System Builder Marathon, Q1 2013: $800 Enthusiast PC
CPU, Motherboard, And Cooler
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K
This is the staple component of our $800 system, and we'd frankly need a lot more money in our budget to even consider a pricier Core i7. Fortunately, this K-series SKU is multiplier-unlocked, giving me a significant differentiator that Paul's $600 box does not enjoy.
Read Customer Reviews of Intel's Core i5-3570K
Selling for $230, the Core i5-3570K might be challenged by AMD's $200 FX-8350 at it stock clock rates in threaded applications (albeit at much higher power consumption. When overclocking is an option, however, this Intel chip is in a league of its own.
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro3
Read Customer Reviews of ASRock's Z77 Pro3
Our smaller budget means we have less flexibility when it comes to platform selection. Thankfully, ASRock sells a number of value-oriented options designed for enthusiasts. The Z77 Pro3 has all of the BIOS settings needed for serious overclocking attempts, but at a reasonable $90 price tag.
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It's pure coincidence that this platform is so similar to the Z75-based board Paul chose in yesterday's story; we don't compare notes before making our selections.
CPU Cooler: Rosewill RCX-ZAIO 92
Read Customer Reviews of Rosewill's RCX-ZAIO-92
We reviewed Rosewill's inexpensive RCX-ZAIO-92 back in 2010 (Roundup: Six Sub-$40 Performance CPU Coolers Compared). It performed well in that story, particularly at its low price point.
Given a lower budget today, we thought it'd be a perfect time to try this third-party solution once again. The RCX-ZAIO-92 only adds $15 to our total cost.
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DragonClaw The table outlining the components of the build. It should read 800$ and not 1000$, I think?Reply -
abbadon_34 guessed they reused the previous template, sure it'll be fixed soon and people will wonder what we're talking aboutReply -
mayankleoboy1 Although we're going to miss the snappy boot-up times and almost-instant application launches the solid-state drive enabled, we probably won't be penalized too much in the benchmark results.
And therein lies the problem with benchmarks.
An enthusiast PC, without a SSD boot drive? -
manitoublack That's a great value PC there. Would be hard pressed to think of a more compelling combination for the money. Well done.Reply
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qTrueno The heat sink breaks easily but it is a good cheap solution, as long it doesn't break.Reply -
ipwn3r456 If this machine were at $1000 budget, might as well add a 128GB SSD, and replace the HD 7870 to a HD 7950.Reply -
dudewitbow ipwn3r456If this machine were at $1000 budget, might as well add a 128GB SSD, and replace the HD 7870 to a HD 7950.Reply
there would be marginal performance boost from switching from a 7870 LE(nerfed 7950, heck can call it a 7930 and it would be partially correct in a way) to an actual 7950. Though its likely the outcome for the 1k budget coming up next. -
abhijitkalyane I really wasn't expecting the AMD chip to be so close to the i5. I'm a bit surprised. The power consumption figures look bad for the FX though.Reply