Mid Tower vs Full Tower PC case: Which do you need?

Choosing an appropriate PC case is important - not just one that appeals to your preference aesthetics-wise, but also making sure the case's footprint and capabilities suit you. It's easy to be overwhelmed by the wide array of case choices. To help drastically narrow the choices down, we're here to answer whether you should choose a mid or full tower case.

First, we have to cover the footprint that mid and full tower cases cover. If you are limited on space on whichever platform you'll be placing the PC on (desktop, PC tray) , a mid-tower would be the more suitable option. We have a variety of mid-tower cases that can suit just about any aesthetic and footprint constraint. For some sizing reference - a majority of gaming PCs you see around are mid-towers.

For those who are less constricted on spacing, a full tower case is definitely worth looking into. These are the less popular choice, but have their benefits especially if you're looking for the most "overkill" or futureproof case. Our full tower selection is more limited than mid-towers, but check the boxes of every PC enthusiast's needs.

Don't want to have to worry about component compatibility - both in the short-term and long-term future? Full tower. Want to build a PC that'll harness extreme cooling capabilities in case you overclock your GPU and CPU? Full tower. If you're someone who wants the most unhinged capabilities for buiding the ultimate gaming PC, a full tower is an easy choice.

Don't get us wrong - mid-towers still have plentiful capabilities in terms of cooling and component compatibility for a majority of PC users. However, CPUs and GPUs have been generating more heat than ever in recent years - resulting in larger GPU cards and higher cooling demands. To accommodate the most powerful components, choosing the right case is important. With mid-tower cases, shoppers need to do more research to ensure their components are compatible in terms of physical clearance.

For example, the largest GPU (at the time of writing this article) is ~359 mm long, which not every mid-tower will be able to accommodate. If you have a CPU that demands a high-end cooler (such as the i9-14900K), then you'll want to make sure your case can fit such a cooler.

Full tower cases provide more piece of mind when it comes to component compatibility. Due to their larger sizing, they are easily able to accommodate the largest GPUs and cooling components - such as our 420mm coolers and 480mm radiator.

If looking at the most extreme full tower, our 9000D RGB AIRFLOW is what we classify as a super full tower, due to its extreme capabilities, such as fitting two PCs in a single chassis. Some people may have two PCs at home - most popularly one for productivity/work, and one for gaming. The 9000D is especially a popular choice for streamers that simultaneously work with two PCs - one fully dedicated to gaming, and one to handle streaming so performance on both ends isn't compromised.

If you're looking to put together a workstation - a full-tower may also be the more suitable choice as you may have noticed the higher fan accommodation. In order to sufficiently cool (potentially) multiple GPUs and handle high workloads, you'll want the additional fans to ensure sufficient cooling. As a workstation - the last thing you'd want is for your components to overheat, as performance will be throttled and potentially lead to malfunction.

The build experience vastly differs between mid and full tower cases. If you want the most seamless build experience, full towers are an ideal choice as they have more space to work with and install components into. We've designed our mid-tower cases to provide a smooth build experience as well, though simply cannot compare to our full towers' spacious interior and luxuries, such as the 9000D's InfiniRail (shown below).

To quickly summarize - mid-towers are sufficient for a majority of PC gamers, but you'll still want to do research and verify your case in mind supports your components. Physical footprint is also especially an important factor, as not everyone has the space for a full tower.

If you desire the most future-proof case or plan to assemble the greatest gaming PC known to man, full towers are suitable. Full towers are also a very viable option for PCs tailored to professional use (simultaneous gaming/streaming, productivity, workstation).