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System Builder Marathon: $2,500 Enthusiast PC

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Benchmark Results: Audio/Video Encoding

Apple iTunes gains nothing from the new architecture of our $2,500 Core i7 build and instead favors the slightly higher clock speed of the former $4,500 Core 2 Quad system.

Core i7 edges out Core 2 technology in Lame MP3 encoding.

All three video encoding tests heavily favor the $2,500 PC’s Core i7 architecture. TMPGEnc has always shown its preference for better memory performance, and these results indicate that Mainconcept has similar preferences.

158 Comments Comment from the forums
  • tipmen 31 December 2008 17:08
    First
    LG GGC-H20LK 6X Blu-Ray/HD DVD-ROM, 16X DVD±RW for $23??? you mean 223?
    Reply
  • douglesso 31 December 2008 17:10
    Thanks for the fantastic information and detailed analysis. I just ordered the same motherboard and video card last week for my new build. Glad to see that holding out for the i7 was a worthwhile wait.
    Reply
  • tipmen 31 December 2008 17:12
    Sorry couldn't read my comment but nice blbuild by the way nice to see this. Hlaf the price and more performance.
    Reply
  • Ph0X 31 December 2008 17:45
    This is... really.. Wow.
    I'm not big in hardware, but this is just, WOW...

    There's 3SLI GTX260, 3 x 1TB, Bluray WRITER!, but it doesn't even have 6gb ram!!?

    That's just lame. Imo maybe get raptors / SSD instead? Also, Instead of 3SLI, just get a 4870x2. You will maybe get 2-3FPS less, but instead get 6gb ram and i7 940, and I'm pretty sure that will also boost your fps.

    Again, I'm not a hardware pro, but I'm pretty sure my thing would be way better.
    Reply
  • 31 December 2008 18:02
    Total price is off. Should be something like 2,447 and not 2,247
    Reply
  • kelfen 31 December 2008 18:04
    Ph0XThis is... really.. Wow.I'm not big in hardware, but this is just, WOW...There's 3SLI GTX260, 3 x 1TB, Bluray WRITER!, but it doesn't even have 6gb ram!!?That's just lame. Imo maybe get raptors / SSD instead? Also, Instead of 3SLI, just get a 4870x2. You will maybe get 2-3FPS less, but instead get 6gb ram and i7 940, and I'm pretty sure that will also boost your fps.Again, I'm not a hardware pro, but I'm pretty sure my thing would be way better.+1
    Reply
  • kelfen 31 December 2008 18:17
    except the cpu is fine because of oc
    Reply
  • kelfen 31 December 2008 18:26
    antec twelve hundred
    Reply
  • dieseldre2k 31 December 2008 19:12
    appreciate the article but i would drop the third HD (keep the other 2 in RAID) and use the extra money to get 6 gigs of ram instead. i'd also be wary of the scaling on 3 video cards but i dont know enough about that, plus i'm sure u guys were trying to use up all $2,500.
    Reply
  • thomasxstewart 31 December 2008 19:54
    Lastly, GTX 295 in 3 way sli should hit 38,000 in 3D Vantage. Thats ALL Folks.


    Signed:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART von DRASHEK M.D.
    Reply