Origin PC Millennium Gaming Desktop Review: Custom Chassis, Blinding Speed

Performance Summary: AMD and Intel have been pushing more CPU cores and threads onto consumers, particularly in the high-end desktop (HEDT) category. Compared to those monster chips, the 6-core/12-thread Core i7-8700K that Origin PC chose for our Millennium configuration almost seems tame. Benchmarks like Cinebench magnify the gulf that exists between a Core i7-8700K CPU and, say, a 16-core/32-thread Threadripper 1950X. For most people, however, a 6-core processor is more than enough, especially for gamers and with a chip that's been overclocked to 5GHz, as ours was.

That said, the Millennium is a true gaming PC, at least that's how Origin PC configured this particular setup. With two overclocked EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti cards on board, there wasn't a graphics benchmark or game that could make this system flinch, even at 4K. In Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, for example, the Millennium topped 200 frames per second at 3840x2160. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands was the only game that came close to giving the Millennium a workout, and even then it managed nearly 145 fps at 1080p, and over 78 fps at 4K. Simply put, gaming is blazing fast and smooth on this setup, as it should be for the configuration we tested.

Origin PC got so many things right with the Millennium desktop it sent us that it's hard to pick a starting point for our final analysis. We have to start somewhere, though, so let's talk about the component selection. Unlike reviewing a piece of hardware or peripherals, such as a keyboard or solid state drive, boutique systems like the Millennium are not a static product. As a consumer, you are in charge of selecting what components you want. However, for us, we review systems as they are sent to us, and it's up to the vendor to spec out a system however they wish. In this case, Origin PC opted for a gaming PC built around Intel's Z370 chipset and a wealth of high-end components.

What stands out here is the focus on high-end indulgence without going needlessly over the top. For example, Origin PC offers up to a 1,600W power supply option on its website, but went with a less expensive EVGA SuperaNova 850W PSU for our build. The boutique builder also stopped at 16GB of RAM. The only place Origin PC went a little crazy is with the graphics card selection—there are two GeForce GTX 1080 Ti cards inside, both of which it overclocked. That certainly drove the price of this system up, but it also gave this system legs so that it can handle today's games at high frame rates and resolutions now and well into the future.


What's more interesting to us than the actual component selection is the overall build quality, and Origin PC knocked it out of the park from multiple fronts. Between the ultra-clean cable management and LED lighting, the Millennium is as much a show piece as it is a desktop. It's not quite as bright and vibrant as Xidax's X-8 that we recently reviewed, but it's every bit as neatly assembled (a little more so, actually). On top of that, Origin PC offers a more "blinged-out" liquid cooling option than the one in our build, if that is what you are after.

All that said, it is the custom enclosure that impressed us the most. Origin PC has been using a custom designed chassis since the Millennium's inception, and this year's upgrade introduces some clever features, like a sliding top bay that hides the I/O ports and tinted tempered glass side panels that swing open and close with ease. Even removing the side panels altogether is virtually effortless. The case alone is reason to consider the Millennium, and Origin PC is the only place you can get your hands one.

While we're heaping praise on Origin PC, let's talk about the overclocked processor and graphics cards. For an added fee, Origin PC will overclock either component—it's $75 for the CPU, and $50 for the graphics card(s). This is not something that is unique to Origin PC, but it's not uncommon for us to experience some level of instability on an overclocked system, sometimes minor and other times not-so-minor. We didn't run into that with the Millennium. It ran through our gauntlet of benchmarks without any hiccups, while keeping temps in check.

So, what's not to like about the Millennium? Not much, really. The obvious knock is the price. At $4,369 as configured, it's an expensive machine. There's no getting around that. The level of detail and customization that goes into a machine like the Millennium comes at a premium, though with cryptocurrency mining driving up the price of graphics cards, you wouldn't save a bunch by building this same setup yourself anyway, at least currently. Or mostly the same, we should say, since you'd have to choose a different case. The only other knock is Origin's use of plastic on the top panel, including both the removable section that holds the dust filters and the sliding door that hides the front I/O ports. It feels out of place, when the rest of the case is either metal or glass; though visually, it does blend right in. 

Bottom line? With the changes that Origin PC made to the Millennium's custom chassis and the current crop of hardware, this year's model is the best version yet. As configured, the Millennium is one heck of a beastly gaming PC that is meticulously constructed. You'll want to show this thing off just as much as you'll want to play on it. And with a starting price of around $1,600 for a toned down configuration, you don't have to be a 1-percenter to afford one.

Origin's custom case is fantastic  Blazing-fast gaming performance Rock-solid overclocking Excellent build quality and cable management Hot swap drive bays are handy Easy expandability	Expensive as configured Plastic top panel feels cheap compared to the rest of the system