Corsair has upgraded its compact Bulldog PC to version 2.0 with some new internal hardware. The small-form-factor HTPC now comes complete with a Z270 motherboard, as well as a new liquid cooling system for the processor. These should make the system quieter than its predecessor, as well as add a few new features courtesy of the new chipset.
Announced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, Corsair’s Bulldog 2.0 maintains its compact chassis, with serious performance potential. The visual design has been maintained, too, letting you essentially have a living room PC that looks like a gaming console to an untrained eye.
The Bulldog is a bare-bones design, so it does not come with the big internal hardware choices like CPU and graphics card already made for you, but it does come with everything you need to begin building a powerful little system. The new version comes complete with a MSI Z270I Gaming Pro Carbon AC motherboard, which makes it fully compatible with the 7th-generation Intel processors, though it can also support 6th-generation chips, too.
It has two available slots for DDR4 memory up to 32GB, a PCIExpress 3.0 x 4 slot for ultra-fast m.2 storage drives and a PCIExpress 16x lane for graphics cards up to 300mm in length.
To make sure that new chip stays cool, it can be hooked up to the brand new Corsair Hydro H6 SF water cooler. As Anandtech points out, this is actually a rather exciting addition for anyone considering a Bulldog 2.0, as this cooler isn’t even available yet. Bulldog owners will be the first to to try it out and we’re told it should be quieter than previous models.
Power-wise you have a Corsair SF600 600w SFX form factor PSU, which features 80 PLUS Gold efficiency, so it should remain stable without wasting much juice.
Overall the new design weighs in at just five kilograms and its price tag is equally lightweight. It will maintain the $400 cost of the original Bulldog, though system builders who use it as a base will no doubt increase that as they add in components like a processor and graphics card, or upgrade the cooling solution.
