Asus has created a compact AMD gaming powerhouse, and the cost is the most intimidating aspect.

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      Asus' ROG GR70 is a compact yet powerful gaming PC featuring AMD performance.

      When envisioning a gaming PC, you likely picture a large tower filled with RGB lighting. However, ASUS is delivering high-end performance without dominating your desk space. The newly released ROG GR70 is a mini gaming PC that efficiently incorporates robust AMD and Nvidia components into a chassis measuring less than three liters.

      Initially presented a few months ago, the ROG GR70 made its debut at CES 2026 and is now available for purchase in the US. It joins the recently launched ROG NUC 16, which comes equipped with a premium Intel processor, and its price is equally high.

      High-performance hardware in a compact three-liter unit

      There are currently two configurations available. The pricier model features an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB SSD, priced at approximately $3,196.33. The more affordable $3,135.19 version replaces the X3D chip with a standard Ryzen 9 9955HX but retains the RTX 5070, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage.

      ASUS also indicates Ryzen 9 8940HX and RTX 5060 options for the GR70, although these variants do not seem to be available in the initial US launch. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D features a 16-core, 32-thread Zen 5 architecture and utilizes AMD’s second-generation 3D V-Cache technology. Meanwhile, the RTX 5070 Laptop GPU supports Nvidia's Blackwell features, including DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation. However, considering the high price tag exceeding $3,000, the laptop GPU feels somewhat underwhelming.

      Despite rising RAM costs due to shortages, ASUS allows for memory expansion up to 96GB across two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, and the chassis has room for two M.2 SSDs.

      ASUS

      Its size comes at a significant price

      The connectivity options are remarkably extensive. The GR70 boasts six USB-A ports, a front USB-C port, USB4, two HDMI 2.1 ports, two DisplayPort 2.1 ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. According to Asus, it can support up to five 4K displays. The system features a three-fan QuietFlow cooling solution to manage temperatures within the compact unit.

      Even with these specifications, the current cost is hard to overlook. Buyers are paying a considerable premium for a sleek, compact system instead of a traditional desktop with an RTX 5070. The ROG GR70 may be among the most powerful gaming PCs of its size, but over $3,000 could go a long way toward purchasing more traditional gaming desktops.

      Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist with seven years of experience in consumer hardware coverage, focusing on...

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