Asus ROG G20BM review

I love the idea of a PC that combines console proportions with full-on desktop functionality, but I also expect such machines to beat those consoles in performance terms – especially at triple the price. The ROG G20BM, unfortunately, just doesn't deliver.

We liked

This is a petite and good-looking PC which retains the connectivity capabilities of a full tower. It can also be opened and upgraded, albeit with some difficulty.

The huge HDD provides plenty of room for games and files, and helps to lessen the impact of Asus' bloatware. Then again, it's good to have resource-monitoring tools, as well as an app for picking from millions of LED colours, straight out of the box.

We disliked

Weak internals mean that, with the exception of older or technically undemanding games, the ROG G20BM can rarely handle AAA titles on anything higher than medium settings. Despite this, it's priced higher than most entry-level PCs, killing any suitability it might have had as a budget option.

I also tired pretty quickly of having to equip a headset for every gaming session – the cooling system was consistently loud enough to drown out my speakers, sadly.

Final verdict

The ROG G20BM could possibly find a niche as a Windows 10-powered Steam Machine alternative, a device for non-enthusiasts to hook up to their living room TV for Minecraft and the like.

Anyone with a more serious interest in PC gaming, on the other hand, should keep looking. This is far from the only SFF gaming rig on the market – indeed, it's worth considering a similarly-priced Alienware X51 configuration, which can include the respectable mid-range Nvidia GTX 960.