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Reviewing the Cobra Gaming A56X felt like a relatively fresh experience. That’s largely because, given the current cost of modern components, even in previous builds, I often hesitate before recommending a system. But in this case, I’m genuinely tempted to suggest this PC right away. Why? Because chances are, it’s something you can actually afford.
Price and equipment
This PC is priced at around $800. And yes, it’s a fully assembled system from the Ukrainian brand Cobra Gaming, which has been around since 2020. Notably, it comes with a 40-month warranty – not just on individual components, but on the entire build as a whole.
The Cobra Gaming A56X – full model number A56X.16.S10.46.18641 – is delivered in the original case box. Inside the package, you’ll find additional cooler components, a Schuko C13 power cable, and manuals for all internal components. The PC itself is packed in rigid foam, which is standard for budget-friendly builds.
Cobra Gaming A56X components
Let’s start with the case. The 1stPlayer X5-3G6P-1G6 Black is a Mid-Tower model that’s commonly used by system integrators. It comes with three pre-installed 140 mm LED fans and one 120 mm fan. Part of its appeal lies in the inclusion of a pre-installed 750W power supply – also from 1stPlayer – though it lacks any official 80 Plus certification.
The processor in this build is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X – a 6-core, 12-thread CPU with boost clocks up to 4.7 GHz. While it’s a strong performer on the AM4 platform, it now sits just behind the Ryzen 5 5600X3D in terms of overall capability. Cooling is handled by the ID-Cooling SE-214-XT ARGB, a 120 mm air cooler rated for up to 180W of thermal dissipation. The motherboard is an MSI B550M Pro-VHD, paired with 16 GB of IRDM DDR4 RAM running at 3200 MHz.
Storage is handled by a 1TB Patriot P300 SSD, a PCIe 3.0 drive using TLC NAND, with read speeds of up to 3200 MB/s. As for the GPU, the system features a Palit Infinity 2 RTX 4060 with 8GB of VRAM. It’s part of the latest generation of graphics cards still offering 8GB of memory – an amount that remains adequate for Full HD gaming in most scenarios.
Testing
Even though this build is based on entry-level hardware and the now-aging AMD AM4 platform, there isn’t a single current game that requires more than what the Ryzen 5 5600X, RTX 4060, and 16 GB of RAM can deliver – even at the lowest settings.
Things may change next year, and for AAA games, you might need at least a different GPU or more RAM. However, this shouldn’t be much of an issue – DDR4 is quite affordable. The games were tested on medium settings at Full HD, with DLSS enabled where available. Below are the average FPS results:
- Strange Brigade: 275 FPS
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood: 208 FPS
- Counter-Strike 2: 348 FPS
- Far Cry 5: 136 FPS
- Cyberpunk 2077 no RTX + FSR: 139 FPS
- Cyberpunk 2077 RTX + DLSS: 63 FPS
- Skull and Bones: 137 FPS
Build, volume, temperatures
The Cobra Gaming A56X PC features detailed and high-quality cable management, using plenty of cable ties and keeping visible cables at the front to a minimum. However, it’s worth noting that in some places, the cable management is too meticulous, which puts considerable tension on the front panel connectors. Additionally, the 1stPlayer X5-3G6P-1G6 case lacks a dedicated hub for controlling lighting and fan speeds.
For instance, the RGB switch button is not only present but also placed separately from the reset button. However, it’s effectively non-functional, as it’s not connected to anything.
Overall, the Cobra Gaming A56X is a rather noisy pre-built system. The noise level can only be reduced by controlling the fans via DC mode in the BIOS. This is because the three included 1stPlayer G6-PLUS fans lack PWM control, so despite being on hydraulic bearings, they run at a constant speed of 1100 RPM.
The good news is that the noise from the front fans is loud enough that you won’t notice the noise from other components. Neither the 120mm fan on the CPU cooler nor the 120mm fan at the back of the case stand out. As for the GPU, the Palit Infinity 2 RTX 4060 8GB features a Zero RPM mode, so it’s virtually silent under low loads. Another positive aspect is the excellent airflow and the perforated front panel, which keep the PC’s temperatures well within acceptable limits. After running the AIDA64 stress test for both the CPU and GPU, the temperatures were 67°C and 62°C, respectively, with power consumption of 76W and 112W.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a BIOS Flashback button on the motherboard. We covered this feature in a previous article – I’d recommend giving it a read.
Future upgrade prospects
The main issue for future upgrades in the Cobra Gaming A56X could be the power supply, as it lacks any reliable certification. If you’re planning to stick with GPUs like the RTX 4060/5060 or at most the 5060 Ti, you shouldn’t run into any problems.
You can easily upgrade from the 6-core processor to a 12-core one, as the motherboard can handle it. Even X3D models will fit here, with the Ryzen 7 5700X3D being a particularly good choice. It costs about twice as much, but it still holds its ground as one of the best gaming CPUs from previous years. Its TDP is 105W.
It’s worth replacing the fans, at least the front ones, with models that support PWM control. Overall, the motherboard is fine, with the only drawback being the lack of any built-in Wi-Fi module. Fortunately, USB Wi-Fi 5 adapters with Bluetooth and a pair of antennas are available from around 500 UAH locally, and even cheaper on AliExpress. I actually used such an adapter to install the test games.
Conclusions
This pre-built system is a breath of fresh air, not just because of its affordable price and solid future prospects, but also due to the quality of its construction, thoughtful component selection, and a 40-month warranty. That’s why I can confidently recommend the Cobra Gaming A56X, at least for those who aren’t bothered by fan noise.
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