System Builder Marathon: TH's $2000 Hand-Picked Build

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Test Hardware Configurations
Row 0 - Cell 0 Alternative $2000 PCOriginal $2000 PC
Motherboard (Overclock)Gigabyte X58A-UD3R, Intel X58 Express, ICH10RO/C to 176 MHz BCLKGigabyte X58A-UD3R, Intel X58 Express, ICH10RO/C at 189 MHz BCLK
Processor (Overclock)Intel Core i7-950 3.06 GHz, Four Physical CoresO/C to to 4.05 GHz, 1.40 VIntel Core i7-950 3.06 GHz, Quad-CoreO/C to 4.35 GHz, 1.40 V
Memory (Overclock)6 GB Kingston DDR3-1600 CAS 7-8-7-20, UO/C at 1.65 V to DDR3-1760 CL 8-9-8-246 GB Mushkin DDR3-1333 CAS 9-9-9-24, U/C@1.60 V to DDR3-1133 CL 7-6-7-18
Graphics (Overclock)2 x Gigabyte HD 6870 1 GB 900 MHz GPU, GDDR5-4200O/C to 975 MHz, GDDR5-46802 x EVGA GTX-470 607 MHz, GDDR5-3348O/C to 702 MHz, GDDR5-3404
Hard Drive2 x A-Data S599 64GB SSD, Striped (128 GB Combined): MLC, SATA 3Gb/s
OpticalLite-On iHBS212 BD-RE 12x BD-R, 16x DVD±RLite-On iHBS112 BD-RE 12x BD-R, 16x DVD±R
CaseCorsair Graphite Series 600TSilverStone Fortress FT02B
PowerSeasonic SS-850HT: 850 W 80 PLUS SilverSilverStone ST85F-P 850 W Modular, 80 PLUS Silver
CPU CoolerProlimatech Megahalems Rev.B CM R4-BMBS-20PK-R0 120 mmProlimatech Megahalems Delta AFC1212D-PWM 120 mm
Software
OSMicrosoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64
GraphicsAMD Catalyst 10.12Nvidia GeForce 260.99
ChipsetIntel INF 9.1.2.1007Intel INF 9.1.2.1007
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Benchmark Configuration
3D Games
CrysisPatch 1.2.1, DirectX 10, 64-bit executable, benchmark tool Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Very High Quality, 8x AA
F1 2010V1.01, Run with -benchmark example_benchmark.xml Test Set 1: High Quality Preset, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 8x AA
Just Cause 2Version 1.0.0.2, Built-In Benchmark "Concrete Jungle" Test Set 1: Medium Details, No AA, 8x AF Test Set 2: Highest Details, 8x AA, 16x AF
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of PripyatCall Of Pripyat Benchmark version Test Set 1: High Preset, DX11 EFDL, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Preset, DX11 EFDL, 4x MSAA
Audio/Video Encoding
iTunesVersion:9.0.2.25 x64 Audio CD (Terminator II SE), 53 minutes Default format AAC
HandBrake 0.9.4Version 0.9.4, convert first .vob file from The Last Samurai (1 GB) to .mp4, High Profile
TMPGEnc 4.0 XPressVersion: 4.7.3.292 Import File: Terminator 2 SE DVD (5 Minutes) Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9
DivX Codec 6.9.1Encoding mode: Insane Quality Enhanced multithreading enabled using SSE4 Quarter-pixel search
Xvid 1.2.2Display encoding status = off
MainConcept Reference 1.6.1MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2), Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 KHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS)
Productivity
Adobe Photoshop CS4Version: 11.0 x64, Filter 15.7 MB TIF Image Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates
Autodesk 3ds Max 2010Version: 11.0 x64, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV)
Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 9.0Version: 9.0.663, Virus base: 270.14.1/2407, Benchmark: Scan 334 MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files
WinRAR 3.90Version x64 3.90, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB)
7-ZipVersion 4.65: Format=Zip, Compression=Ultra, Method=Deflate, Dictionary Size=32 KB, Word Size=128, Threads=8 Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB)
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings
3DMark VantageVersion: 1.0.1, No PPU
PCMark VantageVersion: 1.0.1.0 x64, System, Productivity, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks
SiSoftware Sandra 2010Version 2010.1.16.11, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
46 Comments Comment from the forums
  • dogman_1234
    Can't Wait untill Bulldozer and Sandy Brodge Editions come out. I know it sounds cliche but...
    Reply
  • Tamz_msc
    This is probably the best way of spending 2000$ for a PC.
    Reply
  • hardcore_gamer
    Performance / watt of this build is really impressive.
    Reply
  • A price table for the new build would be nice too, so i can see how much would it cost when i remove the BD and Case.
    Reply
  • gti88
    Tamz_mscThis is probably the best way of spending 2000$ for a PC.I don't think so, considering that cheaper and less power-hungry Sandy Bridge is coming.
    Reply
  • scook9
    gti88I don't think so, considering that cheaper and less power-hungry Sandy Bridge is coming.You forgot weaker ;)
    Reply
  • scrumworks
    Decent review but it seems that in nvidia setups, even the same CPUs can somehow overclock better. And the speed of RAM has negligible or no effect on overall system performance so no point tuning that component.
    Reply
  • Luay
    "Familiarity in overclocking and a third PCIe x16 graphics card slot that operates in x8 mode when occupied are two reasons why we chose the X58A-UD3R over the similarly-priced Asus Sabertooth X58."

    Ok, fine. Wouldn't hurt to familiarize anew with a better board and that 3rd slot wasn't used anyways. Megahalems over Noctua? Seasonic over Corsair AX? :(

    Or was it last minute budget cuts to make it less than $2000?
    Reply
  • nerrawg
    scrumworksDecent review but it seems that in nvidia setups, even the same CPUs can somehow overclock better. And the speed of RAM has negligible or no effect on overall system performance so no point tuning that component.
    What do you mean, this was the same model processor but not the same one. They got a new one for this build - so how does that show that the graphics have anything to do with the overclock? If anything it says exactly what is stated in the article, that the overclockability of the i7 950 varies between each sample quite a margin.

    NVidia or for that matter AMD graphics have no effect on the CPU overclock.
    Reply
  • -Fran-
    How does a Core i5 @~4.3Ghz or a Phenom II X6 @~4Ghz stack up against the Core i7? Well, that's using the same other components, 'cept RAM and MoBo :P

    I'd like to know that.

    Cheers!
    Reply