Best Case 2017

2017 marked the widespread adoption of new materials like glass, while also at times pushing for less plastic when it came to cases. On top of that, RGB lighting features spilled over from motherboards, so that the vast majority of brands now have various cases which can light up in the exact color as your internal hardware.

be quiet! Dark Base 700

be quiet! has always been known for their attention to detail and quality when it comes to both PSUs and CPU coolers. The same holds true for their enclosures, but the Dark Base 700 goes beyond that by embracing both glass and RGB lighting. While some may say that be quiet! is a bit late to the party, the level of craftsmanship that has been put into seamlessly fusing looks and lights into the case while maintaining all elements of their case line's design language sets a new standard for cases.

Even with all these elements, the chassis also impresses with a well-engineered interior, absolute functional modularity, and inclusion of USB 3.2 Type C Gen2 connectivity. Thanks to the well-thought-out layout, both air-cooling fans and liquid-cooling enthusiasts will find the be quiet! Dark Base 700 to be an incredibly versatile beast.

Read our review

Runner-up: Phanteks Eclipse P300

On the budget side, the Phanteks Eclipse P300 managed to turn plenty of heads. Coming in at a mere $60 at launch, it also offers that same popular material and lighting mix of glass and RGBs as most other enclosures in 2017, but has also taken a novel approach to the materials used, which makes its very affordable price point possible. Even so, the Eclipse P300 does not feel cheap at all due to the metal-lined front panel. Sure, it may not be able to hold gargantuan radiators, but at such a low price point, it is more than perfect for mainstream builds while looking like a million bucks.

Read our review

Honorable Mentions

Even though numerous interesting and certainly functional, award-winning cases have launched in 2017, there are a few notable mentions that put a few brands or case families back on the map. On one hand, there is Cooler Master; their new H500P and C700P manged to make a splash, bringing back some old favorites in a fresh and new way. Another interesting case family that got a much needed but also well-executed renewal was the Fractal Design Define chassis, as the aging R5 was recently succeeded by the R6. The latest version of the company's flagship chassis made a huge leap forward in terms of functionality, design, and features, bringing the Define name back into the spotlight.

Looking forward to 2018

2018 is sure to surprise us with bolder designs, and a more fine-tuned material mix. That said, you can essentially expect glass to stick around. It will replace the weary old acrylic windows more and more in the mainstream, leaving only the entry level for acrylic to cater to. On top of that, USB 3.1 Type C Gen2 will enter the mainstream as you will see a growing number of phones switch to the interface. We would not be surprised to see a brand ditch the audio connectors in favor of a USB C port as well. There are also a few new motherboard form factors, like micro-STX, that are pushing hard to get some attention from case brands with the aim of introducing the ability to install potent GPUs into a small form factor. This brings with it the potential of firmly planting the PC into the living room as a high-performance gaming console alternative.