ASUS Reveal the PRIME Utopia at Computex 2019 – It’s Basically PC 2.0
Peter Donnell / 5 years ago
PRIME Utopia
We’ve seen a lot of bonkers tech at trade shows, but this one… well, it’s certainly unique. The ATX standard has been around for a very long time now, and little has changed. We’re still building PCs to standards set around 25 years ago, and is it time for a change?
The PRIME Utopia throws all of those standards out of the window. Of course, for this to become “standard” every brand, every motherboard maker, PSU maker, chassis maker, would all need to agree. That’s not going to happen. However, it begs the question. Is it time to start planning the standards for the real next-gen of PCs?
Touch Screen
The motherboard, if you can call it that, as it’s much more modular here, features a 7″ touch screen. It shows important system details and performance. However, it is also wireless, so you can lift the display out and place it on your desk if you wanted to.
The CPU cooler is running parallel to the motherboard. Ensuring heat is exhausted away from major components.
The GPU is in the bottom of the case, below the motherboard. This way, it’s size is less restricted, and its airflow is more independent of the main PC. Plus there are more cooling and mounting options above it.
There are PCIe lanes, sort of. However, since these ones aren’t needed for the GPU, they can be used for I/O. Need more USB 3.0? Need more audio? Need more Wifi? Then simple add a module for them.
Innovations
The whole thing is bonkers. The power supple feeds into the rear of the motherboard, which is great. Plus, the VRM and cooling of the motherboard is also on the rear of the PCB. This means it can be water/air cooled separately for improved performance.
It’s out there, it’s crazy, but there’s some merit to the idea. What do you think, is it time for a new standard in PC building?
Computex 2019
We just want to say a massive thank you to our sponsors for Computex 2019; EK, Taitra, Patriot, Corsair and Viper Gaming. We’ll be bringing you the latest products and news for all these brands and many more while we’re in Taiwan. Check out our Computex 2019 event page for the latest!
