Die-hard gamers often opt to build their own desktop rigs to give them much freedom in engineering the specs and even its exterior design. From the casing to the tiniest detail of a board, hardcore gamers are clear-cut about it believing that doing so would give them a cheaper and better machine than the pre-built ones.
Asus takes a different path with the G20CB, a small-form gaming desktop that’s designed for maximizing your workspace while keeping its performance at pace.
Unboxing and Design
Despite having a slimmed down body, the box comes in a hefty shape with the power brick, gaming keyboard, and gaming mouse lumped together with the G20CB inside.
This small-form desktop will surely stand out when placed side by side with other desktops, especially that the G20CB sticks to the Mayan architecture by sculpting the case into a statue-like symmetry. The Mayan-inspired grille light up to Asus’ RGB configuration via Aegis app that shines down to the foot.
The front face of the G20CB ?shows the CD-ROM, two USB 3.0 ports, microphone jack, and headphone jack. At the back are two USB 3.1 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, RJ45 port, audio ports, HDMI port (for built-in graphics), and two holes for the power brick. The integrated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 in this desktop provides an HDMI port, three DisplayPort sockets, and a dual-link DVI.
The power supply’s separation from the case played a huge role in G20CB’s downsized figure but may also eat a spot in your workspace. As mentioned, there are two ports on the backboard for the power brick that need another two power sockets to plug it in, taking an extra space from your extension cord.
Performance
There are few G20CB variations available in the market today, and the one we’ve landed had this specifications:
With the same software, we tested the Intel Core i7-6700 (Skylake) @ 3.4GHz and got this result:
In PCMark 10, a software that measures the system and components of a rig in taking typical home user activities, the G20CB tallied this score:
Meanwhile, in the graphics department, the G20CB went through the 3DMark test and managed to hit this:
Features
The G20CB runs the Windows 10 OS and is stuffed with Asus built-in software. For example, it shelters the Aegis app for tweaking the RGB lights of the unit. It also has an Asus Command where users can monitor the system in few clicks.
The Gamefirst IV, Asus’ gift to gamers so they can optimize the motherboard to a greater height, is also available in the list of pre-installed freebies.
Overall
If you’re into hardcore gaming but not into assembling a rig, the Asus G20CB is a worthy option despite coming in a pretty high-end price tag, which also depends on the specs variation. However, the desktop leaves no room for upgrading its internal specs. Nevertheless, the Asus G20CB places itself at the top desktop units there is, hitting the right spots of today’s gaming demands.
The Good:
- Slim body
- Premium GPU installed
- VR-ready
The Bad:
- No room for upgrades
- Pricey
- Two power sockets for the power brick
