Full tower cases are the largest mainstream PC case format, typically standing over 550mm tall and supporting E-ATX and larger motherboards. They suit extreme builds: custom water cooling loops, workstations with multiple GPUs, servers, and enthusiast rigs with extensive storage. Full towers are significantly more expensive and require more desk or floor space than mid towers.
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When a Full Tower Makes Sense
A full tower is not necessary for most PC builds. The following scenarios represent the primary use cases where the additional size and cost are justified.
- E-ATX motherboard required: High-end workstation and server motherboards often use the E-ATX form factor (305 × 277mm), which many mid towers cannot accommodate.
- Custom water cooling with multiple radiators: A full custom loop with a CPU block, one or more GPU blocks, and a reservoir typically requires two or more radiators — often a 360mm or 420mm unit in the front plus a second at the top or bottom. Full towers provide the mounting positions and interior volume to make this practical.
- Four or more storage drives: Full towers offer substantially more drive bays than mid towers, making them well-suited to NAS-style builds, video editing workstations, and server configurations that require several 3.5-inch hard drives alongside multiple SSDs.
- Dual GPU workstation: Professional applications using multiple graphics cards for compute workloads benefit from the additional PCIe slot spacing and airflow headroom of a full tower.
- Long-term upgrade path: For builders who anticipate significant hardware additions over several years, a full tower removes form factor constraints that might otherwise require a case replacement.
Full Tower vs Mid Tower — Key Differences
| Feature | Full Tower | Mid Tower |
|---|---|---|
| Height range | 550mm – 700mm+ | 400mm – 550mm |
| E-ATX support | Common (check specific model) | Rare; limited to a few models |
| Max radiators | Typically 2–3 positions (420mm or 480mm possible) | Usually 1–2 positions (360mm maximum) |
| Drive bays | 6–18+ device positions | 2–6 device positions typical |
| PCIe slots | 7–10 | 7 |
| Typical weight | 12kg – 20kg+ | 6kg – 12kg |
| Typical price range (UK) | £150 – £400+ | £60 – £200 |
Notable Full Tower Cases Available in the UK — Specifications
The following table covers widely available full tower cases in the UK market. Prices are approximate retail ranges and will vary between retailers and over time. GPU clearance figures are with standard drive cage configurations; some models increase clearance with cage removal.
| Case | Height | Motherboard Support | GPU Clearance | Radiator Support | Drive Bays | Price Range | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 | 589mm | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | Up to 503mm | Front 480mm, Top 420mm, Bottom 360mm | 3× 3.5″, 4× 2.5″ (expandable) | £150 – £180 | View on Amazon |
| Corsair 7000D Airflow | 588mm | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | Up to 420mm | Front 360mm, Top 360mm, Rear 120mm | 6× 3.5″, 4× 2.5″ | £180 – £220 | View on Amazon |
| Fractal Design Define 7 XL | 568mm | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | Up to 491mm | Front 420mm, Top 420mm, Rear 120mm | Up to 18 devices with brackets | £160 – £200 | View on Amazon |
| Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL | 490mm | E-ATX, ATX, mATX | Up to 446mm | Top 360mm, Side 360mm, Bottom 360mm | 6× 2.5″ | £160 – £200 | View on Amazon |
| be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901 | 573mm | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX | Up to 490mm | Front 420mm, Top 360mm, Rear 120mm | 4× 3.5″, 6× 2.5″ | £230 – £280 | View on Amazon |
| Thermaltake Level 20 XT | ~680mm (cube) | E-ATX, ATX | Up to 400mm | Multiple 360mm positions (front, top, side) | 3× 3.5″, 3× 2.5″ | £300 – £400 | View on Amazon |
Custom Water Cooling Radiator Capacity
For builders planning a custom water cooling loop, total radiator mounting capacity is a key selection criterion. The figures below reflect maximum theoretical radiator surface area across all mounting positions for each case listed above. In practice, simultaneous use of all positions may require careful planning around fan clearances and hose routing.
- Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2: Front 480mm + Top 420mm + Bottom 360mm gives a combined capacity of 1,260mm across three positions. This is the highest total radiator capacity of the cases listed and is suited to large CPU-and-GPU custom loops.
- Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL: Three 360mm positions (top, side, and bottom) offer 1,080mm combined. The dual-chamber design keeps the pump and reservoir separate from the motherboard compartment, which is a practical advantage for loop routing. Note that this case at 490mm sits at the lower boundary of what is typically classified as a full tower.
- Fractal Design Define 7 XL: Front 420mm and Top 420mm give 840mm across two primary positions, with a 120mm rear slot for an additional small radiator or exhaust fan. Drive storage capacity remains high even with full radiator installation.
- be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901: Front 420mm and Top 360mm provide 780mm combined, with a 120mm rear position. The modular interior supports repositioning of the PSU and drive cage to improve loop routing options.
- Corsair 7000D Airflow: Front 360mm and Top 360mm give 720mm total. This case is primarily designed around high airflow with its mesh front panel, making it equally suited to air cooling configurations. Radiator support is sufficient for a CPU-only or CPU-plus-single-GPU loop.
- Thermaltake Level 20 XT: The cube format supports 360mm radiators in the front, top, and side positions. Exact simultaneous use depends on chosen configuration; the case is designed around showcase builds with full side-panel visibility.
When selecting a case for a custom loop, verify that the radiator positions you intend to use do not conflict with the height of your RAM, the position of your CPU power connectors, or the length of your GPU.
E-ATX Motherboard Compatibility
The E-ATX (Extended ATX) standard specifies a board size of 305 × 277mm, but this dimension is not universally adhered to by motherboard manufacturers. Some boards marketed as E-ATX are narrower (typically 272mm wide), while high-end HEDT and server boards from manufacturers such as ASUS and Gigabyte can reach the full 305 × 277mm or occasionally exceed it. This inconsistency means that case E-ATX support should be verified against the specific motherboard’s dimensions before purchase.
Not all cases described as full towers support E-ATX. Many full-size cases are built around the ATX standard (305 × 244mm) and may physically fit an E-ATX board but without correct standoff positions or without the necessary clearance along the right-hand edge of the board.
Among the cases listed above:
- The Fractal Design Define 7 XL supports E-ATX boards up to 285mm in width, which covers most consumer E-ATX boards including those from ASUS ROG and MSI MEG series.
- The Corsair 7000D Airflow, be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901, Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL, and Thermaltake Level 20 XT support standard E-ATX dimensions at 305 × 277mm.
- The Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 supports E-ATX boards up to 272mm in width. Boards at the full 277mm standard width may fit physically but should be verified against Phanteks’ official compatibility documentation before purchase.
When ordering an E-ATX board for a full tower build, cross-reference the motherboard’s exact dimensions (listed in its specification sheet) against the case manufacturer’s stated maximum width clearance. This is particularly important for server-class and HEDT platform boards, which can vary significantly from the consumer E-ATX standard.
Buyers in the UK should also factor in warranty and returns policies when purchasing full tower cases, given their size and weight. Most major UK retailers including Amazon UK, Overclockers UK, Scan, and Ebuyer stock the majority of cases listed above, though availability and pricing differ between them.
Related articles: Best PC Cases UK: Complete Guide
