Asus unveils ROG Strix Aiolos external enclosure for M.2 SSDs with speeds up to 20 Gbps

Asus has introduced the ROG Strix Aiolos, a new external enclosure for M.2 solid-state drives in its ROG lineup. Building on the earlier ROG Strix Arion model, the Aiolos supports not only M.2 NVMe SSDs up to 2280 in size but also M.2 SATA drives, thanks to a dual-interface M.2 design.

The standout upgrade over the Arion is speed. Equipped with a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C interface, the ROG Strix Aiolos delivers data transfer rates up to 20 Gbps – twice as fast as its predecessor. With this jump in performance comes increased heat output, so Asus focused heavily on cooling. The enclosure features a high-efficiency internal thermal pad and a heat-resistant liquid silicone rubber coating applied via injection molding. Additionally, Asus offers proprietary software for real-time SSD health monitoring and performance tracking.

The enclosure sports a tool-less design and measures 115.5 × 46 × 15.12 mm, weighing 139 grams. Like the prior model, it includes RGB lighting, a metal hook, and a fabric tag featuring the ROG logo for easy portability. Asus also claims the new hook is five times more durable than the one used on the ROG Strix Arion.

At this time, Asus has not shared pricing details or a release date for the ROG Strix Aiolos.