Adding to our general PC case size comparison, this article zooms in on larger cases in the full tower form factor with room for an Extended ATX (E-ATX) motherboard. Any such case is going to have a substantial footprint and is the complete opposite of a space-saving ITX case. The goal here isn’t saving space, of course, but rather getting lots of air to your high-end parts. Other than ample room for radiators and fans, full tower cases will also house the largest CPU coolers, oversized GPUs, and more than enough storage.
How Big is a Full Tower E-ATX Case?
Just like other form factors, full-tower cases come in many shapes, but not all sizes.
From left to right is a Corsair 7000D Airflow (full tower), a Fractal Design Focus G (mid tower), Phanteks XT M3 (mATX mid-tower), and Cooler Master MasterBox NR200 (ITX mini-tower). While there are lots of variation within each segments, the above are somewhat representative of what you get with different form factors.
Full specs:
| Case Model | Form Factor | Dimensions (H × D × W) | Volume | Motherboard Support | Max GPU Length | CPU Cooler Height | Radiator Support | Drive Bays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corsair 7000D Airflow | Full Tower | 600 × 550 × 248 mm (23.6" × 21.7" × 9.8") | 81.8 L (2.89 ft³) | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | 450 mm (17.7") | 190 mm (7.5") | Up to 420mm front 480mm side 360mm top | 4× 3.5" 4× 2.5" |
| Fractal Design Focus G | Mid Tower | 464 × 444 × 205 mm (18.3" × 17.5" × 8.1") | 42.2 L (1.49 ft³) | ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | 380 mm (15.0") | 165 mm (6.5") | Up to 280mm front 240mm top 120mm rear | 2× 5.25" 2× 3.5" 1× 2.5" |
| Phanteks XT M3 | mATX Tower | 460 × 370 × 235 mm (18.1" × 14.6" × 9.3") | 40.0 L (1.41 ft³) | mATX, Mini-ITX | 430 mm (16.9") | 175 mm (6.9") | Up to 360mm top 240mm front 120mm rear | 1× 3.5" 2× 2.5" |
| Cooler Master NR200 | Mini Tower | 376 × 292 × 185 mm (14.8" × 11.5" × 7.3") | 18.25 L (0.64 ft³) | Mini-ITX, Mini-DTX | 330 mm (13.0") | 155 mm (6.1") | Up to 280mm side 240mm bottom | 2× 3.5" 3× 2.5" |
Some notable details:
- Volume Difference: The Corsair 7000D (81.8L) is 4.5× larger than the NR200 (18.25L)
- Height Comparison: The 7000D stands 224mm (8.8″) taller than the NR200 (about the height of a regular iPad)
- Side Note: The Phanteks XT M3 (mATX) looks more compact but has similar volume to the Focus G (ATX) due to its dual-chamber design
Full tower cases accommodate E-ATX motherboards, but that’s probably not the most common use case, as these premium motherboards are rare and often needlessly expensive. Moreover, E-ATX boards are not that much larger than ATX motherboards. More importantly, the exceptional cooling capabilities are especially useful when building multi-GPU configurations for rendering/AI workloads, content creation workstations, but also extreme gaming setup with custom loops and top-tier components.
7 E-ATX Full Tower Cases Compared
There’s not a huge market for full tower cases, but one worth looking into even if you had mid-tower plans. Your high-end parts will thank you for the cool and comfy environment, and there is plenty of room for future upgrades.
| Case | Dimensions | Volume | Weight | GPU Clearance | CPU Cooler Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corsair 1000D | H: 693mm (27.3") W: 307mm (12.1") D: 697mm (27.4") | 148.3L (5.24 ft³) | 29.5kg (65 lbs) | 400mm | 180mm |
| Phanteks NV9 | H: 600mm (23.6") W: 270mm (10.6") D: 600mm (23.6") | 97.2L (3.43 ft³) | 22kg (48.5 lbs) | 435mm | 185mm |
| Corsair 7000D | H: 600mm (23.6") W: 248mm (9.8") D: 550mm (21.7") | 81.8L (2.89 ft³) | 18.1kg (39.9 lbs) | 450mm | 190mm |
| Thermaltake CTE T500 | H: 570mm (22.4") W: 260mm (10.2") D: 570mm (22.4") | 84.5L (2.98 ft³) | 16.8kg (37 lbs) | 400mm | 185mm |
| Fractal Define 7 XL | H: 548mm (21.6") W: 240mm (9.4") D: 547mm (21.5") | 71.9L (2.54 ft³) | 16.6kg (36.6 lbs) | 491mm | 185mm |
| Fractal Torrent | H: 544mm (21.4") W: 242mm (9.5") D: 530mm (20.9") | 69.8L (2.47 ft³) | 14.4kg (31.7 lbs) | 461mm | 188mm |
| Lian Li O11D EVO XL | H: 522mm (20.6") W: 285mm (11.2") D: 505mm (19.9") | 75.1L (2.65 ft³) | 15.8kg (34.8 lbs) | 446mm | 167mm |
1. Corsair 7000D Airflow – True to its Name
The 7000D is not Corsair‘s largest full-tower case, which we will get to later, but possibly the most balanced. It delivers on the name (airflow), and the price is reasonable for what you get (40 pounds of steel).
It is not the biggest but one of the largest mainstream full towers available. Its cavernous interior supports 480mm radiators plus a 420mm radiator, GPUs up to 450mm, plus 12 × 120mm or 7 × 140mm fans.
2. Fractal Design Torrent – The Airflow King
Fractal Design’s Torrent lineup is also properly named, with the entire front and back acting as in- and outlets for massive amounts of air. Interestingly, these semi-open designs often result in low overall noise levels that often surpass silence-oriented PC cases.
The full-size Torrent case is not much higher than a desktop tower PC from the 1990s, but much wider. It’s about as tall as a mini-fridge (2 feet) and nearly as deep – big enough for most with GPU clearance up to 461mm, which is enough for any consumer graphics card on the market, or ever.
3. Phanteks NV9 – Made to be Seen
If you consider PC building an artform, you will find Phantek’s NV9 a large and most accommodating canvas.
Unlike the aforementioned two cases, this one focuses not so much on airflow as on visuals. But cooling will not be a problem, as the NV9 has room for triple radiators in the pictured configuration (2x 420+ 1x 280mm).
4. Corsair 1000D – The Super Tower
The Corsair 1000D will, at least in theory, fit one E-ATX and one mITX motherboard (i.e. two complete systems) in the same chassis.
Most will likely settle for building just the one, but properly and beautifully-cooled, system. Regardless, it’s one of the larges PC cases on the market, weighing in at 30kg/65lbs.
5. Thermaltake CTE T500 Air – Modern Monolith
Thermaltake’s CTE T500 Air weighs just slightly less than the Corsair 7000D but is slightly larger overall.
What stands out with this case is the GPU mounting, which is rotated 90 degrees along with the motherboard. There’s room for a 420mm radiator in the front, and a 360mm one at the rear. The three 140mm front fans are pre-installed.
6. Fractal Design Define 7 XL – Silent Giant
The Define series has been around for a long time and for good reasons. These cases are as low-key as they come, with an all-black metallic front and a choice of solid or tempered glass sides.
You can fit one 480 mm radiator in the front or top and 280 mm in the base. This one is a few hairs higher and deeper than the largest Torrent model but a completely different design, with noise-dampened panels instead of open grilles.
7. Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO XL – Glass & RGB
Lian Li’s O11 Dynamic EVO XL offers lots of space with its dual-chamber design, which is optimized for custom loops.
The Lian Li (left) is shorter than many full tower cases but also wider due to its cube shape. It comes with a side-mounted motherboard tray and vertical GPU mounting is. included. For cooling, there are three 360mm radiator and 10 fan mounting positions.
Building Tips for Full Tower E-ATX Cases
Getting a full tower case in the first place is a solid building tip. It’s easier and far more practical to build in a large case. With more air and fan/radiator placements, you will have no trouble keeping all the parts cool, which is great if you plan on overclocking. Some general tips for building in large cases:
- Use the extra space wisely: Route 24-pin and CPU power cables before installing the motherboard
- Fan configuration: Prioritize intake at front, exhaust at rear/top for optimal airflow
- GPU support: Use brackets to prevent sagging with heavy cards (especially important with large, high-end GPUs)
- Storage: Position drives to maintain airflow paths
- Weight distribution: Build on a sturdy surface (completed builds can exceed 70 lbs)
Wrapping Up
Full tower cases are investments in expandability and cooling potential. While they demand significant space, the building experience and thermal performance justify the footprint for serious enthusiasts and professionals.
