Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsVery Powerful, but Very Quiet, Gaming Computer
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2019
I’ve built my own gaming PCs for years. But when it came time to replace my current rig, lack of time and inclination prompted me to look at prebuilt systems. I didn’t want to sacrifice on power, but I wanted something smaller and more compact than a typical gaming tower. And I also hoped to find something that didn’t sound like a vacuum cleaner when under load. Powerful, yet small and quiet, are very tough specs, so I spent several weeks looking at reviews before settling on the Corsair One i160. Best decision I’ve made in awhile!
Size and Aesthetics – The Corsair One i160 is much smaller than I expected. It’s only slightly taller than the packaging for a typical graphics card. Fits easily on my desk. And while aesthetics are entirely subjective, I like the look. The chassis is black-colored aluminum and looks professional and feels very solid; the fit and finish is top-notch overall. Even the perforations on the side panels, which are a functional part of the cooling system, are more than just a simple grate; the designers actually gave some thought to what they look like from the outside. The black etched Corsair One logo on the front is subtle, as are the two RGB LED strips on either side of the front panel; the color(s) are configurable (or turned off completely) through Corsair’s iCue software. This isn’t a typical “electronics aquarium” gaming rig; it would fit comfortably into any office environment. In construction and looks, it’s probably as close to a Mac as you’re likely to find in a PC.
Performance – This is a seriously powerful computer. Out of the box, it can compete with anything of comparable specs. For comparison, I’m getting consistent 90-100 FPS in Far Cry 5 and Battlefield V, both on ultra settings, at 3440 x 1440. I’m not doing any over-clocking and don’t plan to – nor do I need to. Had I opted to built a new gaming rig, this is the performance I would hope for.
Heat and Noise – The performance is no real surprise given these components. But the thermals and acoustics, given these components, are pretty amazing. The design employs a unique convection cooling system: the CPU and GPU are housed in separate compartments on either side of the case and both are water cooled; the aluminum side panels are perforated to draw air through attached internal radiators; the only case fan is a 140mm exhaust fan at the top of the chassis, which draws outside air through the side radiators, through interior of the case and out the top. It works incredibly well. The GPU in mine tops out around 54C under full load; the CPU at around 59C. Heat simply isn’t an issue.
And, impressively, neither is noise. The water pumps make a slight noise that I can hear only with my ear near the unit. The fan at the top of the case is a variable-speed (PWM) model and runs at 0-1500 RPM. The fan doesn’t spin at all until either the CPU or GPU hits ~41C and then gradually and smoothly ramps up as temperatures increase; it doesn’t hit full throttle until the CPU/GPU are at or near full load, which happens only during heavy usage (like a graphics-intensive game). Noise is another thing that is largely subjective, but my machine is virtually silent during normal usage (web browsing, word processing, even light gaming). I only really notice the fan when it hits full speed, and even then it’s more a low rumble than a high-pitched whine and blends into the ambient noise in my office. I don’t wear headphones and the fan noise is usually masked just by the sound from whatever game I’m playing. The machine is not absolutely silent – no computer this powerful could be – but it could challenge any “quiet” design of comparable specs.
Cons – One might have hoped for Thunderbolt support. And the main storage drive is a 2 TB 5400 RPM HDD; a 1 or 2 TB SSD would be preferable. And some might prefer 64GB RAM instead of “only” 32GB. But those are relative nits. Probably the biggest downside to this design is the limited upgradeability; Corsair has managed to wedge a bunch of components into a very tight package. The HDD and RAM are easily replaced; the CPU also is easily accessed; and even the motherboard could be replaced by someone with some experience (and patience). But upgrading the GPU would be a major chore and probably could not utilize the existing water cooler assembly. But that’s just a necessary trade-off for a proprietary design of this sophistication. And the components in the i160 are all top-of-the-line and should remain plenty capable for quite some time.
Overall, I’m very pleased and seriously impressed with the Corsair One i160. After years of having hulking gaming towers stowed under and around my desk, it’s refreshing (and a bit amazing) to have this much computing power actually on top of my desk!
