While Corsair is typically known for its memory products and PC cases, the company has launched a full-blown desktop. Appropriately called Bulldog, it takes a bite out of the console-class competition in the living room using a mouthful of high-end PC components supporting 4K gaming and virtual reality. The company has also introduced a DIY kit based on the Bulldog configuration, and a portable gaming center called Lapdog.
For starters, the actual Bulldog desktop system is listed as available in Q3 2016 and currently does not offer actual hardware specs. However, the DIY kit version is on sale now for $400 and consists of Corsair’s console-like Bulldog chassis, the Hydro Series H5 SF processor cooler, the SF600 power supply, and the GA-Z170N-WiFi motherboard from Gigabyte. This kit first made its appearance as a prototype during Computex 2015 and moved on to earn Best of CES 2016 honors back in January.
The all-steel black Bulldog chassis itself supports mini ITX motherboards, and its console shape makes it a great fit in the living room next to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Wii U. It sits horizontally on any surface, measuring 381mm by 457mm by 133mm. The case supports a maximum GPU card length of 300mm, a CPU height of 90mm, and a power supply measuring 190mm.
As for other features, the case provides two expansion slots, one bay for a 2.5-inch drive, one bay for a 3.5-inch drive or three 2.5-inch drives, three fan locations (two 92mm fans are included and one 120mm fan is optional), and a designated spot for a 120mm radiator at the bottom. External connectivity includes two USB 3.0 ports, one headphone jack, and one microphone jack. The Bulldog case is compatible with Corsair’s H5, SF, H55, H60, and H75 liquid coolers.
“Builder-friendly layout, tool-free fittings, and a standard mini-ITX form factor makes upgrades easy, Corsair said on Wednesday. “What’s more, Bulldog can mount not just the H5SF low-profile CPU cooler, but also a host of compatible all-in-one graphics card liquid-coolers such as the Corsair HG10 and H55, providing the benefits of liquid cooling to not just the CPU, but the power-hungry GPU as well.”
According to Corsair, the actual Bulldog systems that will be sold through Micro Center this fall will sport Intel Z170 mini ITX motherboards from various vendors, not just Gigabyte. These are built for sixth-generation Intel Core processors that can be overclocked, support dual-channel DDR4 memory, and have built-in Wireless AC connectivity. USB Type-C and USB 3.0 are also typical features, as well as gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth 4.2.
Corsair’s Bulldog DIY kit is available now in North America, and all system builders need to do with this kit is slap in a processor, memory, the graphics card, and storage. The company plans to bundle it with hardware components “soon” followed by the pre-built systems with various configurations and prices in Q3 2016.
In keeping with the living room theme, Corsair has also introduced the Lapdog, which would work rather nicely with the Bulldog “console” system. This peripheral first made its appearance during Computex 2015, and is now available in North America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Scandinavia for $120. It essentially crams a keyboard, a mouse, and a mousepad together onto one platform so you’re not gaming on a wobbly TV dinner table and falling forward off the living room couch (been there, done it).
However, for that price, customers are just getting the lapboard itself. The Lapdog is compatible with the Corsair K70 mechanical keyboard and the Corsair K65 mechanical keyboard, which will rest within a special dock that resides to the left of the 11-by-11-inch mouse pad area. However, the company provides $250 bundles that includes a $130 K70 keyboard, but no mouse.
What makes the Lapdog over a hundred bucks is its overall high quality. The peripheral is built from anodized, brushed aluminum and weighs just 5.81 pounds. It provides a USB hub supplying four USB 3.0 ports (mobile device fast-charging is supported), and there’s even a secret compartments for storing away annoying cables. A memory foam cushion is installed on the Lapdog’s belly for maximum user comfort, and the Lapdog platform itself connects to the customer’s PC by way of its built-in 16-foot USB 3.0-based “tail.”
The Lapdog and its associated bundles can be purchased directly from Corsair.
