Building a PC system requires many different components, one of the most obvious and important is the PC case. Testing equipment usually requires you to change components and have easy and quick access to the internals of your system. Open testbench cases are not something new, however, the latest Streacom BC1 product promises unparallel build quality, easiness, and somewhat affordable solution, that aims mainly for enthusiast and PC lovers as well. Today we will examine their latest proposal the BC1 V2 Bench Table.

The original Bench Table concept was first introduced back in June 2015 at Computex developing the prototypes used during the 2016 HWBOT World and then releasing the BC1 to the world later that year. To continue its develop, Streacom introduced the v1.1 back in 2018, while the V2 was released back in 2021. Streacom has an entire page mentioning the main changes compared with the previous versions so users should take a look if they want to see "what's new".

So what is the Streacom BC1 V2 Bench table? In short, it's an aluminum open table that can be assembled by users and has much freedom and usability for their needs. Streacom explains further

"...The BC1 is a collaboration between HWBOT, Overclocking-TV and Streacom to create a truly exceptional benchtable, one that redefines the product category and towers above current offerings in terms of portability, aesthetics, quality and design. It also forms the foundation of the Open Benchtable Project, a community-driven platform that will allow the benchtable to evolve over time through accessories and mods from third-party developers.

Being only 8mm thick and weighing a mere 1.75kg, the Open Benchtable is uniquely designed for travelling overclockers, enthusiasts and technical professionals who need put together a full open PC while on the road. It uniquely integrates all the components needed to quickly set up a benching or test platform including; standoffs, screws and brackets.

The entire BC1 is made of precision machined, anodized aluminium which offers fantastic rigidity while also being extremely lightweight. The body also features an integrated carry handle and has been ingeniously designed to incorporate the legs, standoffs, and brackets which all seamlessly stow within. This means no moving (or indeed rattling) parts when in transit.

The entire product uses thumbscrews meaning you won’t even need to bring your screwdriver with you. Motherboard standoffs include traditional and convenient pushpin options. The BC1 supports all form factor motherboards, plus up to four VGA cards. Integrated mounting brackets support system fans and radiators in a variety of configurations..."

To learn more about the Open Benchtable project, visit this website: openbenchtable.com

- Product features

AN UNRIVALED & INGENIOUS
 DESIGN The beauty of the BC1 (apart from how it looks) is the simple yet highly functional design. A key objective was portability, meaning it would need to occupy minimal space when not in use and be self-contained for ease of transport. The solution was to derive everything from a single body, integrating and incorporating all the parts so they could also be stored and occupy minimal space.

SIMPLE TO ASSEMBLE AND USE
At first sight the BC1 may look complicated or tedious to use but thanks to the toolless assembly and fully custom screws, assembly is a breeze. Once the feet are attached to the body all that remains is to add the standoffs in the appropriate locations depending on your motherboard size. Support for expansion cards, storage drives and cooling it achieved with more thumbscrews and the included brackets. With the use of its pushpin standoffs, no screws are required to secure the motherboard in place making it ideal for quick and easy hardware testing and swapping.

COMPREHENSIVE HARDWARE SUPPORT
You would be forgiven for thinking the compromises made to achieve such a portable product would leave it lacking in hardware compatibility. On the contrary, the BC1 has incredible hardware support thanks to its open platform design. The adjustable side bracket approach to mounting hardware also provides a wide range of support for cooling and other hardware to be mounted.

A VERSATILE APPROACH TO MOUNTING HARDWARE
With such a compact and minimal design, a different approach was needed to add support for cooling such as fans and radiators. The solution is side mounting brackets that pivot to adjust for different size fans. The V2 now features twice as many brackets that can either be combined to support longer screws and higher loads or split and use together at a single location or individually to add more mounting locations.

- The Package

Users can buy the BC1 V2 Bench Table directly from the Streacom website. The product costs around 175 Euro + shipping (around 25 Euro for Europe) and you can also select Laser Engraving (+6.5 Euro) at the bottom of the product to personalize your system. Users can add either logos or text to things before ordering. The BC1 V2 bench table can be ordered either for ATX or MiniATX format, even if we feel that the ATX product will fit most needs. Note that we actually paid for this product so all our thoughts are not affected or sponsored. There are three different colors for users to choose from, and all different variations have exactly the same price.

In our case, the product arrived 7 days after ordered via FedEx. The shipping package was very good with a lot of protection around the actual product so don't worry about transportation hazards. After unboxing the first box, you will get the main box, it comes from recycled paper and has the BC1 Openbenchtable sticker on the front

that is also wrapped to the back and secure the package.

There is a welcome message inside at the top left corner

Opening further the box unveils a carefully designed transportation carton box, there are protective foams to hold the main product in its place and of course, secure it down.

The main product has also a thin sheet of paper for more protection

In addition, we ordered our website URL to be laser engraved

At the back of the box, there are more foam inserts which further protect the main product.

After removing the transportation packaging, we can finally take a quick look at the main product. We can see an 8mm thick aluminum that weighs 1.75kg and it's actually all you need in order to assemble the bench table product. Each side is carefully designed to hold many different pieces and screws.

At the center, you will find the Π shaped legs which can be removed rather easily. For a full installation guide please take a look over the Streacom website, which offers an installation guide that will answer most of your questions.

At the top of the product, there is also an opening to handle the product.

At the back area, at the bottom users will find some product certification.

and nothing at the top.

More pictures below for your viewing pleasure