ASUS Prime AP202 review – mATX case with ARGB and curved glass

In the ASUS Prime AP202 review, we take a look at the ARGB version of the mATX case from one of the largest PC component manufacturers. Even though ASUS is better known for internal components such as mainboards and graphics cards, almost everything to do with PCs can be found under this brand. This also includes cases – and the ASUS Prime AP202 ARGB stands out here. The large, curved glass panel in particular stands out visually, while the price remains on the ground. This also fits with the target group, as mATX mainboards are generally cheaper than large ATX models. But how the case performs and what you get for the humane price is what we look at in the ASUS Prime AP202 ARGB test.

Specifications

Mainboard compatibility	mATX, Mini-ITX
Case size	441 x 236 x 460 mm
weight	9 kg
Drive compatibility	2x 2,5 / 3,5″
Maximum cooler height	175 mm
Maximum radiator size	360 mm
Factory fan	3x 120 mm ARGB
front panel	combined 3.5 mm audio slot, 2x USB 3.2 type A, 1x USB-C 3.2
price	Price not available * (white) € 102.90 * (black)

Packaging and scope of delivery

• Standard packaging for cases
• Styrofoam shells hold the case in the box and are harder than foam
• Protective film on both sides of the glass
• Accessories are limited to the bare essentials

The packaging of the ASUS AP202 is similar to that of most current cases. It comes in a brown cardboard box and is held in place by two polystyrene trays. It is also protected by an additional plastic protective cover. I would prefer more flexible foam trays, as these can’t break so easily when pulled out, but in most cases this isn’t relevant anyway, as many people dispose of the packaging due to its size or at best store it somewhere for a move, and this isn’t about the optimal condition of the packaging.

The glass pane also has a protective film on both the outside and inside. These should both be removed for the clearest view, but at best only at the very end to protect against fingerprints at work.

The bag with the quick start guide and warranty is included and the bag with the accessories, which consists of screws and cable ties as well as a tool for changing the spacers on the mainboard, can be found in the case.

Design

• Special design with curved glass
• Special opening for air intake between power supply cover and case interior
• RGB strips and fan
• Noble-looking accents
• White tones of fan and housing not identical

The ASUS Prime AP202 has two particularly striking design features. The first is the curved, sturdy glass panel, which provides a view of the case’s innards without any gaps or struts. Another is the slit-shaped opening underneath, which is also RGB-illuminated during operation.

The fans have a slightly different shade of white than the rest of the case. This is a typical problem with white cases: there are many subtle shades of white and so it is difficult to match them exactly. However, this warmer white tone of the fans is only noticeable when the case is switched off. As soon as the RGB lighting is active, the bright colors take over.

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There’s no need to worry about stability – the slot is supported by long metal spacers.

Processing quality

• Solid workmanship
• Strong glass pane

The workmanship in the ASUS Prime AP202 test is surprisingly high quality for the price. Fine details on the case, such as the imprints, make a good impression; the panels are of good quality and not too thin. I also had no problems with sharp edges and yet it is amazing that three RGB fans are included for the price. Then there are other details that make a good impression. The covers of the expansion card slots are screwed on, as is usual with good cases, and have no struts that could collide with connections on graphics cards. All good.

The curved glass panel in particular makes an outstandingly good impression, as it is made of very strong, hardened glass – probably for reasons of stability. Well-functioning rails are attached to it and the edges are reinforced with metal. The pane is also secured with knurled screws.

There are only a few places where you can see that some savings have been made. The dust filter for the power supply is attached in such a way that it can only be removed by bending it when the ASUS AP202 is tilted, there are no silicone covers for the cable openings and the screws for the expansion cards are not tool-free.

Installation

• Good accessibility and easy, partly tool-free handling
• Combined front panel connection
• Suitable for beginners

The ASUS Prime AP202 ARGB proved to be relatively easy to install during testing. The cover on the top can be folded up and removed without tools, but is otherwise well secured. As the opening is then really open, you can reach in here, which makes it easier to place the EPS power cable for the processor, for example. For cable routing, there are a few very large Velcro cable ties on the back and a few places where the regular cable ties can be attached.

However, the power supply unit must be inserted from the inside, as there is no holder for the rear slot.

A nice detail is the raised center spacer on the mainboard tray. This allows the mainboard to be positioned before it is screwed into place. This prevents it from slipping and makes installation much easier. The ASUS AP202 uses a version into which a screw can still be screwed to secure it.

During the ASUS Prime AP202 test, it was very pleasant that the front panel connector is a single plug and not the miniature cable tangle that we are familiar with from most cases. This makes work easier, especially for beginners.

Handling

• Front panel as expected
• Tight mesh without dust filter

One problem that has more to do with mATX cases in general than with the ASUS AP202 in particular is that all the motherboard headers on the lower edge of the motherboard are almost impossible to reach once a graphics card has been installed. The space is then simply too tight. You should therefore remove the graphics card to plug in the cables. No problem – most people don’t change anything there every day.

The front panel is quite standard for a modern case. The large power switch is easy to feel and provides solid feedback. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. There is no USB 2.0 at all. The audio connection is a combined connection – if you use separate devices or a headset with separate connections, you will need to get a splitter cable as an adapter. However, most headsets in recent years come with combined plugs anyway.

Since the holes on the top grille are fine enough, most of the dust remains on it. This saves the need for a second layer with a dedicated dust filter. An occasional wipe over the housing is usually enough.

Component compatibility

• Large air coolers are no problem
• Radiators up to 360 mm are possible
• Two hard disk caddies carry either 3.5″ or 2.5″ drives

Despite the not too large dimensions, even the largest available air coolers fit into the ASUS AP202, such as the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5, but as a showcase and due to the arrangement of the factory fans, water coolers are more likely to be used in this case. Therefore, for the ASUS Prime AP202 test, I used the DeepCool LS720, a 360 mm AIO, whereby I switched to white fans, the Lian Li Uni Fan P28, for visual reasons.

Radiators can therefore be installed in sizes of 120, 240, 280 and 360 mm – covering the most common formats. Two SATA drives, i.e. hard disks or 2.5″ SSDs, can be installed at the rear in the power supply cover. There are two hard disk carriers here, which can be removed without tools. 3.5″ hard disks can also be installed without tools. Simply bend and clip in. If necessary, you can then secure them from below with screws, but this is not really necessary. Alternatively, 2.5″ drives can be screwed into the hard disk carrier, but this is not tool-free.

Fan

• Illuminated frame
• Maximum speed is limited to keep the noise level low
• Sensibly routed cables

The fans in the ASUS AP202 are 120 mm RGB fans with standard ARGB connectors – both male and female to pass on the signal. This means that only one 3-pin ARGB connector is required for all ARGB components in the case. The frames are illuminated, but not for the fan blades. However, these are illuminated indirectly.

One thing I like about the fans is that they have a maximum speed of “only” 1600 RPM. This is not that much for 120 mm fans, but it also has the advantage that the fans run more quietly on average. Even if the users do not actively turn them down, but use factory curves for the fans. As a result, the fans were very pleasant to listen to during operation. There were also no unpleasant frequencies. On the other hand, no performance records are to be expected. They are simply fans.

It is also very nice how the cable management in the ASUS AP202 is solved for all fans – the case design has been thought through here.

Airflow

• A pure vacuum concept ex works to passively draw air towards the graphics card from below
• Best CPU temperature in pull orientation
• Three additional fans can be fitted at the bottom if a graphics card that is not too thick is used

The fans are installed at the factory in such a way that they create negative pressure in the case; air is thus drawn into the case through the lid and the air duct at the bottom. With an air cooler, this is a moderately precise airflow concept, as the front fans take air away from the air cooler.

With a water cooler, you run into a similar problem area. If you install the fans on the radiator as normal, the air is drawn in purely passively from below; this is heated by the graphics card and then partially leaves the case through the factory fans. The best option is therefore to support the case airflow by mounting the fans on the radiator upside down in the pull position. This way, fresh air is always drawn through the radiator and then transported outside by the case fans, which led to the best results in the ASUS Prime AP202 test.

However, this ensures a more balanced airflow ratio, which hinders the suction from below and thus steals some fresh air from the graphics card.

There is also a holder for additional fans on the underside, which is secured with three knurled screws.

These can be removed in order to screw on and reinsert the fans. However, this only works up to a certain size or thickness of the graphics card. However, if you don’t want to force the dust protection effect, you get less air resistance without this cover and therefore a better air supply for the graphics card when used with negative air pressure. The fans at the bottom also cover the mainboard connections, which may look better, but makes further work more difficult.

A more expected fan configuration for this case shape would be reversed fans at the front, which look good but actively bring air into the case. This is not the case here and I would not want to rotate the fans for visual reasons, as they are more prominent than the radiator fans.

A look at the price

• Good price for the features on offer
• Despite the mid-range price, there are special unique selling points

I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised here. Of course, there are also very good cheaper cases, but with the features on offer, you would actually expect a slightly higher price in this case, especially as ASUS is also written on the case and the brand tends to be associated with higher price regions. The curved, tempered glass in the strong design alone is a point that you would hardly expect.

Just a few years ago, I would have expected the expansion slots in this price range to be designed to be broken out. Here, however, there are full, screw-fastened covers. Plus the RGB lighting and RGB fans.

There are only a few places where you can see that savings have been made, such as the lack of silicone covers for the cable routing holes in the mainboard tray, but these are also much more expensive to produce than you would expect, so this is a tolerable detail.

A few more impressions of the ASUS Prime AP202 test

• Structure of the top cover
• Handling the rear cover
• A quick look at the drives

The ASUS Prime AP202 is a nice case and I’ve covered a few points in the review, but I wanted to take a closer look at a few details. I really like the top cover, for example, as it looks very robust and of a much higher quality than the magnetic dust filters that are familiar from many other cases. The top cover also fits well and doesn’t just fall out. It has to be folded up from one side and the other side can then be released to gain good access to the interior, for example to install radiators or fans. However, this cover also has quite large plastic struts for stability reasons, which block the airflow a little.

The cover on the rear side of the housing is not screwed on, but simply plugged in. This is convenient in terms of handling, but could theoretically mean that the back could be pressed open if there are too many cables, which was a major problem with the FSP CUT593P, for example. In our test, however, there were no problems here, as the cable routing is sensibly designed and there is plenty of space for the cables – and the clips also appear to be quite robust. So where there shouldn’t be any problems, you may have to put a little more effort into cable management if necessary.

Hard disks are limited to two. This would have been a problem for me personally 10 years ago, but now everything is shifting towards M.2 drives and so two bays, if necessary at all, will be sufficient for most users. On the other hand, handling is easy and the hard disks don’t take up too much space.

Conclusion

I was thoroughly impressed by the ASUS Prime AP202 ARGB mATX case in the test. Of course, there are one or two peculiarities that seem a little strange in terms of the airflow and there are also cases that have a better air supply overall. But overall, there were no real problems with the temperature in the test, especially as both mATX mainboards and the price of this case tend to be in the mid-range segment, which are not usually the absolute hotheads.

The handling is pleasant, the workmanship is good, the equipment is decent and the design stands out from the crowd. In short: In my opinion, the ASUS Prime AP202 ARGB is a thoroughly recommendable case if you don’t want to use particularly hot-running hardware.