System Builder Marathon, March 2010: $750 Gaming PC

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Test System Configuration And Benchmarks

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Component Base Settings Overclock Setting
CPU AMD Athlon II X3 435 (Rana), 2.90 GHz2,000 MHz HyperTransport Link, 2,000 MHz Northbridge, No L3 Cache 3 Cores: 3.668 GHz (14x 262 MHz)2,096 MHz HyperTransport Link, 2,620 MHz Northbridge4 Cores: 3.598 GHz (14 x 257 MHz)1,799 MHz Hyper-Threading Link, 2,570 MHz Northbridge
CPU Cooler Xigmatek HDT-SD964 Unchanged
Motherboard Gigabyte MA790GPT-UD3HAMD 790GX, BIOS F3 (09/16/2009) Unchanged
RAM  4GB G.Skill PC3-12800 F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL2 x 2,048MB, DDR3-1600, CL 9-9-9-24 at 1.6V DDR3-1396, CL 7-8-7-15 at 1.65VDDR3-1369, CL 7-8-7-15 at 1.65V
Graphics 2 x Sapphire 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB650 MHz GPU, 2,000 MHz Memory Data Rate 700MHz GPU, 2,360 MHz Memory-Data Rate
Hard Drive Western Digital Black WD6401AALS640GB, 7,200 RPM, 32MB Cache Unchanged
Sound Integrated 7.1-Channel HD Audio Unchanged
Network Integrated Gigabit Networking Unchanged
Power Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Unchanged
Optical LG Black 22X DVD Burner SATA Model GH22NS50 Unchanged
Software and Drivers
Operating System Windows 7 Ultimate Edition x64 Unchanged
Graphics Driver AMD Catalyst 10.2 Unchanged
Platform Driver AMD UD3 7-Series Utility 2.2 Unchanged
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Benchmark Configuration
3D Games
Crysis Patch 1.2.1, DirectX 10, 64-bit executable, benchmark toolTest Set 1: High Quality, No AATest Set 2: Very High Quality, No AA
Dirt 2 in-game benchmark, DirectX 9Test Set 1: High Quality, No AATest Set 2: Ultra Quality, 8x AA
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign, Act III, Second Sun (45 sec. FRAPS)Test Set 1: Highest Settings, No AATest Set 2: Highest Settings, 4x AA
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat Benchmark versionTest Set 1: High Preset, DirectX 10.1 EFDL, No AATest Set 2: Ultra Preset, DirectX 10.1 EFDL, 4x MSAA
Audio/Video Encoding
iTunes Version:9.0.2.25 x64Audio CD ("Terminator II" SE), 53 minDefault format AAC
Handbrake 0.9.4 Version 0.9.4Convert first .vob file from "The Last Samurai" (1.0GB) to .mp4, High-Profile
TMPEGEnc 4.0 Xpress Version: 4.7.3.292Import File: "Terminator 2" SE DVD (5 Minutes)Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9
DivX 6.9.1 Encoding mode: Insane QualityEnhanced multithreading enabled using SSE4Quarter-pixel search
XviD 1.2.2 Display encoding status = off
MainConcept Reference 1.6.1 MPEG2 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
Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 Version: 11.0 x64, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV)
Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 Version: 9.0.663, Virus base: 270.14.1/2407, Benchmark: Scan 334MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files
WinRAR 3.90 Version x64 3.90, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334MB)
7-Zip Version 4.65: Format=Zip, Compression=Ultra, Method=Deflate, Dictionary Size=32KB, Word Size=128, Threads=8, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334MB)
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Version 11.0 Extended (64-bit)Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates filters
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings
3DMark Vantage Version: 1.0.2, GPU and CPU scores
PCMark Vantage Version: 1.0.1.0 x64, System, Productivity, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks
SiSoftware Sandra 2010 Version 2010.1.16.11, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark
134 Comments Comment from the forums
  • erdinger
    This system seams to be really potent. Good job!
    Reply
  • erdinger
    Good job. I Really like the system and I agree in nearly every decision.

    unlocking the forth core and still overclocking to 3.6Ghz is just great! I'm getting jealous because my 4th core is broken.

    I'm looking forward to the value comparison.
    Reply
  • cruiseoveride
    This is almost identical to my build. But I used 2nd hand parts, dual HD4870s and it worked out just less than $600.

    4 cores, 3.2Ghz, 13,000 3dmark points.

    Great bang-for-buck system.
    Reply
  • stray_gator
    Apart from a SBM entry, this article also provides reality check regarding the benefits of a fourth core. quite useful.
    Reply
  • jsowoc
    I find the value comparisons are usually (always?) that the least expensive computer has the most "value", followed closely by the middle computer, trailed by the most expensive setup.

    Would it be possible to make a 3-way comparison of systems at the same price (for example, $1000)? One could be an AMD-based system, another an Intel-based, and a third maybe a graphics-heavy monster, or a MicroATX system (to see how much performance you sacrifice to stay in $1000 and fit a small form factor).
    Reply
  • Otus
    What would by interesting is a round of "upgrade" builds. Set specific budgets for ungrades and add them on top of the hardware from a previous round. That would allow commentary on upgrade paths and also help builders of new rigs.
    Reply
  • shubham1401
    Wow!
    This processor is a beast for the price...Really Impressed
    Reply
  • Crashman
    jsowocI find the value comparisons are usually (always?) that the least expensive computer has the most "value", followed closely by the middle computer, trailed by the most expensive setup.Would it be possible to make a 3-way comparison of systems at the same price (for example, $1000)? One could be an AMD-based system, another an Intel-based, and a third maybe a graphics-heavy monster, or a MicroATX system (to see how much performance you sacrifice to stay in $1000 and fit a small form factor).
    Except for the CPU cooler, you usually sacrifice nothing to go Micro ATX. Tom's Hardware even did a micro-ATX SBM...where the Core i7 system sucked because it had to use the stock cooler. You can find semi-small micro-ATX cases that fit mid-sized coolers.

    Antec also makes a MICRO ATX MID TOWER which REALLY sux since it misses the point of Micro ATX completely, so I don't want to hear about that one.

    And of course there's Micro ATX mini-towers with the same layout as full-ATX. You get all the performance of ATX and the big cooler, with a case that's around 14-15" tall.
    Reply
  • jsowoc
    CrashmanExcept for the CPU cooler, you usually sacrifice nothing to go Micro ATX. Tom's Hardware even did a micro-ATX SBM...where the Core i7 system sucked because it had to use the stock cooler. (...)
    My argument was not that they should do a $500-$1000-$2000 comparison of uATX builds - they did this. I was suggesting doing a $1000intel - $1000amd - $1000uATX comparison.
    Reply
  • tigerwraith
    I still dont understand why they went with 2 gfx cards. Ive seen in a lot of reviews that even the newest games dont always work right off the bat when using Crossfire or SLi, So why not spend the money on a 5770 for this. You get DX 11, Dual to Triple moniters, and passthrough. So say you wanted to build a budget HTPC that could game Id have went with the 5770 or 5830 not only would that be a great cpu to watch on a HDTV but you would only need the HDMI cable to run everything.
    Reply