The mini-ITX scene exploded in the last few years. In the last year however, options have matured. You can now browse through a heap of options but we've gone ahead and picked out the ones we loved working with. They're fun, compact, and usually look great when completed. If you want a build that's easy to move and can still kick ass, a mini-ITX rig might be for you.
That said, mini-ITX cases are often much tighter in terms of clearances and room for error. You'll have to spend more time planning your build, and making sure you buy components that will actually fit inside the case. (Many mini-ITX cases can't handle full-size video cards.)
The mini-ITX form factor only allows for a single video card, so you'll have to go micro-ATX or larger if you want to use SLI or Crossfire. This means that while a mini-ITX rig is technically upgradable, it's not upgradable in the traditional sense that you can simply tack on extra video cards. Making sure you buy a video card that's powerful enough to run solo, while still fitting in your case of choice is essential.
Finally, it's worth noting that cable management is key to any mini-ITX build. Mini-ITX cases don't offer a lot of place to stash your wiring mess, so make sure to cut down on cabling as much as you can. If you can use an M.2 SSD (even a SATA-mode M.2), go for it. When choosing a PSU, go for semi- or fully-modular so you can keep the excess out of the case. While these two considerations can keep any rig looking clean, they become even more important when physical space is at a premium.
On a technical note, all case manufacturers define a mini-ITX case as having a maximum of 2 rear slots. All of our choices fit this requirement.
With all of that said, here are our picks for this amazingly fun form-factor.
Overall Best Mini-ITX PC Case
- Great cable management
- Doors are easy to remove and close
- PSU partition keeps motherboard compartment clean
- Lots of cooling options
- Pricey for a mini-ITX
- Cable management channel could use some rubber grommets to keep things cleaner
- No included cable management straps
The NZXT Manta is one of the company's new flagship products, and it's easy to see why. The Manta does everything right, and looks great while doing it.
Best high-end mini-ITX case: Ncase M1
Beautiful all aluminum minimalist design
All panels are removable
Room for 120mm or 240mm all-in-one liquid cooler
Pricey for a mini-ITX case
Limited compatibility with ATX power supplies
Can't use some extremely large graphics cards
Ncase's M1 was the darling of the build community since its crowd-funding announcement a few years ago. Now it's finally available for pre-order, with an expected delivery of end-of August, 2016.
The M1's claim to fame is its design. Simple, elegant, and minimalistic, the M1 looks good in both black and silver. All the panels of the M1 are also removable, so modders will love the M1's customizability. If I had to choose a mini-ITX case now, and money were no object, I'd pick the M1.
While it looks like it doesn't have much room inside, the M1 is actually very flexible. The case supports radiator sizes up to 240mm, and if you're creative, you can still install a custom rad and reservoir/pump combo inside.
Like all mini-ITX cases, the M1 supports a single GPU configuration with room for a full-length card. The only caveat is, if you decided to use a beefy graphics card, you might need time to find a PSU that the M1 will accept.
To get an M1, you need to buy it directly from NCase's website.
The M1's built in air cooling support is impressive as well. There are 4 120mm fan mounts, and 2 80mm/92mm fan mounts, one on the rear and one on the bottom.
There's room for 3 hard drives, and 3 SSDs or 2.5" hard drives, which is plenty for a case of this size. Ncase also integrated a slot-load optical drive bay which is vertically mounted to stay flush with the M1's top panel.
Because of its unique design though, you'll basically have to be picky with your components. Large GPUs like an Asus Strix series card won't fit. And if you use a full-length graphics card, you'll have to do with the PSU in mind, as graphics cards over 195mm long can't be used with an ATX-sized power supply.
Component specifics aside, if you're willing to do a bit of research in what components you want for a build in the M1, you'll end up with one of the best, if not the best, looking mini-ITX systems out there.
- Good air flow that is directed to GPU and mobo
- Lots of mounting options for 2.5-inch drives
- Classy aluminum construction
If you're looking for an affordable mini-ITX case that looks great and can accommodate a reference-blower graphics card, this case is well worth our attention.
The Enthoo Evolv iTX is great on a number of levels. It's moderately priced, and offers water cooling options and space for a full-length GPU in a form factor that has a much smaller footprint than an ATX tower.
Like the Enthoo Evolv ATX and the NZXT Manta, the Enthoo Evolv iTX sports a PSU partition to keep the motherboard compartment free of unsightly cabling. Cable management in the back is a breeze, as Phanteks included a pair of built-in hook-and-loop straps that cross the main cabling channel. Rubber grommets also help appearance, preventing you from seeing any mess that may lie behind them.
One of the neat things about the Enthoo Evolv iTX is the partition shield that fits over top of the GPU. While it's useful for hiding the PCIe power cables (that's really awesome, by the way), it also has a bracket for a 2.5-inch drive mount. In our build, we used an M.2 SSD and removed the mount, but the option of placing your SSD or HDD right behind the front intake fan in a classy way is really nice. The partition shield also helps channel cool air over full-sized GPUs.
Speaking of partitions, take a gander at the grating in the PSU partition. That grating helps your GPU pull air from underneath, since clearance between the video card and the partition is mighty slim. The PSU sits "upside down" (intake fan facing the floor), so heat from the PSU is minimized when the graphics card's fans suck in that air.
This is a great little case for those who like the options of a tower but want a smaller package.
The Enthoo Evolv iTX is great on a number of levels. It's moderately priced, and offers water cooling options and space for a full-length GPU in a form factor that has a much smaller footprint than an ATX tower.
Like the Enthoo Evolv ATX and the NZXT Manta, the Enthoo Evolv iTX sports a PSU partition to keep the motherboard compartment free of unsightly cabling. Cable management in the back is a breeze, as Phanteks included a pair of built-in hook-and-loop straps that cross the main cabling channel. Rubber grommets also help appearance, preventing you from seeing any mess that may lie behind them.
One of the neat things about the Enthoo Evolv iTX is the partition shield that fits over top of the GPU. While it's useful for hiding the PCIe power cables (that's really awesome, by the way), it also has a bracket for a 2.5-inch drive mount. In our build, we used an M.2 SSD and removed the mount, but the option of placing your SSD or HDD right behind the front intake fan in a classy way is really nice. The partition shield also helps channel cool air over full-sized GPUs.Speaking of partitions, take a gander at the grating in the PSU partition. That grating helps your GPU pull air from underneath, since clearance between the video card and the partition is mighty slim. The PSU sits "upside down" (intake fan facing the floor), so heat from the PSU is minimized when the graphics card's fans suck in that air.
This is a great little case for those who like the options of a tower but want a smaller package.
- + Cheap, cheap, cheap
- + Tiny little cube you can put anywhere
- + Space for two 2.5-inch drives and one 3.5-inch drive
- + Takes an ATX PSU, which is big for this size
When you boil it down to basics, this case is about as basic as you can get. While feature reduction has it's ups and downs, this case minimizes the negative and offers one of the smallest form factors we've seen.
The Cooler Master Elite 110 is a very inexpensive case that manages to pack all the basics into a tiny form factor. At under a cubic foot in size volume, this little guy is about as small as you can get while still using an ATX power supply.
When we say inexpensive, we mean it. This case doesn't have room for water cooling for big air coolers, so you'll do well to stick with a locked Intel CPU and stock heatsink and fan. That's not all bad, since this case doesn't offer any clever spaces to stash your PSU cables. On the upside, this case has so little volume, the front intake fan move plenty of air though and out of the case.
This case exemplifies why using M.2 SSDs and modular power supplies are such a good idea. You'll want to eliminate as many cabled from the build as possible.
With all of that in mind, we're hard pressed to ind any case that's smaller or more affordable for the mini-ITX form factor. If you're looking to build a little living room Steam box or a lightweight LAN party rig, the Elite 110 is a seriously good choice.
The Corsair Graphite 380T is loved by many for its features and size. With room for 11 inches of GPU and water cooling for the CPU, this case does have a lot to offer.
One thing we really love about the case is the doors. Using latch-style handles (like those you'd find on a car door) at the top, the side panels come off easily, allowing for access to the motherboard compartment on both sides. The doors are equally simple to reattach, making maintenance and cleaning easy.
This rig is clearly meant for BYOCs and LANs, since the carrying handle makes moving your rig around a cinch. The case's size and handle also makes it ideal for a mobile video editing rig, for those who do that sort of thing.
The case uses a horizontal layout, just like the Elite 110. However, the Graphite 380T places the PSU and 3.5-inch cage under the motherboard, clearing the way of the CPU and GPU to breathe.
The 380T is the only case in this lineup to feature a fan controller on the front of the case. While many people may default to using a software-controlled fan setting, a hardware control can be useful if you suddenly need to up your airflow immediately.
The Graphite 380T is a great case. For those looking for something more portable than the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv iTX or the NZXT Manta, you really can't go wrong with this one.
The Cooler Master Elite 110 is a very inexpensive case that manages to pack all the basics into a tiny form factor. At under a cubic foot in size volume, this little guy is about as small as you can get while still using an ATX power supply.
When we say inexpensive, we mean it. This case doesn't have room for water cooling for big air coolers, so you'll do well to stick with a locked Intel CPU and stock heatsink and fan. That's not all bad, since this case doesn't offer any clever spaces to stash your PSU cables. On the upside, this case has so little volume, the front intake fan move plenty of air though and out of the case.
This case will also force you to use small video cards to power it. Luckily, there are some good options out there: The EVGA GTX 960 1962-KR, the Asus GTX 970 DCMOC, and the AMD R9 Nano are all good options for this case.
This case exemplifies why using M.2 SSDs and modular power supplies are such a good idea. You'll want to eliminate as many cabled from the build as possible.
With all of that in mind, we're hard pressed to ind any case that's smaller or more affordable for the mini-ITX form factor. If you're looking to build a little living room Steam box or a lightweight LAN party rig, the Elite 110 is a seriously good choice.
Honorable Mention
- Carrying handle
- Supports full-size GPUs (up to 11 inches)
- Room for two 3.5-inch drives
- Door design is easy to open and close
This little case from Corsair offers a portable package and that fits full-size GPUs. We like it, and we've used it as a base for a few systems. The case offers everything you need, including a nice little carrying handle.
The Corsair Graphite 380T is loved by many for its features and size. With room for 11 inches of GPU and water cooling for the CPU, this case does have a lot to offer.One thing we really love about the case is the doors. Using latch-style handles (like those you'd find on a car door) at the top, the side panels come off easily, allowing for access to the motherboard compartment on both sides. The doors are equally simple to reattach, making maintenance and cleaning easy.
This rig is clearly meant for BYOCs and LANs, since the carrying handle makes moving your rig around a cinch. The case's size and handle also makes it ideal for a mobile video editing rig, for those who do that sort of thing.
The case uses a horizontal layout, just like the Elite 110. However, the Graphite 380T places the PSU and 3.5-inch cage under the motherboard, clearing the way of the CPU and GPU to breathe.
The 380T is the only case in this lineup to feature a fan controller on the front of the case. While many people may default to using a software-controlled fan setting, a hardware control can be useful if you suddenly need to up your airflow immediately.
The Graphite 380T is a great case. For those looking for something more portable than the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv iTX or the NZXT Manta, you really can't go wrong with this one.
Building a PC with a small form factor case gives you more flexibility and space. While I don't mind having a full-sized tank of a machine in my office, I typically opt for something more compact in my media room.
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