«Do you want checkers or go? — I think there is no point in deciphering this catchphrase. It seems that computer equipment manufacturers chose checkers. You will definitely be convinced of this by carefully reading our short summary material. For example, in 2025 it is difficult to imagine a gaming system unit assembled in a case without a window on the side. And only lazy people don’t produce components with RGB backlighting. But is there anything bad about this? Let’s look at the trends of the past year together.
⇡#Processors on a diet
In 2024, four mainstream platforms were considered modern (and most likely will be considered modern in 2025): AMD AM4 and AM5, Intel LGA1700 and LGA1851. We have different approaches and concepts to packaging series of processors and motherboards – and in general, the confrontation between the “blues” and the “reds” looks interesting. Plus, each company has its own characteristics and shortcomings. Thus, Intel chips, starting with the Core i7 series, have inadequately high power consumption, which increases the criteria for choosing a motherboard and cooling system. AMD processors – even 12- and 16-core models – consume no more than 200 W, but due to their design features, cooling them is not much easier.
* The graphs are taken from the article “Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review: The Revolution That Changes Everything.”
Last year showed that chipmakers have become a little more restrained. AMD has no problems with this, but I am pleased with the fact that the manufacturer did not overclock the performance of the new Ryzen 9000 chips at the cost of prohibitively high power consumption. For example, the 8-core Ryzen 7 9700X consumes no more than 90 W, and the 12- and 16-core Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 9 9950X consume no more than 200 W. Perhaps, only the Ryzen 7 9800X3D stands out from the crowd – in comparison with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, this chip has noticeably been given a boost. In general, it is forgivable, since we are dealing with the fastest gaming “stone” of our time.
After all the scandals associated with the unstable operation of older processors of the Core 13 and Core 14 series, Intel also revised its vision of what kind of power consumption fast and modern chips should have. In work applications (read – at maximum load), the frequency of the P- and E-cores of the flagship model Core Ultra 9 285K remains at 5.3 and 4.6 GHz. The power consumption of the 24-core processor in Cinebench 2024 is 258 W, which is 50 W less than the Core i7-14700K. That is, for this processor, a high-quality maintenance-free life support system with a 360 mm radiator is quite sufficient. Core Ultra 7 265K under the same conditions operates at 5.2 and 4.6 GHz, respectively. The processor power does not exceed 220 W in resource-intensive tasks, which is comparable to the power of the Core i7-13700K. In production applications, the new products perform well, despite the lack of Hyper-Threading. In games, not so much. In a number of creative tasks, the Core Ultra 9 285K is ahead of the Core i9-14900K, and the Core Ultra 7 265K is ahead of the Core i7-14700K.
Let’s be honest: no revolution happened. The “Reds” did not inflate the power consumption of their new products for the sake of a small increase in performance, and the “Blues” processors in the top segment are still the most power-hungry. Nevertheless, the work done by chipmakers gives reason to say that in the new year it will be easier for users to assemble fast, but quiet and cool gaming PCs.
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⇡#Age of aquariums
The main trend of the past year is the widespread fashion for aquarium bodies. They are also panoramic buildings. The essence of such devices is that at least two walls of the case are made of tempered glass, the main components are located in a single niche, and the power supply and storage devices are hidden from the user’s eyes. Aquarium cases, as a rule, are longer and allow the video card to be positioned vertically. The normal shape of cases is perceived as a rectangular trapezoid in profile from above – cuboids are becoming a thing of the past.
In principle, I have nothing more to add, since on sale you will find a large number of aquarium buildings with their own characteristics and features. We are seeing a logical evolution of the tower form factor, in which engineers strive to combine aesthetics with efficiency. Believe me, even five years ago you could find “glass” cases – but they were not thought out in terms of cooling. Because glass is a blank panel. A blind panel is guaranteed to provide less efficient cooling. Now this issue has been resolved by increasing the dimensions – the required number of fans is installed either from the bottom, or from the side (as shown in the photo above), or both at the same time.
Aquarium buildings have a feature, which, however, does not appear in all models. And yet, in most cases, assemblies in such cases are better configured using maintenance-free life support systems – in this case, you will ensure efficient cooling of all hardware. Conventional air processor coolers placed inside an “aquarium” do not work as efficiently – this has been proven in our test laboratory.
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⇡#No surprises
Judging by the latest leaks of the characteristics of the GeForce RTX 5060, GeForce RTX 5070, GeForce RTX 5080 and GeForce RTX 5090, nothing will change in our kingdom – cool video cards with high gaming performance will consume about 300 W and above. You may be reading this article after the announcement of the GeForce RTX 50 series of 3D accelerators for desktops and laptops.
What does it mean? And the fact that a good power supply with a power of 600-650 W will be enough for 99% of modern gaming PCs. The exception to the rule, it seems, will be the ultimate expensive assemblies with GeForce RTX 5080 and GeForce RTX 5090 on board, as well as analogues from AMD and Intel, if they are presented. That’s where – so be it – you’ll have to fork out for a power supply with a power of 850-1000 W.
It is interesting that the 16-pin connector (we are talking about 12VHPWR and its advanced version 12V-2X6) is still used only in video cards with NVIDIA chips. Fortunately, there have been noticeably fewer stories of connector burnouts in 2024, but the topic has not disappeared from the agenda. An interesting thing to note is that over time, there have been noticeably more power supplies supporting the 16-pin connector. At the time of writing, 100 models of different power with 12VHPWR and 12V-2X6 connectors were sold in the same DNS. The most affordable power supply turned out to be DEEPCOOL PL550D for 6,400 rubles. The device meets the 80 PLUS Bronze efficiency certificate. Personally, I have no doubt that gradually the ATX 3.0 standard will be widely used in mid- and high-price video cards – and not only from NVIDIA. It’s not for nothing that “green” companies occupy 90+% of the market, and the rest are forced to adapt to them.
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⇡#One tower is good, but two are better
Another trend of the past year is the dominance of dual-tower processor coolers on the market. Keep your fingers crossed: this year our website has reviewed such models as the ID-Cooling A620 Black, ID-Cooling Frozn A720 Black, PCCooler RZ820 BK, DeepCool AK620 Digital Pro, Ocypus Iota A62 BK and ID-Cooling Frozn A620 Pro SE. Today, so-called super coolers are available in the range of any self-respecting company that produces PC cooling systems. But there were times when you had to choose between the Noctua NH-D14, Thermalright Silver Arrow and… that’s all, perhaps.
The reason for such activity from vendors is clear: only double-tower coolers are able to impose competition on unattended life-support systems. Yet, when choosing a cooling system for a central processor, users still look at its efficiency. Our tests show that super coolers are comparable to water coolers equipped with a 240 mm radiator. But 280-, 360-, and even more so 420-mm models turn out to be more efficient (often noticeably) with a similar noise level. At the same time, you will not have any problems buying an inexpensive but spacious case in which such a life-support system will fit. As for the price, the cheapest “water” with a 240 mm radiator cost 5,500 rubles at the end of last year – we are talking about the Cougar Poseidon Elite 240 ARGB model. The ID-COOLING SE-206-XT (4,200 rubles) was considered the most affordable dual-tower cooler at the time of writing.
It is perhaps symbolic that it was in 2024 that the Austrian company Noctua released its new cooler – NH-D15 G2. This happened 10 years after the release of the first generation NH-D15.
The dimensions of the NH-D15 G2 with installed fans are 168 × 150 × 152 mm, and the weight is just over one and a half kilograms. The supercooler’s radiator has eight heat pipes and has an asymmetrical shape, thanks to which the device does not interfere with the installation of tall RAM modules and does not block the PEG slot of the motherboard. The NH-D15 G2 comes with a pair of new 140mm NF-A14x25r G2 round frame fans. Their maximum rotation speed reaches 1500 rpm (there is PWM control), the air flow is 155.6 m3/h, the noise is 24.8 dBA. The company claims a 150,000-hour MTBF for the fans and provides a six-year warranty.
Interesting: Noctua has released three versions of the NH-D15 G2. In addition to the standard modification, you will find LBC and HBC versions of the supercooler on sale. In the first case, we are talking about a radiator with a convex base of the contact pad – like most other Noctua cooler models. This is a universal solution for those who are not ready to go into details. The LBC (Low Base Convexity) version is optimized for use with processors with relatively flat heat dissipation covers. Thanks to this, the cooler provides improved contact with Ryzen 7000 and Ryzen 9000 processor covers even without the use of an offset mounting system, as well as with other relatively flat CPUs (AM4, LGA2066, LGA2011 and custom covers). In turn, the HBC (High Base Convexity) version is optimized for processors for the LGA1700 platform – they bend due to high pressure on the socket.
Tests show that the NH-D15 G2 is 3-5 degrees Celsius ahead of the first generation super cooler – at maximum rotation speed (for both coolers – 1500 rpm), the noise level of the new product is higher by an average of 0.4 dBA. There is also an effect from using LBC and HBC options, but it is extremely low.
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⇡#Attention to detail
In 2024, I noticed that gaming and non-gaming computers have become noticeably easier to assemble. For a long time now, motherboards of medium and high price categories have been equipped with a non-removable I/O panel plug. Recently, many vendors have improved mounting mechanisms that allow solid-state drives and video cards to be easily installed and removed. Is it worth choosing this or that board for such little things? No, of course not! Is it convenient for everyone to use it? Definitely yes!
At one time, a review of APNX C1, a case with quick-release panels, was published on our website. The key feature of the device is completely screwless fastening of all walls, fans of increased thickness, as well as the almost complete absence of plastic in the chassis design. This is very convenient, especially when you have to change components in the case every day. No screwdrivers are needed, and the threads of the thumbscrews are not worn down by constant screwing and unscrewing. Although, let’s be honest, APNX C1 is bought mainly for the sake of assembling a cold, well-ventilated system – the design of the case is thought out to the smallest detail.
The result is simple: manufacturers are trying in every possible way to lower the barrier to entry for all those who want to assemble their first PC on their own. True, the implementation of such “improvers” occurs mainly in the High-end price segment.
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⇡#We installed a monitor in your monitor…
I think you understand perfectly well that manufacturers of cases, power supplies and coolers do not have much room for maneuver. In fact, leading companies cannot offer us anything that would radically improve the performance of our PC. The most banal example: a high-quality, maintenance-free life support system from 5 years ago can still cope with cooling modern central processors without any problems. So manufacturers have to do their best to lure consumers with so-called frills.
In 2024, a huge variety of cases and cooling systems appeared, equipped with displays of different types and colors. Several reviews of such devices have been published on our website alone. I’ll say more: screens have learned to “shove” even into case fans – the proof is shown in the video below.
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⇡#Backwards
«Aquariums” discussed the possibility of assembling PCs faster – all these trends go well with BCD equipment (Back-Connect Design). We first started talking about this in 2022, when we talked about the GIGABYTE Project Stealth, which allows you to assemble a gaming system without protruding wires. Then I said the following: “It’s just a pity that the implementation of Project Stealth will not become widespread either in 2023 or ever.” It turns out I was wrong?
The past year can definitely be considered the year of BCD equipment. Taiwanese companies ASUS, GIGABYTE and MSI presented their compatible hardware, as well as case manufacturers such as Corsair, Cooler Master, INWIN, Lian Li, Thermaltake, Phanteks, JONSBO and ZALMAN. The MSI concept was called PROJECT ZERO, the ASUS project was called Back to The Future. The basis of any BCD system is the motherboard, on which almost all connectors are soldered to the reverse side of the printed circuit board. This applies to the ports to which the power supply cables are connected (24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS12V), as well as case connectors (controls, USB, backlight), fans and SATA drives. It is logical that with such a board we cannot do without a special case – the device chassis must have all the necessary slots for installing and securing the motherboard. But BCD-compatible video cards are present in very limited quantities. In the case of PROJECT ZERO, one wire will still treacherously “stick out” in the system.
Let’s be honest: BCD assemblies do not create any magical wow effect. PC options with elegant and thoughtful cable management look just as good. At the same time, today the components for the PROJECT ZERO, Project Stealth and Back to The Future concepts are expensive – the additional payment for novelty turns out to be significant. Therefore, it is too early to talk about any mass scale.
In my opinion, the popularization of the new concept is the right step in the evolution of PCs assembled in tower cases. Concepts such as PROJECT ZERO, Project Stealth and Back to The Future solve several problems: they increase the accuracy of assembling a system unit, facilitate the assembly process and lower the barrier to entry for those who have never assembled a system unit on their own.
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⇡#Custom life support systems – that’s it?
Last year brought bad news: EKWB, a company known for manufacturing components for custom liquid cooling systems, was doing poorly. With its closure, an entire era of computers with life support will end. The serious financial problems of the Slovenian manufacturer have been known for a long time. Last summer it was reported that the company was under investigation for delays in employee payments, and later that month several top managers left EKWB. At the end of the year, it became known that some of the company’s bank accounts were blocked. The situation is worsened by the fact that there are not very many people willing to buy out a business producing custom life-support components – apparently, the market has shrunk to a very tiny size. There is every reason to believe that in 2025 we will lose the legendary manufacturer of liquid cooling systems.
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⇡#How to make life difficult for those who want a smaller PC
Compact yet powerful gaming PCs aren’t falling out of the so-called meta – such systems are still popular among enthusiasts. However, here’s the problem: with the advent of the GeForce RTX 30, GeForce RTX 40 series of video cards and analogues from AMD, manufacturers have adopted the fashion of using three- and four-section coolers. The gaming accelerators themselves have become not only wider, but also taller and longer. Installing such a device in a tower case as the only expansion slot is not a problem; It takes a lot of effort to squeeze some GeForce RTX 4090 into a case the size of a toaster.
Naturally, manufacturers of unusual ITX cases have solved this problem by releasing new models of increased size. NVIDIA itself even got involved in the problem by running the SFF-Ready Enthusiast GeForce Card program. As part of this, compatible video cards and cases receive an appropriate compatibility certificate. However, there is little real benefit from it. The SFF-Ready Enthusiast GeForce Card manual states that the height of the video card should not exceed 50 mm (or 2.5 slots), width – 151 mm, and length – 304 mm. In turn, a PC case to receive the SFF-Ready mark must offer 2.5 expansion slots for installing a video card, as well as 154.5 mm in width and 312 mm in length. The indicated dimensions for the video card are maximum, and for the case – minimum. What should I do if I want to install something at the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER level in my mini-build? Only one model was released with this GPU – that’s the whole point of the NVIDIA program.
An interesting idea is implemented in the XIKII INDUSTRY FF04 case and similar models. The fact is that here the video card is placed outside, and therefore the system looks unusual and compact. Everything in the case is calculated literally down to the millimeter. A special feature of the FF04 is that only one series of video cards is compatible with the case – ASUS ProArt. Accordingly, over time, upgrading the system will be difficult, to put it mildly.
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