Performance Analysis

With all four 140mm fans on the high speed setting, noise is very noticeable from this case. It’s therefore not surprising to see good thermal results, with the ROG Strix Helios coming out towards the top for both CPU and GPU temperatures, matching the Phanteks Evolv X on the former and beating it on the latter, showing the front panel doesn’t appear to be too restrictive after all. That said, the Phanteks Eclipse P600S with a ventilated front panel does significantly better.

Dropping to low speed lowers the noise significantly, and we think this is the setting most will use. The CPU result is suddenly not quite as good, but the mid-table result isn’t concerning, and thankfully the GPU airflow remains decent.

Conclusion

What can be said for most Asus ROG products can also be said for the Asus ROG Strix Helios: It’s good, but it’s expensive. The question, then, is whether it’s too expensive, and while that will heavily depend on what you demand from a chassis, we’re inclined to say that in this instance it is indeed too pricey relative to its competition, most notably the Phanteks Evolv X, which is £50 cheaper and perhaps the best case available right now.

Starting with the positives, the material quality is consistently high, with the brushed aluminium roof struts really standing out. The integrated RGB lighting is tasteful, the easy-access side panels are well designed, and the I/O panel is very well equipped indeed with USB ports, fan switch, and LED control. Dust filter coverage is also top notch, and out-of-box airflow is good enough to keep temperatures in check. You do also end up with a very clean build once everything’s done.

Look closer, though, and there are multiple negatives. The PSU shroud design is complicated and fussy, and the cable management isn’t actually as good as it first seems. 3.5” drive support, both in terms of quality and quantity, is pretty poor too – we don’t believe they are as close to going extinct as this case implies. Other things like the residue on the sticker, the way the vertical mounts get in the way of the main horizontal ones, the lack of rubber on the pump mount, and the lack of captive thumbscrews in certain places may all seem nitpicky, but this is a £250 chassis. There is also less flexibility regarding layout and water-cooling than you can get elsewhere, and Asus hasn’t done anything new here that’s changed the way we think about case design, although the weaved handle is interesting, and dual vertical GPU support is undeniably cool too.

Ultimately, the force of the Asus ROG marketing team, the attractive and flashy design, and the existing Asus Aura ecosystem will see the Asus ROG Strix Helios appeal to existing Asus fans, and in fairness there are many good reasons for this. However, viewed more objectively, the Phanteks chassis has Asus beat on price and design smarts every day.