Asus ROG Strix Helios GX601 Gaming Case

Official Product Specs

Asus Global
Asus SG

Specs

ATX mid-tower - N.W. 18 kg, 250 x 565 x 591 mm (WxDxH)
Bundled 4 x 140mm 0.3A non-LED fans

Online

International
Amazon
Newegg (check out Sean W.'s 5 Eggs feedback for his non-Asus mobo build!)

Local
Ban Leong Online
Amazon.sg
Others

Official Asus Motto

"MADE FOR SHOWCASE BUILDS"

Video

 

Box

Truly recommend opting for an online purchase with doorstep delivery whenever possible cos this case is really solid heavy and the retail box is huge for extra protection.

Photos

Just a selection to highlight the salient points of this case



Front
Clean tempered smoked glass facade brandishing prominent ROG logo with RGB lighting effect, I/O panel most suited for floor standing placement.

Top
2 top handles of rather thick Aluminum  to bear the wright of everything, sturdy velcro strap with more ROG branding. Finely meshed ventilation top panel.

Sides
Thick tempered smoked glass sides (4mm thick) with quick release push button mechanism allowing immediate access to the interior. More ROG branding seen in the form of a small cloth label, note the noise/vibration dampening foam strip for the side panels.

Back
Case factory label with date of manufacture. Single exhaust fan with adjustable moorings. Note the bottom mounted PSU with dampening foam rests.

 

Interior
Expansive spacious interior thanks especially to the depth allowing Big Freaking Giant GPUs of up to 450mm lengths. Good straight forward positive ventilation with front to back stock 3 intake and 1 exhaust 140mm fans. Note the X-Y axis adjustable GPU support mechanism. Interesting ROG wordings on the PSU shroud in multiple languages too.

 

Acrylic swing door panel for hiding the bundled fan hub and cable management, this is anchored by 2 Phillips screws. A missed opportunity to opt for a tool-free mechanism either with a snap on design or maybe thumbscrews.
 

Bottom
Secure case placement with rubberized feet  . Note the oversized removable sliding dust mesh for easy regular maintenance.

Measurements
Test placement of the Asus ROG Crosshair VI Extreme motherboard, eATX sized model. 2cm gap from the bottom, 6cm from the top and way way more than sufficient clearance from the front for fat rads and BFG cards.

Bundle
Rather surprising small bundle leaving out the vertical GPU riser cable for such a high end case.

Initial Impressions

Very strong early effort from Asus for their modern gaming case series, surely more hits than misses. It's been a very long time coming since their functional Elan Vital and teenager Vento case series days of yore.

Clearly, this model is not meant for everybody but is aimed confidently at the well heeled Asus ROG enthusiast instead. The value and worth should perhaps be assessed in this light. Willingness to pay the Asus premium commanded by the exclusive ROG branding is obviously a personal propensity. It is indeed the first and for now, the only official ROG case from Asus itself.

Overall, the GX601 definitely ticks a lot of right boxes with room for improvement in certain areas like better bundling.


Pros
Branding satiation for ROG devotees
Solid build, all 18kg of it
RGB bling with Asus Aura Sync support
Clever seamless material mix of thick brushed Alu, steel, tempered glass, acrylic, ABS..
Fantastic overall looks with tasteful LED lighting, matte finishing (no fingerprints!), tight seams and double riveted joints
Supports both tall air coolers (190mm max) and large water coolers (420 rads)
Supports super long (max 450mm) and heavy GPUs (built-in adjustable GPU rests)
Supports motherboard sizes from mITX to eATX
Supports 4 x 2.5", 2 x 3.5" storage devices (remember gaming case, not storage/server case)
Bundled fan hub
Vertical GPU placement alternative
Caters for cable management, easy dust filter maintenance
Very easy push button access to case interior
I/O panel has great functionaility including LED, fan toggle switches


Cons
Pretty penny SRP (else do consider the well regarded TUF Gaming GT501 too)
Vertical GPU riser cable and 12V ATX extension cable are optional items
Tough to move around,  all 18kg of it
Screwdriver needed for assembly, missed opportunities for more thumbscrews and clip mechanisms

Rating