"Millennium PC: A Comprehensive Review"

When shopping for a gaming PC, you're faced with several options. You could opt for a mass-produced prebuilt system from brands like Alienware, or splurge on a high-end boutique build from the likes of Maingear or Falcon Northwest. The Origin Millennium, however, strikes a balance between these two extremes. It's a high-end gaming system, but it doesn't boast the extravagant design flair you might see in more boutique offerings. Instead, the Origin Millennium is a robust, custom-ordered gaming rig with standard components, offering the convenience of assembly without the hassle of cable routing. Just be prepared to handle a hefty wooden crate if you decide to bring one home.

Purchasing Guide

The Origin Millennium starts at $2,788, but this base model comes with an Intel Core i5-14600K and no discrete graphics card, making it a less appealing choice at that price point. Fortunately, Origin's website allows you to configure your system with a wide range of components to suit your needs. Keep in mind, the more powerful your configuration, the higher the cost.

Origin Millennium – Photos

View 8 ImagesDesign and Features

The Origin Millennium is an imposing full-tower ATX case, further enhanced by steel bars on all four corners, which contribute to its 33-pound weight before adding high-end components like the MSI RTX 5090 Gaming Trio and a 360mm AIO. The wooden crate it's shipped in makes it even more challenging to transport, especially if you live in a multi-story building.

The steel bars also complicate access to the internals. While the system I reviewed won't need upgrades for a while, regular maintenance is still necessary. Removing the glass side panel is hindered by the metal bar on the back left corner, requiring extra effort to disassemble.

However, once inside, the spacious build offers excellent airflow and minimal visible wiring, thanks to Origin's meticulous cable management. Cables are neatly arranged behind the motherboard tray and routed through grommets to their connection points. Yet, the decision to route fan and front panel wires underneath the system is unconventional, potentially risking damage if the wires get caught.

You can choose to have the front ports and power button mounted on the top or bottom of the case. The model I received had them on the bottom, ideal for desk setups, but the top option is great for living room or under-desk configurations. The front panel offers four USB-A and one USB-C port, with even more connectivity options at the back, including four USB-C, six USB-A, two Ethernet, and an HDMI port. The RTX 5090 adds three DisplayPort and one HDMI, standard for Blackwell GPUs.

All in the Configuration

The configuration I reviewed, while impressive, might be overkill for most users. Origin PC's build-to-order model allows you to tailor your system to your needs. The high-end setup I tested, costing $7,241, is built to last, but a more budget-friendly option with an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, 32GB of RAM, and an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT offers solid 4K gaming at $3,392. Building this mid-range system yourself would cost around $2,397, meaning you're paying a premium for Origin's assembly and support.

Origin's lifetime support and the unique, secure wooden shipping crate add value, but the decision to pay extra depends on your comfort with PC building and maintenance.

Performance

The Origin Millennium I tested, equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and 64GB of RAM, delivered exceptional performance at 4K. Nearly every game exceeded 100 fps without frame generation, with only Assassins Creed Shadows at 75 fps and Metro Exodus at 97 fps falling short. Enabling frame generation in AC: Shadows boosted the frame rate to 132 fps, though with increased latency. In Cyberpunk 2077, the system achieved 127 fps without frame generation, soaring to 373 fps with Multi-Frame Generation, showcasing its prowess in handling demanding games.