A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the ASUS TUF Gaming GT502 immediately impresses with a level of detail that we haven't really seen before. While some brands focus on functional and tooling details far beyond most, ASUS does that with the GT502, but also adds so many visual design aspects to the case at the same time. With both a black and white variant of the chassis, ASUS even went the extra mile to make everything within the case white, gray or silver, while most other brands are content with having black leads, grommets and screws in combination with the white exterior.


Looking at the front of the GT502, there is already a lot to unpack, but lets stick to the macro level for now. As the chassis features a sandwich layout the left area of the case is meant for your GPU, CPU and motherboard, while the right, hidden compartment holds your storage and power supply. ASUS has gone ahead and added a multi-functional bracket that can also be used for fans in that side of the chassis as we will see later on. While the black version of the enclosure is all black, the white variant has a gentle two-tone color theme to it, which works quite well. In the rear, you can see more of that classic dual-chamber layout we have seen numerous times before in other enclosures of this format.


Both the front and side glass panels are clean, clear and framed in white to match the rest of the chassis, as such, all your hardware will be clearly visible. On the opposite side, you won't simply find a metal panel with air venting, as ASUS has taken the opportunity to pepper it with silk-screened branding and details. The bottom two air vents are labeled clearly with what these are meant to keep cool, while there is also large branding in the center with the model name and the fact that this is a TUF Gaming chassis. At the top, there is that large, unlabeled vent which is for the aforementioned fan/AIO/HDD mounting bracket within.


Taking a closer look at the front of the case, ASUS went for an embossed branding and a textual jab at the competition. The permanence of this may give some a bit of a chuckle, but the fact that this is not simply printed on the case, but uses physical manufacturing tooling to implement, speaks volumes. To the left of that, in the light gray dividing strip, you will find both a power and reset button at the very top. This is followed by two white USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an RGB toggle button, a white USB-C plug and lastly a white audio combo port - all this to ensure that the colors of the case stay consistent across all details. On the bottom right corner, just to give the GT502 even more TUF Gaming flair, there is the brand logo which is ARGB lit once the system is turned on. That is also the reason why the power button doesn't need a separate power LED.


In the rear, you will find eight expansion slots, each protected by a removable cover. Alternatively. you may install the vertical GPU mounting bracket here which will allow for triple-slot GPUs to be installed instead. A hinged cover hides the screws holding these in place and covers the gap next to them. On the opposite side of the motherboard tray, there is the ATX PSU bay with one set of mounting holes. It is actually recessed a bit into the chassis as there are numerous rivets all around it that would not fit otherwise.


In the top, ASUS has placed a 120 mm fan mounting position with elongated holes, so that you may adjust the vertical placement of such a cooling device to line up with the motherboard or provide additional headroom for a ceiling mounted AIO. If you look closely, you will also notice that each side panel is held in place by a spring loaded button, making the removal of these covers completely tool- and screw-less.


At the top there are plenty of additional details to be found. The GT502 features two carrying straps which are gray to match the chassis perfectly. These have a large, strong Velcro pad to hold them in place, so you won't have to worry about them coming undone when carrying your system around. Steel loops act as an interface point between the straps and case body, so it is clear that these aren't just cosmetic. This design does mean that you have to do a little extra work to take off the top panel - which comes with a white, magnetic dust filter. Underneath that cover there is a removable mounting frame that allows for three 120 or two 140 mm fans. Alternatively it can also fit a radiator of up to 360 mm in size. You may also flip the frame around, so that you may use the space in the best possible manner, giving you all the flexibility possible. And, as it is removable, you may easily configure this cooling component outside the confines of the chassis. Last, but not least, if you look closely ASUS even branded the metal loops for the Velcro strips with TUF Gaming and a white coat of paint on the base - crazy!


The underside of the chassis features a full length, white dust filter that you may easily pull out from the front of the chassis, which is the best possible setup for something like this.