Asus Huracan G21

A subdued, tiny powerhouse that can go toe-to-toe with any “normal-sized,” high-end rig

- JOANNA NELIUS

ANY MINI-ITX FORM FACTOR could be hiding an RTX 2080 beneath its slim case, and the Asus Huracan G21 is no exception. Its recent refresh puts it in a dead heat with other PCs of the same caliber; it can be configured with up to an Intel Core i99900K CPU and GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, which is the model we have here. If you’re looking for a small PC that can handle the most demanding games, the Huracan G21 stands tall with the competition.

The all-black design gives this tiny tower of terror a minimalist look—but with a multifunctional twist. A flap on the right-side panel folds up to expose the hardware inside, but it’s not just there for show; the space within the geometrical design is empty, to allow extra hot air to escape. With the flap closed, the PC still stays cool, thanks to the efficiency with which the Huracan G21 dumps hot air out the back. It’s noisier than its small-form counterparts, but you don’t have to worry about it overheating.

There are nine USB ports: six on the back and three on the front, one of which is a USB-C port, so enough for all your peripherals. There’s also a door on top that lifts up for easy access to a hot-swap 2.5-inch SSD drive bay, and something from ancient times called an optical drive nestled into the grooves of the left side of the case. Optical drives are basically obsolete, and the majority of modern cases don’t include a bay for them, but this one blends in with the rest of the chassis, so it still looks nice.