System Builder Marathon, March 2010: The Articles
Here are links to each of the four 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 check out this Google form, and be sure to read the complete rules before entering!
Day 1: The $3,000 Performance PC
Day 2: The $1,500 Enthusiast PC
Day 3: The $750 Gaming PC
Day 4: Performance And Value, Dissected
Introduction
The $700 PC in last December's System Builder Marathon was an attempt to get the highest overclocked performance we’ve seen from our value-priced system. Using just $92 dollars of our budget for a dual-core Intel processor and 92mm cooler meant $250 could be allocated towards a powerful pair of Radeon HD 4870 graphics cards. Skyrocketing DDR2 memory prices meant increasing the budget, dropping to 2GB of system RAM, or utilizing the cheapest 4GB kit of CL5 DDR2-800 available. While the final result was a successful boost to application performance and high-resolution gaming, there was still plenty of room left for improvement.
The former PC was, honestly, a bit out of balance, with too little of our budget going towards the processor and system RAM. In this round, we aim to improve the situation by utilizing a triple-core AMD Athlon II X3 435 and 4GB of high-speed DDR3 memory.
Gaming is still top priority for this system, so a single GeForce GTS 250, Radeon HD 5750, or even Radeon HD 5770 would offer nowhere near the level of performance we seek. Remaining Radeon HD 4870s are far too expensive for us to consider a pair again this month. But thankfully we have seen a reemergence of Radeon HD 4850s. Newegg carried six models for us to choose from, two of them priced at just $100.
While we have been criticized for going with dual GPUs in a value-oriented gaming machine, the fact remains that two Radeon HD 4850s offer far better performance than any single $200 GPU. To get this level of performance from a single graphics card with one GPU, you would need to spend about $100 more for a Radeon HD 5850. A well-designed $500-$600 gaming PC will more than likely sport just a single GPU, but an extra $100 or so can go a long way in terms of boosting gaming performance.
| Component | $750 Gaming PC Component Prices | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Athlon II X3 435 | $84 |
| CPU Cooler | Xigmatek HDT-SD964 | $22 |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-MA790GPT-UD3H | $105 |
| RAM | G.Skill Ripjaws 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL | $94 |
| Graphics | 2 x Sapphire 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB | $200 |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS, 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0 Gb/s | $75 |
| Sound | Integrated | 0 |
| Network | Integrated | 0 |
| Case | Antec Three Hundred Illusion | $60 |
| Power | Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W | $85 |
| Optical | LG Black 22X DVD Burner SATA Model GH22NS50 | $24 |
| Total Price | $749 |
The budget for this round had been set to $750 to combat the escalating cost of memory and graphics cards. Rather than solely focus on a price/performance ratio, we chose to use up the remaining funds and bump storage to the 640GB Western Digital Black hard drive. While some of these components have gone up in price, others are available for less, allowing this PC to be currently built for a few dollars cheaper.
- Finding Balance
- CPU And Cooler
- Motherboard And Memory
- Graphics Cards And Hard Drive
- Case, Power Supply, And Optical Drive
- Hardware Installation
- Overclocking
- Unlocking: Success!
- Test System Configuration And Benchmarks
- Benchmark Results: Synthetics
- Benchmark Results: Crysis
- Benchmark Results: Call Of Duty: MW2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, And DiRT 2
- Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Power Consumption, Performance Summary, And Efficiency
- Conclusion

I've thrown this out there before for a SBM, but a progressive upgrade SBM would be cool. Instead of 3 systems head to head, you start with one with the entry level budget. Bench it, then add $200 or so worth of upgrades, bench it. Rinse and repeat. Your first system might have a single GPU and need to spend a little more on a mobo for a dual ready mobo, but that's not really a deal breaker. Then add the second GPU and better cooling or whatever the article rules end up being.
You could also do something like they do on Top Gear (UK) and inherited some old systems and have to do the best you can to get them current.
Of all the SBMs, this entry model is by far my favorite.
Would it be possible to make a 3-way comparison of systems at the same price (for example, $1000)? One could be an AMD-based system, another an Intel-based, and a third maybe a graphics-heavy monster, or a MicroATX system (to see how much performance you sacrifice to stay in $1000 and fit a small form factor).
unlocking the forth core and still overclocking to 3.6Ghz is just great! I'm getting jealous because my 4th core is broken.
I'm looking forward to the value comparison.
4 cores, 3.2Ghz, 13,000 3dmark points.
Great bang-for-buck system.
Would it be possible to make a 3-way comparison of systems at the same price (for example, $1000)? One could be an AMD-based system, another an Intel-based, and a third maybe a graphics-heavy monster, or a MicroATX system (to see how much performance you sacrifice to stay in $1000 and fit a small form factor).
This processor is a beast for the price...Really Impressed
Except for the CPU cooler, you usually sacrifice nothing to go Micro ATX. Tom's Hardware even did a micro-ATX SBM...where the Core i7 system sucked because it had to use the stock cooler. You can find semi-small micro-ATX cases that fit mid-sized coolers.
Antec also makes a MICRO ATX MID TOWER which REALLY sux since it misses the point of Micro ATX completely, so I don't want to hear about that one.
And of course there's Micro ATX mini-towers with the same layout as full-ATX. You get all the performance of ATX and the big cooler, with a case that's around 14-15" tall.
My argument was not that they should do a $500-$1000-$2000 comparison of uATX builds - they did this. I was suggesting doing a $1000intel - $1000amd - $1000uATX comparison.
And IMO, this case just wasn't a good choice. Coolermaster has comparable cases for as much as $20 less. That 20 bucks would have landed you an x4 630 procc instead, which would be a much better choice for current and future gaming, when unlocking the 4th core in an x3 is always an uncertain affair.
Agreed. I have the same motherboard, case, hard drive but different G. Skill kit and a Radeon HD 5750 that benchmarks over 15,000 on 3DMark06(overclocked), 13,378 without overclocking.
My system also has a Phenom II BE 720 as it predates this processor I believe.
I've thrown this out there before for a SBM, but a progressive upgrade SBM would be cool. Instead of 3 systems head to head, you start with one with the entry level budget. Bench it, then add $200 or so worth of upgrades, bench it. Rinse and repeat. Your first system might have a single GPU and need to spend a little more on a mobo for a dual ready mobo, but that's not really a deal breaker. Then add the second GPU and better cooling or whatever the article rules end up being.
You could also do something like they do on Top Gear (UK) and inherited some old systems and have to do the best you can to get them current.
Of all the SBMs, this entry model is by far my favorite.
I do like the idea of finding a way to add upgradability to the SBM, or simply upgrades; e.g. start with three old Dells and throw $100, $200, and $500 at them, and see how much you can improve each one. No rules other than a strict budget; specifically mobo replacement IS allowed.
I also hope the excellent results here mean we will never again see a miserable e5x00 in another budget build.