ASUS PRIME AP202 ARGB PC Case Review
Conclusion
A great-looking case for MATX users
Motherboard manufacturers and PC cases are not a common duo. Typically, brands focus on one and not the other. After all, PC cases and motherboards are entirely different products. There’s a reason why dedicated PC components companies and dedicated PC cooling/case companies exist. Typically, PC cases from motherboard/hardware brands are often generic. They are designed to enable consumers to create an “all-X-brand PC,” with their main selling point being their logo. Now, components brands are learning how to make properly good PC cases. The ASUS PRIME AP202 ARGB is a cracking good case!
The AP202 is a case that doesn’t need its ASUS branding to be appealing. It’s well designed, aesthetically pleasing, and has plenty of space for cable management. Its “slot vent” cooling design is a clever solution, enabling strong GPU airflow while maintaining a standard PC case form factor. Although the pre-installed fans in this case don’t deliver the best performance, the case’s design is appealing. I wouldn’t mind having this case on my desk.
This case gives us little to complain about, but that doesn’t mean that there is no room for improvement. The lack of ASUS BTF motherboard support is disappointing. This is especially true given the case’s limited space for GPU power cables. Furthermore, we feel that some small changes could make a big difference. For starters, when using the standard paper/label test to see how much air this case’s fans pushed, we were a little disappointed. Even at max RPM these fans did not move much air. Perhaps ASUS needs better fans, or perhaps ASUS needs to redesign its side mesh? Either way, there is room for improvement. Additionally, making this case’s HDD trays removable would have given PC builders some extra cable management options.
ASUS should build a full-size ATX version of this!
While we can’t fault an MATX case for being an MATX case, the ASUS PRIME AP202 ARGB makes us wish that ASUS would build a larger full-sized ATX version of this PC case. The case is stunning, so it’s a shame that it’s only available for MATX users. That said, it is good to see that MATX users aren’t being forgotten about.
If I’m honest, I’m kinda shocked that this case came from ASUS. This feels like something a dedicated PC case brand would produce. Overall, the design is well thought out, and the case is well built. This case is stunning, and at £109.99, it’s fairly well priced. ASUS has done a great job here. This case deserves nothing less than an Exceptional Aesthetics Award.
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