LAS VEGAS - The Origin Big O may finally be the product that ends the war between PC gamers and console gamers. That's because this $2,500 machine literally combines a gaming PC with an Xbox One or PlayStation 4. The potential is there. Very cool. Definitely.

I had the opportunity to touch Origin's Big O Xbox model at CES 2020 and was very amused when I learned of its origin. Last year, Origin designed a desktop called the "Big O" with an idea in mind. This one-of-a-kind machine combines a gaming PC with parts from a PS4, Xbox One, and Switch to create a 4-in-1 system that can play almost any console or PC game currently available.

Origin assumed that everyone would enjoy this little experiment. The company did not realize how many people would actually flood its offices with calls wanting to purchase one.

While combining a gaming PC with three systems is not economically feasible for the average user, combining a gaming PC with one console actually turned out to be not so bad. So users can now customize their own Big O on Origin's website, with a choice of CPU, GPU, RAM, and other standard PC parts, as well as either a PS4 or Xbox One.

Origin representatives explained that while the Big O is not for everyone, it fills two particular niches very nicely: first, it is for gamers who want a living room setup but don't have a lot of space, and second, it is for gamers who want to have their own personal computer, but don't have much space. Placing one slightly larger PC is much, much easier than making room for a large, vertical PC and a large, horizontal gaming console.

The second use case is more interesting: one of the customization options that can be added to the Big O is a built-in capture card. So if you want to stream from a console, there is no need to set up a complicated daisy chain; simply boot up both the Big O console and the PC, launch the capture software, and broadcast to the world. There is enough built-in cooling to use both systems simultaneously. Additionally, since both systems are built into one setup, there is little risk of malfunction or misidentification.

Origin representatives stated that this setup may be particularly suitable for young streamers who want to expand their broadcasting skills but do not necessarily have the technical knowledge necessary to build complex streaming setups.

Origin had both PS4 and Xbox One models running at CES, but only the Xbox One model was connected to a monitor. As such, I spent a few minutes getting a feel for Big O on Forza Horizon 4. The game played equally well on the other Xbox One models. To build each Big O model, Origin simply purchased a PS4 and an Xbox One, disassembled them, and placed them in a chassis with a standard gaming PC.

According to Origin representatives, integrating the PS4 components was quite difficult, at least initially: the PS4 motherboard does not separate cleanly from the chassis, making it difficult to place the PS4 parts without compromising functionality. Over time, however, the company has become accustomed to the peculiarities of the PS4 and can now create desktops incorporating both game consoles in a relatively equivalent process.

One disappointment was that Forza ran at 1080p resolution; the PS4 Pro supports 4K resolution, while the Xbox One S does not.

Origin representatives explained that this is at least partially because they do not expect the Xbox One version to necessarily sell huge numbers of copies. Since most Xbox One games can also be played on a PC, it would be quite redundant to install an Xbox One with a gaming rig. The PS4, on the other hand, boasts many exclusive titles and features and is a perfect match for a powerful gaming computer.

Big O is available now, but can be quite expensive depending on what parts you use. The most expensive setup I was able to make was $8,015, before I got into the peripherals.

Also keep in mind that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will likely be released later this year, making the PS4 and Xbox One less useful.

Be sure to check out our CES 2020 hub for the latest news and hands-on impressions from Las Vegas.