Overclockers UK Evolution Envy Mini Gaming PC Review

Acoustic, Power & Thermal Performance

Acoustic Performance

Under idle conditions, the Evolution Envy Mini is extraordinarily quiet which makes for a glorious desktop experience. However, the radiator fans ramp up during extreme stress which leads to fairly loud operation. It’s not obnoxiously loud though and falls within a similar bracket to larger ATX systems. Overall, the noise output is quite good when you factor in the constricted airspace.

Power Consumption

The Haswell refresh architecture implements a wide array of power saving techniques to create absurdly low idle wattage demands. Once overclocked, the 4790K’s 4.5 GHz frequency remains relatively efficient under extreme load and was well within the 550 watt power supply’s safe limits. Similarly, the GTX 970 consumes a mere 145 watts and features a very impressive TDP.

Thermal Performance

In terms of thermal performance, the Evolution Envy Mini exceeded my expectations and wasn’t overawed by our rigorous testing procedure. Rather surprisingly, the overclocked CPU remained cool for an ITX-based system. Additionally, the GTX 970’s temperature to performance ratio is shockingly good and reduces heat build-up throughout the chassis.