After we’re shopping for tech, as folks we stability our wants typically at the price of one another. On the subject of shopping for tech, that is extra evident than in another areas of our lives. Price vs functionality is the selection we have to make given the excessive value of tech, however there’s a area of interest of customers who need and want — for a wide range of causes — the very best resolution for his or her wants. Enter the ConceptD 500, a desktop machine for customers who genuinely want high-end {hardware} with far much less consideration for the price of acquisition.
What’s it?
The ConceptD is a desktop machine with a no-compromise method to efficiency for artistic professionals. Understandably, when you see the specs, it’s straightforward to see why this isn’t a $600.00 PC (we’re awaiting affirmation of ultimate pricing in Australia) if the final era is something to go by, $6,000.00 or extra received’t be out of the query for the field alone.
Carrying the newest in i9 and i7 (mannequin dependent) processors, NVidia GeForce GTx 3070 video card, 32/64GB of reminiscence and terabytes of storage. The specs of the ConceptD 500 have been thought of fastidiously to make sure that customers will get high-level efficiency, constantly, not simply every day however for a substantial time to come back.
The machine can drive (in principle) as much as 4 8K displays, which is frankly mind-blowing. To make the most of what it could actually do you’ll need to be rocking not less than one, ideally two or extra 4K screens. That’s numerous display house to fill and use, with numerous resource-heavy packages earlier than you bother this factor. Even when you’re working it very exhausting, the case’s design signifies that the airflow is plentiful and the noise barely noticeable even in a quiet house. We’ve had an Acer CB273U monitor readily available to help with the evaluate which can get its personal article within the coming week or so.
It will be straightforward to assume that, with this quantity of processing energy you’d want important devoted house for it. That’s not the case, nevertheless, as a result of the field is not any bigger than different PCs available on the market.
Whereas it’s not bigger, it has been set as much as be expandable for future upgrades. The setup gives a number of 2.5″ and three.5″ exhausting drive additions in addition to additional ram and an additional M.2 SSD slot when you want quick entry to your information.
Designed to be just right for you and your house
Some design parts are really wonderful on this machine. The engineering and design groups have considered issues that many wouldn’t, however they work nicely to minimise desktop muddle. Ranging from the highest, there are connection ports which are straightforward to entry and — assuming the ultimate product continues with final yr’s options — a wi-fi charging pad built-in. Nice information for anybody with a contemporary cellphone that helps the comfort of Qi charging and additional reduces cabling mess.
There’s a pop-out headset cradle within the entrance of the case. Merely push the entrance of the cradle to launch the latch, and it springs out. Whereas this isn’t one thing that I’ve beforehand had alone PCs, I discovered myself utilizing it virtually routinely throughout the evaluate. It saves a bit extra desk house and retains the workspace tidy.
With the aesthetics and options constructed into the case for the ConceptD 500 PC, it’s been designed to be in your desk and never hidden underneath it.
Efficiency in every day use
Throughout a typical every day use situation, I’m fairly positive this factor barely warmed up, not to mention broke a sweat. It’s bought a lot grunt that movies had been encoding roughly 20% lower than their runtime at 2K decision. To place this into perspective, my present private laptop (a couple of years previous operating an i5 CPU, 32GB of RAM and M.2 SSD) is rendering a 5-minute 2K video in a whisker underneath 8 minutes with the ConceptD doing the identical job in simply over 4 minutes.
Gaming functionality
Like all the things else on this machine, it’s very able to gaming. There’s large processing energy, piles of RAM, a quick drive for information switch and an excellent video card. Our testing time was fairly restricted, however throughout that point I managed to cram in some Name of Obligation, Diablo 3, F1 2021 (2022 is due very quickly!) and a few older FPS.
It’s designed for gaming, so unsurprisingly with the specs this machine is carrying it was working, however barely raised a sweat in delivering a seamless gaming expertise. The high-end specs of the machine — as we’ve already explored — signifies that it excels at all the things and something you care to throw at it.
Do you have to purchase it?
Until you’re in a high-end consumer bracket needing the grunt by means of doing important video/picture modifying and content material creation or taking part in video games repeatedly, that is simply an excessive amount of PC for most individuals. In brutal honesty, if the specs aren’t an excessive amount of — primarily based on the earlier mannequin pricing — the worth shall be an enormous barrier for a lot of.
A PC like that is very a lot a distinct segment want for folks with a real want for critical efficiency. Acer markets the ConceptD vary this manner, specializing in the processing energy and functionality to provide content material. That ranges from photographs, video, audio and even growth. There’s a lot to love in regards to the Acer ConceptD vary, however there’s additionally a excessive value to pay.
Whereas I’m uncertain my finances will stretch to the extent wanted for a ConceptD to make a everlasting look on my desk, this has highlighted to me simply how far tech has come since I final upgraded my desktop PC, the efficiency in improved consumer expertise is so significantly better, and it’s time for an improve.
Our evaluate unit was one of many closing engineering samples, which makes it tough to touch upon a couple of facets of the machine. So whereas the efficiency specs are near-final, there could also be some tweaks to the end-user delivered product, together with presentation, which is the rationale for referring to the earlier model of the machine in some areas of this evaluate. That being mentioned, given the very sharp specs, I can confidently say you’re going to have an excellent expertise.
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