Review: Corsair One a100

by Parm Mann on 16 June 2020, 14:00

Tags: Corsair, AMD (NYSE:AMD), NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

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Conclusion

...performance in certain workloads is remarkable considering the size of the system...

Few small-form-factor PCs are as polished and powerful as the Corsair One. Since its introduction just over three years ago, the compact gaming PC has set the standard for what it is possible on a mini-ITX platform by squeezing some of the best components into its petite 12-litre frame.

In 2020, maintaining those high standards necessitates AMD Ryzen, and Corsair has made its move with a trio of a100 models offering up to 16 cores of multi-threaded goodness. Though the extra cooling requirements of a many-core CPU push Corsair's 170mm radiator to the limit, performance in certain workloads is remarkable considering the size of the system, and the AMD platform has the added benefit of super-fast PCIe Gen 4 storage.

We're ultimately excited to see Corsair adopt AMD hardware, yet view the initial a100 as a precursor of what is to come. Word on the grapevine is that a 3900XT model is already in the works, and looking ahead, if you're contemplating dropping thousands of pounds on a Corsair One, there's a natural inclination to wait for a more comprehensive refresh, complete with next-generation AMD RDNA2 or Nvidia Ampere graphics.

Bottom line: Corsair One remains the SFF PC to beat and the AMD-powered a100 is a welcome addition to the range.

The Good
 
The Bad
Sleek, space-saving chassis
Finally available with AMD Ryzen
Immense multi-threaded performance
High-res, high-quality gaming credentials
Super-fast PCIe Gen 4 storage
Satisfyingly low noise levels
 
Still no front USB-C
3950X gets hot in such small confines
Next-gen graphics looming large



Corsair One a100

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The One a100 base unit will be available to purchase from Corsair.

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At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.



HEXUS Forums :: 13 Comments

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The Corsair A series is one of the few prebuilts I have wanted in recent years…might need a lottery win though! :P

Edit!!

Also now people know,that a SFX 600W PSU is enough for a Ryzen 9 3950X and an RTX2080TI.
Weird mix of results. 5-10% quicker than the PCSpecialist 3950x/2080S build at 1080p in everything except Far Cry, where it's 8% slower?

Is the CPU just thermal throttling or is it set to a lower PPT, Eco mode or whatever?
CAT-THE-FIFTH
Also now people know,that a SFX 600W PSU is enough for a Ryzen 9 3950X and an RTX2080TI.
Why would they do that? You'd think they'd install a 750W, if only to protect sales of their high end SFF PSU.
3 grand and not even a SUPER? Hell no.
Bad timing on this.

I bet we're only 6-8mths away from Corsair releasing a new Intel powered one with a 3080/90Ti in it.