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　　The Origin Chronos at least sidesteps annoyance. Its sound is characterized as more of a constant, gentle whirr, like a big storm blowing outside your home. Yet a big storm it remains, and we couldn’t help but notice it whenever we spun up a benchmark or loaded a game.

　　It’s not so loud to become unacceptable, but the noise does take away from the Chronos’ size. This is a small desktop you could place near you. Perhaps under a monitor. Perhaps in a home theater, where it’d be used for entertainment. The noise, though, will be disruptive. You won’t want it near you, or in a quiet home theater, unless you happen to play every game and watch every movie with a pair of headphones on.

　　

Our Take

The Origin Chronos is a compact computer that will make you question why anything larger is necessary. It’s not exciting to look at it, but it’s exciting to own.

　　

Is there a better alternative?

Falcon Northwest’s Tiki remains our favorite among tiny custom desktops because it’s both fast and great to look at. The Chronos is more affordable however, with a lower starting price of $1,500, compared to the Tiki’s price of at least $2,100.

　　Other competitors, like the Digital Storm Bolt, can match the Chronos’ hardware, but its size that really defines Origin’s option. The Chronos is smaller than average, so it’ll fit places where the Tiki or Bolt can’t.

　　

How long will it last?

The Origin Chronos we reviewed had best-of-the-best hardware, so we’re sure it would last at least five years. Entry-level models will likely need a GPU upgrade after a few years of service. The Chronos’ size will limit your options, but replacing the GPU isn’t too difficult.

　　Every Chronos comes with a 1-year parts replacement warranty. However, shipping is only covered for 45 days. We’d prefer to see a 1-year shipping warranty as well.

　　

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Origin Chronos even in its own class of custom gaming mini-towers, yet it doesn’t pay for that in performance, and it’s not more expensive than competitors. If maximum speed in minimum size is your goal, the Chronos is what you want.