The world of PC cases has long been dominated by the sleek and stylish “fish tank” design, offering a panoramic view of the powerful components within. Lian Li pioneered this category with their iconic PC-O11 design, and now Asus is joining the ranks with their new TUF Gaming GT502 Horizon.
Like its predecessor, the GT502 Horizon boasts a dual-chamber layout. The front chamber houses the motherboard, CPU, and GPU, while the rear chamber neatly organizes the PSU, storage drives, and cooling components, enhancing airflow and overall aesthetics. This dual-chamber approach promotes better airflow and cleaner cable management, a boon for both performance and visual appeal.
The GT502 Horizon isn’t simply a rehash of the original GT502; it’s been redesigned to offer a more unobstructed view of the system’s interior. Gone is the front pillar that previously separated the front and side tempered glass panels, giving way to a continuous, almost wraparound display. To maintain structural integrity despite the removal of the pillar, Asus has incorporated extra reinforcement, allowing the case to support an impressive 66 pounds of weight from above. The case retains its sturdy fabric handles for convenient transport, making it easy to move around.
Available in Classic Black and Snowy White, the GT502 Horizon complements its sleek design with color-matched modular cables, ensuring a cohesive and elegant look. For those who crave vibrant RGB illumination, Asus offers a custom ARGB lighting kit. This kit includes two L-shaped light bars that magnetically attach to the top and bottom of the front chamber, adding splashes of vibrant RGB that can be synchronized with Asus’ Aura Sync RGB ecosystem. These light bars, sold separately, offer a customizable lighting experience that perfectly complements the case’s overall aesthetic.
As a dual-chamber case, the GT502 Horizon provides ample space for optimal cooling and effective cable management. It boasts a total of four fan racks, each supporting up to three 120mm or two 140mm fans. These racks are strategically located at the top, bottom, side, and rear chamber. They also allow for the mounting of radiators, providing flexibility for liquid cooling setups. The rear chamber fan rack can even be used to mount up to three HDDs or SSDs, adding to the case’s storage versatility.
To ensure efficient ventilation and heat dissipation, the GT502 Horizon features mesh panels on the top, bottom, and right sides, allowing for optimal airflow. The case is designed with three distinct ventilation zones for the PSU, drive bays, and rear fan rack, ensuring proper cooling for all components.
This robust case supports full-size ATX motherboards, 163mm CPU cooling fan clearance, up to 400mm GPUs, and PSUs up to 200mm in length, making it ideal for high-end builds. For those who require extensive storage, the GT502 Horizon offers four drive bays compatible with both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives.
The front I/O panel features a user-friendly layout with two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, an audio combo jack, and an LED control button, providing easy access to lighting adjustments. While the official pricing has not yet been announced, Asus has hinted that it will likely fall in the $150 to $200 range.
If you’re looking to upgrade your PC case and embrace the “fish tank” aesthetic, the TUF Gaming GT502 Horizon is definitely worth considering. It offers a balanced blend of performance, aesthetics, and features, making it an excellent choice for gamers and enthusiasts alike.
