System Builder Marathon, June 2011: $2000 Performance PC

By Thomas Soderstrom
published

Motherboard And Case

We put the two big changes up front in today’s build.

Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme4

A simple PCIe bridge was enough to put ASRock’s Z68 Extreme4 far above its competitors in our recent roundup, and even earned it an award following hotly-contested races in both performance and overclocking. That PCIe bridge made this the only board in the competition that could support an upgrade to three-way CrossFire without sacrificing a slew of on-board features, compared to its competitor’s configuration that shed functionality in a three-way graphics setup.

Read Customer Reviews of ASRock's Z68 Extreme4

While we chose not to use the four-lane slot for today’s test, we still wanted the system to provide our giveaway winner the option to do so later. Of course, they’d need an eight-slot case for that.

Case: Lian-Li PC-9F

Our case needs were fairly specific: at least two 120 mm intake fans must deliver air to the graphics cards and GPU cooler before the air exits the graphics card and rear-panel exhaust. A single 180 mm fan would also work, but anything smaller would not. Antec’s low-cost Three Hundred Illusion filled that role admirably in the past, but we also needed eight slots this time. The newer One Hundred has the extra slot, but lacks the quality materials used in the Three Hundred.

Stepping down from a good $65 case wasn’t an acceptable option for our $2000 build, so we decided to step up.

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Read Customer Reviews of Lian-Li's PC-9F

The PC-9F increases fan size to 140 mm, while partly blocking that extra airflow with a sideways drive cage that makes installation easier. It also gets rid of the flashy LEDs to draw more attention to its brushed aluminum finish.

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The PC-9F doesn’t include a top fan like the Antec Three Hundred, but it does have a mount for one. Removing a brushed-aluminum filler panel allows an included mesh fan cover to be installed in its place, but we didn’t even bother to order a separate fan for this location. This builder believes that a good rear-panel fan is the best solution for the removal of CPU heat from the case, and kept his fingers crossed that the included rear-panel fan would be good enough.

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.
115 Comments Comment from the forums
  • regenon
    I gess u wanted to say:
    A pair of Radeon HD 6950s beats a pair of GeForce GTX 570s at our 2560x1600 target resolution, and the HD 6970 is even faster.
    Reply
  • Tamz_msc
    Finally you made a decent choice regarding the case. I could not believe you went with the Antec 300s on previous builds of this category.
    Reply
  • buzznut
    I agree, though some may care less for what's on the outside I can't see putting together a $2000 PC with a 50 dolla case.
    Reply
  • Yes, I am pleased to see a classy looking Lian Li case being used and not one of those gargoyle-inspired transformer-looking abominations that appeal only to google-eyed children and pimply-faced teenagers. That an adult might actually purchase that sort of monstrosity damped my hope for the future of the supposedly mature population of this world!
    Reply
  • amk09
    I would do anything to get a rig like this, sucks growing up in a poor family :(
    Reply
  • hmp_goose
    So it's now considered "safe" to RAID 0 SSDs? I thought Tom's once had a big "here be dragons" label for that practice …
    Reply
  • compton
    I too like the upgrade to a Lian Li. I didn't have a problem with the SBM method of fitting into a tightly constrained budget - but it's still good to see an attractive system as well as impressive performance. If someone is building a $2000 system, they can pony up a couple extra bucks for a better case. The System Builder Marathon is one of the best things going.
    Reply
  • dragonsqrrl
    Again, another great high-end build (very similar to previous build), and my only real complaint (albeit a small one) from the last $2000 system was also addressed, the case.

    Are you guys satisfied with your decision to go with a higher-end case? Have you noticed any tangible benefits? For example, lower system temps, better build quality, better cable management, more interior room to work, additional features, etc...?
    Reply
  • JohnnyLucky
    Great looking case. Looks better than my own Lian Li/Lancool Dragon Lord case.
    Reply
  • whysobluepandabear
    Todd SauveYes, I am pleased to see a classy looking Lian Li case being used and not one of those gargoyle-inspired transformer-looking abominations that appeal only to google-eyed children and pimply-faced teenagers. That an adult might actually purchase that sort of monstrosity damped my hope for the future of the supposedly mature population of this world!

    You give vivid details describing children and teenagers, but might I add something for the adults? Something like: "That a wrinkly, weaker and deteriorating adult might actually purchase". Something along those lines - we must make those adults look like old fuddy-duddies, whom are at the brink of a midlife crisis any moment now!
    Reply