System Builder Marathon, June 2011: The Articles
Here are links to each of the five articles in this month’s System Builder Marathon (we’ll update them as each story is published). And remember, these systems are all being given away at the end of the marathon.
To enter the giveaway, please fill out this Google form, and be sure to read the complete rules before entering!
Day 1: The $2000 Performance PC
Day 2: The $1000 Enthusiast PC
Day 3: The $500 Gaming PC
Day 4: Performance And Value, Dissected
Day 5: Tom's Hand-Picked SuperCombo
Introduction
This quarter we’re staying close to the formula we used to put together our previous $1000 system, with one major change: dual graphics cards instead of a single Radeon HD 6950. It will be interesting to see how a couple of mid-range cards operating in tandem stand up to our last effort, considering we were able to unlock that board's artificially-disabled APUs and overclock it to specifications almost identical to a real Radeon HD 6970.
Of course two mid-range boards are more expensive than a single high-end card, so we have to choose a few components that don’t cost as much as the ones we used last time in order to keep the price close to the $1000 target.
Here’s our shopping list:
| $1000 Enthusiast System Components | ||
|---|---|---|
| Motherboard | MSI P67A-G43 LGA 1155, Intel P67 chipset | $125 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3 GHz (3.7 GHz Turbo), Quad-Core, 6 MB L3 Cache | $220 |
| CPU Cooler | Xigmatek Loki SD963 | $25 |
| Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) 240-Pin DDR3-1333 Dual-Channel Desktop Memory Kit | $55 |
| Graphics | 2 x Gigabyte Radeon HD 6850 1 GB GDDR5 | $340 |
| Hard Drives | Western Digital Caviar Black 750 GB 750 GB, 7200 RPM, 32 MB Cache SATA 3Gb/s | $70 |
| Optical | LG GH22MS70 22x DVD Burner | $20 |
| Case | Xclio Nighthawk | $55 |
| Power | Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650 W ATX12V, EPS12V, 80 PLUS-Certified | $90 |
| Total Cost | $991 | |
- System Builder Marathon: $1000 Enthusiast System
- CPU, Motherboard, And Cooler
- Video Cards, Power Supply, And Case
- Memory, Hard Drive, And Optical Drive
- Assembly And Overclocking
- Test System And Benchmarks
- Benchmark Results: Synthetics
- Benchmark Results: Media Encoding Applications
- Benchmark Results: 2D And 3D Graphics Apps
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Benchmark Results: Crysis And Just Cause 2
- Benchmark Results: Metro 2033 And F1 2010
- Power And Temperature Benchmarks
- Conclusion
Well, looking into my tarot cards and crystal ball, I see It peaks at 400W at full load. So yeah, I think 650W may be a bit of an overkill.
Two 6870's would stomp the 6850's, and you would literally spend the same, if not a measly $10 more.
Well, looking into my tarot cards and crystal ball, I see It peaks at 400W at full load. So yeah, I think 650W may be a bit of an overkill.
Should read $2000 pc.
Why would it be overkill? Its the kind of headroom you should have so your not straining the psu. Sure you could get away with less, but for a few dollars more than a 500w unit you can get a 650w. Its perfectly balanced and leaves room for upgrade. Its good to see what 2 6850's can do but i think if I were building this PC i would chose a faster single card and upgrade to dual cards later.
Yes. There is a misconception that rigs need over-sized power supplies. I have a Core i7 875k and a Radeon HD5850 running on a 400 Watt power-supply. Is it pushing it? Yes, if I clock it to 4.2 GHz and run Furmark and Prime95 none stop...
No if I run Furmark and Prime95 at 3.33 GHz, and definitely no for any realistic workloads.
Why did I get a 400 watt power-supply? Because it is darn silent and was recommended on Silent PC Review for "budget" power-supplies. (Bare in mind that "normal" are gold SeaSonics)
Because he was asking if 650W was enough, when all he had to do was look at the chart and clearly see the 399W max system (CPU+GPU) load.
So essentially, for that system, the 650W is more than enough, and ...effectively an "Overkill".
+1
Yes
2x 6+2 pci-e connectors
Card uses 1x 6pin connector each
I was under the impression that each requires at least 2 connectors because my toxic version requires 1x 6+2 and 1x 6
my powercolour 6850 has 1 connector and so do most of them.
"I have a Core i7 875k and a Radeon HD5850 running on a 400 Watt power-supply" - wouldnt try that on a diablotek 400w.
My guess is that the $2k cooler couldn't fit in the $1K cooler case. The Nighthawk is an inch narrower and the Loki is an inch shorter. There are still a few good cases which should work with the 120 mm fan.