The cheapest system usually provides the most performance per dollar and this is where we usually issue a caveat about its performance not being up to the standards of high-end users. However, builder Paul Henningsen appears to have pulled a rabbit out of his hat this time by building a $750 gaming system that, by enabling the fourth core of its three-core AMD processor, has a broad range of capabilities.

Users who play Crysis or S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat at extreme settings might not be able to tolerate anything less than the overclocked $1,500 PC, but most other gamers will find the $750 build a superb value. Power users might be willing to fork over 3.7 times as much money to get our previously-defined 71% performance increase from the $3,000 PC, while anyone looking to split the difference will be more than happy with the overclocked $1,500 system’s 53% gain.
The bottom line is that the $750 PC doesn’t just win a trivial value analysis, but does so while reaching a level of performance that many enthusiasts will find acceptable. Yet the real winner is not the machine but its builder, as Paul Henningsen achieved a best value coup with AMD’s low-cost, overclockable, and unlockable Athlon II X3 435 processor. We wish anyone who copies his efforts similarly good fortune.
Of course, remember that we're giving all three of these machines away to lucky readers. If you haven't yet entered our contest, flip back to page one and make sure you're in the running!
- The Bigger They Come…
- Test Settings
- Benchmark Results: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Benchmark Results: Crysis
- Benchmark Results: DiRT 2
- Benchmark Results: S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat
- Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Benchmark Results: 3DMark And PCMark
- Benchmark Results: SiSoftware Sandra
- Power And Efficiency
- The Harder They Fall
A big +1 to Mr. Henningsen and the other builders.
But I would say that it should also go to AMD for giving such a CPU...
Low-Mid segment, AMD still rules in terms of value and performance...
Now I'm even more impressed with the Athlon II X3 435.
The 750$ Rig was the most impressive for me.
A big +1 to Mr. Henningsen and the other builders.
Now I'm even more impressed with the Athlon II X3 435.
The 750$ Rig was the most impressive for me.
Drop to a 500gb HDD and step up for the 1gb 4850s, and you have a very well balanced high power system with budget parts. Bravo Paul. Good showing Don and Tom.
But I would say that it should also go to AMD for giving such a CPU...
Low-Mid segment, AMD still rules in terms of value and performance...
On the subject of AVG, I'd leave it in the benchmarks as a valid example of a program a lot of people use, making its results relevant even if they look a little odd.
Antec 300 Illusion (same case)
Gygabyte GA-MA790GPT-UD3H (same motherboard)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS
G.Skill (2x2GB) DDR3 1333
AMD Phenom II X3 720
Sapphire Vapor-X Radeon HD 5750 (recently added)
Corsair 450VX
Samsung SH-S223B DVD Burner
At the time it cost slightly less, without OS and including the recently added Radeon HD 5750 totals $737.55
I have very similar benchmarks, slightly better actually and am very satisfied with the system. I have successfully unlocked the fourth core of the BE 720 and ran benchmarks after overclocking the processor and video card. It's an outstanding system for the price, more than I need. Actually I have locked back down the fourth core and do not keep it over-clocked as I don't do a lot of gaming.
Great work!
Probably for shipping purposes. Shipping as is would be iffy, and plus, this is a SYSTEM BULDERS marathon, so it wouldn't make since to send the pc built already
Usually I set for the 'enthusiast' build, but this marathon brought up a real champion of the masses with the 750 build.
With a little budget Paul achieved what should be the core of the SBM series: the best performance on a given budget.
Mind you: not awesome synthetics that almost never translate into real world performance, not best bang/buck with cramped performance... real value where it really matters.
Grats to Paul and here's to waiting for the next SBM, you've set a really high bar here, mister.
1) That $750 rig packs an impressive amount of power for something so inexpensive.
2) You actually get very, very little for the money jumping from $1500 to $3000.
Use your hsf money for a h50-1 corsair self contained water unit.
Build
Conquer
Relish and enjoy