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX, with ATX being the bigger of the three – and Mini-ATX being the smallest.

Smaller boards will have less room for your components and will generally have fewer features too. This isn’t bad if you don’t need a lot of space. However, if you’re making a high-end gaming build (or upgrading a mid-range build), then you might want to stick with the classic ATX board and therefore visit some different case options.

Case Form Factors

You will normally find the motherboard compatibility labeled in the name of the case or very easily in the specs. This outlines the maximum sized motherboard you can fit into the case.

There are three prominent types of computer cases (although there are more) and each is compatible with different types of motherboards:

• Full-tower cases are the largest cases and can work with ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. Their large size is designed for extra components rather than exceptionally larger motherboards.
• Mid-tower cases are the most popular and can also work with motherboards that are as large as ATX.
• Mini-tower cases sacrifice the larger ATX boards, but can still use Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX boards.

It is worth noting that your micro-ATX build will look great in any sized case from the smaller ‘node’ style boxes to a mid-tower case. Most of the time, cases will cater for motherboards with smaller sizes, having said that, some cases don’t take that into consideration – leading to issues with routing I/O connectors from the front panel.

Things To Consider

When purchasing a case with a smaller form factor, there are certain things you will need to consider before choosing the components you decide to fill it with.

Below are some of the most important considerations when it comes to a micro-ATX case

Component Compatibility

One of the first things you must consider before purchasing a small PC case is your components. The chances are, if you are looking for the best micro-ATX case then you are set on building a smaller-sized PC. Great! However, if you’re thinking of downsizing your ATX build (by switching motherboards) you might be at risk of component incompatibility.

Many small form factor cases don’t have the capacity to house a large GPU. Although, some will. The same can be said for the PSU, CPU Cooler, and AIO Cooler. You must ensure that the case you’re looking at can support the hardware you plan on installing in it. Otherwise, you’ll be left with a somewhat expensive paperweight.

Cable Management

Whether you’re looking at a full tower PC case or an mATX case, cable management is highly important when it comes to build assembly and aesthetics. Unfortunately, though, it often gets forgotten about when you get into building a micro-ATX system.

This neglect comes from smaller systems tending to be of lower quality, offering fewer options when it comes to this department- but that isn’t always the case. Cable management in micro-ATX cases is more important than ever due to the decreased airflow they provide. More often than not, they offer less fan mounting solutions to properly cool the inside over ATX cases. So keep those cables routed properly around the system to maximize cooling performance.

Some advantages to the Micro ATX form factor

There are several advantages to using a micro ATX case form factor. Here they are in no particular order:

• Cost: Micro ATX cases tend to be less expensive than full ATX cases, making them a more budget-friendly option for budget-conscious consumers.
• Size: Micro ATX cases are smaller than full ATX cases, making them a more compact option for users who want to save space or who don’t need a large case for their system.
• Compatibility: Micro ATX motherboards are compatible with most components and peripherals, including graphics cards, hard drives, and memory.
• Upgradeability: Micro ATX cases often have fewer expansion slots than full ATX cases, but they still provide enough slots to upgrade the system over time.
• Ease of Assembly: Micro ATX cases are easier to build in than full ATX cases because they are smaller and have fewer components, which can make the assembly process quicker and less complex.
• Improved cooling: Due to their compact size, micro ATX cases can often offer improved cooling over larger cases as there is less space for hot air to circulate.