There are a plethora of reasons why you’d want to go for a small Micro ATX case in 2022. Maybe you’re on a tight budget and want to go for a reasonable Micro ATX motherboard.
Or perhaps you have a small setup and want a space-efficient PC without paying the premium that Mini ITX cases and components demand.
No matter the reason, you’ll benefit from the know-how of thebest Micro ATX casesavailable in the market today.
I’ve done the arduous legwork for you and came up with great cases for varying budget levels and all types of unique workloads..
Smallest Micro ATX Case Overview
Before You Buy: Top 3 Features to Look Out For
Before you go ahead and commit to purchasing a small Micro ATX case, here are three points you should keep in mind to ensure a smooth user experience:
Durable Build Quality
Build quality is often neglected by most buyers, but it’s an essential factor for long-term use, and especially important with small Micro ATX cases. With every component, like the GPU and the AIO cooler, huddled together closely, you definitely want a case that has the solid build quality to avoid any mishaps.
Good build quality usually comes down to less flimsy plastic parts, more aluminum, and proper painting treatment as well. This will guarantee that your case will last through thick and thin.
Airflow generally isn’t an issue in standard full-size ATX cases. However, when it comes to smaller Micro ATX cases, it can become a huge bottleneck. The case might have the space to pack all the latest high-end components, but they won’t be any good to you if they’re choking for air.
This is something known as “thermal throttling” and it happens when a component, like a GPU, can’t perform optimally because it’s getting overheated due to lack of airflow.
The way to avoid thermal throttling is to get acase with sufficient airflow. To be more specific, one with dust filters and vented or mesh side panels.
This will ensure that the components get the required airflow to perform at 100%. I’ll discuss this topic in greater depth in each review.
When it comes to small Micro ATX builds, cable management can be a huge challenge. You’re working with a small enclosure as it is, but then you also have all these pesky cables to hide. So, it’s important to buy a case that has user-friendly features.
