Budget cases under $50 are recommended if you want to cheap out on some areas when building a PC in order to fit your budget and/or spend more on other components. The case does not directly affect the performance, which makes it more acceptable to be frugal with the case than, let’s say, the graphics card or memory.
However, shopping for affordable cases with a meager $50 budget is not an easy task. From popular mid-tower cases to small-form cases, there are a lot of options when shopping for the best budget PC cases under $50. Fortunately for you, we already got you covered. In this guide, you’ll find the top 12 PC cases that you can get for $50 or less.
Rosewill FBM-X2
There aren’t many reputable brands represented in the $30 range, with Rosewill being one of the more prominent ones with its good selection of cheap mini-towers. Of the company’s budget PC cases, the FBM-X2, which usually sells for a little over $30, is one of the best. It has a more modern design than the older FBM-X1, not to mention it looks a lot better overall.
Compatible with both mini-ITX and microATX motherboards, this budget computer case has a simple design, with its all-black frame not offering much in terms of cosmetics. You can use it for building a modest gaming PC or an office PC. It has one pre-installed rear fan and supports up to four additional fans for better cooling. Along with four expansion slots, the spacious interior has one 3.5-inch drive bay and three 2.5-inch drive bays.
The input and output ports are at the top of the case, along with the power and reset buttons. There are three USB ports, a headphones port, and a microphone port. However, only one of the USB ports is USB 3.0; the other two are both USB 2.0 ports. Whether you are building an Intel-based or AMD-based system, the FBM-X2 is a great option if you want to limit your PC case budget to just around $30.
Cougar MX330
A mid-tower computer case, the Cougar MX330 is a recommended product if you are building a powerful gaming PC but prefer a low-cost, minimalist PC case instead of a flashy one. Unlike the Rosewill FBM-X2, it has a transparent side panel, allowing you to flaunt your hardware, especially if some of the components feature eye-catching RGB lighting. You can get this case for just around $40, which is right in line with many other budget mid-towers on the market.
The Cougar MX330 offers a roomy interior with good cable management for a more organized setup. It can support mini-ITX, microATX, and ATX motherboards and offers seven expansion slots. There are four internal drive bays in total: two 2.5-inch drive bays for your SSD and two 3.5-inch drive bays for your HDD. You shouldn’t have any problem installing a large graphics card in the case since there is enough room for a full-sized graphics card up to 12.8 inches in length.
Like with the Rosewill FBM-X2, there is one pre-installed fan at the rear, with the case supporting up to five fans in total. You can also install a water-cooling system in this mid-tower case. In terms of connection ports, the Cougar MX330 is not that different from the Rosewill FBM-X2, with the only difference between them being the addition of one more USB 3.0 port in the former. The ports are front-facing while the power button is at the top of the case.
Rosewill Tyrfing
The Rosewill Tyrfing is a budget computer case designed specifically for those who are building a gaming PC, offering a spacious interior with decent cable management. It’s a mid-tower case capable of supporting ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX motherboards. While it sometimes sells for a little over $50, you can get it for just around $40.
Like most other low-end PC cases, the Rosewill Tyrfing is not much of a looker – which is good news if you want to keep your setup inconspicuous – but its build quality is good. It has a transparent window on the left side and comes with feet for additional breathing room underneath. The input and output ports are at the top of the case, along with the power button. There is no dedicated reset button. The case includes two pre-installed fans and supports a water-cooling system.
As mentioned, the Rosewill Tyrfing has a spacious interior. It has a total of seven expansion slots and supports full-sized graphics cards up to around 15.8 inches in length. In addition to the three internal bays for either 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch storage drives, the case has a pair of external 5.25-inch drive bays for all your storage needs. Overall, this Rosewill product is a suitable budget case for a gaming build, especially if you have a powerful graphics card for serious gaming.
Be sure to also check out our guide on the best custom PC builders on the market.
DeepCool Matrexx 55
While most of the best budget PC cases under $50 are simple and minimalist in design, there are a few that have more flair than usual – and the DeepCool Matrexx 55 is one of them. It has tempered glass on both the side and front panels and features RGB lighting, which is notable for a budget PC case. It can support E-ATX, ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX motherboards, with the E-ATX support making it unique among the products on this list.
The DeepCool Matrexx 55 is a well-designed mid-tower computer case with good build quality from top to bottom. The cable management is decent while the airflow is good. There are dust guards at the top and bottom of the case. The RGB lighting comes in the form of a thin RGB strip out front, running from top to bottom. You can control it with the LED button sitting between the power and reset buttons at the top of the case, where the USB and audio ports are also located.
Featuring seven expansion slots, the DeepCool Matrexx 55 is easy to work on, which is beneficial for beginners. You can use it for either a gaming build or a powerful computer for productivity. It can support large graphics cards up to around 14.6 inches in length and includes more than enough fan mounts for a good cooling system. However, there is no pre-installed fan in the case, unlike some of the products listed here.
Fractal Design Focus G
If regular black-colored PC cases are too boring for you, check out the Fractal Design Focus G, which is available in red, black, blue, white, and gunmetal gray. It’s a mid-tower case compatible with ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX motherboards. It has two pre-installed Fractal Design silent fans – which both feature LEDs – out front.
The Fractal Design Focus G has a transparent side window, allowing you to show off your system. For dust protection, the case has dust filters at the top, front, and bottom. The input and output ports are located at the top, along with the power and reset buttons. There are only two USB ports: one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0.
Whether you are building a computer for gaming or productivity, the Fractal Design Focus G will work well. It has good airflow and offers six fan mounts. While there are certainly other cases with a better setup, the case’s cable management is also decent. All in all, the Fractal Design Focus G is a recommended computer case, offering good value for the money. It’s one of the more popular budget PC cases on the market and comes from a reputable company based in Sweden.
Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L
The Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L is a small-form PC case that offers a spacious interior with good airflow and cable management. It can be positioned either vertically or horizontally and features an adjustable input/output panel for extra versatility. You can get this computer case for less than $40 during a sale.
A mini-tower PC case, the Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L is made of steel and plastic and can support microATX and mini-ITX motherboards. It has an edge-to-edge transparent side panel, but it’s tinted, which might disappoint those who want people to get a clean look at their hardware. The top, bottom, and front of the case all come with dust protection. The input and output ports, as well as the power and reset buttons, are on the side. You can adjust the connections panel and place it on either side of the case, with options to position it at the top, bottom, or front.
The Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L includes one pre-installed rear fan and can support up to six fans in total. It has four expansion slots and three drive bays (consists of two 2.5-inch drive bays and one 3.5-inch drive bay) for storage. There is also a TUF Gaming Alliance version of this case, which has a slightly more attractive exterior design, but you’ll need to increase your budget to around $60 for that one.
DeepCool Tesseract SW-RD
The Tesseract computer cases from DeepCool are good budget options if you want something that includes pre-installed fans with LEDs for a more appealing look. The product listed here is the Tesseract SW-RD model, which has a black frame with red accents and red fan LEDs. You can use it for building around an ATX, a microATX, or a mini-ITX motherboard, with its roomy interior capable of supporting a full-length graphics card.
Like the DeepCool Matrexx 55, the DeepCool Tesseract SW-RD has a windowed side panel for showing off your gaming build. But unlike that of the former, the window is not edge-to-edge, which means some of the components are not going to be fully viewable. The case has seven expansion slots and a total of seven tool-less internal drive bays for your HDD and SSD. There is one pre-installed LED fan at the front and another one at the rear, both of which are decent in quality.
The control panel – which includes dedicated power and reset buttons – is at the top of the case, which makes it easy to access. There are two USB ports, but only one of them is a USB 3.0 port. While its build quality feels cheap in some areas, the DeepCool Tesseract SW-RD is a recommended mid-tower PC case for those limited to a $50 budget.
Cooler Master Elite 110
The Cooler Master Elite 110 is a compact case for a modest computer build, either for gaming or office work. It supports mini-ITX motherboards and graphics cards up to around 8.3 inches in length. While this product is normally listed at around $60, it can be bought for less than $50, which makes it one of the most affordable cubic mini-ITX cases on the market.
Featuring a mesh front panel for better airflow, the Cooler Master Elite 110 has a simple but effective design. The build quality is good while the cable management is acceptable enough for such a compact computer case. There are holes at all sides for proper ventilation, but there are no magnetic dust filters around the exterior. If you want dust protection, you’ll need to buy a dust filter kit designed specifically for the Cooler Master Elite 110.
Compatible with an ATX power supply, this small-form PC case has one pre-installed front fan and includes two additional side fan mounts. There are only two expansion slots, as expected from a compact case, but there is enough room for multiple HDD and SSD storage. The input and output panel – which includes dual USB 3.0 ports – is on the side. If you are shopping for a small-form, cubic PC case, check out the Cooler Master Elite 110. It’s not the most aesthetically impressive case out there, but it gets the job done.
Corsair Carbide 100R
The Corsair Carbide 100R is a mid-tower PC case with a simple aesthetic, featuring a clean exterior that will look good even in a corporate setting. It is recommended for people who prefer a discreet design with none of those cosmetics usually seen in gaming-focused cases. This PC case is compatible with ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX motherboards, along with a regular ATX PSU up to around 10.2 inches in length.
While not as attractive as some of the best budget PC cases under $50 listed here, this Corsair budget product is well-designed. The steel frame is sturdy and is optimized to allow for better cooling for the GPU, which is especially beneficial for those building a powerful gaming PC. The cable management is decent, while the interior is easy to access. The left side has a window, but it’s not a full-sized window. The USB and audio ports are front-facing at the top, along with the power and reset buttons, which makes them easy to access when the case is under your desk.
With its spacious interior, the Corsair Carbide 100R allows for a great deal of hardware flexibility. It has seven expansion slots and four tool-less internal drive bays that support both HDD and SSD storage. There is only one pre-installed fan, which might disappoint those expecting at least one fan each for intake and exhaust. You can easily add more fans as needed, with the case offering five internal fan mounts in total. Overall, the Corsair Carbide 100R is a great budget PC case, featuring a straightforward design that will work well whether you are building a computer for gaming or office use.
AeroCool Cylon
When it comes to aesthetics, the AeroCool Cylon is the opposite of the Corsair Carbide 100R. It has a more stylish design, featuring an RGB lighting system with 13 lighting modes. It’s more suitable for gamers who are building a flashy system complete with both interior and exterior RGB lights.
The AeroCool Cylon is a mid-tower computer case compatible with ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX motherboards. The left side has a transparent panel, but the window material feels cheap (which isn’t really surprising for a budget PC case). For dust protection, the case has a magnetic dust filter at the top and a removable PSU dust filter at the bottom. The ports and buttons are also at the top. In addition to the USB and audio ports, this PC case has dedicated slots for an SD card and a microSD card, which is especially beneficial for photographers. There is also a LED button that allows you to control or turn off the RGB lighting strip diagonally positioned on the front panel.
Like other mid-tower PC cases, the AeroCool Cylon offers a roomy interior. There are seven expansion slots and five SSD mounts (two of which can also support a larger HDD storage). The case can support full-sized graphics cards up to around 14.6 inches in length. And as for cooling, there are multiple fan mounts inside the case – including three front fan mounts – but only one fan is included in the package.
Thermaltake Core V1
Available in either black or white, the Thermaltake Core V1 is another recommended unit if you want a compact case for a mini-ITX build. It has good airflow and decent cable management and includes interchangeable side panels. There is one fan included in the package, with the option to add more fans for a better cooling system. You can also install a water-cooling system on this case, but the interior space doesn’t allow for a lot of flexibility.
A cubic PC case, the Thermaltake Core V1 has good build quality for a budget product. The top and side panels are easily removable, allowing for easy installation and maintenance. You can swap out the panels depending on your setup or preference, with the windowed panel allowing you to get a better view of your build and the perforated panel offering better ventilation. The front panel is also filled with holes, with the Thermaltake logo being the only cosmetic on it. The USB and audio ports are on the side, along with the power and reset buttons.
The Thermaltake Core V1 has a roomy interior for a compact case. It can accommodate a full-sized graphics card and includes two expansion slots. Its bottom chamber – which has a removable PSU dust filter – can house a PSU up to 7.9 inches in length. The interior also has room for two 3.5-inch HDD storage and two 2.5-inch SSD storage. The drive trays are a bit flimsy, though, but it’s not a big deal as they are adequate enough for their intended purpose.
Thermaltake Versa H18
The Versa H18 is another great budget PC case from Thermaltake. You can use it for building around either a microATX or a mini-ITX motherboard. It has good airflow and can support up to five cooling fans, though only one fan is included in the package. It sells for around $40-50, with Thermaltake also offering a cheaper, non-windowed variant (the Thermaltake Versa H15).
Unlike many other cheap PC cases under $50, this small-form case doesn’t have a boring exterior, which is good news for those who care about aesthetics. The front panel has a nice mesh design and includes a blue LED strip that runs vertically on the right edge. The ports and buttons are also on the front panel, similarly positioned vertically. The left side of the case is windowed, with the tempered glass giving you a clean look at your system. The interior is easy to access and work on, which is especially beneficial for beginners.
Featuring hidden storage drive bays, the Thermaltake Versa H18 offers generous interior space for a mini-tower case. You can mount up to three front fans, one top fan, and one rear fan, with the case also supporting a liquid-cooling system. There are four expansion slots, along with two 3.5-inch drive bays, and two 2.5-inch drive bays for storage. The case’s cable management is also good, but don’t expect to be able to set up an elaborate cable arrangement if you are a bit OCD when it comes to cabling.
