CES 2013: iBuyPower Revolt: Looks Like a Console, Plays Like a PC

Posted 01/09/2013 at 4:27pm | by Paul Lilly

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iBuyPower's new Revolt gaming PC ships in February starting at $499.

Boutique system builder iBuyPower introduced its new Revolt PC at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which at a glance looks like the lovechild of an Xbox 360 console and small form factor (SFF) gaming PC. That's not too far off from what it really is. Sporting a "radically new overall design," the Revolt is shaped like a console but is all PC on the inside, from its Intel Core processor foundation to its optional factory overclock.

It was designed from the ground up to be a system that you'd "want to show off," iBuyPower says. At the same time, iBuyPower didn't want to compromise on performance, giving buyers the option of loading the thing up with some serious firepower.

Alternately, you can spec out a relatively tame PC starting at just $499. There are three baseline configurations to choose from, and they look like this:

iBuyPower Revolt R320 ($499)

• Intel Core i3 3220 processor
• 4GB DDR3-1600 RAM
• Intel HD Graphics 2500
• ASRock B75M-ITX motherboard
• 500GB hard drive (7200 RPM, SATA 6Gbps)
• Sony slim slot-loading DVD burner
• Windows 8

iBuyPower Revolt R550 ($649)

• Intel Core i5 3350P processor
• 4GB DDR3-1600 RAM
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 graphics card
• iBuyPower IBP-Z77E/S motherboard
• 500GB hard drive (7200 RPM, SATA 6Gbps)
• Sony slim slot-loading DVD burner
• Windows 8

iBuyPower Revolt R570 ($899)

• Intel Core i5 3570K processor
• 4GB DDR3-1600 RAM
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 graphics card
• ASRock B75M-ITX motherboard
• 500GB hard drive (7200 RPM, SATA 6Gbps)
• Sony slim slot-loading DVD burner
• Windows 8

All three systems can be customized with higher end hardware to accommodate your budget and power needs. You can, for example, swap the processor for up to an Intel Core i7 3770K CPU, add liquid cooling, jam 16GB of RAM inside, run up to a single GeForce GTX 680 graphics card, and more. For a fee, iBuyPower will even overclock the system by up to 10 percent (+$19) or up to 20 percent (+$49).

One of the few weak spots we could identify was the power supply, which comes in 250W, 350W, and 500W options. That doesn't seem very high, though iBuyPower says they're "server class" PSUs "made with advanced materials."

It seems these types of SFF gaming PCs are beginning to trend. The Revolt reminds us of Dell's Alienware X51 PC, though that system starts at $699 and it isn't quite as well spec'd as the R550 model Revolt. Regardless, these console-sized sized systems are great for blending into a home theater environment, where you can fire up Valve's Big Picture mode for Steam.

The Revolt will ship in February, though you can place your pre-order now.

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