KFC Console: everything you need to know
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The KFC console caught the attention of gamers and fried chicken aficionados everywhere upon its unveiling, and it’s easy to see why.
First announced in December 2020, not only was the novelty of a fast food manufacturer building a console completely unexpected – and downright hilarious – but the KFC console promised to keep your takeout hot while gaming, thanks to its built-in chicken chamber.
Created in collaboration with PC hardware manufacturer Cooler Master, the KFConsole, as it’s officially called, was initially teased in June 2020. The mere idea of a console being made by KFC caused a frenzy on social media, eventually leading to the vendors of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which further develops the concept.
However, since the announcement of the KFC Console, details are scarce. It’s still unclear if the console will see the light of day at all, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t piqued our interest. After all, we’ve seen crazier things happen in the video game industry over the years.
Microsoft has since made the Xbox Series X meme a reality and released an Xbox Mini fridge, so the prospect of playing on a bucket-shaped gaming PC that keeps food nice and warm isn’t beyond the realm of our imaginations, we think. If you’re hungry to learn more about the KFC console, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the elusive fast-food slot machine that promises to be finger-licking good.
KFC Console: Get to the point
- What is it? A game console from KFC. no seriously
- How much is it? Probably over 20 KFC Party Buckets
- When will it be released? Probably never. No release date has been given.
KFC Console price and release date
KFC has never announced a price or release date for the KFC console, but we can guess how much the system could cost based on the specs, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
The console is said to be a bespoke mini gaming PC – and those don’t come cheap. KFC also said the system is capable of running the latest titles in “stunning 4K, 240fps,” though that’s clearly an exaggeration. That figure is based on the console that says ‘I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A good dating simulator to lick your fingers off. So yes, take that claim with a pinch of eleven herbs and spices, if you will.
Either way, we expect to roughly part with it at least $600 / £600 if the KFC console is ever released, with different SKUs potentially available at different price ranges. That’s over 20 KFC party buckets, to put it in a chicken-based perspective, and would be higher than the price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, which are $499 / £449 respectively.
In any case, that assumes it will be released. Since its announcement in 2020, we’ve heard no further details and we’re now in August 2022. Given the nature of this hardware, it seems unlikely that this KFC console will ever see the light of day as it stands today.
KFC Console Specifications
The Bargain-Bucket-shaped machine is apparently capable of chewing through the latest games, though many of the KFC console’s specs, like pricing and release date, are still a firm secret.
The console promises to use a top-end Intel CPU, the Intel Nux 9 Extreme Compute Element, an ASUS-powered hot-swappable mini-GPU, and two Seagate BarraCuda 1TB NVMe SSDs. Mini-GPUs can’t offer the same performance as their bigger brothers, but depending on the size of the KFC console, they may be able to fit a more powerful card.
Of course, there’s also the unique selling point of the KFC console, which is the world’s first built-in chicken room. The chamber ensures that your chicken never gets cold as the patented compartment uses the system’s natural heat and airflow to keep things warm.
KFC Console design
Take a look at the KFConsole and what do you see? That’s right, it’s shaped like the company’s famous bucket and is based on a modified version of Cooler Master’s NC100 chassis. There’s a power button on the front of the device, along with a large compartment that we can only assume can be opened (somehow) so you can put your fried chicken inside.
The underside of the console appears to have some kind of RGB lighting, which is red to match the console’s sleek aesthetic. We wouldn’t be surprised if the RGB is customizable though, as that’s a pretty standard feature for modern gaming PCs. That, and one color is never enough for most gamers these days, especially those who take pride in their machine’s aesthetics.
Is the KFC console real?
That’s the question on everyone’s lips (probably along with some KFC gravy), but the chances of the console ever hitting the market are relatively slim. There’s a big difference between creating a concept and manufacturing a device like this, especially as the global semiconductor crisis continues to hit Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo when it comes to delivery.
On the other hand, chicken room aside, the KFC console is essentially just an ATX PC with ready-made components inside. The most difficult element after pinning down the necessary parts would be to create the custom case and ensure that the system does indeed keep your fried meat warm as promised. It’s also not like KFC has to produce its own silicon and SOC (system on chip).
Can I pre-order the KFC console?
Unfortunately not. KFC hasn’t announced a price or release date for its ambitious system, and we’re honestly not sure it’ll even become a real product in the future. Yet we are already crossing our fingers and toes that it does indeed happen. I mean, who wouldn’t want a machine that keeps fried chicken warm and offers incredible gaming performance? Precisely.