Asus has announced the ROG Strix Aiolos, an external SSD enclosure that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectivity with transfer speeds up to 20 Gbps. The enclosure occupies an interesting middle ground in the market, offering double the bandwidth of standard USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) enclosures while remaining more affordable than Thunderbolt or USB4 options that max out at 40 Gbps.
The ROG Strix Aiolos supports both NVMe PCIe and SATA M.2 drives in 2242, 2260, and 2280 form factors. Asus has equipped the enclosure with a dual-layer cooling system featuring an internal thermal pad and a liquid-silicone-rubber coating on the exterior that provides heat resistance while keeping dust out. A tool-free push-to-open mechanism allows for quick SSD swaps without screwdrivers.
Being part of the ROG gaming lineup, the enclosure naturally includes customizable Aura RGB lighting that can be configured through a web interface. Asus also provides its ROG SSD Dashboard software for monitoring drive health and performance metrics in real time. While Asus has not announced pricing, competing USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 enclosures from brands like Sabrent, UGREEN, and SSK typically sell for $35 to $60 (€32 to €55), roughly $20 to $40 less than Thunderbolt alternatives.