I prefer a PC case that looks like a tiny refrigerator — leave off the RGB, please. But even if there’s no accounting for taste, I have to admit that the massive builds that beg you to look at all the expensive parts within have a voyeuristic appeal. Several companies have been making this bigger and bigger lately, and the latest one is Asus.
The Asus TUF Gaming GT502 Horizon follows the pattern: a dual-chamber design with all the fun stuff on the right side and exposed to your peepers via tempered glass, with the power supply and the vast majority of cable routing on the back.
All of that makes this case shorter and wider than a typical ATX PC case, and it gives Asus room for that TUF branding right on the metal of the exterior frame. (No shade here. I use a TUF motherboard myself, albeit in a more toned-down Fractal North enclosure.)
The GT502 Horizon case has room for 360mm of fans or radiators on both the top and the front/side — note that they’re actually mounted next to that 90mm-wide rear chamber — with 13 total fans supported by the built-in PWM hub. An add-on lighting kit lets you bling things out with magnetic LEDs on the top and bottom of that primary chamber, naturally compatible with the Aura lighting system.
Asus
I was intrigued by the claim that the case can “comfortably withstand up to 30kg of weight from above.” (For those of us cursed with an American education, that’s about 66 pounds.) Typically, you’re not supposed to put heavy stuff on your computer, especially if it’s intaking air from the top as in the example build. Maybe someone’s planning to put a monster Gundam build up there? Asus also says the “sturdy fabric handles are perfectly capable of helping users adjust the position of their PC.”
Interestingly, the press release has no mention of compatibility with rear-mount motherboards. I was looking for it since Asus has been participating in the “War on Cables” with its motherboard and case designs, but then again TUF is nominally Asus’ budget brand (beneath the “Republic of Gamers” ROG line for pricing).
Sadly, the GT502 Horizon doesn’t have a retail price as of yet, though it’s planned for release in the fourth quarter of this year (i.e., as soon as October). The previous model retails for about $160.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.