Buying a PC, allowed to test it out, how should I test it to make sure everything works?

wolverinetree,

My favorite way to compare / model systems is to start Passmark Performance Test> Manage Baselines > Advanced Search and enter the components in each category. I tried this with your list:

CPU: i7-4930K
Graphics Card: GTX Titan Black
Drive: Any
Other: ASUS Rampage IV

Given the components listed were common high performance parts, I was sure there would be several listings with all these parts and there were 11 baselines corresponding to the list above:

Top System Rating = 6985
Top CPU:= 16612
Top 2D = 1051
Top 3D = 10899 (WOW)
Top Memory = 3467
Top Disk = 23445 ((WOW also)

All of these appeared as running at 3400MHz, so either they're not overclocked or Passmark runs the tests at the base clock speed.

The nice feature for you of the very high Disk score is that the score was achieved with a Samsung 840 Evo 250GB- the one system of the eleven using the 840 Evo 250GB. In my search I'd left the drive off the parameters so as to have more results. There is another system using an Evo 1TB and that disk score is 3710 (Rating = 4413). The very high score of 23445 is certainly a RAID 0 and may well be running off a high rate PCIe controller, like an LSI or Adaptec. With Passmark the 3D and Disk scores seem to be the most heavily weighted.

Anyway,, I think you get the idea and I'd suggest that if you get a test drive of the system, ask if you can load Passmark- there's a 30-day free trial- upload the results and compare in an Advanced Search.

From here, the proposed system looks like it has really excellent potential, especially with a RAID 0 on the Samsung Evo.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

HP z420 (2014) > Xeon E5-1620 quad core @ 3.6 / 3.8GHz > 24GB DDR3 ECC 1600 RAM > Quadro K2200 (4GB)> Samsung 840 SSD 250GB /Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > AE3000 USB WiFi > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H 2560 X 1440 > Windows 7 Ultimate 64 >
[ Passmark Rating = 4032 > CPU= 9247 / 2D= 821 / 3D=3263 / Mem= 2584 / Disk= 2470]

Dell Precision T5400 (2008) > 2X Xeon X5460 quad core @3.16GHz > 16GB DDR2 ECC 667> Quadro FX 4800 (1.5GB) > WD RE4 500GB / Seagate Barracuda 500GB > M-Audio 2496 Sound Card / Linksys 600N WiFi > HP 2711X, 27" 1920 X 1080 and and Dell 19" LCD > Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit >
[ Passmark system Rating = 1859, CPU = 8528 / 2D= 512 / 3D=1097]

Dell Precision 390 (2006): Xeon X3230 quad-core @ 2.67GHz > 8 GB DDR2 ECC 667 > Firepro V4900 (1GB) > 2X WD 320GB > Dell 24" 1920 X 1200 > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
[ Passmark system rating = 1458, CPU = 3699 / 2D= 431 / 3D=1350 / Mem= 885 / Disk=552]

2D, 3D CAD, Image Processing, Rendering, Text > Architecture, industrial design, graphic design, written projects

Download a burn a Hirens BootCD. Boot from that. Memtest, etc.

Also, for the OS...ensure you get the install media and the license key. When you get home. do a full reinstall. For your protection as well as his.