Very few PC cases actually have USB-C ports built-in, despite the fact that USB-C is quickly becoming the standard for data transfer. Thankfully, the few PC cases that offer USB-C are fantastic, and they may be perfect for your next build.
Why would you want a USB-C port installed in your computer case? Well for one, USB-C ports are more convenient than chunky USB-A ports, but they also offer fantastic charging speeds and data transfer rates. External drives and hardware (microphones, webcams, controllers, etc) also might start using USB-C, and it just makes sense for your computer to be ready for the future.
And yes, you could buy a USB-C PCIE card for your computer; that’s always an option. But these cards take up valuable slots on your motherboard, and do you really want to drop an extra $100 a few months from now just because your new PC case doesn’t have a USB-C port built-in?
What to Look For
Of course, you can’t go around buying expensive computer parts without checking to see whether they fit your needs first. Before shopping for a new computer case, you need to consider what kinds of cases are compatible with your motherboard, what kind of cooling you need, and a whole host of other questions.
Rather than leaving all the work up to you, we’ve detailed each case’s compatibility options and features throughout this article. We’ve also compiled a handy pre-shopping list, so you know what you need before you fall in love with a computer case:
- Motherboard Compatibility: Don’t buy a case that’s too big or small for your motherboard, or a case that isn’t compatible with your motherboard. We’ll detail each case’s motherboard compatibility for your convenience.
- Size and Space: It’s nice to have some extra space in your case. You can use this extra space to install big fans or liquid coolers, funky lights, large GPUs, or just to make cable management a little easier. But keep in mind that a gigantic, heavy computer case might not fit at your desk.
- Cooling: Generally speaking, extra space leads to extra cooling. If you’re super concerned about cooling, look for a spacious case with some good built-in fans.
- Hard Drive Mounts: Make sure your case has enough mounts for your HDDs and SSDs.
- USB Inputs: All cases mentioned in this article have at least one USB-C input, but that doesn’t necessarily mean every case here has enough USB ports to suit your needs. Don’t worry—we’ll list the ports available for each case.
Now you know what you need from your computer case, it’s time to hop right into it. Keep in mind that not too many cases with built-in USB-C ports are on the market just yet, so your options might feel a bit limited.
Full-Tower and Ultra-Tower Cases
Full-tower cases usually work with E-ATX and XL-ATX boards, and they’re great for huge, powerful rigs that need a lot of cooling or multiple GPUs.
Here are some full-tower cases with a built-in USB-C port:
- be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 V2 (E-ATX, XL-ATX): This 27″ tall case is built for demanding setups. It has three built-in “Silent Wings” fans, a relocatable motherboard tray, RGB illumination, a PSU shroud, and an airflow system. It has modular HDD slots that can be used for five HDDs, ten SSDs, and two optical drives simultaneously. As for ports, it has a USB-C port, two USB 3.0 ports, and a built-in Qi wireless charger.
- Cooler Master Cosmos C700M (E-ATX): Cooler Master calls this an “ultra-tower” case, and for good reason. It is 25.6″ tall, has handles, and is made from sleek glass and aluminum. It has some RGB tech built-in, two fans, and eight PCI slots. But it only has four internal drive bays, one external drive bay, one USB-C port, one USB 3.0 port, and a USB 3.1 port.
These two full-tower cases have specs comparable to the mid-tower cases below. So if you have an E-ATX motherboard, be sure to read on and fully weigh your options.
Mid-Tower Cases
