I thought Razer's "Modular" concept PC was impossible...
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Remotely monitor and manage your server or PC at lmg.gg and get 20% off their Teams plan. Thanks to Pulseway for sponsoring our CES 2020 Coverage! The future of PCs (if you're judging by the new Razer Tomahwk N1) looks... modular? What exactly does that mean?... Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Our Affiliates, Referral Programs, and Sponsors: lmg.gg Get a Displate Metal Print at lmg.gg Get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime at lmg.gg Linus Tech Tips merchandise at lttstore.com Our Test Benches on Amazon: amazon.com Our production gear: geni.us Twitter - twitter.com Facebook - @LinusTech Instagram - @linustech Twitch - twitch.tv Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High youtube.com
The video begins by situating Razer and Intel's CES 2020 collaboration as a refinement of the original project Christine modular PC concept, emphasizing that the idea was never about reinventing modularity but about making it accessible. The host walks through the Tomahawk Gaming Desktop with a detachable modular element, explaining how the NUC 9 Extreme Compute Element acts as a self-contained PCIe card containing a CPU and RAM and how it plugs into a compact 10 liter desktop chassis. They describe the physical design, including the aluminum backplane, tool-less sled, and dual PCIe x16 slots, highlighting how the setup reduces cable clutter and makes upgrading the compute module and graphics card straightforward. The discussion also weighs tradeoffs, noting that using high-end laptop parts for the CPU and RAM and potential PCIe bandwidth limitations means some compromises compared to traditional desktops, but for a niche audience the form factor could offer a compelling entry point with easier future upgrades. The segment emphasizes that at CES 2020 this is still a prototype with a target release in the first half of 2020, and speculates that Intel's own NUC-inspired kit might arrive sooner or in a refined form. Overall, the video frames the Tomahawk as a pragmatic step toward modularity aimed at accessibility rather than pure maximal performance, while teasing the looming possibilities for a broader ecosystem of modular PC components and partners.
Topics · technology · hardware · consumer-electronics-show · pc-modularity
Questions answered
- What is the core modular concept behind the Tomahawk and NUC compute element?
- The core idea is to have a detachable NUC compute element that contains the CPU and RAM, which plugs into a compact desktop chassis that also hosts a separate full-size graphics card, allowing easy swaps of the compute module and GPU without rebuilding the entire system.
- What are the main tradeoffs of this modular approach?
- Tradeoffs include using high-end laptop parts for the CPU and RAM, potential PCIe bandwidth limits when fully populating storage options, and the prototype status with no final pricing yet, meaning the experience may be less capable than a traditional desktop in some scenarios.