Best PC Case with Hotswap Bays in 2025 (Tons of Storage)

• PC Case with Hotswap Bays
• Hot Swappable Drive Cages
• What is Hot Swapping?
• How Does Hot Swapping Work?
• Conclusion

Here’s the deal:

To your dismay, there isn’t much information out there.

Plenty of forums and YouTube videos covered NAS hot swap cases, but you don’t want to build a NAS.

Instead, you just want a hot swap feature for my regular gaming PC case.

After doing tons of research online, I finally figured it out:

There aren’t many genuine PC cases on the market that offer a hot swap feature but there are hot swap adapters that you can install in almost any PC gaming case, for both 2.5″ and 3.5″ hard drives.

Here are my picks for both options:

1. Best Storage: anidees AI Raider XL
2. Best under $100: Cooler Master N400
3. Value for Money: Lian Li O11 Mini
4. Best Adapter: Startech Backplane
5. Best Small Adapter/Enclosure: ICY Dock Tough Armour

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the 3 best hot swappable PC case options for you in 2024 including the two drive bay enclosure I’d use.

Let’s dive in!

PC Case with Hotswap Bays

I was messing around with my gaming PC’s drive bay today and thought “Wouldn’t it be awesome if I had a hot swappable case for my hard drives?”

Shortly after, I started doing some research, trying to find a case that supported hot swappable hard drives.

It’s all about making life easier, right?

So, I rolled up my sleeves, built, swapped, and tested around 9 cases to see which ones really deliver on this front.

The standouts? They’re more than just convenient; they nail it in design, airflow, and durability too.

Perfect for anyone who loves a bit of flexibility in their setup or needs to juggle data on the fly.

Check them out:

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Now, let’s discuss all of them in detail:

1. anidees AI Raider XL: Best for Storage

Need lots of storage and top cooling? Check out this PC case – big on space, cool by design.

The anidees AI Raider XL features a robust steel-clad chassis and a glass construction that ensures durability. Despite being a full tower PC case with hot swap bays, it is relatively sleek and doesn’t look imposing.

Even though this case comes with several fun traits, it excels in the component management space. You get access to hot swappable drive bays, which support tool-less tweaks.

The drive bays are removable, allowing for excellent future-proofing.

Shifting our focus to the actual slots, there is support for 12 large storage units in 5.25” bays. This allows you to set aside a remarkable combination of SSDs, HDDs, and ODDs.

Now, when the storage scalability is out of the way, the generous collection of I/O ports also makes an impression.

You get access to four USB 3.0 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microphone.

Cooling-wise, the anidees AI Raider XL makes room for optimal air intake and heat dissipation, courtesy of the 20 x 120 mm. The front panel features steel grills, which add to the airflow.

Unlike some of the more budget cases, the anidees AI Raider XL also supports water-cooling units, including 360mm and 480mm radiators. It wouldn’t be wrong to tag it as one of the best hot swappable cases in regards to cooling.

In case you plan on setting up a loaded PC case with several thin and thick cables, there is up to 38mm of usable space behind the motherboard tray.

Besides the thoughtful bit of structural leeway, the anidees AI Raider XL also excels when noise reduction is concerned. The dust filters have a brushed texture, making it easier to clean and optimize cooling and noiselessness.

The tool-less design stands out. For me, the spacious interior setup worked wonders, allowing me to maneuver the GPU, cooling modules, and more with ease. Even rubber grommets and velcro ties were included, furthering the seamlessness of installation.

2. Cooler Master N400: Best under $100

Looking for great airflow and easy customization without the hefty price tag? The N400 has got you covered.

The Cooler Master N400 might surprise you. From getting the best possible airflow and a meshed front panel for under $200 or rather under $100, this hot-swappable PC case with removable drive bays stands out.

This customizable PC case features a robust steel-clad frame.

It offers enhanced airflow and is precisely designed to stand the test of time. The design isn’t just functional but also minimal.

The tool-less 2.50-inch SSD-compatible bracket ensures drive bay customization. Even though there aren’t loads of hot-swappable elements, it still takes the cake if you are in the market for something affordable.

Coming to the drive bays, there are three SSD slots in play, with two being tool-less.

The third one rests at the bottom of the HDD case. Besides that, you also get access to two USB 3.0 ports — SuperSpeed, to be exact, supporting high-speed external connections.

At the core, you get access to two cooler master Xtraflow 120mm fans, pre-installed for airflow. Water-cooling support also exists courtesy of the 240mm radiator.

You can even rejig the setup and include two 120mm fans and a 120mm radiator instead of a single 240mm component.

When you peek inside this case, the thoughtful layout, scoped with multiple tie points and adequate routes, stands out.

The airflow orifices are strategically cut out.

Besides the innovative internal setup, facilitating seamless cable management, you get access to three dust filters, sitting on the right and top and near the power supply.

Also, as far as the installation experience goes, the tool-less drive bays, followed by the removable filters, stand out, allowing for better space while putting together the motherboard, PSU, and other heavy components.

With support for up to eight fans, the Cooler Master N400 is easily the best budget hot-swappable case around. And it is ideally sized, allowing you to set up things rather well.

3. Lian Li O11 Mini: Best Design

Compact, sleek, and ready to cool: this Lian case brings elegance and efficiency to your desk.

If you are looking for a hot swappable, mini-tower PC case in the Snow White color, try the Lian Li O11 Mini out. Suitable for Micro ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards and compatible with a new breed of power supply, the Lian Li O11 Mini is easily the most good-looking computer case with hot swap bays.

Design-wise, the steel chassis stands out. If that wasn’t it, you would completely dig the 4mm tempered glass panel, which is fully transparent.

The top side and the left panel are built using 2mm thick aluminum sheets. And yes, the snow white color adds to the aesthetics.

The hot swappable drive functionality of the Lian Li O11 Mini stands out owing to the availability of two 2.5” SSD slots. There is a removable backplate with support for hot swappable 2 x 3.5” bays.

Therefore, if you are looking for a sleek PC case with lots of hard drive bays, all hot swappable, the Lian Li O11 Mini is a good bet.

Besides the mentioned set of drive bays, the Lian Li O11 Mini also packs two USB 3.0 ports.

Another element that stands out is the air-based cooling architecture, with support for up to 9 fans. And if water cooling is a priority, you can accommodate two radiators — 280mm on top and 240mm on the bottom part of the case. Also, the structure supports water block cooling components.

The tempered glass panel gives you a peek inside the case, which has adequate space for most cables.

However, you might not be able to prepare a complex build using this case, as the cable management support is decent but not expansive.

The acoustic profile is low, and the dust filters, one on each side, are easy to clean. However, it is the snow-white chassis that can attract some dirt over time.

As far as the installation quality goes, the internal architecture is easy to work with, all thanks to the tool-less design components.

The case is compatible with the SFX/SFX-L power supply, which is sleek and leaves a lot of room for customization.

The Lian Li O11 Mini looks great but feels a tad restrictive towards complex builds. And if you are into port-based expansions, there is support for seven full-fledged expansion slots capable of accommodating peripherals, GPUs, and more.

Hot Swappable Drive Cages

You may not be able to buy a prebuilt hot-swappable case without buying a NAS, but you can buy a hot-swappable drive cage and install it in a compatible case.

I went ahead and researched the best options for you.

Here’s what I found:

3.5″ Hot Swappable Drive Cage

The StarTech 4 Drive Hot Swap SATA Backplane (HSB4SATSASBA) is the hot-swappable drive cage I’d choose for 3.5″ mechanical hard drives.

It’s rugged, easy to use, compatible with all drives, and is going for an absolute steal on Amazon right now (not to mention the great reviews).

This thing can fit up to four mechanical hard drives, and is compatible with 6Gbps SATA III, meaning your drives will be running at peak efficiency.

It’s compatible with any case that has at least three 5.25″ drive bays (it’s going to take up all three of them).

Assuming your PC case has three 5.25″ bays (see below) you can turn it into a hot-swappable case.

Moreover, unlike the SSD model below, you don’t need to screw your hard drives into the drive trays.

Instead, they just pop right out of the case. Pretty dope!

In addition, this thing comes with a built-in fan to keep your drives cool.

If that’s not enough, the manufacturer also offers a 2-year warranty plus lifetime technical support.

Hot Swappable Drive Cage for SSDs

The ICY DOCK Tough Armor Drive Bay (model number MB882SP-1S-2B) is going to be your best bet if you want to hot-swap 2.5″ solid-state drives.

This bad boy is nearly indestructible (the company ran it over with a car without causing any damage) and is pretty easy to use.

It mounts in a standard 5.25″ bay which most PC cases have these days and can fit up to four hot-swappable SSDs.

Four drives in a single 5.25″ drive bay isn’t too shabby, huh?

You can easily pop the drive bays out, screw your 2.5″ SSD into the removable tray, and pop it into the drive bay.

In addition, this bad boy ships with its own set of dual 40mm cooling fans, which only activate when a drive is installed.

You should note, however, that the cooling fans do tend to run a bit loud, so you may want to invest in a soundproof case.

In addition, the SSDs performed nearly identical to their performance in a normal configuration, meaning performance isn’t lost when using this hot-swappable drive bay.

Simply screw it into your 5.25″ bay, pop your SSDs in there, and you’re good to go.

Once the 5.25″ drive bay is mounted, you can connect your traditional SATA cables to the back.

All in all, this is a great option if you want to have a hot-swappable 2.5″ SATA SSD drive bay in your PC case without having to buy a NAS.

What is Hot Swapping?

Hot swapping is a configuration that allows you to remove and install hardware while your machine is running.

Instead of having to turn off your PC, open your case, unscrew your hard drive bay, disconnect your cables, etc. hot swapping makes things way easier.

You can install a hot swappable adapter in your case one time, and connect SATA data and power cables.

Next, simply slide your hard drives into place until you hear a ‘click’, and you should be good to go.

Not hot swapping is like having to turn off your phone before you can remove your headphones and then turn it back on again.

That would be ridiculous!

How Does Hot Swapping Work?

This video from Linus Tech Tips will explain how hot swapping works:

Conclusion

A few years back, it was almost impossible to find a regular PC case that supports hot-swapping your drives. But not anymore!

If that’s not what you’re looking for, buying a NAS case is probably a better option (we have a guide on NAS cases here.)

However, you can also buy a hot swap cage and install it in your regular PC case. Here are my top picks:

05/13/2025 03:53 pm GMT

I hope this helps!