TechRadar Verdict
Anyone willing to look past the high price of entry, limited upgradability, and incredibly loud cooling fans will find a worthy gaming PC. Despite a smaller nonintrusive case that also features customizable RGB lighting, the Intel i9-13900KF and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 pack some serious performance capabilities.
Respectable native 1440p performance
Clever compact design
RGB Lighting
Upgradability issues
Runs loud
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Asus ROG G22CH: One-minute review
As chipsets get smaller and more efficient, the past handful of years have seen a rise in smaller-form gaming PCs like the Asus ROG G22CH.
Not only are they non-intrusive compared to the biggest andbest gaming PCs, but they have a nice amount of portability as well. Most importantly, clever cooling and component management allow them to pack a nice performance punch at the cost of real upgradability.
In the case of the ROG G22CH, the rig looks like a horizontally wider version of the Xbox Series X. There’s a sleek all-black look that’s accented by some nice angles with customizable RGB lighting. With that said, the performance specs are also miles ahead of a similar console.
The ROG G22CH has anInteli9-13900K CPU,NvidiaGeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. That’s more than enough for some solid native 1440p gaming with the ability for4Kthrough DLSS upscaling.
Starting at $1,399.99 in the US (about £1,120/AU$1,960), it can get expensive pretty quickly as you increase the specs, with UK and Australian buyers more restricted in the kinds of configurations they can buy.
This is a bit of an issue since upgradability down the line is likely going to be a problem due to the extremely tight chassis. While this is easily one of thebest prebuilt gaming PCsyou’re going to find, when packing so much performance within such a small rig, efficient cooling is a must. There are two different options including fans and liquid but both are loud during intensive tasks.
That said, potential buyers looking for a small-form gaming desktop should definitely keep the Asus ROG G22CH in mind, since it’s one of the few available on the market now thatIntel has retired its NUC Extreme line. Beyond its pretty aggressive styling, its performance prowess is where it matters the most, and it excels in this regard. The gaming desktop can run all of the most popularesportsgames at high frame rates such asFortniteandValorantwhile handling more visually demanding games likeAlan Wake 2without much fuss. If cost and upgradability are a problem, it might be best to go with a gaming rig that has a bigger case
Asus ROG G22CH: Price & availability
The Asus ROG G22CH is relatively expensive regardless of what configuration one has. For gamers looking for some solid 1080p gaming, the $1,399 option comes with an Intel Core i5-13400F, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
That’s definitely a solid choice for anyone looking to play some of the bigger esports games likeFortnite,Rocket League,Call of Duty, or Valorant. Our review configuration came to about $2,299 and for $200 more users can pump up to the Intel Core i9-14900KF, though this isn’t necessarily a huge jump in CPU power.
When it comes to the UK, there’s only one option available which includes an Intel Core i7, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, and 2TB SSD for £2,099. Australian buyers have two configurations they can buy. Both have an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 32GB DDR5, and a1TB SSD, but for AU$4,699 you can get an Intel Core i7-14700F configuration, or for $4,999 you can get an Intel Core i9-14900KF system.
For good measure, there’s even an included mouse and keyboard that comes packed in with all configurations. Serious gamers will probably want to check out the best gaming keyboard and best gaming mouse options though, as the stock peripherals aren’t spectacular.
Small-form PC Gaming rigs are usually expensive and naturally face issues when it comes to upgrading. However, theAcer Predator Orion 3000is the most approachable price-wise and the lowest configuration is a bit more powerful than the ROG G22CH. Meanwhile, if performance is a main concern regardless of money theOrigin Chronos V3with a little bit of upgradable wiggly room and theCorsair One i300has the best form-factor.
Asus ROG G22CH: Specs
The Asus ROG G22CH currently comes in a variety of customizable configurations.
Asus ROG G22CH: Design
Balancing form and functionality are the most important attributes of a small-sized gaming PC, and the Asus ROG G22CH does a solid job with both. When it comes to design, there’s much to appreciate in terms of the all-black chassis. Having two vertical strips of customizable RGB lighting on the front panel does lend the rig some personality.
There’s one small stripe on the upper left side and a longer one on the lower right side. Between them is an angular cut alongside the ROG logo. When it comes to ventilation, there’s some form of it on all sides of the ROG G22CH. Just looking from the front panel, the overall design is really sleek and could give the Xbox Series X a run for its money.
There are plenty of ports available as well. The top IO panel features two USB-A ports alongside a singular USB-C, a 3.5mm combo jack, and a power button. Unfortunately, that USB-C port is the only one available on this PC. On the back are four USB-A split between 2.0 and 3.2, three audio jacks, and a gigabit Ethernet port. That should be more than enough for most PC gamers and creatives though.
Though upgradability will be tough, the ROG G22CH does somewhat make the process easier. Featuring a tool-free design, there’s a sliding latch that allows both sides and upper portions to be lifted to access to its inside. Having that ability without using screws does help a lot, outside of possibly RAM and SSD, getting a large GPU or attempting to swap out motherboards in the future is going to be difficult, if not impossible.
Asus ROG G22CH: Performance
Here’s how theAsus ROG G22CHperformed in our series of benchmarks:
3DMark Speed Way:4,404;Fire Strike:34,340;Time Spy:17,500GeekBench 6 (single-core):2,866;(multi-core):17,650Total War: Warhammer III(1080p, Ultra):137 fps;(1080p, Low):343 fpsCyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra):123 fps;(1080p, Low):162 fpsDirt 5 (1080p, Ultra):173 fps; (1080p, Low):283fps
Outside of gaming, the Asus ROG G22CH is a phenomenal workhorse for various general and creative tasks. UsingGoogleChrome in addition to listening to high-fidelity music through Tidal are fine working experiences.
UsingAdobeSuite worked totally fine on the G22CH as well.Photoshopwas able to handle multiple-layer projects with incredibly high-resolution photos without issue. Editing videos through Premiere Pro allowed easy editing of 4K videos with speedy export times.
That said, this is a gaming desktop, and it’s its gaming performance where the G22CH really shines.
When it comes to handling the top tier of high-fidelity visuals in gaming, the G22CH can handleCyberpunk 2077,Red Dead Redemption II,Alan Wake II,and the like at native 1440p at high frame rates without breaking a sweat. OurCyberpunk 2077tests produced an average 123 fps on Ultra settings at 1080p. Bumping to 1440p with path tracing placed frame rates in the high 90s. Having everything turned to the max in settings allowedAlan Wake IIto run in the high 60s.
If wanting to go up to 4K, users are definitely going to have to rely on Nvidia’s DLSS technology, but it’s possible with the right settings tweaks.
When it comes to high esports-level performance, users right now can enjoy a serious edge over the competition. Games likeCall of Duty: Warzone,Valorant,Country Strike 2,andFortnitewere able to pump out frame rates well over 100 fps on high settings which is more than enough for thebest gaming monitors. For more competitive settings, it’s easy enough to reach past 200 fps.
Just understand that users will know when the G22CH is being pushed to the limit. When playing rounds ofHelldivers 2andAlan Wake II, the noise from the PC’s fans reached around the low 80-decibel mark. This means that headsets are going to be necessary when gaming.
Should you buy the Asus ROG G22CH?
Buy the Asus ROG G22CH if…
You want a gaming desktop with some significant performance powerThe small size of ROG G22CH lends to some portability but it shows up when it comes to general 1440p gaming performance.
You don’t care about upgrading in the next few yearsSome smart design choices do allow for some upgrades but higher-tiered upgrades like motherboards and graphics cards may be trouble in a few years.
You like a nice design with a little bit of RGB lighting on your caseThere is a nice balance between aggressiveness and elegance with the G22CH
Don’t buy it if…
You need to upgrade to the latest greatest hardware consistentlyThe G22CH isn’t necessarily built to be future-proof for those who want to upgrade constantly with new CPUs or GPUs.
You want something a bit quieterWhen pushed to the max, this gaming desktop can get really loud which can be intrusive to those who don’t wear headphones.
How I tested the Asus ROG G22CH
I tested the Asus ROG G22CH over two weeks. During the day, many general computing tasks were done including Google Chrome and Tidal. Having multiple Google Chrome tabs allowed me to use Asana, Google Docs, and Hootsuite. For creating graphics alongside short-form social media video content, I used Adobe Premiere and Photoshop.
Testing out high frame rate possibilities, games played includedCall of Duty: Warzone, Valorant,andFortnite. To see how hard we could push visual fidelity, we tried games includingCyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2andForza Motorsport (2023).
I’ve spent the past several years covering monitors alongside other PC components for Techradar. Outside of gaming, I’ve been proficient in Adobe Suite for over a decade as well.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed March 2024
Ural Garrett is an Inglewood, CA-based journalist and content curator. His byline has been featured in outlets including CNN, MTVNews, Complex, TechRadar, BET, The Hollywood Reporter and more.
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