The latest ASUS gaming tower adds more than just flashy lights

ASUS didn't have many brand-new computers to show off at CES 2018, since it seemed to focus on unveiling unconventional routers instead. But it did release a new gaming tower via its Republic of Gamers sub-brand, which features a few updates. The ROG Strix GL 12 now comes with an overclockable eighth-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, NVIDIA GTX 1080 graphics and an easily swappable SSD tray that ASUS says is "eSports-ready".

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I'm not an eSports player myself, but during my time with the GL 12, I found it easy to pull out and insert the 2.5-inch SSD tray, which sits under a magnetic cover on the front of the tower. I don't know why eSports players would want to switch out SSDs quickly, since it doesn't seem like an integral part of competitive gaming, but if they need to, they definitely can.

If you want to make more in-depth upgrades to your system, you can remove the GL 12's transparent side panel, which has been reorganized to look neater. ASUS said it moved the motherboard 1mm over to the middle, creating a little gap with which to hide cables. It seems to have worked -- I didn't notice many wires hanging around inside the tower.

I played a bit of Overwatch on the GL 12, and even though I typically died within seconds of the enemy reaching my team, I at least did so without lag and respawned almost instantly. The graphics card also kept up with my frantic exploration of the Overwatch arena.

There are few better ways to show your team spirit than to beam your colors from all your gaming hardware. You could use ASUS' Aura Sync technology before to display the same color lights across ROG laptops -- now, you can do so on the tower as well. Go team!

The GL 12 will be available in Q2; although prices haven't been announced yet. If you're looking to truly up your team spirit at your next gaming house party, or perform some high-speed SSD swapping, you won't have to wait too much longer.

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