Samsung ArtPC: Cylindrical PC with 360º audio, i5/i7 plus NVMe, Preorders from $1200
by Ian Cutress on October 10, 2016 2:15 PM EST
For most PC enthusiasts, if you ask them to name a cylindrical machine, the Mac Pro comes immediately to mind. Not to tread too heavily on Apple’s toes on what would now be a 2-3-year-old product, Samsung is entering the market with a more consumer focused ‘ArtPC Pulse Premium Desktop’ in a cylindrical aluminium chassis. The PC is self-contained with an Intel 6th generation Core i5 or Core i7, and an AMD Radeon RX based graphics card. On the top is a harmon/kardon 360-degree omni-directional audio speaker.
Preorders for both the Skylake-based Core i5 and Skylake-based Core i7 start from $1200 and $1600 from Amazon respectively. The exact CPU models have not been listed by either Samsung or Amazon as of yet, however it states the Core i5 is at 2.7 GHz, which is akin to the i5-6400 at 65W TDP or i5-6600T at 35W – the latter seeming more appropriate. For the Core i7, it is listed as 3.4 GHz, which would put it as the i7-6700, at 65W.
Here’s the breakdown of the two systems, with the more expensive MSI Vortex G65 that has a full i7-6700K and dual GPUs:
| Specifications of Samsung ArtPC and MSI Vortex G65 | |||||
| ArtPC Pulse Desktop DP700C6A-A01US |
ArtPC Pulse Desktop DP700C6A-X01US |
MSI Vortex G65 SLI-011 |
|||
| CPU | Intel Core i7-6600 4C/8T, 3.4 GHz 65W |
Intel Core i5, 2.4 GHz either i5-6400 (65W) or i5-6600T (35W) |
Intel Core i7-6700K 4C/8T 4.0 GHz |
||
| PCH | Unknown 100-series | Intel Z170 | |||
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 Unknown Config |
8GB DDR4 Unknown Config |
4 SO-DIMM Slots 2 x 8 GB DDR4-2133 |
||
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 460 2GB |
2 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 3 GB |
|||
| SSD | 256 GB NVMe | 2 x 128 GB PCIe 3.0 x4 | |||
| HDD | 1TB HDD Unknown Form Factor |
- | 1 TB HDD 7200 RPM |
||
| LAN | Unknown GbE | 2x Killer E2400 | |||
| WLAN | ?? | Rivet Killer Wireless-AC-1535 802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth (2T2R) with MU-MIMO |
|||
| PSU | ?? | 450 W 80Plus Gold | |||
| DisplayPort | Maybe via Type-C? Otherwise no. | 2 x DP 1.2 | |||
| HDMI | Yes, Unknown | 2 x HDMI 1.4 | |||
| Thunderbolt | No | 2 x TB3 via Type-C | |||
| USB | 4 x USB 3.0 | 4 x USB 3.0 | |||
| 1 x Type-C, Unknown Speed | 2 x USB 3.1 via TB3 | ||||
| Dimensions | 5.51 x 5.51 x 12.18-in | 7.61 x 7.01 x 10.55-in | |||
| Volume | 6.06 liters | 6.5 liter | |||
| Weight | 7.4 lbs (3.4 kg) | 8.8 lbs (4.0 kg) | |||
| Price | Pre-order: $1600 | Pre-order: $1200 | $2199 | ||
We don’t have pictures of the internals, but one would assume that both systems would offer dual channel memory and Samsung NVMe drives, however it is unclear if these are user upgradable. The Core i5 is listed as having 8GB of DDR4 (probably DDR4-2133) and a 256GB NVMe SSD, whereas the Core i7 is listed as having 16GB of DDR4 and a 256GB NVMe SSD with another 1TB SATA HDD. It doesn’t state that the 1TB is mechanical, or a 2.5-inch drive, so until we can see the insides it is hard to tell. It is stated that the 1TB is a ‘module’ and users can add their own ‘modules’, but no further information is given. Both systems come with an AMD Radeon RX 460 graphics card, which we would assume would be the MXM version similarly used in notebooks, but in this case with 2GB of GPU memory.
Clearly visible are four USB 3.0 ports, a USB Type-C port (unsure on the speed), a HDMI output, an Ethernet port, an SD card reader and a single headphone jack. For this price it seems a little strange not to see any front facing Thunderbolt 3 ports here, and given that there are harmon/karmon speakers fitted, and something more in the audio ports might be worthwhile. It would be interesting to get a breakdown and see which audio codec they’ve fitted for the headphone audio port, as well as the Ethernet port controller. A note about the speakers - the Amazon listing for these machines indicates that 3xAA batteries are required, which might mean for the speaker itself as a separate entity, or these machines might come with a remote control.
The design is fairly minimal in design and measures 5.51 x 5.51 x 12.18 inches (13.9 x 13.9 x 30.9 cm) and uses the single central fan concept we’ve seen on a few other devices like the Mac Pro, the MSI Vortex and the GIGABYTE UHD Brix.
The Samsung ArtPC is available for preorder today at $1200 and $1600 from Amazon, to be delivered on the 28th of October in the US.
Source: Liliputing, MS Power User
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lazarpandar - Monday, October 10, 2016 - link
It doesn't change the fact that Samsung is only doing this because Apple decided to do it. Yes, Apple wasn't the first, they're never the first, but when they do choose to do something that is the point Samsung also chooses to do it. It's total cause-and-effect, Apple being completely original isn't relevant to the conversation.Samus - Monday, October 10, 2016 - link
There is no denying the uncanny timing of Samsung releasing Apple lookalike products in a very short period after Apple releases them. Considering they aren't even in the desktop PC market (aside from laptops and all in ones) making their first stand alone desktop look similar to Apples desktop is just typical at this point.bigboxes - Monday, October 10, 2016 - link
Apple & Samsung = the samelazarpandar - Tuesday, October 11, 2016 - link
That's literally exactly what Samsung wants you to think.Apple's brand is probably the most valuable brand in the world. Samsung loves being compared to them.
bigboxes - Tuesday, October 11, 2016 - link
Why do you love a company? I don't.ruturaj1989@gmail.com - Monday, October 10, 2016 - link
They came out with s-pen, multi window, power saving mode many other things/features/hardware components, which got copied in apple. Everyone takes idea from everyone else, what to do and what not to. I think this happens in all professions, you take inspiration from world, nothing is original.vanilla_gorilla - Monday, October 10, 2016 - link
You think Samsung invented tablet pen input, multiple window OS and power saving mode for a computer? I want some of what you're smoking.Samus - Tuesday, October 11, 2016 - link
The later two options were already native to the android UI and kernel, and the stylus is just one of those anomalies. I get it, to some degree, but unless you are an artist it feels like going backwards to use one. I hate writing stuff. Sketching is another story, but I don't see myself doing so on a 6" screen.I can't wait some Samsung to throw a trackball back in a phone and have people claim they invented that too, when the very first android phone, before Android was even suppose to support a touch interface, had a trackball. The venerable HTC G1.
Why don't people stick to the things Samsung actually did innovate. Legitimately. I'm sure there is one.
Nallaikkumaran - Saturday, October 15, 2016 - link
The idiots thinking apple invented Cylindrical PC. Apple Mac Pro copycat from SFF Cylindrical PC (2005). Apple is always copying from every brand. Apple is the founding father of copying.This article seems to lack research. Maybe you need to be educated a little more. Stop ur FAKE propaganda.vFunct - Saturday, October 15, 2016 - link
Samsung just needs to stop copying Apple all the time.All they ever do is copy, copy, copy. They do not come up with anything original like Apple does.
Why can't Samsung ever come up with something original? Are their customers too poor to afford something original? Or maybe they just don't have the talent to come up with something new like Apple does?