3-Way Budget Case Roundup - PAGE 1

Over the last few years we have started to see an evolution in the budget case market, as many features that were considered high-end just a year ago are now becoming standard in virtually any case. Basically this means that nowadays even a case priced between $50 to $100 will include features such as CPU back-plate access, cable management, tool-free installation and more. This ought to give anyone looking for a new case plenty of bang for the buck, but with a near endless list of manufacturers and varying features to choose, from it can be hard to narrow down the search and pick the best chassis for their needs.

We are examining three budget cases in this roundup for anyone potentially interested in looking at the entry-level market, and judging their value based on the thermal performance, included features, noise output, expandability and ease of installation. One aspect we don't have to examine though is the price, as all the cases in this roundup have an MSRP at or below $70. This puts each case firmly in the budget segment, but still all three claim to offer excellent expandability and features, regardless of the lower than average MSRP.

The three cases we have on the testing block today are the Cooler Master Centurion 5 II Red Edition, BitFenix Shinobi and NZXT Source 210 Elite. With such low price premiums, these cases could make an excellent option for anyone building a budget PC. Before we recommend anything let's take a look at the cases, and see how compare to each other as well as some of the more expensive cases on the market.