Can You Find Value In A Sub-$100 Case?

A high-quality case can outlast even the fastest build. Ironically, though, value-oriented enthusiasts spend money on components that improve performance and tend to cut back on those that don't. You already know that a $30 enclosure won't give you the durability, airflow, or room to expand that a smart upgrade should be expected to offer. But there's no guarantee that a $300 chassis will give you anything more in those areas than a far cheaper model. Sometimes, splurging on a case is simply wasted expense.

Knowing that there are a few solid enclosures out there available for under $100, we made that our budget for this month's round-up. As you read in In Pictures: Four Sub-$100 Cases For Your 2013 Gaming PC, we received 11 total submissions, all battling for supremacy. Today's story is a follow-up to our first picture-based exploration, designed to go beyond our initial visual inspection and lead to more concrete conclusions.

Cougar Evolution BO Lian-Li PC-9N Nanoxia Deep Silence 2 SilverStone Precision PS06 Dimensions Height 20.2" 18.7" 18.4" 20.8" Width 8.7" 8.3" 8.2" 8.4" Depth 20.6" 19.7" 24.2" 20.0" Space Above Motherboard 0.0" 0.5" 1.3" 1.2" Card Length 12.1" 17.3" 13.6" 12.1" Weight 19.1 Pounds 10.8 Pounds 24.6 Pounds 19.5 Pounds Cooling Front Fans (alternatives) 1 x 120 mm (2 x 120 mm) 1 x 140 mm (2 x 140 mm) 2 x 120 mm (None) 1 x 120 mm (None) Rear Fans (alternatives) 1 x 120 mm (None) 1 x 120 mm (None) 1 x 140 mm (1 x 140/120 mm) None (1 x 120 mm) Top Fans (alternatives) None (2 x 120mm) None (None) None (2 x 140/120 mm) 1 x 180 mm (None) Left Side (alternatives) None (1 x 140 mm) None (2 x 120 mm) None (1 x 140/120 mm) None (None) Right Side (alternatives) None (None) None (None) None (None) None (None) Drive Bays 5.25" External Six Three Three Five 3.5" External None None 1 x Adapter 1 x HDD Bay 3.5" Internal Four Three Eight Four 2.5" Internal Four* Two Eight* Four* Card Slots Eight Eight Seven Eight Noise Dampening Sides None Plastic Covers Cloth/Mat None Top None None Cloth/Mat None Front None Plastic Cover Foam None Price $90 $100 $90 $100 *Shared on 3.5" Tray

Quality is the primary consideration for our round-up, though unusually good or unusually bad performance could certainly set a single case apart from the pack. Features are next up for evaluation, primarily when comparing price to value. Let’s take a closer look at the quality and features each case offers.