Asus hasn't really dabbled in cases in a long time except for the ones that are offered as part of a complete build, like the not-so-tame looking ROG GT51. That's changing though, starting with the introduction of the TUF Gaming GT501.
The TUF Gaming GT501 was one of the cases Asus trotted out at Computex earlier this year, the other one being a concept Strix chassis under its Republic of Gamers brand. Thankfully, neither one looks like that hideous Ventoo 3600 it released in 2005. While case design hasn't been the company's forte, it's hoping to make a splash in the market by combining rugged elements with a build-friendly design, topped off with cotton handles for easy transportation.
"TUF Gaming GT501 is crafted from up to 1.5mm-thick galvanized steel for enhanced durability in understated industrial style, and has a special coating that resists scuffs and scratches. It's fitted with two ergonomic, woven-cotton handles, rigorously tested to support up to 30kg—so it's both easy and safe to transport your completed build," Asus explains.
The finalized design is a mid-tower chassis with a smokey tempered-glass side window to show off your build. Inside there is room for three 2.5-inch drives displayed prominently in front, plus three more 2.5-inch/3.5-inch bays.
Asus provides three 120mm fans with Aura RGB lighting in the front and a 140mm fan in the rear. Users can add more, or go with a liquid cooling setup—there's room for up to a 360mm radiator in the front and top, and a 140mm radiator in the rear. Removable dust filters abound to keep the interior clean.
Asus looks to be running with a hexagonal theme for the front panel I/O section, both for the housing and the power button. There are two USB 3.0 ports, and separate microphone and headphone jacks.
It's an interesting looking chassis, if you're into the aggressive tone. Beyond the looks, Asus says it applied a special coating to the case to prevent scratches and scuffs, in keeping with the 'TUF' branding.
While the design is now finalized and a product page exists, Asus still hasn't said when it will be available. As for price, Asus said at Computex that it was considering a $149 MSRP, according to OC3D, but nothing had been set in stone at that point.
