Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable Review: Open-Source Open-Air PC Building Done Right

Overall, we are enamored with the Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable - there is so much it does right. If forced to find flaws, the biggest pain point we encountered - after actually reading the instructions - was a lack of a ninth pushpin style motherboard standoff. Okay, really that just tugs at our OCD, but we’d rather see an extra pushpin style standoff stashed in each leg. We would rather have too many than to not have enough.


The other drawback is a lack of drive mounting options. If pressed, the radiator and fan standoffs could be adjusted to accommodate another 2.5” drive. However, there’s not an apparent way to affix an additional 3.5” drive, despite being advertised as such. When trying to swap the 2.5" SSD for a second 3.5" HDD, we found the space to be about a quarter inch too narrow. Even if it could fit, the screw slots would not be positioned correctly and we are only left with a single #6-32 screw to affix it. Perhaps future revisions could incorporate more screw holes in the legs or just better spacing to address this.


Finally, the elephant in the room - cost. As slick as this testbench is, $149 is stout price to ask for a sheet of milled aluminum. We don’t expect entry-level builders to jump onboard when you can get a solid traditional PC case for half of that. However, for the niche' power builders and overclockers, this simple concept delivers incredible value that will last.


A BC1 Open Benchtable unit is likely capable of outliving the ATX form-factor itself. We don’t have the luxury of testing exactly how much of a load it can bear, but suffice to say it can support standard geek body weight without a sweat. Tolerances, by the way, are perfect thanks to the milling process. It is constructed to last a lifetime with the only real concern being lost pieces - something you can get replacements for.


Once you know its tricks, the build process becomes exceedingly quick and simple. There’s no fluff. There’s no flair. It doesn’t need gimmicks to deliver; it just needs to work and that’s exactly what it does. The Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable earns an easy Editor's Choice from us.