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I've reviewed a lot of PC cases over the last 11 years and built in a lot more as well. There are very few of them that I look back on and genuinely miss. Iconic is the word I'm looking for. The most memorable chassis aren't always the best in terms of the build experience, but for what the build turns into at the end of the process. Phanteks' Evolv X2 is exactly that. It's a case that I constantly think back to. A system I wish I still had because, visually, it is unlike anything I've ever built in previously.
Right now, Newegg actually has it on offer for just $110 after rebate. That's an impressive $70 off its original launch price, and down from its regular running $160 mark on Amazon, too.
This is very counter-intuitive, by the way, what I'm about to do, but I want to talk about the negatives of this thing before the positives. It's a big part of the build experience. To be blunt, the cable management on this thing is a serious challenge.
Because you've got this wrapped glass effect going around, and that monolithic vertical chimney design, there's not a huge amount of space in the back to route your cables. There are tie-down points, in velcro straps included, and plenty of cut-outs (it's BTF compatible), but realistically, you need to remove the storage caddy in the bottom and use a fairly short and stumpy PSU to get the best out of it. I actually broke one of the velcro straps when I first reviewed the Evolv X2.
The cooling, too, although intelligently designed (Phanteks is leaning heavily into that chimney-style thermal convection strategy), is limiting. You can install your 360mm AIO in the roof, and your three 120mm intakes in the floor, and that's about it. What is impressive, though, is that the AIO cavity is entirely recessed into the roof. Install a standard AIO and a set of fans up there, and they sit cleanly flush against the top of the case, with plenty of ventilation too. It's limited, but incredibly effective.
The positives, though. Boy oh boy, are they a plenty. This thing is beautiful to look at. Phanteks has nailed the aesthetic. Tall proud. Sitting on a plinth, protected intake airflow, glass surrounds. The light bar runs along the back edge and through the roof. It is ludicrously clean. Better yet, you can grab one of their premium PCIe "vertical" bracket (spoiler alert it is $81, although it is PCIe 5.0 compatible). I say vertical, because you actually angle the thing, and pivot your GPU 45 degrees in there too. It just, at every level, is a case that I sincerely miss.
It, as I've already stated, is a bit of a pain in the ass to build in. But what you're left with when you're done is a system that is just stunning (and another build log here for you). It just stays with you, this thing. It performs well. It looks great on your desktop, and arguably, you can build some outstanding rigs in it. Particularly at such a super-low price point. I was so torn on whether to recommend this as a candidate for our best PC case list back when I first looked at it. Visually, it's perfection, but you've just gotta be prepared to fight it a bit to get there.
👉Take a look at Amazon's Entire PC case line-up this Prime Day👈
1. Best overall: Corsair Air 5400
2. Best budget: Corsair 3200D
3. Best midrange: Thermaltake View 380
4. Best budget compact: Thermaltake S100 TG Snow Edition
5. Best Mini-ITX: Fractal Design Terra
6. Best Micro-ATX: NZXT H3 Flow
7. Best full-tower: NZXT H7 Flow
8. Best for airflow: Havn BF 360
