From what we know so far about the Xbox Series X, it is a seriously impressive kit—it’s basically a monster gaming PC wrapped in console garb. Be that as it may, buyers with the requisite funds can still build or a buy an even more powerful PC. Case in point, Asus is launching a decked out ROG Strix GA35 desktop configurable with up to a 16-core/32-thread Ryzen 9 3950X processor and GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card.
I don’t know how much the XbX will end up costing ($500-$600, is my guess) or how the custom GPU will ultimately compare to what’s available in the PC space, both now and later this year. Best case scenario is probably the equivalent of a 2080 Ti, when factoring in the ability to optimize games.
The XbX will undoubtedly be cheaper than the GA35, though Asus has not announced a price yet either. So, this is a good place to stop the comparison and shift focus solely to the GA35’s hardware makeup.
This desktop is essentially a tip of the cap to AMD’s third-generation Ryzen processors. The four CPU options include the Ryzen 9 3950X and 3900X, and Ryzen 7 3800X and 3700X. There are no Intel configurations available on this particular model.
Buyers will also be able to choose from a handful of GPUs, including the 2080 Ti, 2080 Super, 2070 Super, 2060 Super, and 2060. So, the lowest end configuration would pair a 3700X CPU with a 2060 GPU, which is not bad all (the 3700X is one of the best CPUs for gaming).
Asus is outfitting the GA35 with up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 memory. For storage, the system will be offered with up to a 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD for the primary drive, and a 1TB or 2TB HDD for secondary storage duties.
Other notable options include liquid cooling for the CPU (by way of an all-in-one cooler), onboard Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) connectivity, and two hot-swappable drive bays.
Asus actually announced this system at CES in January. What’s new is there now exists a product page, though Asus still has not said when exactly it will land at retail or what the starting price will be.