Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable Review: Open-Source Open-Air PC Building Done Right
A Deep-Dive Look At The Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable
Overclockers and frequent PC builders alike can appreciate the advantages of having an open air bench or rack for testing. These make component swapping a breeze for comparisons and provide a flexible platform for checking a build before installing it inside a tight case. Few things are more frustrating than learning your motherboard is dead on arrival after you finished meticulously routing every last cable.
As nice as open air cases and test benches are, however, they have largely come with their own share of hassles. Many test benches walk a spectrum between structural rigidity and layout flexibility. Some units lack defined mounting points while others wind up just too bulky to be practical with limited workspace. The Streamcom BC1 Open Benchtable is a very different approach to the solution of open air PC building and it's machined from a solid block of aluminum.
Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable - Fully Configured
The trio collaborative of HWBot, Streacom, and OverclockingTV understand the struggle of finding the right test bench as well as anyone. Together, they collaborated to introduce the BC1 Open Benchtable as a better and more flexible solution - and it doesn't have to be big because this setup is about as portable as they come.
In fact, the Streacom BC1’s primary goal is portability. Every piece of it connects and stows away securely inside the frame - screws, legs, risers, everything. The stowed profile is about the size of a kitchen cutting board (10.5” x 14” or 27cm x 36cm) and weighs just four pounds, complete with an integrated carry handle. Beyond portability, this allows it to be easily stashed when not in use (that’s a thing, right?). Finally, it is also completely toolless which markedly improves its convenience.
As its name implies, the BC1’s design is actually open-source which affords several key advantages. First and foremost, anyone can take the design and tweak it to meet their needs and even contribute back to the original project for future revisions. More importantly, anyone with access to a CNC machine and a block of aluminum can mill their own or augment it with 3D-printable addons without so much as a licensing fee. An example of this is a SFX to ATX power supply adapter available for download on their site - openbenchtable.com. If you don’t have access to a CNC mill, the BC1 is available for purchase from them directly for $149.
Tucked inside the frame are two legs, four brackets for fans or radiators, four posts to secure full-height PCIe cards, eight pushpin style motherboard standoffs, eight screw-in style motherboard/PCI post standoffs, six #6-32 thumbscrews, and six M3 thumbscrews. Technically, there are eight more M3 thumbscrews, though these are used to secure the legs and fan brackets.
Left: M3 Thumbscrew Right: #6-32 Thumbscrew
As nice as open air cases and test benches are, however, they have largely come with their own share of hassles. Many test benches walk a spectrum between structural rigidity and layout flexibility. Some units lack defined mounting points while others wind up just too bulky to be practical with limited workspace. The Streamcom BC1 Open Benchtable is a very different approach to the solution of open air PC building and it's machined from a solid block of aluminum.
Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable - Fully Configured
The trio collaborative of HWBot, Streacom, and OverclockingTV understand the struggle of finding the right test bench as well as anyone. Together, they collaborated to introduce the BC1 Open Benchtable as a better and more flexible solution - and it doesn't have to be big because this setup is about as portable as they come.
In fact, the Streacom BC1’s primary goal is portability. Every piece of it connects and stows away securely inside the frame - screws, legs, risers, everything. The stowed profile is about the size of a kitchen cutting board (10.5” x 14” or 27cm x 36cm) and weighs just four pounds, complete with an integrated carry handle. Beyond portability, this allows it to be easily stashed when not in use (that’s a thing, right?). Finally, it is also completely toolless which markedly improves its convenience.
As its name implies, the BC1’s design is actually open-source which affords several key advantages. First and foremost, anyone can take the design and tweak it to meet their needs and even contribute back to the original project for future revisions. More importantly, anyone with access to a CNC machine and a block of aluminum can mill their own or augment it with 3D-printable addons without so much as a licensing fee. An example of this is a SFX to ATX power supply adapter available for download on their site - openbenchtable.com. If you don’t have access to a CNC mill, the BC1 is available for purchase from them directly for $149.
What’s Included
Keeping things simple, inside the box we find just the BC1 with all parts completely stowed and a paper set of surprisingly good - though not error free - instructions. Do take the time to read them as there are a few nuances to the construction you may not pick up on initially. That’s not a bad thing either, the design takes advantage of every bit of space.
Tucked inside the frame are two legs, four brackets for fans or radiators, four posts to secure full-height PCIe cards, eight pushpin style motherboard standoffs, eight screw-in style motherboard/PCI post standoffs, six #6-32 thumbscrews, and six M3 thumbscrews. Technically, there are eight more M3 thumbscrews, though these are used to secure the legs and fan brackets.
Left: M3 Thumbscrew Right: #6-32 Thumbscrew
Let's look at building this thing up, next...
