System Builder Marathon Q2 2015: $1600 Mini Performance PC
We’ve seen how far I can push a six-core Haswell-E in our full-sized performance build, but can the same performance level fit into a mini cube?
Comparison Systems
Here’s how the Q2 mini PC compares to its full-ATX sibling and my previous-quarter’s graphics-heavy build. Notice that both the Q2 ATX system and the Q1 SLI machine reached the same GPU overclock, which hardly seems like a coincidence, and that the Q1 is only handicapped by two factors: A 4-core CPU more appropriately picked for gaming, and a higher price that hurts it in the value comparison.
Header Cell - Column 0 | Q2 $1600 Mini Performance PC | Q2 $1600 Performance PC | Q1 $1750 Performance PC |
---|---|---|---|
Processor (Overclock) | Intel Core i7-5820K: 3.30 GHz - 3.60 GHz, Six Physical Cores O/C to 4.3GHz, 1.20V | Intel Core i7-5820K: 3.30 GHz - 3.60 GHz, Six Physical Cores O/C to 4.0-4.3GHz, 1.22V | Intel Core i7-4790K: 4.00 GHz - 4.40 GHz, Four Physical Cores O/C to 4.60-4.80 GHz, +20mV |
Graphics (Overclock) | PNY GTX 970: <1178 MHz GPU, GDDR5-7012 O/C to <1378 MHz, GDDR5-7512 | PNY GTX 970: <1178 MHz GPU, GDDR5-7012 O/C to <1328 MHz, GDDR5-7412 | 2x PNY GTX 970: <1178 MHz GPU, GDDR5-7012 O/C to <1328 MHz, GDDR5-7312 |
Memory (Overclock) | 16GB G.Skill DDR4-2400 CAS 15-15-15-35, O/C to DDR4-2666 CL 15-15-15-35, 1.325V | 16GB G.Skill DDR4-2666 CAS 15-15-15-35, O/C to DDR4-3200 CL 16-18-18-36, 1.30V | 16GB G.Skill DDR3-1866 CAS 10-11-10-28, O/C to DDR3-2133 CL 11-12-11-24, 1.60V |
Motherboard (Overclock) | ASRock X99E-ITX/ac: LGA 2011-v3, Intel X99Stock 100 MHz BCLK | MSI X99 SLI Plus: LGA 2011-v3, Intel X99Stock 100 MHz BCLK | Gigabyte Z97X-Gaming 5: LGA 1150, Intel Z97 ExpressStock 100 MHz BCLK |
Case | DIYPC HTPC-Cube-BK | ZALMAN Z11 Neo | Corsair Graphite 230T |
CPU Cooler | Corsair H60 Closed-Loop | Cooler Master Hyper 612 Ver.2 | Corsair H100i Closed-Loop |
Hard Drive | Samsung 850 Evo 250GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD | Samsung 850 Evo 250GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD | Crucial MX100 256GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD |
Power | Rosewill RG630-S12: 630W 80 PLUS Bronze | SeaSonic SSR-650RM: 650W, 80 PLUS Gold | Rosewill CAPSTONE-750: 750W, 80 PLUS Gold |
Software | |||
OS | Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 | Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 | Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 |
Graphics | Nvidia GeForce 352.86 | Nvidia GeForce 352.86 | Nvidia GeForce 347.25 |
Chipset | Intel INF 9.4.2.1019 | Intel INF 9.4.2.1019 | Intel INF 9.4.0.1026 |
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UltimateDeep Baby PC able to out-overclock the Papa PC, gosh, this shouldn't be happening but it did anyway!Reply -
RazberyBandit Tricky tricky tricky tricky!Reply
Relate to a younger generation? A reader would have to be at least 35-years old (and into Hip-Hop) to have gotten that reference...
You Be Illin' =) -
Crashman
I'm just fighting for your right to party. No need to take this on all by yourself, any more.16145478 said:Tricky tricky tricky tricky!
Relate to a younger generation? A reader would have to be at least 35-years old (and into Hip-Hop) to have gotten that reference...
You Be Illin' =)
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Aspiring techie Sweet. The mini itx form factor doesn't limit performance at this price level. I guess you learn something new every day :)Reply -
daveys93 "High-resolution performance might have been better still had that machine contained a pair of R9 290X cards rather than a pair of GTX 270s."Reply
Typo? I think you mean 970s. -
atheus Again you sacrifice cooling performance to pick up an optical drive. Are you being paid off by big optic...oil?Reply
Admit it, you just chose that motherboard because it lets you plug this bad boy in:
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Nythious It's about time people start realizing that smaller cases restrict the impact of ambient temperatures because the total air volume is recycled faster than larger cases.Reply