I’ll be honest with you; I don’t really understand the appeal of Steam Machines. Valve’s Linux-based Steam OS is still quite a way from being ripe enough to use for most gaming and its much vaunted, revolutionary controller seems to be stuck in prototype hell. The perpetual delay in Valve’s Steam OS and its controller haven’t really done much to stem the tide of little, console-esque PC’s equipped to be future Steam Machines from hitting retail. We’ve seen tiny machines from Alienware and iBuyPower with the intent to dominate living rooms and now Asus is joining the club with its Republic of Gamers GR8. We’ve been playing with it, and it’s hard not to be impressed. It’s also hard not to be just a little disappointed.
It’s certainly a marvel of engineering. What Asus have managed to stuff in to a tiny, sleek and sexy chassis is pretty unbelievable. Its 2.5l, 1.28kg ultra thin chassis sports an Intel Core i7-4510U dual-core Haswell processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 750Ti graphics card. Depending on configuration, you’ll either have 8 or 16Gb of DDR3 memory, and the option of a 256GB SSD or a 1TB platter-based drive. Memory and storage are, unfortunately, the only user-replaceable and modular bits; you won’t be upgrading GPU or CPU on this thing. Thankfully, doing the memory upgrades is woefully simple; a little slider on the back of the case allows you to slide the panel off, giving quick and easy access.
The front houses two USB 2.0 ports and standard 3.5mm audio and mic inputs, while at the back you’ll find audio out, audio in, microphone jack, S/PDIF (Toslink), one HDMI, one Display port, an Ethernet port and 4 USB 3.0 ports. The system also includes a built in WiFi adapter and uses an external, 19V powerbrick to supply power. With nice angular edges and a distinctly Mayan aesthetic, it’s rather pleasing on the eye. It comes (optionally) bundled with a little mechanical keyboard and a gaming mouse, both of which are wired. This is the first of the system’s odd dichotomies. You’d imagine that a little, console-like system that’s clearly aimed at being a living room PC would ship bundled with wireless input devices and a gaming controller.
The other is the inclusion of the Display port. Yes, they’re selling this thing as a 4K compatible gaming system. I suppose that’s technically true; you’ll be able to run the included Windows 8.1 OS at 4K, but you certainly won’t be able to play any games – at least any modern ones – at anything remotely near that resolutions. There’s also another problem. While you can get 4K using HDMI, you’ll need to use the Display Port to get 4K at 60hz. Yes, even on your desktop. Running at 30Hz, your display just feels unnecessarily sluggish. Here’s the problem; when not using 3D applications (ie: Games), the system defaults to the onboard Intel HD graphics, which aren’t capable of running 4K at 60Hz. The reason Asus went with this decision is twofold; to keep noise and heat down, and to keep power consumption to a minimum.
According to them, the system will produce a maximum of 28dB under full load and will only pull 15 watts from your socket when idle. I believe ‘em. The thing is nearly whisper quiet. It does, however, start putting out quite a bit of heat when used for intensive gaming. Yes, there are ways to go about changing display priorities, but it’s not the sort of tinkering people who’d buy a console-like gaming PC would be keen to do – and it would drive heat up. So you’re stuck with 30HZ 4K display, or a machine that runs too hot. Don’t even try gaming in 4K; the 750Ti just isn’t up to the task. (As a side note, 3DMark picked the card up as an 860M, which has identical specs)
On that note, the processor itself isn’t quite as fast as you’d want from a high-end gaming machine either. As a dual-core, it’s very much on the lower end of Intel’s i7 range but it certainly does the job without producing too much heat. The balance is off though; I can’t help but feel that the machine would have fared better replacing the i7 with a better specced i5, and switching out the GPU for something with a little more push like the GTX 760. It could have benefitted even further by waiting for Nvidia’s now postponed GTX 960.
It comes with a bit of included software, but none of it borders on bloatware. GameFirst III apparently prioritizes your network for game packets and sets aside more bandwidth for your games to reduce lag. There are four pre-set modes as well as manual settings, and a built-in Network Monitoring tool for testing connection speeds and managing network traffic. It’s handy, I suppose, but I can’t honestly say I noticed markedly improved online performance. Interestingly, it’s got a built-in Miracast for streaming to TVs which is also odd, considering it’s probably meant to be plugged into your TV.
In the end, it all comes down to how well it performs as a game playing machine. Running the GeForce 344.75 WHQL drivers, here’s the sort of numbers we got:
Older, last gen games like Crysis 3 are certainly playable in 1080p resolutions, though the engine itself seems to have pretty varying, fluctuating framerates.
The UE3 based Arkham Origins is playable right in to resolutions exceeding 1080p, but that’s to be expected. At 1080p, you can expect a pretty smooth almost constant 60fps – provided you don’t try use PhysX. Looking at more modern games though, and you’re starting to edge on to things becoming less than playable.
While Ubisoft’s open world shooter is mostly playable at console resolutions, it’s not nearly as smooth as you’d like from a gaming machine that’s out to replace a console – and one that costs R13 000. That’s the system’s biggest problem. For that money you could pick up a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One and have a better gaming experience. That said, I’m in love with the thing. It’s beautiful, and takes up nearly no space on my desk – or right next to my TV. It’s quite a powerful machine for its size and is ideal for those who want a little system for LANs or people who can’t stand the very idea of consoles and want a living room PC.
Here are the specs, for people who like numbers at a glance.
ASUS ROG GR8 Specifications
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4510U Processor
- Graphics processor: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 750Ti Graphics w/ 2GB GDDR5 VRAM
- Operating system: Windows® 8.1 or Windows® 8.1 Pro
- Memory & storage: 1600MHz DDR3L memory (up to 16GB) 2 x SO-DIMM. SATA 6Gb/s; 1 x 2.5? 1TB 7200rpm HDD, or 2.5? 256G SSD, 1 x 2.5” extension bay for HDD/SSD, Free 100GB of ASUS WebStorage for 12 months
- Networks: Intel® Gigabit LAN, Wireless Dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
- Connectivity: Front 1 x Headphone, 1 x MIC-in, 2 x USB 2.0 (1 with USB Charger)
Rear 3 x Audio jacks (LINE_IN/LINE_OUT/MIC), 1 x S/PDIF optical out, 1 x HDMI (support Ultra HD 4K), 1 x DisplayPort (support Ultra HD 4K), 1 x LAN(RJ45), 4 x USB 3.0, 1 x 19V DC-in, 1 x Kensington lock - Power consumption: 19V DC, 6.32A, 120W Power Adapter, 0.4W when off, 13W at idle, 70 to 77W at full 3D loads
- ROG-exclusive features: SupremeFX Audio, Sonic SoundStage, Sonic SenseAmp, Sonic Studio, Sonic Radar II, GameFirst III, Miracast Receiver
- Bundled software: Kaspersky Anti-Virus (1-year full license), AiSuite III, ASUS HomeCloud with Wi-Fi GO!/Media Streamer, DTS Connect
- Accessories: M801 gaming mechanical keyboard (optional), ROG Gladius gaming mouse (optional), 120W AC adapter, Power cord, User Manual, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card
- Size: Max. 238 x 245 x 60 mm (2.5-liter chassis)
- Weight: 1.284kg
- Price : R12,999 (Configuration dependent)
Last Updated: December 2, 2014
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It’s sleek and sexy, but don’t be fooled by the 4K marketing claims. The GR8 will play last gen’s games well enough at 1080p resolutions but struggles at anything higher. It’s a bit of a confused system, too. Though it's Inspired by consoles, it comes bundled with (admittedly lovely) wired input devices, and not a gaming controller. Unfortunately, for its price, it just doesn’t perform as well as you’d expect.
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Captain JJ the fair
December 2, 2014 at 15:33
In time I think these can work for those who want the available games the pc’s have combined with modding ability and such things without needing to know anything about hardware to have to build your own rig. But I don’t think it’s quite there yet.
Hammersteyn
December 2, 2014 at 15:41
But can it play TLOU?
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 2, 2014 at 15:50
No no no. YOu got it all wrong! BAD @hammersteyn:disqus !!
It’s “But can it play AC: Unity? “
z1n
December 3, 2014 at 10:25
But can it blend?
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 3, 2014 at 17:02
Lol
Darren Peach
December 2, 2014 at 15:41
Nice looking case.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 2, 2014 at 15:43
It looks like a modified gaming laptop. How much of that retail price is related to the case? Because that seems horribly overpriced for what you’re getting on the inside.
Hammersteyn
December 2, 2014 at 15:51
Agreed,almost like a crematorium that takes advantage of the grief stricken. I’ll use my own case thank you very much.
http://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6454473/il_fullxfull.278105944.jpg
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 2, 2014 at 15:53
lol so true, I know all about that. I had handle the whole crematorium thing when my dad died. They have… very comprehensive… price lists.
Hammersteyn
December 2, 2014 at 15:54
Shame bud. was the same with my dad.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 2, 2014 at 16:06
It is pretty much a lap[top stuffed inside a little case.
Quo Vadis?
December 2, 2014 at 15:47
And people will still buy this, despite it being a rip off. Bend over stupid consumer, and forget about Vaseline, that will be extra.
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 15:52
actually, its not quite the type of machine you expect to sell like mad.
people will buy it, but its not like its gna rule the market.
Quo Vadis?
December 2, 2014 at 15:55
I know. but the fact remains people will buy it, despite being a white elephant in a short while because it will not be fit for purpose, unlike a proper console or a pc.
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 2, 2014 at 15:49
This, like the price of a Mac, I simply cannot justify.
I’m sorry but the price tag attached to something like this is far more than the price of the components inside, imho.
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 15:54
when you separate all the parts, its not actually all that much inflated.
thats just the cost of a building a higher spec pc nowadays.
there are obviously better specs in that price range, but not THAT much.
Rags
December 2, 2014 at 15:52
It’s very underspecced for the price. So Asus made the 970 mini, then why not make an ITX system with a desktop i5, 16gb memory, ssd and 970mini? Put it in a nice square box?
Like so:
http://www.pcper.com/files/imagecache/article_max_width/news/2014-11-29/970_3_0.png
oomjan
December 2, 2014 at 16:12
Yeah dude that would be a great idea. Way more performance than this garbage. If I upgrade my whole system I will be going the Mini ITX route.
FoxOneZA
December 2, 2014 at 16:20
There are some wonderful ITC cases on the market but the problem is getting a capable PSU in it.
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 2, 2014 at 15:53
A machine that expensive that cannot easilly be upgraded? Not worth it
Hammersteyn
December 2, 2014 at 15:54
Just like a, what’s the word……………………….. a console?
Quo Vadis?
December 2, 2014 at 15:58
upgrades? ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat! Consoles don’t need upgrades, just buy next gen consoles in about six or seven years 😀
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 15:56
its the cannot be upgraded part that worries me.
if they released this a year later with updated and with more consideration to the specs, when the current gen is that much more established, then this might have been somewhat successfull, but i dont see a PC like this lasting through the whole gen.
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 2, 2014 at 16:05
It won’t no. Looking at it, the problem is it’s GPU. A PC lasts if you get a really nice GPU or you hit that sweet spot GPU (Such as the 560Ti which is still capable of current gen gameplay almost 4 years later).
The 750Ti is not that card. It will last maybe 2 years and then start showing its age. Being unable to upgrade it, is going to be the biggest reason why these won’t become mainstream
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 16:10
the only card comparable to the quality of the 560ti is the 460ti.
you simply dont get the lastability from similarly priced tech anymore.
if you want a card that will last, you need to be dropping R3000+ on a card.
Ive got an R9 270 and even that doesnt feel like it will last.
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 2, 2014 at 22:22
It’s sad actually. I’m hoping the 900 series can bring in some R2k and under cards that will last
Matthew Holliday
December 3, 2014 at 09:27
i dont think its about the tech, i think its about this gen finding a sweet spot, which we cant have while theyr still trying to please the ps3/360 crowd.
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 3, 2014 at 17:02
That’s also very true
Mossel
December 3, 2014 at 07:48
560Ti ftw!! Was about to upgrade to a R9 290, but fuck it, will stretch this guy out for another year!
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 3, 2014 at 17:03
My sli 560ti setup runs everything ultra at 1080
Ceyber, Slayer of Trolls
December 2, 2014 at 15:54
What’s a platter-based drive? Also, how is this a Mayan design?
Forgive my ignorance, I’m asking honestly, no negativity intended.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 2, 2014 at 15:57
A regular SATA HDD, not an SSD.
Ceyber, Slayer of Trolls
December 2, 2014 at 16:04
I meant why is it called platter-based?
I don’t suppose you’d know about the Mayan theme? Or is that too much to ask of a master cynic? 😛
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 2, 2014 at 16:04
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive_platter
Ceyber, Slayer of Trolls
December 2, 2014 at 16:19
Now I get it. Thanks for filling me in Mr Overlord sir!
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 2, 2014 at 16:06
I don’t know – probably because of the designs on the case.
Geoff answered the first question heh.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 2, 2014 at 16:04
The outer bezel’s distinctly South American in aesthetic.
Ceyber, Slayer of Trolls
December 2, 2014 at 16:09
For some reason I always just assumed that type of design was a modern one, not an ancient cultural detail.
Just shows how important frames of reference are, thanks!
Spaffy
December 2, 2014 at 16:04
R12k? Ook maar lekker jags.
Quo Vadis?
December 2, 2014 at 16:21
yup. for that price, you could buy TWO PS4’s or Xbone’s.
ToshZA
December 2, 2014 at 16:07
Turns out, this isn’t so GR8. Who’d have thought?
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 2, 2014 at 16:16
…
ToshZA
December 2, 2014 at 16:18
Do you chirp everyone this way, or just me?
oomjan
December 2, 2014 at 16:11
I’d rather build my own mini itx pc. Will perform much better. I know it might cost more but you get also more FPS out of it then
Cornelius Bütikofer
December 5, 2014 at 08:51
Hi @Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim, I intend to use this console for business applications only. Do I have to worry about heating up this machine when running 4k at 60 hz? Is it possible to run 4k at 60Hz with non 3D Applications? Thanks for your advice.
Guest
December 5, 2014 at 09:05
Hi @OddSockZA:disqus, I intend to use this console with business applications only. Do I have to worry about heating up this machine when running 4k at 60 hz? Is it possible to run 4k at 60Hz with non 3D Applications? Thanks a lot for your advice.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 5, 2014 at 09:10
It is possible if you set it to use the 750 as default display for desktop – it’s a bit tricky to do. As long as you’re not using it for CAD or 3d design, youi should be ok on the heat front. Long term though, I think the psu might be an issue
Cornelius Bütikofer
December 5, 2014 at 09:19
thats good to know, thx. can you outline a bit how tricky it is to get this 4k 60hz configuration? can I achieve this by standard driver setup or do I have to dig deeper?
Jason Mulligan
April 20, 2015 at 13:00
This isn’t possible. You’re limited to Nvidia Optimus control, and you can’t change ‘dwm.exe’ to use the Nvidia GPU. There’s no way to disable the Intel IGP in the bios. This machine cannot do 4K/60hz by design.
Guest
December 5, 2014 at 09:07
@OddSockZA:disqus I intend to use this console with business applications only. Do I have to worry about heating up this machine when running 4k at 60 hz? Is it possible to run 4k at 60Hz with non 3D Applications? Thanks a lot for your advice.
Jason Mulligan
April 20, 2015 at 12:57
Hi, so I got one of these machines with the intention of running a desktop at 4K for programming… it turns out the CPU (‘U’ model) limits the display to 30hz. The display port offers no advantage over the hdmi cable. The Nvidia GPU doesn’t get a chance to drive the desktop, because it’s not a BIOS option to disable the Intel IGP. This machine is designed for 1080p or lower, only. Every res above 1080p is locked at 30hz by Intel.