Asus rog strix helios review in Spanish (full analysis)

In this review we are going to present the Asus ROG Strix Helios chassis, a colossal 18 Kg box that is made of aluminum and glass throughout its exterior. Very different from what we are used to, incorporating details such as thick carrying handles, invisible AURA RGB lighting on the front face and large capacity for radiators up to 420 mm. Without a doubt a chassis of enormous quality located in the high range of which we will see absolutely all the details below.

But before we start, we thank Asus for giving us this product for our analysis.

Asus ROG Strix Helios technical features

Unboxing

The task of transporting this huge Asus ROG Strix Helios is not an easy one, and oddly enough despite its measurements, it still remains a half-tower format due to the interior measurements. In any case, it will come, as always, in a large cardboard box completely painted in black with photos of the tower and the typical RGB details that the Strix range puts into its presentations.

We will open the box, from the top, to find a chassis tucked into a black textile bag normally used for Premium and high-end presentations. In turn, we have two polyethylene foam molds located under and above the chassis instead of being on the sides.

It is not a complicated task to remove it from the box because it has handles to pick it up. It goes without saying that all the accessories will come located in a box so that they are not lost, being the following:

• Asus ROG Strix Helios chassis GPUBracket extra vertical installation kit for SSD or water pump installation Screws and clips Mounting guide

There are not too many accessories, but at least we will have the capacity to install a second vertical GPU or an extra SSD. Being a high-end chassis, we would have liked that instead of bringing clips they had opted for velcro straps.

Exterior design

The exterior design is simply spectacular, a chassis of a size large enough to be a half tower, although as we will see, it supports all kinds of hardware in all kinds of sizes. The exterior construction is entirely based on black aluminum with a brushed finish for the edges and corners, while the panels are all tempered glass, except in the upper area.

There is no doubt that it is a Strix product due to the aggressiveness of its lines and the use of gaming details such as front lighting or that huge handle located on the top. Even with it, it will take a lot of work to move this chassis, since it weighs 18 Kg when empty, with measurements that widely exceed 50 cm both in height and depth. And something very positive is that its width is also considerable, 250 mm to create a wide interior space in which to have fun.

And starting in more detail on the left side, we see that tempered glass occupies practically the entire depth of the chassis. This is presented without any type of darkening and with a quick mounting system with claws on the top that will be unlocked by pressing a button on the back.

For added security, the glass has a metal and plastic frame that helps it hold on the bottom to prevent it from falling when we uninstall it. It is a system that more and more manufacturers are implementing it in their chassis, very useful, without a doubt. And in this case we have integral legs throughout the interior, with an air inlet through a side grille.

The right side area of ​​the Asus ROG Strix Helios is quite similar to the previous one, the glass is exactly the same size, without any darkening and with the same mounting system, although they will not be interchangeable. In addition, the upper and lower parts are also finished in aluminum with that air suction grille over the support area.

Personally, I really liked the way we distribute these grilles and all the finishes, and especially the quick mounting system for the glass panels. But I must emphasize that this system does not completely immobilize the glass, in fact, it has enough slack and makes noise when moving it.

And the front of the Asus ROG Strix Helios is also not wasted. We are presented with some sides made of brushed aluminum of great thickness, and which are responsible for holding the glass that is also in this area. This crystal has a ROG-style screenprint with the brand's logo that is very special , since when it is activated the lighting will shine.

In fact, the LED system is located invisibly in the lateral area of ​​the glass, integrated into it to give that spectacular effect that will stand out much more at night, since its power is not too high. It is compatible with Asus AURA RGB and we can connect it to our board to synchronize it.

We must also highlight in this area, that the air inlets are at the bottom and top, the front being non-removable. But Asus has thought of everything, and has installed a particle filter that we can remove without opening it, of great quality and that filters all the dust that may dare to enter. Let's not forget that here are three factory-installed 150mm fans.

This upper area is undoubtedly characterized by having a large handle made of textile and leather installed in a zig-zag shape to transport our tower. The aluminum edges of the area offer enough rigidity to support the full weight of the full tower.

Just below the handle, which is removable, we have a full opening for air extraction, which also includes a particle filter, also on a perfectly removable plastic rail from behind.

And well, you can not miss our beloved I / O panel that for this Asus ROG Strix Helios chassis is extremely complete, and we like that very much. We have the following controls and ports:

• 4x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C 2x 3.5mm Mini Jack for audio and micro Power button and RESET Button for lighting control Button for fan speed control

The great news is that there is no USB 2.0, they are all high speed with the detail of the Type-C also integrated. The two interaction buttons will act on the microcontroller that includes the chassis to control fans and lighting independently. We will have in each case several LEDs that indicate the interaction mode carried out, two speed positions for the fans, and three ways of interacting for lighting.

At the back we have space for 8 expansion slots plus two of them for vertical GPU installation. With the help of the accessory that we saw in Unboxing, we can install a second GPU if we exchange the slot panel for the available accessory. We also highlight the two buttons located at the top that are responsible for unlocking the glass panels for removal.

For the rest, it is a rear part like any other tower, in this case with a pre-installed 140mm fan and removable PSU frame to insert it here instead of from the side.

And finally, the lower part is characterized by being completely open and protected by another particle filter mounted on a plastic frame and rails for easy removal.

Interior and assembly

It is time to fully enter the inner area of the Asus ROG Strix Helios chassis, specifically in the part where our hardware will be concentrated. This area is basically divided into two parts, the main one, where the motherboard and the rest of the hardware are located, and the lower part, with a metal cover divided into two parts to cover the power supply and also the two bays for hard drives.

Here is an element to highlight, and it is the central column that is in charge of covering the holes for the passage of cables and that also has two supports on a metal tube to hold graphics cards. Note that this element is not installed, the available space is just right for an ATX size motherboard, remember that we can install Mini ITX, Micro-ATX ATX and E-ATX boards, so this central element must be moved to the right to enter the larger plates.

Similarly, we can also remove the PSU cover if we wish, although we will have to remove a series of screws on the back. It would have been interesting to have the same disassembly system as the Asus TUF Gaming GT501, analyzed by us a few days ago, although it has not been possible. In any case, we see that on this cover we can install the bracket for mounting water pumps.

And let's talk about the available spaces, because this chassis will not be a problem. Supports 220mm long power supplies, or even much more if we remove the hard drive bays. There is also space for CPU coolers up to 190mm high and we can install graphics cards up to 450mm.

Wiring management area

It is also very worthwhile to stop a little in the rear area of the Asus ROG Strix Helios, where we will install the cables for our equipment. And it is that, from the outset, we will have half the area covered by a hard plastic panel that acts as a cable cover, so that nothing is seen.

If we remove two screws that hold it, then it becomes a door installed on two hinges that reveals a central area with velcro strips that hold all the cables already pre-installed in the chassis. If we want, we can completely remove this element and leave everything as a chassis of the heap, and nothing wants that, right?

In summary, it is a very useful system and aesthetically it is great, these details are always an extra value in the purchase of expensive chassis like this.

Storage space

And taking advantage of the previous look at the cable management area, just in the most advanced area we found a total of 4 bays with removable brackets for the installation of 2.5-inch HDD or SSD storage units. These sheets can be freely removed by loosening a single screw.

But if we fix the view just below the hollow of the central plate, we will see three tabs or perforations that serve to install the plate that includes the bundle and that here will serve to install another 2.5 ”hard disk.

And now we are going to go inside the compartment of the PSU, since here is installed a metal cabinet with two bays compatible with 3.5 "and 2.5" hard drives. The good thing about having space, is that theoretically, we can fit a second cabinet of this type, expanding the capacity by two more units.

So in total we will have a serial capacity, to install 5 or 7 units of 2.5 "taking advantage of all the spaces, or 2 units of 3.5" together with 5 units of 2.5 ".

Cooling capacity

As for the cooling capacity of Asus ROG Strix Helios it is very complete, and it is the great advantage of having a chassis of almost 60 cm high. We will classify as always the installation in cooling systems and fans.

So, as for fans, we will have:

• Front: 3x 120mm / 3x 140mm Rear: 1x 120mm / 1x 140mm Top: 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm

And it is that we have a total of four pre-installed 140 mm fans, three of them in the front and one in the back. They have no lighting, but what difference does it make? They do a great job of creating a horizontal air flow, although at maximum turns they are noticeable with noise.

Regarding the capacity for liquid cooling we have:

• Front: 120, 140, 240, 280, 360, 420 mm Upper: 120, 140, 240, 280, 360 mm Rear: 120, 140 mm

The good thing is that upstairs we will have plenty of space to mount AIO with radiator + fan, what's more, it is possible to push and pull and also install fans on the outside, losing, of course, the dust filter.

We have a few details to point out about the refrigeration section. The first of these is that the front fans are not installed directly on the chassis, but on a detachable metal frame. We already know that the glass front cannot be removed, so the solution is precisely this. In the upper area we do not have something similar, so they will be screwed directly on the main board.

Needless to say, if we are going to install a radiator, this element should be removed in case the fans are placed inside (the most normal for air extraction)

The second detail is of course the microcontroller located in the back that is responsible for modifying the speed of the fans. We can connect it to the motherboard, or leave it independently as it is from the factory, but keep in mind that this controller is not for lighting, it is separate.

Hardware installation and mounting

Finally, let's proceed to make our assembly in Asus ROG Strix Helios, which will consist of the following elements:

• AMD Ryzen 2700X with stock sink Asus Crosshair VII HeroAMD Radeon Vega 56PSU Corsair AX860i

And the first thing, as always, will be to install the power supply. In this case we will have to introduce it through the back area, previously removing the clamping frame. Optionally, we can remove the metal cover to work better, removing only 3 screws located on the side. In any case, we don't strictly need to do it.

Next, we will pull the cables to the relevant areas. In our case, it will be two EPS towards the top of the motherboard, where there will be a hole to pass it from behind, and the ATX cable together with two PCIe for the card inserted from the side.

We see how everything is perfectly hidden and the visibility of the cables is strictly necessary. We also had a hole in the PSU cover to pass cables, but we see it more suitable for vertical GPU mounts.

Indicate again that if we have to install an E-ATX plate, we will have to move the clamping column to the right. To do this, just loosen the screws that hold it from the back and move it. We can also change the position of the metal column, since there are three holes available.

In the back we will only have to open the velcro clips and fix the ATX and PCIe along with the other cables, everything fits perfectly and will be completely invisible with the plastic cover that we will fix again with its two screws.

Final score

The assembly has not been anything complicated, being clear where the elements that we need to use are, and taking the order, it will be done in a few minutes.

A highlight is undoubtedly the lighting system, very elegant and with totally invisible LEDs giving a unique effect to this front, as if it were a hologram. Nice work from Asus in designing the Asus ROG Strix Helios.

Final words and conclusion about Asus ROG Strix Helios

The truth is that few cons can be removed from this Asus ROG Strix Helios chassis.

Especially in construction, the Asus design team has done an excellent job incorporating three-zone tempered glass and thick brushed aluminum on all edges. A gaming design in which the handles on the top stand out and a very futuristic AURA lighting never seen before.

The refrigeration section is also one of the strongest points. 4 pre-installed 140mm fans and a capacity for radiators up to 420mm in the front and 360mm in the upper area.

Customized cooling systems are not going to be a problem, because it also includes an adapter to install the water pump. A second bracket for a dual cooling system would have been a good idea. And what about the filters? All of them with fine mesh and easily removable in plastic frames, the best we have seen lately.

We also recommend our article on the best chassis of the moment

Excellent storage capacity for both 2.5 ”and 3.5” drives all in the back, invisible and with a cable management system that perfectly covers all cables to make them invisible. The hardware capacity is simply complete, and in addition if visible cable holes and increases the final presentation. The I / O panel is also just what we ask for, huge USB connectivity and luxurious presentation.

As for aspects to improve, perhaps the most important is the clearance presented by the side windows with this type of fixing, which could be tighter. And perhaps an element that worsens the aesthetic in my view is the upper handle, somewhat rough, although we do not deny that it gives it personality.

Finally, this chassis is found in the market for a price of approximately 279 euros. Clearly located in the high-premium range and quite round in all aspects, almost 20 Kg of metal and glass to mount extreme gaming equipment with custom refrigeration.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND AGGRESSIVE DESIGN	- UPPER HANDLES ARE SOMETHING TOSCAS IN THE FINAL DESIGN
+ VERY ORIGINAL AURA LIGHTING	- GLASS ANCHORAGE SYSTEM WITH CLEARANCE
+ VERY COMPLETE I / O PANEL
+ CAPACITY FOR ALL KINDS OF HARDWARE
+ VERY GOOD WIRING MANAGEMENT
+ +4 140 MM FANS AND QUALITY FILTERS

The professional review team awards him the platinum medal and also a recommended product.

Asus ROG Strix Helios

DESIGN - 95%

MATERIALS - 97%

WIRING MANAGEMENT - 97%

PRICE - 89%

95%

An almost round Premium chassis, this Asus ROG Strix Helios