Gigabyte Brix Gaming GT desktop wields a GeForce GTX 1070 or 1080

Gigabyte has added a couple of new compact Brix systems to its lineup, both of which pack an impressive arsenal of hardware in a chimney-style chassis that measures 276mm x 384mm x 128mm. That's about as tall and wide as a small office trash can, but much narrower and not filled with junk.

A 240GB M.2 SSD handles primary storage duties while a 1TB HDD (7,200 RPM) occupies the chassis bulk storage. Powering all of the hardware is a custom designed 400W PSU.

Other features include 802.11ac Wi-Fi, GbE LAN (Killer E2400), three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a single USB 3.1 Type-A port, a single USB Type-C port (USB 3.1/Thunderbolt), and separate headphone and microphone jacks.

Gigabyte's other model is the GB-GZ1DTi7-1070-NK-GW with the same general hardware and features, except that it wields a GeForce GTX 1070 Gaming G1 graphics card and half the amount of RAM at 16GB. Everything else is the same.

These are intended to be high-end gaming desktops capable of playing at a 4K resolution or with a VR headset. They could also be used as portable desktops for LAN parties or for bringing a VR headset to a friend's house.

We haven't tested one of these in person, though one of our concerns about the chimney design is airflow. Things looked pretty cramped inside, and though the graphics cards each have three fans, they're not blower-style coolers. Instead, Gigabyte is relying on natural airflow and air pressure to direct hot air towards the top where a pair of vents open up as needed. Presumably Gigabyte did its research here and concluded it's a sound design, but until we test one ourselves, we can't definitively say if heat buildup is a problem.

Other than that, it is an interesting setup, especially if you're looking to plop a PC in the living room.

Gigabyte did not say when its new Brix configurations will be available to purchase or how much they will cost.

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).