General Analysis

Overall, there is a lot to like about the Continuum Micro gaming PC. It is well built with off-the-shelf components and comes with decent cable management. Thanks in part due to the standard chassis, there is plenty of space for future expansion or upgrades, be it more storage, a more powerful CPU, or even liquid cooling. It even has a unique feature with its infinity mirror styled front panel that, while likely not appealing to everyone, at least takes the RGB illumination trend and does something different with it. They even include six 1500 RPM PWM RGB fans for more than adequate airflow. In the future, Computer Upgrade King will be using PWM fans with a wider RPM range that tops out at 2200 RPM, which should improve airflow and cooling even further in worst-case scenarios. Finally, the cherry on top is the lack of bundled software, aka bloatware, meaning the OS is just as clean as the system.


Looking at the specifications, this is obviously not the biggest, baddest, most powerful system on the block, but for 1080p gaming, it does exceptionally well in our updated test suite. The AMD Ryzen 2700 pairs well with the RX 580 4 GB for both handling daily tasks and games without issues. It should also be noted that we encountered no issues in regards to the 4 GB frame buffer, but an RX 580 8 GB would be better from a marketing standpoint, and with the price difference between 4 GB and 8 GB cards being quite low, I think most customers would prefer to have the larger frame buffer. In regards to storage, rather than using a smaller SSD along with an HDD, CUK uses a 512 GB Intel 660P M.2 SSD. While not the fastest offering on the market, it does run circles around traditional SATA SSDs and HDDs, and while storage space is a bit limited, users can always add a mass storage drive themselves quite easily. When it comes to the motherboard, the ASRock B450M-HDV is more than adequate for this system; however, it does have a few drawbacks. Firstly, revision 4.0 of this board does not have a VRM heatsink, and while I would like to point out that I did not experience any issues in regards to stability, it would still be beneficial for the VRMs to have some form of heatsink for improved cooling. It would also helps with reliability over the long term.

The motherboard also does not have an RGB header, which in a system full of lighted parts means Computer Upgrade King used a HUB and wireless controller. While I dislike proprietary connectors of any kind, my biggest gripe here is with no standard RGB header on the motherboard or the hub means users do not have control over the AMD Wraith Spire cooler. If they continue to offer this style of system with AMD's RGB coolers by default, changes should be made to work them into their proprietary RGB ecosystem via an adapter if possible, offer a bundled inline controller, or use a board that features an RGB header.

When it comes to noise levels, I have no bone to pick with the system at all. Since users can choose a fan profile in the BIOS that applies to all case and CPU fans, the system can be tailored to a user's specific requirements. In my testing with the standard settings, the system typically put out 33–45 dBA from idle to extreme load, which made the system quiet in daily tasks and only somewhat noticeable when gaming for hours at a time. The loudest component in the system is the MSI RX 580 4 GB Armor OC. The base cooler on that card is just acceptable at best, between its lackluster cooler and sag via no backplate. MSI can do better here. That said, Computer Upgrade King does include a bracket you can use to eliminate the GPU sag. While there is little mention of the feature, its a nice inclusion all the same.


To be blunt, if your thinking about overclocking the system, don't bother. The B450M-HDV board from ASRock is bare bones; the lack of VRM heatsinks is also another nail in the coffin. Other than that, the BIOS is fully featured enough to tweak as necessary, and the built-in hardware monitoring and controls for fan speeds are good, with the ability to go from silent to maximum performance and everything in between. Custom settings are, of course, possible as well.

Overall, the CUK Continuum Micro is a solid system; it performs well in today's games and doesn't break the bank. In fact, building a similar system and getting six RGB fans would result in a price difference of just $30–$50. While it is possible to push the price difference lower, it would require the removal of the RGB fans and swapping to a less attractive case design. The savings for building it yourself would only be around $150 even then. Thus, the Continuum Micro is not only a robust entry-level gaming system but of substantial value as well.

That said, the DIY system I used for the price comparison uses an RX 580 8 GB rather than the 4 GB version used here. Considering prices were the same, I would have liked to see an 8 GB card in the Continuum Micro as well. While the 4 GB version did prove more than adequate in our tests, it is becoming a limitation as time goes on. Not to mention that in Fallout 4 and Skyrim, texture mods can push VRAM usage quite high with no real impact on performance unless you run out of VRAM, which is something to keep in mind.

Finally, the keyboard and mouse did the job just fine, and I have no real complaints as to their functionality. However, while the LED effects worked well enough on the keyboard, the mouse is limited to red, blue, or purple, which is a bit odd. Both having the full RGB treatment would make them a better fit for the system. As for the nature of the keyboard it is not mechanical.