Sadly, there is no standard way through which you can classify all the various PC Case sizes. Before you decide which PC case to buy, you first need to compare all of the individual case sizes to determine which one of them adequately suits your needs.
As such, we have gone ahead and done a PC case size comparison to help you make the choice before you begin building your own PC.
Different PC Case Sizes Comparison
Just to be clear, we have not listed all of the possible PC case sizes. This is because many of them have become obsolete or are only used in certain scenarios.
Instead, we are comparing the three major PC case sizes. Pretty much any case that you can buy from a retailer for customization will fall under one of these three categories. We will list their positives and negatives so that you can make a decision on the right PC case size for you!
The Mini-Tower
The mini-tower is fairly small, with its average height being around 15 inches. This case only has one or two external bays and can usually only be used with one graphics card.
Mini-towers are often represented by micro ATX cases. Thankfully, you are not confined to a mini-tower if you have a micro ATX motherboard because the larger towers also provide support for it.
A mini-tower usually looks great and keeps a low-profile. Hiding it under your desk is no problem, and it will fit right into your office furniture.
However, a mini-tower may have cooling issues. This is because there isn’t enough space inside the case for ventilation. Thus, the airflow must be managed exceptionally well if you are planning to build a gaming PC inside of a mini-tower. Novice PC builders should probably stick with the other two options on this list for now.
The Mid-Tower
This is the most common PC case size available on the market. It falls somewhere in between a mini-tower and a full-tower. The average height of a mid-tower is around 20 inches and it usually has between 3 and 5 external bays.
A mid-tower can hold a full-sized ATX motherboard. However, it is not big enough for its size to be a problem. Ventilation, while not too difficult, is not too great either. Thankfully, there is enough space inside of a mid-tower for you to harness the power of a liquid cooling system.
This is the custom PC builder’s holy grail. While a bigger case may make it easier for you to work on your PC, the price does not justify its purchase. A mid-tower can comfortably hold 2 graphics cards, and you will probably not be requiring more than 2 in this day and age.
The Full-Tower
Full-towers are able to handle everything you throw at them. With an average height of around 25 inches and 5 or more external bays for you to work with, the full-tower is usually reserved for those with a budget big enough to fill it up as well. It supports all motherboard sizes, including those not generally used such as the extended ATX.
Cooling issues will almost never occur in a full-tower as long as you are able to manage the airflow to a basic degree. However, a full-tower will end up taking a lot of space and could be a hassle to move (or take to your local computer shop if you run into an issue).
In most cases, you will not be needing a full-tower. Apart from the fact that people find these cases easier to work with (especially those with larger hands), the marginal benefits of a full-tower are outweighed by its price and immobility.
Conclusion
Remember that we have not mentioned a lot of Case sizes due to them not being relevant to the average users. In fact, many retailers are now offering customers the ability to build Custom PC Cases, thus allowing them to determine the size of the case according to their needs.
If you are unsure of what to buy, then go with the mid-tower. It will be more than adequate for a complete PC no matter what you do with it and will allow you to easily upgrade your components when the time comes.