System Builder Marathon: Day One
Features
By
Don Woligroski
Published
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Component Table
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| System Hardware | |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Athlon X2 3800+ AM2, 2.00 GHz, 1000 FSB, 1 MB Cache |
| Motherboard | MSI K9N4 Ultra-F, BIOS: 1.6 (03/21/2007) |
| RAM | Wintec AMPO PC2-64001024 MB, CAS 5-5-5-16 |
| Hard Drive | Samsung HD160JJ - P80SD160 GB, 7200 RPM, 8 MB Cache, SATA 300 |
| Networking | NVIDIA nForce onboard Gigabit Ethernet NIC |
| Graphics Cards | Card 1: XFX GeForce 7600 GTGPU: 580 MHzRAM: 256 MB 1500 MHz |
| Power Supply | Aero Cool Zerodba 620W Crossfire/SLI ready |
| System Software & Drivers | |
| OS | Microsoft Windows XP Pro 5.1.2600 |
| DirectX Version | 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904) |
| Platform Driver | AMD INF 1.2.2.0 |
| Graphics Driver | 6.14.10.9371 - nVIDIA ForceWare 93.71 |
Test System & Benchmarks
We'll be doing a separate article about each of the PC's we're building: the low-cost PC, midrange PC, and high-end PC. In a fourth article that ties them all together, we'll be comparing benchmark results from the three systems.
For now however, let's have a quick look at our benchmark settings and the results we got from the low-cost PC.
Settings
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Benchmarks and Settings | |
|---|---|
| 3D-Games | |
| F.E.A.R | Version: 1.0 RetailVideo Mode: 1024x768Computer: MaximumGraphics: Maximum-Custom-No SoftshadowsTest Path: Options/Performance/Test Settings |
| Doom 3 | Version: 1.3Video Mode: 1024x768Graphics: HighTest: Time Demo 1 |
| Oblivion | Version: 1.0 RetailVideo Mode: 1024x768Graphics: High, 4xAATest: Inside & Outside save files |
| Audio | |
| Lame MP3 | Version 3.97 Beta 2 (12-22-2005)Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 minwave to mp3160 kbps |
| OGG | Version 1.1.2 (Intel P4 MOD)Version 1.1.2 (Intel AMD MOD)Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 minwave to oggQuality: 5 |
| Video | |
| TMPEG 3.0 Express | Version: 3.0.4.24 (no Audio)fist 5 Minutes DVD Terminator 2 SE (704x576) 16:9Multithreading by rendering |
| DivX 6.1 | Version: 6.1Profile: High Definition Profile1-pass, 3000 kbit/sEncoding mode: Insane QualityEnhanced multithreadingno Audio |
| XviD 1.1.0 | Version: 1.1.0 Beta 2Target qantizer: 1.00 |
| Applications | |
| Autodesk 3D Studio Max | Version: 8.0Characters "Dragon_Charater_rig"rendering HTDV 1920x1080 & 1280x720 |
| Synthetics | |
| SPECviewperf 9 | Version: 9.0.3 |
| PCMark05 Pro | Version: 1.1.0System, CPU and Memory TestsWindows Media Player 10.00.00.3646Windows Media Encoder 9.00.00.2980 |
| 3DMark05 | Version: 1.2System Test Only |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2005 | Version 2005.7.10.60CPU Test = Arithmetic, Multimedia BenchmarksMemory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
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Contributor
Don Woligroski was a former senior hardware editor for Tom's Hardware. He has covered a wide range of PC hardware topics, including CPUs, GPUs, system building, and emerging technologies.
1 Comment
Comment from the forums
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I built the May 8, 2007 $500 system and was well pleased with it. I went with 2 GB ram but the rest was from the article. In 2011, the video card died from ruptured capacitors. I really miss that card as it was impressive.Reply
Now, I am considering going with 4 GB ram and upgrading the power supply to support a 22 amp video card. Maybe a processor upgrade also.