Assembling a PC can be quite tricky if done incorrectly. This is why there are companies who sell custom-built max-performance PCs to spare you the trouble.
Enter Corsair Components, or popularly known as Corsair. The computer hardware company has just released its first PC, the eponymous Corsair One. Packed with the latest CPU (Intel Kaby Lake i7-7700) and GPU (Nvidia GTX 1080), the One has another bragging claim: a small form factor that is powerful and quiet. It features a side radiator, liquid cooling, and a big top mag-lev fan.
So how did Corsair's maiden voyage in terms of PC-building go? Here's the review roundup.
Ars Technica
Mark Walton of Ars Technica liked the size and slimness of the Corsair One, calling it "the best small form factor PC" he and the company have tested. He liked how despite the hefty price tag — base model is $1800 — the One outclasses most DIY PCs because these do not have the tiny footprint that the One has. There aren't many liquid-cooled PCs that are aesthetically and acoustically pleasing.
Performance-wise, he liked the cooling performance of the One. Despite having only one central fan — the 140mm mag-lev fans on top — the combination of liquid cooling and radiator plus assisted convection lets owners maximize the GPU and CPU performances.
Engadget
Cherlynn Low of Engadget likewise liked the overall design, both in terms of topnotch internal parts, and the visually pleasing chassis. For this, she noted that the One was built "with gamers and PC-upgrading enthusiasts in mind." She called the selling price "reasonable for what it offers."
However, there's a reason she called the Corsair One a gaming desktop that "isn't for tinkerers." She took note that the PC cannot be taken apart without voiding the warranty. It can be a bummer, especially for people who want to upgrade their PC by themselves.
PC World
Gordon Mah Ung of PC World called the Corsair One "impressive as hell" for a first-ever PC. He praised the machine for being quiet and powerful despite its small form factor. This quiet factor owes to the intuitive side cooling and top fan design of the chassis, as well as the liquid cooling. Powerful GPU and CPU at full throttle tend to be noisy especially when hot, but because of the cooling system design, the Corsair One can be as silent as a whisper.
He also praised the topnotch internals: 240 GB SATA SSD (upgradeable), 1 TB HD, 16 GB Corsair DDR4 RAM, Core i7-7700, and GTX 1070. These pieces contribute to superb performance, passing Futuremark's 3DMark FireStrike Extreme test with over 9000 points. The PC also fared well in comparison with the more powerful Origin PC.
However, his biggest gripe is the warranty voice clause of the PC should one try to open it apart. While the One is upgradeable, the need to bring it to authorized service center can be a bummer.
Trusted Reviews
Tech website Trusted Reviews gives the Corsair One a 4/5 star grade. The site gave props to the One's solid performance, design, and for being "quiet as a ninja." The site praised its "innovative cooling system," which explains its quiet and fast performance. The site also liked the drool-worthy internals that make the One comparable to other high-performing machines in the market, and the VR-readiness of the machine. The gripe, however, is the price point and difficulty to upgrade, as well as the lack of another SSD option.
Overall, Trusted Reviews called the Corsair One the "ultimate lounge PC, but cost-savings in memory and storage left ... feeling very slightly short-changed."
For complete specs and prices, check out the official Corsair One site here.
