Asus entered the housing market. We have just received the excellent GT501 model for testing and I will tell you right away that it is worth taking an interest in it.
The housing is packed in a standard cardboard box. Together with it, we receive an instruction, cable ties, screws and a dust filter. The latter can be easily mounted on the front of the GT501 and we should even do it right away. The manual explains the assembly very well.
The Asus TUF Gaming GT501 measures 251 mm x 545 mm x 552 mm and weighs 10.5 kg. It can accommodate motherboards up to ATX in size. The housing is available only in the tested version.
Asus tried to design the housing. It looks great! There is a tempered glass panel on the side and three illuminated Aura RGB fans on the front. They can be controlled via the motherboard or the included controller. Their maximum speed is 1200 RPM and they are audible but not a vacuum cleaner. The fans are connected to a 3 × 3 pin Molex adapter – it’s a pity there is no controller attached to them. The dust filter is mounted on the front with a magnet. There are also vents on the side of the front panel which ensure good air flow.
There is an input / output panel on the slant between the front and the top. There are two USB 3.1 Gen 1 connectors, a microphone input and a headphone output. There is also a button to turn on the computer here, but it is missing to restart.
At the top you can see two handles that are used to carry the equipment. They are very convenient and definitely facilitate this process. There is also room for two 140mm fans or three 120mm fans – similar to the front. Asus has also not forgotten about a magnet-mounted dust filter.
The left side is a tempered glass window. It is attached to two quick-release screws, just like the other side. The window allows you to view the inside of the housing. The other side is a sheet metal that could be a bit thicker.
The GT501 stands on four feet, two of which have been lined with non-slip material. It is enough that the housing does not slide on the panels. On the back, you can also see an easy-to-remove dust filter.
The back is rather standard. On the bottom there is a place for the power supply, above there are 7 horizontal and 2 vertical plugs and at the top there is a 140 mm fan. The propeller should be attached to the motherboard – there is no space for it in the Molex adapter.
The interior is divided into two zones, but it was not done as standard. They are separated by a plastic housing, which is very easy to remove. Only after this is done, you can mount the power supply or 3.5-inch drives. The solution is easy to use and very interesting.
The main part of the case has space for three 2.5-inch drives. There is a large hole in the place where the motherboard is installed, which facilitates the installation of coolers. I rate the cable management system excellent. There are a lot of rubber holes and a lot of normal ones. The manufacturer has not forgotten about a place for the CPU cable or holes in the basement. There is as much as 30 mm on the back for cables – you can put everything you want there. Interestingly, there are also two 2.5 / 3.5-inch drive slots on the back. In GT501 you can fit CPU coolers up to 180 mm high or graphics cards up to 420 mm long.
The power supply is installed in the basement as standard. It is placed on two feet with anti-vibration lining. Its maximum length may be 240 mm. There is also room for two 2.5 / 3.5 inch drives. So you can fit virtually all components available on the market in the housing.
The GT501 also does not disappoint in terms of radiator compatibility. There is room for 120/140/240/280/260 mm models at the front and top and 120/140 mm at the rear. You can easily install your own AiO, with a separate pump or reservoir.
Summary
Asus TUF Gaming GT501 should cost PLN 499. In my opinion, the housing is worth every penny. It looks great, and the three front illuminated RGB fans in combination with the side window make an impression. They also ensure a very good air flow – nothing in the housing will “boil”. The GT501 is also well-made – I did not find any flaws or flaws. The cable management system is one of the best I’ve had in my hands. The housing will also accommodate large components or a lot of disks. The basement itself can be removed, making it easy to install components. At this price, it is a really great design, which I heartily recommend to you.
