Allow us to showcase the Borg Cube gaming PC, or more specifically, the Star Trek Artifact Borg Cube ATX from CherryTree Inc.
Combining one of the coolest things we love from pop culture with one of the most useful and powerful tools for creators and gamers, these Star Trek PCs caught our attention last year when we partnered with Star Trek Online for the game's Stormfall update on a giveaway that included the Star Trek Artifact Borg Cube ATX STO Edition and it was unlike any PC we had seen before. What makes CherryTree’s Borg PC line-up unique may seem obvious at a glance, but there’s more to it than meets the eye.
CherryTree Inc. is based out of LA and specializes in custom made-to-order Gaming PCs (they also offer pre-built rigs and cases) crafted locally, and their flagship products are Star Trek themed since they are the exclusively licensed Star Trek PC maker worldwide. Every one of these rigs, these pieces of art, are handcrafted in the U.S. by the team at CherryTree.. There’s even a little tag on it hand-signed by the team which I'll keep forever.
We can’t overstate how the little details help reinforce how special each handcrafted item from CherryTree is, especially for a Trekkie and PC enthusiast such as myself. More on this later.
What is the Star Trek Artifact Borg Cube ATX?
We've spent the last several weeks testing the Limited Collector's Edition variant (only 31 of these are made in each production run) of CherryTree's Star Trek Borg Cube ATX computer, an officially licensed case and PC based on Artifact Borg cube seen in Star Trek: Picard. It's hand-built right by passionate fans and PC makers in LA and is loaded with fiber optics and attention to detail that help add a wonderful level of pop and uniqueness to the lightweight casing.
The Borg Cube case itself is large in total size but not as overwhelming or tall as one might think, embracing cubic dimensions of 15"x15"x15". Given this size and shape, it easily fits - or assimilates - multiple GPUs (up to three), a full ATX motherboard, a full-size power supply, liquid cooling should you want this option, and multiple fans. The Borg Cube PCs previously came built with three fans along the back and the design of the case allows for strong airflow. Our unit - and is currently an option on the CherryTree website - contains six fans with the added three at the bottom. The RGB fans help bolster the color scape of the RGB fiber optics.
The pitch for such a unique gaming case speaks for itself, especially when it houses a powerful machine. When you browse gaming PC manufacturers across the industry, even from the more bespoke niche builders, there’s a general homogeneous style and look. They are vertical towers, usually white or black, with a glass side showcasing RGB lighting of some interior parts. The logos or flair can be different, but that’s the standard even among the creators, streamers, gaming pros, etc.. CherryTree changes the game. What if your PC didn’t look like a PC? What if that beautifully lit gaming PC was not just functional hardware to place on or under a desk, but something you’d buy to have on the desk, something you'd want to showcase or collect?
This is what the creativity behind utilizing the Star Trek IP - and hopefully in the future, other sci-fi or fantastical themes - allows for. And CherryTree offers more than just a 15" Borg Cube. There are many variants of this - including a wonderfully pretty and new white Borg Cube, micro Borg PCs, Faceplates (featuring Lower Decks, different fan-fave starships, or LCARS themes) for their more traditional Geek Machines PC line, Borg Cat statues, Mac Mini Mods, even a record player! PCs can be made to order, all available through their website. And there are budget and pre-built options as well.
The Borg Cube Becomes A Powerful Gaming PC
The Screen Rant Borg Cube is a beast and we've tested the unit as a workstation for video and photo editing, streaming (with Elgato's Stream Deck, and multiple Elgato key and ring lights all hooked up), three monitor and television/home entertainment setups, and certainly as a powerful gaming PC. It's the next-level all-in-one solution for gamers, hobbyists, builders, creators, influencers, collectors who love Star Trek. The case itself is worthy of attention with its various options and ability to house any specs, but building a setup with the Star Trek Artifact Borg Cube ATX makes it a centerpiece by default - and in our case - something we want to put in the frame when producing video content.
The Specs
- CPU: 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700KF 3.40 GHz
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
- Memory: 64.0 GB
- OS: Installed Windows 10 and upgraded to Windows 11 Home
- Harddrive: Samsung SSD 980 Pro 1TB
Our primary setup involves three monitors - two display port monitors with the primary one for gaming set at 1440p and 165hz. The third we've transitioned to HDMI output into a capture card into a secondary streaming PC (let's just say, ths one we put under the desk...) we setup to shoot video, podcast, and stream from. While streaming this way, hosting Discord, virtual mixers, voice mods, and other applications on the borg Cube, and running triple-A titles including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (and Warzone 2), God of War, Cyberpunk 2077, Battlefield 2042 and testing other live-service games such as Rocket League, Apex Legends, and others with everything maxed out - it’s refreshingly smile-inducing to see a PC that looks like a powerful Borg cube from Star Trek embrace its iconic presence. While we cannot recommend this enough, the specs aren't necessary to take advantage of the case and other Borg Cube builds of this size from CherryTree.
Shipping at Warp Speed: Star Trek Borg Cube PC Packaging, Unboxing, and Setup
The packaging from CherryTree Inc. is appropriately extensive to keep the components and case safe. The Star Trek Artifact Borg Cube ATX arrives in large cardboard box full of Foam Packing Peanuts which surround a wooden crate that itself is surrounded in bubble wrap. Inside the wooden case (which you can have laser-engraved), the Borg cube protected with space on each side.
Removing the Borg Cube case involves taking out screws from the sides and one corner of the base, then carefully removing the case (taking note not to catch any of the fiber optics. The wire management from top the bottom, including the fiber optics, is noteworthy and we had no issues here. The interior of Star Trek Borg PCs upon arrival is filled with Sealed Air Instapak to keep the components intact. Given the large and unique interior of the cubic design, this requires some finesse to remove the protective elements. Users will notice how the spacious interior is and how the back plate and bottom plate are supported with a pillar extending from the base upward to hold the GPU as the motherboard rests against the rear plate. CherryTree went he extra mile here and engraved our review unit with Screen Rant branding on the rear plate (another option available on their website).
The final steps here involve attaching the main fiber optics cable and if you have the mini LCD screen, micro USB & HDMI cables will need to fed through and opening on the rear panel to plug in. Place the case back on top and hit the power button on the top rear corner and it's Red Alert. You're ready for action.
Note: There are also rubber grips that must be fastened to the base (these are not attached for shipping to prevent damage to the bottom plate. We recommend doing this as soon as possible and placing the Borg Cube PC on a protective surface for assembly as it can scratch the desk surface when sliding around or rotating so aim to set out an appropriate work area or prioritize fastening these.
Resistance is Futile
Seeing is believing and for collectors, hobbyists, and certainly creators and gamers who love Star Trek, there’s nothing that compares. Once you turn this on and see it running, you’ll be a CherryTree loyalist.
Down to the options of extra painting detail on the cases, the custom backplate, to a laser-engraved crate it ships in. We've never used a PC such as CherryTree Inc.'s Borg Cube PC and now we can't go back. Resistance is futile as they say.
