MSI MAG FORGE 120A AIRFLOW review

The MAG FORGE 120A AIRFLOW is a mid tower that takes ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX boards. It measures 411.6 x 210 x 498 mm and weighs 6 kg net. The front panel is mesh and the side panel is tempered glass.

This is the case's main strength. MSI fits six auto-RGB 120 mm fans: three at the front, two on top and one at the rear. That covers intake, roof exhaust and rear exhaust without a separate fan purchase.

The case also has room to change that setup. The front takes three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans. The top takes two 120 mm or two 140 mm fans. The rear takes one 120 mm fan. There is also space for two 120 mm fans on the PSU shroud.

Owners back this up. They praise the airflow and cooling, and they praise having six fans included. The mesh front panel, which gives the intake fans direct access to outside air, fits that feedback.

Liquid cooling is covered at several points. MSI lists front radiators at 120, 140 or 240 mm, top radiators at 120 or 240 mm, and a 120 mm radiator at the rear. A 240 mm radiator can go in either the front or the top. The case has no listed support for a 280 mm or 360 mm radiator, so large radiators are off the table.

Graphics cards can be up to 330 mm long, so check the length of your card before buying. MSI lists 160 mm as the maximum CPU cooler length.

The PSU must be ATX. MSI lists a maximum PSU length of 200 mm and ties that figure to the 2.5"/3.5" HDD tray. If you plan to use the tray for storage and have a long power supply, measure first.

Storage support is modest but practical. The case takes three 2.5 inch drives and two drives that can be either 2.5 or 3.5 inch. That suits a build built around SSDs with a couple of larger drives alongside. It is not a case for a many-disk storage box.

The top has a magnetic dust filter, which makes cleaning the roof fans a matter of lifting the filter off. Front I/O is two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports plus audio and mic jacks. With only two USB ports, anyone who wants lots of front connections may need a hub.

The tempered glass panel shows the fans and the components, which suits a build where the RGB lighting is part of the appeal.

The one recurring complaint is about fan RGB control. The fans are auto-RGB, so buyers who care about how their lighting is managed should weigh that complaint. Buyers who do not care about lighting are unlikely to be bothered.

With a mesh front, six fans fitted and radiator support up to 240 mm at the front and top, this case suits builders who want good cooling from the start. It also suits those who want to add a 240 mm radiator later. With three 2.5 inch bays and two combination bays, it is better for SSD-led builds than for bulk storage. Anyone who wants a quiet, solid-fronted case should look at a different design.