Introduction
Building a custom liquid cooling loop is an arduous and time-consuming process. It requires plenty of prior knowledge, and a variety of different tools in order to measure out your pipes, and cut them down to the correct size, in order to install them. One of the big considerations to make when choosing all of the preliminary parts for a custom loop, is the case that you’re going to use.
There are a vast range of chassis’ on the market right now, providing plenty of choice for consumers, but which ones are actually good for liquid cooling? Are you going to be forced to pick up a crazily expensive case in order to fulfil all of your custom loop dreams? Or are there PC cases available on the market that won’t cost you a fortune, but still supply plenty of space to design, and install a custom liquid cooling loop.
Suggested Article: How Much Money Should You Spend on a Gaming PC in 2023?
Our Recommendations
1. Lian Li O11D Mini
👑 The best compact case for custom liquid cooling.
First up in our roundup is the O11D Mini from Lian Li. This is a compact case that sports a glass front, and side, providing an unrestricted view into your PC build, making it perfect for those planning to build a fancy RGB custom loop. In terms of custom cooling support, the O11D offers a modular pump stand, allowing you to install a variety of different pumps or reservoirs for your system. This provides plenty of configurations, and also allows you to side mount a radiator too.
The O11D Mini is one of the best options when it comes to modularity, supporting a mass of different ways to install motherboards and cooling options, and is definitely worth a consideration if you’re looking to build a custom loop in a more compactly-designed system.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | Lian Li O11D Mini |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | E-ATX, Mid-Tower |
| Colours | Black, White |
| Front Panel | 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 3.5mm Combo Jack |
| Fan Support | Top: 3x 120mm or 2x 140mm Side: 2x 120mm or 2x 140mm Bottom 3x 120mm or 2x 140mm Rear: 1x 120mm |
| Radiator Support | Top: Up to 360mm Side: Up to 280mm Bottom: Up to 360mm |
| Included Fans | 0 |
| Drive Bays | 2x 2.5″, 2x 3.5″ |
Things We Like
Massively modular: One of the big selling points of the O11D Mini, is that it offers a modular design, which provides a huge amount of configurations for those with large motherboards, radiators and custom loops.
Unrestricted viewing angles: The O11D Mini is also one of the few cases to offer dual glass panels that provide a near unrestricted view into your build. If you plan on spicing up your PC with plenty of RGB and awesome colours with your custom loop, this case will provide plenty of ways for you to gaze in awe at your PC.
Things We Don’t Like
Modular design requires a lot of tinkering: Building a PC with a custom loop can already be a rather taxing and time-consuming process. So having to also mess around with the metal plates and stands in this case might be a bit much if you’re trying to build your PC quickly with minimal hassle.
Very heavy: Although the O11D Mini is considered a compact PC, it is by no means a small case. The sheer amount of metal and glass in the O11D Mini makes it very weighty, and we would avoid picking this up if you plan on building a more portable system.
Summary
Lian Li’s O11D Mini is an awesome modular compact PC case, geared towards enthusiasts that enjoy tinkering to find the optimal setup for their system. Although this case is smaller in comparison to other options, it provides plenty of space for a soft, or hard-line custom loop regardless of the fans, radiators, and reservoirs that you’ve picked out.
Features: 4.5/5
Design: 4.4/5
Versatility: 4.4/5
Value for Money: 4.4/5
Pros
- Provides a near-unrestricted view into your build.
- Perfect for those that enjoy tinkering.
- Plenty of modularity.
Cons
- Will require more configuration beyond the scope of a normal PC build.
- Not lightweight for a compact case.
Where to Buy
Buy the Lian Li O11D Mini on:
2. HYTE Y60
👑 The best looking case for custom liquid cooling.
Next up is the Y60 from HYTE, a somewhat new addition to the market that provides a unique but sophisticated aesthetic. The Y60 takes some design ideas from NZXT, and Lian Li, resulting in this wonderful case. There’s no restrictions to your view, and you’ve got a huge amount of space to design an awesome custom liquid loop. You can install a 360mm radiator at the top of the case, a 280mm radiator on the side, providing a huge amount of airflow, but also allowing you to connect up more components for that true custom loop aesthetic.
A pump/reservoir combo can be easily mounted in the angled area of the case, which should further provide a huge amount of space when you start fitting tubes and pipes. The Y60 also comes with a vertical GPU mount, which allows you to spice up your system with an awesome view of your graphics card.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | HYTE Y60 |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | E-ATX, Mid-Tower |
| Colours | Black, White, Red |
| Front Panel | 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 3.5mm Combo Jack |
| Fan Support | Top: 3x 120mm Side: 2x 120mm or 2x 140mm Bottom 2x 120mm or 2x 140mm Rear: 1x 120mm |
| Radiator Support | Top: Up to 360mm Side: Up to 280mm Bottom: Up to 120mm |
| Included Fans | 3x 120mm |
| Drive Bays | 4x 2.5″ or 2x 3.5″ |
Things We Like
Awesome aesthetic: The Y60 is one of the few cases on the market right now that provides a fully unrestricted view into your build. The glass front and side looks excellent, and is ideal for a mass of consumers looking to spice up their build with plenty of RGB and awesome components.
Dual-chamber design is useful: HYTE‘s Y60 also offers a dual-chamber setup for your components. This allows consumers to focus having the front of the case be purely aesthetic, and any cable mess can be easily hidden in the back.
Things We Don’t Like
Quite expensive: Unfortunately, the Y60 is not a cheap case. It does sit as a better price compared to some alternatives, but $200 is a fair amount to spend on a case of this magnitude.
Exclusively vertical mounting for your GPU: If you’re limited on space, or you’re not a fan of vertically mounted GPUs, you won’t be a fan of this case. HYTE only allows you to install your GPU upright, which won’t be ideal for all consumers.
Summary
The Y60 is a unique and awesome innovation from HYTE. We absolutely adore the aesthetic that this case offers, and it is perfect for a custom loop that prioritises design, over anything else. It is pricey, but well worth the money when compared to the alternatives on the market.
Features: 4.3/5
Design: 4.6/5
Versatility: 4.5/5
Value for Money: 4.3/5
Pros
- Unique and awesome aesthetic.
- Easy to minimise any cable mess.
- A huge mass of space for fans.
Cons
- Pretty expensive.
- Only allows vertical GPU mounting.
Where to Buy
Buy the HYTE Y60 on:
3. Thermaltake CTE C750 TG ARGB
👑 The best full-tower case for custom liquid cooling.
For our third selection, we’ve chosen a CTE C750 TG ARGB from Thermaltake. This is a case that we’ve looked at very recently, and funnily enough, we built a full custom loop using a range of other Thermaltake products, including their hard-line tubing. This case works flawlessly with custom loops, and offers a huge amount of space for radiators and fans, including mounts for reservoirs and pumps, making it much easier for consumers to configure their system without having to buy any extra parts.
The C750 isn’t Thermaltake’s best looking case that we’ve seen, but the mesh front, back, and top should aid with thermals, and you’re also able to choose between black and white, providing some additional styling options for those that prefer a darker or lighter aesthetic.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | Thermaltake CTE C750 TG ARGB |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | E-ATX, Full-Tower |
| Colours | Black, White |
| Front Panel | 4x USB 3.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 3.5mm Combo Jack |
| Fan Support | Top: 2x 120mm, 2x 140mm Front: 3x 120mm, 3x 140mm, 2x 200mm Side: 3x 120mm or 3x 140mm Bottom 2x 120mm or 2x 140mm Rear: 3x 120mm, 3x 140mm |
| Radiator Support | Front: Up to 420mm Top: Up to 240mm Side: Up to 420mm Rear: Up to 420mm Bottom: Up to 360mm |
| Included Fans | 3x 140mm |
| Drive Bays | 12x 2.5″ or 7x 3.5″ |
Things We Like
Perfect for custom liquid cooling: The CTE C750 has ample space for a fully-fledged custom loop, allowing you to customise the design to your heart’s content. Consumers looking to build a thermally efficient system will not be disappointed.
Rotational PCI-E slots: Thermaltake are massively prioritising customisation within this case, by offering PCI-E slots that can be rotated in a number of different ways all across the case, allowing you to install your GPU exactly how you want to.
Things We Don’t Like
Difficult to route internal cables: Unfortunately, because this is a CTE case, much of the design is geared to prioritise thermals and modularity. This results in there being a lack of spacing between the chassis and your motherboard to route cables, which can make the building process quite tedious.
Full-Towers are simply too big: Full-Tower PCs are not small by any means, and are the largest category of case that you can currently buy. If you’re looking to maintain available desk space, or you’d rather just put your PC in a cupboard and forget about it, this case won’t be for you.
Summary
Thermaltake’s CTE C750 TG ARGB is a huge case with a mass of space. It is pricey, but I’d argue that you get a huge amount of space for what you’re paying. This Thermaltake chassis prioritises customisation and thermal efficiency, making it perfect for those building a custom loop.
Features: 4.5/5
Design: 4.3/5
Versatility: 4.6/5
Value for Money: 4.6/5
Pros
- Super modular and massively customisable design.
- Huge amount of space for liquid cooling and large components.
- Comes with rotational PCI-E slots.
Cons
- Can be hard to route internal cables.
- Full-Tower designs are just massive.
Where to Buy
Buy the Thermaltake CTE C750 TG ARGB on:
4. Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO
👑 The best enthusiast case for custom liquid cooling.
For those of you who have been reading GeekaWhat content for a while, you probably could’ve seen this recommendation coming from a mile away. We’ve recommended the HAF700 EVO as one of the best cases for liquid cooling, because it is an absolute beast geared towards enthusiast-level systems. The HAF 700 EVO is another Full-Tower case with a huge amount of space for pretty much everything.
This case can handle the biggest components money can buy, and you’ll have ample space beyond this for any other components you might want to install, including another motherboard, if you’re building a multi-faceted system. This case is definitely worth looking out for if you’re building a top-end system.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | E-ATX, Full-Tower |
| Colours | Black |
| Front Panel | 4x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack, 1x 3.5mm Mic Jack |
| Fan Support | Top: 2x 200mm, 3x 140mm, 6x 120mm Front: 2x 200mm, 3x 140mm, 2x 200mm Side: 4x 120mm or 3x 140mm Bottom: 3x 120mm, 3x 140mm Rear: 2x 120mm |
| Radiator Support | Front: Up to 420mm Top: Up to 2x 360mm or 1x 420mm Side: Up to 480mm Rear: Up to 240mm Bottom: Up to 420mm |
| Included Fans | 2x 200mm, 3x 120mm |
| Drive Bays | 12x 2.5″ or 12x 3.5″ |
Things We Like
Huge amount of space: The HAF 700 EVO is one of the best equipped cases on the market, offering ample space for the biggest components money can buy. Needless to say, if you plan on bulking out your build, this is the case to do it in.
Comes with five pre-installed fans: This case also comes with five pre-installed fans, two of which are 200mm options. If you’re trying to save some money on extra components, this case is ideal.
Things We Don’t Like
Extremely high price tag: Along with being one of the best equipped cases, it is also one of the most expensive too. Consumers will need to shell out around $400 for this behemoth, which is a ridiculous amount to spend on a chassis.
A nightmare to cable manage: Unfortunately, the more components you add within your PC build, the harder it becomes to cable manage. If you plan on building a fleshed out system with plenty of parts, be prepared to spend a significant amount of time routing your cables properly.
Summary
The HAF 700 EVO from Cooler Master is one of the most insane cases that we’ve had the pleasure of being able to look at. It offers a huge amount of space for a massive range of components, and is ideal for an enthusiast-level build, which is what more custom liquid systems tend to be. But keep in mind that you’ll have to spend a significant amount to secure this gigantic case.
Features: 4.7/5
Design: 4.5/5
Versatility: 4.8/5
Value for Money: 4.3/5
Pros
- Ideal for enthusiast systems.
- Huge amount of space for a massive range of components.
- Comes with a range of pre-installed fans and tool-less parts.
Cons
- Very very expensive.
- Extremely complicated cable management.
Where to Buy
Buy the Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO on:
Custom Liquid Cooling – Is It Complicated?
In short – yes it is, but why? If you’re a first-time PC builder, you might have looked into AIOs, which are ‘all-in-one’ liquid coolers. These coolers do exactly what they say ‘on the tin’, in the sense that you get them mounted, provide some power, and they work out of the box. However, custom loops require a lot more than just mounting. The first thing you’ll need to do, is to pick up all of the individual parts that you’ll need. This includes water blocks for however many components you’d like to water cool, radiators, tubes, fittings, a pump reservoir combo, distilled water, a water bottle to fill the loop, and any extras you might need.
Once you’ve picked these up, then you’ve got to assemble the actual loop. This involves, installing the water blocks, measuring and cutting down any tubing to size, sanding it to get an equal finish, and then installing the fittings. There’s a number of other steps involved like fill testing, and mounting the components, but to summarise, the process is very involved, and requires patience and knowledge beyond the scope of what’s required just to get a PC built, so custom cooling is pretty complicated overall.
And this is why AIOs are so popular, because they provide a nice balance of thermal capability, but without the hassle of having to install a mass of different components. If you’re somewhat of an enthusiast, you may find yourself putting together a custom loop as the next step. However, if you’re a first-time builder you’ll want to avoid a custom loop, and stick to AIOs, as these coolers are much easier to install, and will still provide excellent thermals regardless. Just keep in mind that these coolers will not look as nice compared to a fully-fledged custom loop.
Why You Can Trust Us
When forging a list of recommendations for a buyers guide, or evaluating a product for a review, the GeekaWhat team are always working with the latest hardware to see how they match up to the rest of the market. During this process, we give our honest opinions to provide our audience with the best advice possible when browsing for a new product for their gaming setup.
If you want to learn more, either about our team of PC gaming and hardware experts or editorial promise, head over to the about us section.
How We Tested the Best Cases for Custom Liquid Cooling
In order to test and evaluate the best cases for custom liquid cooling, there are a number of factors that we take into account, these are:
- Internal Space
- Versatility
- Custom Liquid Loop Mounting Support
- Aesthetic
- Pricing
Conclusion
Best Case for Custom Liquid Cooling: Thermaltake CTE C750 TG ARGB
Thermaltake‘s CTE C750 TG ARGB is one of the best cases on the market right now for custom liquid cooling. It has a huge amount of space for large components, is extremely versatile when it comes to customisation, and is perfect for those prioritising thermals.
It is expensive, but offers ample room versus many of the other options that come in at a higher price point. If you’re willing to swallow the price tag, the C750 TG ARGB is one of the best options right now for those with a custom liquid loop.
Read our full read our Thermaltake case coverage, or Buy the Thermaltake CTE C750 TG ARGB on Amazon
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Custom Liquid Cooling Expensive?
Yes it is. A custom loop on average will cost you double, or even triple what an AIO would cost you in comparison.
Is Soft-Line Tubing Easier to Install?
Yes it is, but not by much. Soft-line tubing only requires you to cut and measure the size that you’ll need. But hard-line tubing requires you to use a heat gun and a specific tool to cut down the tubes to the correct size without damaging or crimping them.
Do I Need to Buy Distilled Water for my Custom Loop?
Yes. You can use dyes to colour the water, but tap water will corrode and damage the fittings and become dirty over time due to the chemicals and minerals inside it.
Which Manufacturers Supply Custom Liquid Cooling Components?
There are a multitude of manufacturers that offer custom loop parts, the most notable ones are Corsair, EK, and Thermaltake. We’d recommend researching which components are the best options before deciding.
