Hands-on with the BMW M8

We got a few minutes of hands-on time with BMW’s attempt at a gaming PC—the M8. Creative Director at DesignworksUSA Oliver Molody gave us a quick tour of the M8 series desktop. This is the the first product out of the collaboration between BMW and computer hardware maker ASRock.

Special emphasis is on the design and construction of the M8. It has been specially designed to be carried to LAN parties thanks to the handles on its sides. The sides of the computer are also partially transparent, giving onlookers a view of the motherboard and the under-the-hood components. The PC has been designed so that it can be placed in both vertical as well as horizontal positions. Modification is possible thanks to the magnetic side panels that can be removed for quick access to the hardware.

On the technical side of things, we know that it can connect to Wi-Fi over 802.11 ac and has Bluetooth 4.0. The sound is handled by a Creative SoundCore 3D quad-core processor. The only technical specifications we know of the M8 are that it supports Intel’s 4th generation line-up of processors. The PC has support for up to 16GB of RAM and a dual-slot graphics card.

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The PC has a knob—dubbed A-Command—in the front, which acts as a multi-functional control button with an integrated OLED display. It shows a bunch of information, thus removing the need for an extra monitor. The knob shows information such as status of usage, heat, date and time.

The BMW M8 is set to launch for $499, which roughly translates to Rs 28,288.