Head-to-head · Best Mini-ITX Cases

Cooler Master NR200 vs Lian Li A4-H2O

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Cooler Master NR200 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.2). Cooler Master NR200 is best for: first-time SFF builders, and anyone who wants the most-recommended Mini-ITX case without paying the boutique tax. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Mini-ITX Cases

Cooler Master NR200

4.3

2 sources$79.93as of Sep 27

The Cooler Master NR200 is the default Mini-ITX case recommendation in 2026, as it has been for several years, because it pairs sane thermals, generous GPU clearance, and tool-free access at a price that undercuts almost every competitor by 2-3x. Its 18.25 L footprint is the sweet spot for SFF builds: small enough to feel intentional, large enough that you're not fighting the case during install. The downside is the no-frills front I/O and SFX-only PSU mount, but neither is unusual at this price.

Strengths

— Five ventilated steel panels — every face is removable for tool-free access, per Hardware Canucks
— Holds up to 7 fans for serious thermal flexibility despite the small volume
— Largest community of build guides and aftermarket panel options of any SFF case

Watch-outs

— SFX power supply only, no ATX support
— Original NR200 ships without a tempered glass panel — the NR200P upgrades that, as TweakTown notes

$79.93 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Mini-ITX Cases

Lian Li A4-H2O

4.2

1 source$155as of Oct 10

The A4-H2O is what you build when you've decided 11 liters is the goal and you're willing to accept the trade-offs to get there. The sandwich layout mounts the GPU behind the motherboard, the removable front and top open up surprisingly easily for a case this small, and the 240 mm AIO support is the differentiating feature against most cases in this volume class. Cable management is the dealbreaker for some builders — there's almost nothing in the way of dedicated routing. GamersNexus calls cable management the case's main flaw; everything else is praised.

Strengths

— 11 L volume — among the smallest cases that still fit triple-slot GPUs
— Designed around 240 mm AIO water cooling, with removable top bracket for radiator install, per GamersNexus
— Aluminum exterior and SPCC steel interior — premium build feel for the price

Watch-outs

— Cable management is the most-cited frustration — no dedicated tie-downs or channels
— Limited drive support (no 3.5" bays) by design — NVMe-only builds are expected

$155 · Buy at newegg.com Full review →

How they stack up

Cooler Master NR200

The NR200 is the lowest-priced case on this page. Its 18.25 L volume is close to the Hyte Revolt 3 (18.4 L) and well above the Lian Li A4-H2O (11 L) and Fractal Design Terra (10.4 L). The Revolt 3 trades the NR200's cubic layout for a vertical tower with a carry handle. The A4-H2O and Terra are sandwich-layout cases with much less cooling room: the A4-H2O limits CPU coolers to 55 mm and the Terra has one 120 mm fan mount, against the NR200's 155 mm cooler clearance and 280 mm radiator support.

Lian Li A4-H2O

At 11 L the A4-H2O is far smaller than the Cooler Master NR200 (18.25 L) and Hyte Revolt 3 (18.4 L) and slightly larger than the 10.4 L Fractal Design Terra. Against the Terra it adds 240 mm AIO support where the Terra has a single 120 mm fan mount; both take graphics cards up to 322 mm. The NR200 allows 155 mm CPU coolers against the A4-H2O's 55 mm.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Cooler Master NR200	Lian Li A4-H2O
Volume	18.25 L	11 L
Motherboard	Mini-ITX	Mini-ITX
PSU	SFX only	SFX, SFX-L (tight)
Max GPU Length	330 mm (triple-slot)	322 mm (triple-slot)
Max CPU Cooler Height	155 mm	55 mm
Radiator Support	Up to 280 mm	240 mm AIO (top)
Fan Capacity	Up to 7 fans (120 mm)	—
Material	Steel, plastic, mesh front	Aluminum exterior, SPCC steel interior
Front I/O	2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 3.5 mm headset	USB-C 3.1, USB-A 3.0, audio
Weight	4.8 kg	—

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