ASUS describe the original PA602 as “engineered for optimal airflow and enhanced cooling, the ProArt PA602 case is a dream for creative professionals seeking focused workflows”, we’ve had one in the studio for a while, and I must say their statement rings true. I would even go as far as to say the original PA602 is a good looking case - massive, heavy, but still it has the perfect look for a productivity machine! With that in mind can it be improved? From a cooling or hardware support standpoint, no, not really! You can fit pretty much anything in there! Aesthetically I wouldn’t say it needs an overhaul, but the recent trend of putting wooden accents on cases is spreading! I’m sure you know where this leads? Yes, there is now an option with wood accents in the ProArt line. What then sets this apart from, say, the Fractal North XL? On the surface at least, the answer is simple, subtlety…..
On removing this goliath from its very well presented box you’d be hard pressed to, from a distance, notice the difference between the wood version and the standard one. The wood panelling which adorns the front and the top rails is very dark, almost black. Under studio lighting we've managed to really bring out the colour. Up close it’s stunning, obviously the grain on each will differ a little, but the way it catches the light is beautiful!
Case Overview
As the update is aesthetic in nature, I won’t be going into a huge amount of depth here. On the back there is a button on either side to release the corresponding side panel. Pull the tab on the rear to take off the the top, revealing removable fan mounting points. Under the top rails at the front there are 2 buttons to release the front panel, behind which sits an air filter and 2 x black 200mm ProAt Fans. On the back of the case is 1 x 140mm black ProArt fan set as exhaust, so the included airflow setup will be more than enough for most! Stripping the case feels premium, each panel releases with a mechanical ‘clunk’. To remove the top 3 PCIe covers there is a clamping system, which is screwed into place with a thumb turn screw - it's an interesting setup, but it works well. Other notable details are there is a switch to crank the fans up to max should you desire (so long as you connect the fans to the included hub), a lock switch for the power button, and wheels on the back so you can tip the case and wheel it around.
As for hardware support, we have:
Up to EATX motherboards.
Graphics card up to 450mm
Radiators up to 420mm (top)
Power supplies up to 190mm
Up to 5 x 2.5” SSD’s or 3 x 3.5”
Basically, it’ll take everything including the kitchen sink.*
*Putting a kitchen sink in a PC build is not recommended.
Parts List
Why Did We Choose This Hardware?
This needs to be built as a productivity rig first and foremost. It needs to have enough power for editing, be quiet under load and of course it all needs to be in keeping with the aesthetics of the case! It’s not an easy wishlist to accomplish!
We started with the motherboard, it simply had to be from the ProArt range, the accents will all match. We had the ProArt X670-E Creator Wifi to hand, which made it an easy decision. It’s an AM5 board which narrowed down our CPU choices, the Ryzen 9 7900X is more than enough for our needs! We paired this with the ASUS x Noctua RTX 4080, so that’s the power sorted!
How to cool it? We’ve got the included airflow solution of 2 massive intake fans and a large exhaust, both of which line up perfectly for an air cooler. Noctua’s NH-D15 has been a staple of PC building for a decade, it’s tried and true, and we know it’ll run quietly. This time we won’t be changing out the case fans so we’ve gone for a Chromax.Black first generation version. To finish off the cooling we mounted 1 more 140mm fan to the top.
What Was It Like To Build In?
Thanks to the included fans and the choice to air cool, the build was super simple. The case strips down fairly easily. Once the sides and front are off there are 6 screws (3 on each side) to remove the shroud covering the power supply and storage chamber. The shroud is split into 2 pieces, so once built you can remove 2 screws to get to the storage bays. It’s a nice touch, but it would have been even better to have the storage side of the shroud be removable with a button press for easy access.
Large cases always make cable management easy, there is always plenty of space available to organise everything. This case takes it a step further due to its size, there isn’t a lot of cable slack left once everything is plugged in and managed into the pre-velcroed channel. Any play left over from the cables can be managed by either attaching it to the case using the anchor points or you could use the additional room next to the power supply.
Airflow
The PA602 standard case was an airflow beast, this case is using largely the same components, so surely it’ll perform similarly? Of course it did! With 2 x 200mm fans forcing in air, an air cooler with 2 x 140mm fans, and masses of exhaust capability it all went as expected. We were pleased that the lower intake fan fed the graphics card well, and as the RTX 4080 has 2 x 120mm Noctua fans on it, it made good use of the supply!
Performance
Though this is primarily aimed at artists, creators and creatives, we know our audience are predominantly gamers! So with that in mind we ran a few games tests, and also some stress tests to see how everything would perform under maximum load. The results:
Ambient temp 21.2°C
Spider-Man Remastered
3440x1440
Very High
87-118 fps
62°C CPU
59°C GPU
Forza Horizon 5
3440x1440
Extreme
127-152 fps
65°C CPU
59°C GPU
CPU-Z
Max Temp 77°C @ 700 rpm
Max Temp 75°C @ 1000 rpm
Furmark2
2560x1440
Avg fps 235
Max temp 84°C
Hotspot 83°C
The build performed in line with expectation, keeping cool and staying quiet!
Roundup
Is the Wood Edition a worthy addition to the PA602 line? I’d say so, not because it does anything new, not because it improves on anything functionally - after all this is not meant to be an upgrade! It’s worthy of its place in the line-up as the luxury option! This case is aimed at ‘creative professionals’, and for the target market a model with a higher quality aesthetic will go down well. You don’t have to be a creative professional to appreciate it though, the PA602 Wood Edition will be right at home for anyone who has the space to house a gigantic PC, for whom aesthetic is just as important as function. It was a pleasure to build and I’d be happy to recommend it to those that want something big, yet subtle.
Link to the full build video is below.
Blog post written by Sam Thwaytes
Affiliate Links
If you are interested in any of the products used and wish to support the channel feel free to use the affiliate links below. We get a small kickback if you buy the product without it costing you anything!
US Links
Case: Coming Soon
Case (ProArt PA602 Standard Edition): https://amzn.to/3XNS9de
MOBO: https://amzn.to/4erIEpd
Cooler: https://amzn.to/3B4EIN7
Cooler Cover: https://amzn.to/4e70zlu
Storage: https://amzn.to/3MKfFBx
Keyboard: Not Available
Mouse: https://amzn.to/4e5hCUT
Monitor: https://amzn.to/4e7IIu7
UK Links
Case: Not Available
Case (ProArt PA602 Standard Edition): https://amzn.to/4d853a0
MOBO: https://amzn.to/4emYAcu
Cooler: https://amzn.to/3XJeUyC
Cooler Cover: https://amzn.to/4erNN0S
Storage: https://amzn.to/4gtNhRu
Keyboard: https://amzn.to/4daHiyn
Mouse: https://amzn.to/3MK7gxV
Monitor: https://amzn.to/4778eh2
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