The Best Cases: Our favorite PC chassis in every form factor
Great | Differentiating Features
Incredibly customizable, Qi charger, fantastic water cooling support, three motherboard height settings, huge number of storage options, five color LED switch and fan controller at front
Good | Most Have It
Loads of space inside, very quiet, beautiful looks
Average | Competitors May Be Better
No PSU shroud, expensive, no air intake on the bottom
If you're an enthusiast PC builder, then only the best case will suffice. Last year's winner was the marvelous Corsair Obsidian 900D, with the Cooler Master Cosmos II and Phanteks Enthoo Primo hot on its heels. This year, however, we have a new champion: the incredible be Quiet! Dark Base Pro 900.
First thing you'll notice about this case is that it looks stunning. Whether you choose the orange, black, or silver trim, the Dark Base Pro 900 screams quality. At 14.39 kg and 23 inches tall, it's around 4 inches shorter and 4kg lighter than the Obsidian, but still a satisfyingly large, sturdy case. And that gorgeous, tinted tempered glass window is the icing on the visual cake.
Probably the best aspect of this case is its completely customizable, modular design. Not only can you reposition the fully removable motherboard tray (which supports E-ATX and XL-ATX mobos) at three different vertical heights, but it's also possible to fit it upside down for an inverted layout.
That flexibility extends to the drive bays - you can have as many or as few as you wish inside the Pro 900. Each of the seven cages can hold either a single 3.5" drive or a pair of 2.5" drives, and there's a 2.5" mount on the motherboard panel, meaning you could stick a total of fifteen 2.5" drives in this case. Additionally, it comes with two 5.25" bays, should you need them.
With its customizable approach, the case is fantastic for water cooling systems, with space for radiators up to 420mm at the top and front, along with a 280mm radiator in the base and a 140mm radiator in the rear.
Fan-wise, it comes with three 140mm PWM SilentWing 3s, but there are plenty of options for adding more; you can fit three 140mm fans, four 120mm fans, a single 180mm fan, or one 200mm fan in the top panel. If you remove the 5.25" drive bay an additional front 140mm fan can be installed, and, depending on your power supply length, 120mm or 140mm fans can also be placed in the base.
The 20mm of clearance behind the motherboard tray, along with the numerous grommets and velcro straps, mean that cable management won't be an issue in the Pro 900. And the sheer size of the case also helps in this department.
While it may seem like a bit of a gimmick, the additional Qi charger that sits on the roof of the Dark Base Pro 900 is a quick and easy way of charging one of the 1000+ compatible devices. It's a feature that simply adds a little something extra to the case.
Combine all this with the five color LED switch and fan controller at the front, excellent airflow, and, of course, the fact it's extremely quiet, makes it our pick for top enthusiast case. The only minor points being the price ($249), a lack of a PSU shroud, and no air intake on the bottom.
Ultimately, the number of customization options offered by the Dark Base 900 Pro mean you can swap its interior layout around so often, you may never want to buy another case again.
There were a few notable runners up in the enthusiast category:
Corsair Obsidian 900D: last year's winner is still an absolute beauty of a case, and one of the best around for water cooling setups. It's so big you could live in it, supports two PSUs, and has five radiator mounting points. But this sturdy, stylish chassis doesn't come cheap – it's around $340 on Amazon.
Cooler Master Cosmos II: The flashy Ferrari to the Obsidian's luxury SUV. The two cases share a lot of similarities, though the Cosmos now tends to be cheaper, and picking between the two is often a matter of taste. Its aluminum frame, solid steel panels, and fully painted interior exudes quality.
Phanteks Enthoo Primo: Another great case that fits a ton of hardware and makes for excellent water cooling setups. The Enthoo Primo from Phanteks is over $100 cheaper than the 900D, and often sells for less than the Cosmos II. It may not be as gargantuan as other cases, but its quality is just as high.
Source: www.techspot.com
Images credited to www.techspot.com and cdn.wonderfulengineering.com
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