ASUS announces the compact yet powerful G20B gaming small-form-factor PC

ASUS is taking gaming to the next level this year and the company isn't hold back on announcing yet more hardware under the Republic of Gamers brand. The G20B is a small-form-factor PC that packs a punch when it's required to do so. From deploying the GameAlive suite for component monitoring to utilizing the latest Intel processors, it may be smaller than your average desktop, but the G20B from ASUS certainly no slouch.

Taking full advantage of the latest in lighting tech, ASUS has implemented customizable LED effects with the choice from around 8 million colors. As well as the GameAlive suite of tools, the company will also package Aegis 2 with the software for easy gameplay recording, editing and sharing on social websites. Windows 10 is on-board, which will allow you to hook up a plethora of peripherals via available ports.

As for specifications, we're looking at a 6th-generation Intel i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics, and can be configured with a variety of options. SSD solutions and 16GB of DDR4 SDRAM are available should you require the absolute top-end when it comes to power and performance. Interestingly, the G20B doesn't have any visible exhaust vents. The chassis features an integrated thermal design to take advantage of natural convection with a hidden airflow channel. Two internal fans aid with the heat dissipation.

The ASUS G20B will be available in the UK from Currys PC World for £1,499.99 come November. It's not a cheap option by any means, but you will be getting a capable gaming rig inside a small case.

ASUS Republic of Gamers Announces G20CB

London, United Kingdom (11 September, 2015) — ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced G20CB, a compact and powerful 9.5-liter gaming desktop designed to dominate the small-form-factor segment. ROG G20CB packs up to a 6th-generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor and NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ graphics for exceptional gaming and multitasking computing performance. ROG G20CB has an aggressive chassis design that features a matte-black finish, Mayan-inspired markings and customizable 8-million-colour LED effects. The exclusive Aegis II app helps gamers monitor system performance, with GameAlive allowing for easy gameplay recording, editing, and sharing on social media.

Intel Core performance and NVIDIA GeForce graphics

ROG G20CB is designed to be a one-stop gaming and entertainment system. Its 9.5-liter chassis houses a 6th-generation Intel Core i7-6700 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics. The former delivers a 10% performance boost and 23% more efficiency over previous-generation Intel processors to give ROG G20CB the power to take on the most demanding of tasks, allowing users experience today's games at their highest settings. NVIDIA GeForce-powered graphics draws gamers into an immersive world of colours; it even supports output on up to three HD displays, while a fourth display can be added via a HDMI connection.

ROG G20CB is available in several configurations and can even be specced with a solid state drive (SSD). The latest M.2 PCIe® Gen 3 x4 SSD provides data access speeds of up to 2Gbit/s – four times faster than SATA SSDs. This lets G20CB boot up faster, load apps quicker, and in-game wait times are reduced. DDR4 SDRAM provides speeds of up to 2.1GT/s — twice that of DDR3 1066 — for highly-stable performance.

Efficient thermal management

Cooling performance is often an issue when it comes to small-form-factor desktops, and the G20CB's use of high performance components requires exceptional thermal management to ensure stable performance for gaming marathons. Despite its compact 9.5-liter chassis, ROG G20 is designed with no visible exterior side exhaust vents, and features an integrated thermal design that takes advantage of natural convection. It has a hidden airflow channel that ensures efficient heat management, while two internal fans and copper pipes further help dissipate heat. G20 isn't just powerful; it runs whisper-quiet at just 22dB at idle — quieter than a typical library.

Designed for gamers

G20 sports a bold design — boasting a matte-black finish, aggressive lines, Mayan-inspired markings and customizable lighting effects that showcase up to 8 million colours, allowing users to tailor it to reflect the feel of the game currently being played. In addition, two new modes have been added. The multi-colour mode cycles periodically through up to 10 different colours; while the music mode synchronizes the LED effects with audio volume.

The exclusive Aegis II system performance monitoring app enhances the gaming experience by letting users track CPU/memory use and file upload/download status. It also provides warnings if the system exceeds temperature and voltage thresholds. GameAlive lets gamers record, edit, and share gameplay videos on social media; while Boost Launcher automatically frees up CPU and RAM resources to ensure smooth gameplay.

Earlier G20 models have been well-received by the industry, winning international accolades like the CES 2015 Best Innovations Award, a 2015 iF Design Award, and the 2015 Taiwan Excellence Gold Award

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

ASUS ROG G20CB will be available from early November in the United Kingdom from Currys/PC World for £1,499.99. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.