CES 2017 has closed its doors for this year, but it is quite common to discover announcements that were left behind or managed to escape the radar. One of them is the new Asus VivoPC X based on an Intel Core i5 processor and an integrated GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card. Asus's plan is to offer a computer capable of running the latest titles on the market and supporting virtual reality headsets, without taking up half a desk in the process.
The first advantage that consoles have is convenience. You turn it on, insert the disc (if necessary), pick up the gamepad, and play. Their second point, no less important, is the space they occupy. Granted, the latest generation of consoles seems inspired by VCRs, although the new revisions are more compact and don't sacrifice hardware (an exception is the PS4 Pro, physically larger than the standard PS4). On the other side of the street, we find custom PCs, whose performance allows them to run circles around consoles. However, enthusiasts know that the best path is a solid tower with good cooling. If we add the new demands of virtual reality to this, it seems there aren't many options... or are there?
Let's make room for the Asus VivoPC X. In essence, a latest-generation computer that occupies a volume similar to that of a console. The Vivo series has always been characterized by its compact designs, while Asus tends to save its raw power for the Republic of Gamers family, but the VivoPC X is something of a “middle” exception. Inside we find an Intel Core i5-7300HQ processor with Kaby Lake architecture (quad-core, 2.5/3.5 GHz), 8 GB of DDR4-2133 RAM, a storage configuration that divides into an SSD with 512 gigabytes or a two-terabyte hard drive, WiFi ac connectivity, gigabit Ethernet, and an integrated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics chip. Everything seems to indicate that the components are not “desktop” but mobile, something we had already explored in the past.
Technically, the GTX 1060 chip makes the VivoPC X compatible with the main virtual reality headsets (for this it includes all the necessary USB and HDMI ports), and it achieves this with a power consumption of less than 230 watts (that is the power of its external supply). Even so, Asus had to implement a special cooling solution to keep the heat at bay. The computer will begin its adventure starting in March, with a price of $799.
