I go over some of thebest gaming screen background , but I ’ve never seriously reckon buying one for myself . I likebuilding my own PCs , and every fourth dimension I come near a review , there ’s an understanding that a prebuilt is created for a sure audience . The Corsair One i500 is challenging my position , however .
It ’s the first prebuilt I ’ve come across that make an argument for buy a ready - made gaming personal computer . Remarkable work up tone , disgraceful performance , and impressive caloric management position the Corsair One i500 aside . Even with its high price tag end , the Corsair One i500 feels worth every centime .
Corsair One i500 specs and pricing
Corsair only has two configurations for the One i500 , and they ’re expensive . Both models are build around theIntel Core i9 - 14900Kand a 2 TB SSD , but the other core glasses disagree . The chintzy of the two models include anRTX 4080 Superand 32 GB of RAM , while the more expensive framework includes anRTX 4090and 64 GB of RAM .
The prices are gamy . You ’ll drop $ 3,600 on the RTX 4080 Super mannequin and $ 4,700 on the RTX 4090 mannikin . For reference , a likewise configuredAlienware Aurora R16with an RTX 4090 will run you about $ 3,350 . On the snotty-nosed side , anHP Omen 40Lwith an RTX 4080 Super and similar shape will run you close to $ 3,500 .
I review the Origin personal computer variant of the Corsair One , which has more customization options . you’re able to cram in up to 8 TB of storage , an Elgato capture carte du jour , and 8 TB of storage . It comes at a bounty , though . The configuration I reviewed will lean you $ 5,700 , though it ’s tricked - out from top to bottom . There are n’t any differences between the Corsair and Origin version , outside of the extra customization options .
Some amount of the price here is n’t going into the raw components but rather the tightly design case and high - quality role that Corsair uses . You ’re not getting some no - name factor here . You ’re receive Corsair Vengeance DDR5 memory with speeds able of 6,000 MT / s , as well as a small form factor 1,000W Corsair mightiness supply with an 80 Plus Gold corroboration .
Most significantly , however , you ’re getting liquid cooling on both the CPU and the GPU . This , without a uncertainty , is what bloats the price of the Corsair One the most , and it ’s something the other , with child PCs can trim to accomplish a more reasonable price .
There ’s no doubtfulness that the Corsair One i500 is a premium ware , but it ’s not a crazy price for what the companionship is offering . To get a similarly small personal computer like theFalcon Northwest Tiki , you ’ll spend upward of $ 5,000 , and that ’s with an RTX 4080 Super . Even if you configure and built a small form factor microcomputer with the same constituent , you ’d easily spend $ 3,500 .
The Corsair One i500 feels deserving its premium price . My only return is that you ’re very limited in your configuration selection . Corsair does n’t allow you to tot another severe parkway , for lesson , or swap out the CPU with a mannequin that does n’t get as hot . You get the two predetermined form , and that ’s it .
Design and build quality
The Corsair One i500 is a work of art , and I do n’t say that softly . I have n’t watch such a tightly , purposefully plan microcomputer since the Falcon Northwest Tiki a few years ago . Everything has a place , and Barbary pirate wraps up the flagship ironware inside a beautiful instance with plenty of quality - of - sprightliness features .
You ’ll probably be intimate with the outside pattern of the One i500 . It has n’t change much in its overall form , but Corsair now includes a lovely wooden ending on the front . You have the option between a light or colored finish ( my review unit came with a dark finish ) , both of which are surrounded by result strips on the sides that get off up the front of the case .
The Corsair One i500 is more than just a pretty face outwardly .
Turning on the Corsair One i500 feel like powering up some futurist piece of tech . The large alloy Corsair logotype in the middle of the wooden front is the power button , and it ignite up alongside the light-emitting diode flight strip . Combined with some underglow provided by LED strips on the side of the One i500 , the PC manages to mash erstwhile and new designs together in a way that shockingly works .
The Corsair One i500 is more than just a pretty facial expression outwardly . Around the sides , you ’ll find two material grate that cover the full sides of the chassis . These magnetically flick to the alloy figure that the One i500 is constructed out of , and you could easily remove them to clean out dust and other grime that they obstruct from getting inside the case .
The back is where the real magic is . Corsair includes a drawing string of lights above the ports at the back of the type that mechanically light up when they detect your fingers . This piffling bit of luminance does curiosity when you ’re turn over behind the personal computer to plug in your cables . The sensor does n’t work perfectly , and it occasionally missed my fingers when I reached around the microcomputer . It worked more often than not , though , and it ’s a with child touching .
Everything is tightly compacted inside the Corsair One i500 , and it ’s clearly not built for easy servicing . Under the magnetised debris filters , you ’ll regain a series of screws that open up the side panels , which reveal even more screws for buff mounted on nearly every edge of the personal computer . Corsair liquidate no space inside the One i500 , and that think of getting inside is tough .
It ’s not any more difficult than a typical modest form factor personal computer , however , and I ’d debate it ’s a bite easier . In the main chamber , Corsair let in three 120 mm fans . One is used for a 120 mm all - in - one liquid cooler for the CPU , while the other two service as additional intakes . Corsair has all of the fans mounted to brackets , so you do n’t need to occupy about rebuilding the personal computer for some routine maintenance .
amazingly , there ’s room to upgrade here . I signify , there is n’t physically room to kick upstairs , but Corsair is using all standard - sized component , including an SFX mightiness provision and a mini - ITX motherboard . Upgrading the One i500 will take some work because of its small shape factor design , but it ’s possible .
Performance
The Corsair One i500 sacrifices some public presentation . There ’s no way around that . It ’s a small form factor design , and it ’s packing the most potent ironware money can corrupt . The performance compromises are n’t spartan , though . The fact that Corsair is able-bodied to handle the grievous functioning that the One i500 offers in such a modest design is mighty impressive , in fact .
The most obvious via media is the CPU . The Core i9 - 14900 K is a beast , and not always in a good way . Corsair settles for a 120 mm liquidness tank for the CPU , and that ’s not enough to keep this chip cool under a full workload . I ’ll dig into that more in the next section , but you could see from my Cinebench R24 below that the One i500 fall slimly short of theFalcon Northwest Talonwith a similar configuration in both single and multi - core performance .
Shockingly , that performance variance does n’t concord up in other diligence . In PCMark 10 , the Corsair One i500 managed a gamey account , despite the fact that the Talon is larger , more expensive , and includes the pushed KS version of the Core i9 - 14900K. The same was dependable in PugetBench for Premiere Pro , and not by a thin margin . The execution Corsair is able to manage in the One i500 is genuinely dumfounding , especially reckon the modified mainframe cool uncommitted .
Gaming is no unlike when looking at 3DMark . The Corsair One i500 managed to tally or beat a custom RTX 4090 punt PC in both Time Spy and theray tracing - based Port Royal , and it came up close behind the Falcon Northwest Talon in Fire Strike . I ’ve also included outcome for the new Steel Nomad bench mark , which are somewhat below where an RTX 4090 should land . This is a new trial , however , so we require more data point from it .
In actual games , the Corsair One i500 ended up a few skeletal system behind a custom RTX 4090 stake PC . It ’s worth keeping in mind that this custom PC was on an open - zephyr test workbench with access to much more cooling , so it ’s not surprising to see the One i500 lag behind by just a bit . Still , this is splendid performance . You ’re well passing 60 frames per second ( fps ) at 4 K with the highest graphics options , and with room to spare for ray trace in many example .
Nvidia ’s DLSS 3works wonders , too . In game likeReturnalandCyberpunk 2077,you’re able to crank all the graphics setting with ray trace and still get flesh rate in the treble fingerbreadth . You might fall short of vizor performance in some games and apps with the One i500 , but the fact that Corsair is capable to get close in such a slight form is unbelievable .
Thermals and cooling
Barbary pirate packs the most sinewy ironware money can bribe in one of the small cases available with the One i500 , so it ’s no surprise that thermals are important . The PC has the warmth these persona can sire under control , and in a way that does n’t make inordinate fan randomness . But you ’ll still hit a performance wall in some situations .
That mostly get along down to the CPU . As I cover in the previous subdivision , the Core i9 - 14900 K underperforms compare to a bloodline Core i9 - 14900 K in a large font with a turgid ice chest . In a Cinebench R24 multi - core run , the Core i9 - 14900 K hit its thermal boundary of 100 degrees Celsius in the Corsair One i500 , which is n’t surprising . I ’ve seen this chip creep toward its caloric limit even with a 360 mm all - in - one liquidity cooler .
There ’s less of an issue with the Corsair One i500 and more of an issue with the Core i9 - 14900K. I ’m not sure why Corsair chose such a notoriously hot , power - thirsty CPU in its small shape gene design , and why that ’s the only option across configurations . It ’s astounding that tiny Corsair is getting most of the execution of the Core i9 - 14900 K yield the sizing of the One i500 . However , there should be an option for a more efficient CPU .
It ’s dumbfounding that tiny Corsair is getting most of the performance of the Core i9 - 14900K.
Thankfully , you ’ll only strike the thermal limit under a full central processing unit shipment . I played about 45 minutes ofGhost of Tsushimaon the PC , and the Core i9 - 14900 K peaked at 86 degrees with an average of 66 degrees . That ’s whole acceptable . The GPU temperature were more telling , though .
After 45 minute , the RTX 4090 peak at just 55 degrees and average about 48 degrees throughout the gameplay session . That ’s because the GPU is liquid - chill along with the CPU . It ’s a display case of what an efficient piece of computer hardware looks like when combined with fluid cooling . I ca n’t imagine how the Corsair One i500 would look with a more efficient CPU .
Noise was n’t an offspring , either . you could hear the Corsair One i500 , even when the PC is n’t doing much , but it ’s not perturb . Even put form on the PC through Cinebench andGhost of Tsushima , a window air conditioning social unit a elbow room forth from me was enough to drown out the sound of the fans .
Bloatware and configuration
One of the bad welfare of the Corsair One i500 over more mainstream selection is that it ’s ready to go out of the box . There ’s piddling bloatware , and the BIOS is configure properly to get the good functioning mightily away . Corsair is using an MSI motherboard , too , so you do n’t have to deal with any ill-scented , OEM - only BIOS covert .
This is what a PC should search like out of the box .
You have two independent service program . One is a diagnostics pecker that demonstrate you information about your PC , where you may run a scan or even strain test your individual component part to troubleshoot issues . The other gives you access to organisation vitals , and it allows you to customize the inflammation that ’s placed around the PC . I never saw a dad - up pestering me to open these apps , nor any intrusive bundled software begging me to spend more money .
The configuration is correct , too . Corsair has the overclocking profile for the memory enable , so you ’re getting the true 6,000 MT / s that the memory is able of ( you ’d be surprised how many system builders get this wrong ) . In addition , Corsair enablesResizeable BARfor the GPU , giving you an extra carrying out boost in a few select games .
This is what a microcomputer should look like out of the box , and it ’s no surprise that Corsair nailed it . The society owns Origin personal computer — read ourOrigin Neuron reviewfrom a few years ago — and I distrust it pick up a lot of the flesh and configuration employment for devices like the One i500 . At the very least , Corsair is take the mindset of a custom system detergent builder here with the right configuration and little bloatware .
Should you buy the Corsair One i500?
Corsair has made something particular with the One i500 . I do n’t agree with the choice of Intel ’s more high - oddment — and power - hungry — CPU , and the price of the One i500 will make you wince . But I ca n’t traverse that Corsair contend to make it knead . The One i500 offers competitive performance , and it manages to handle the immense heating plant that its components put out , all without fall into a noisy mass .
Further , the One i500 feels as premium as its price tag would suggest . The beautiful wooden conclusion , premium trimmings , and plus like the I / O interface igniter give the One i500 a unique spot among the dateless prebuilt PCs you could corrupt . Although the Corsair One i500 is expensive , it ’s the PC you should buy if you ’re in the securities industry for a high-pitched - final stage behemoth .