Asus’s New Gaming PC, Part of a New Trend?

Posted 06/21/2008 at 11:51am | by Justin Kerr

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On Thursday Asus announced its newest entry into the highly competitive and lucrative gaming PC market. The Ares CG6155 sports a uniquely armored appearance and a pretty impressive load out of high end components. While this tribute to the God of War looks impressive, prospective buyers should note that this hungry little demigod will likely want its own circuit breaker. Featuring not one but two beefy kilowatt power supplies this 3-way SLI, Quad core powerhouse should bring Crysis and your local utility to its knees.

High End PC’s The Future Of Mainstream Manufacturers?


Asus seems determined to round out its PC platform by reminding consumers it is just as committed to the high end as it is to the flashy new ultra portable Eee PC. As the average consumer pushes the market towards low margin desktops and laptops, mainstream PC makers are forced to turn to the enthusiast crowd to make a buck. This increasingly important segment of the PC market is where innovation lives primarily because it is the only audience willing to pay the hefty early adopter premium new components command. The entrance of so many big players into an arena once dominated by niche manufacturers such as Alienware only underscores the health of the PC gaming industry. With Dell’s acquisition of Alienware and the HP’s Blackbird hot on it’s heals, the Asus Ares will have to push hard to set itself apart in a very small and flooded market.

Why The Mainstream PC Manufacturers Need To Adapt

The emergence of so many players at the high end is no surprise as manufacturers begin to wake up to the reality that ultra low cost PC’s are much less profitable then they used to be. Innovation in this space is all so becoming increasingly rare unless you cite perhaps the coveted $500 cardboard MurPC. The MurPC, despite being a violation of fashion and fire codes, is about the only deviation of the beige box stigma that hunts the sub $500 desktop category. The midrange market, while more profitable has become dominated primarily by the DIY crowd and Mac’s. Growth in this category will likely soften over the coming years with business becoming the primary consumer of products from established manufacturers in this category. The high end PC market is the last great frontier for many of the established players to expand and thrive and I have no doubt the future here is bright.