For the ultimate gaming machine the full tower ATX case has become the weapon of choice, though evidently not for its portability or value. Rather gamers with high-end systems are turning to the full tower ATX form factor simply so they can comfortably fit all their extreme hardware. With flagship GeForce and Radeon graphics cards now measuring over 9" long (23cm) typical mid-size cases are no longer sufficient.
Furthermore, cooling has grown considerably in size and now takes up a fair amount of real estate whether it is an air-cooler or a more complex water-cooled system. Then we have those 800w-plus power supplies that are also much longer and again require more room. Add to that the necessary cabling that needs to be tucked away for neatness and optimal functional inside.
Luckily there is an ample range of options available to gamers when it comes to picking a full tower ATX case, though as we have found, it pays to choose wisely. Not so long ago we checked out the NZXT Khaos, a new full tower ATX case constructed entirely from aluminum. Unfortunately the case itself was far from perfect and with a price tag of $400 we were left quite speechless (in a bad way).
Another company that has been pushing the full tower ATX format quite hard has been Thermaltake and their latest creation the Spedo is not a bad example, priced reasonably at $170 given the features on offer. There is also the Antec Twelve Hundred which costs a little more at $180 while offering a similar level of features.
Silverstone also has the Kublai KL03B at $170 and their more popular TJ series that starts at almost $300. Even Zalman has a full tower ATX case in that price range called the Professional GS-1000-TT Titanium. Lian-Li also has an extensive yet expensive range of full tower ATX cases starting at $210, but with most costing well over $300. We reviewed their flagship Tyr PC-X2000 case not too long ago, but expect to pay a hefty $590 for that beauty.
Then finally we have Cooler Master who has one of the most complete full tower ATX case ranges available today. The Cosmos and Stacker case series have been very popular amongst gamers despite the $200+ price tags. However, there is now a new Cooler Master full tower ATX case that is a little more affordable. Priced at just $160 it could be said that the Cooler Master HAF 932 is an entry-level full tower ATX case, but when looking at the specifications it becomes hard to agree with that statement - in a good way.