Systems setup and notes
| System name | Scan 3XS SLI 480 OC PC | HEXUS high-end enthusiast system (Q2 2009) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i7 920 @ 4.0GHz | Intel Core i7 930 @ 4.0GHz |
| Cooler | Prolimatech Megahalems Super 6 | Thermalright TRUE |
| Motherboard | ASUS P6TD Deluxe | ASUS P6X58D Premium |
| Memory | Corsair DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 | Corsair DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 |
| Memory timings and speed | 8-8-8-20-1T
@ 1,600MHz |
8-8-8-20-1T @ 1,600MHz |
| Graphics card(s) | 2 x ASUS GeForce GTX 480 | 2 x Radeon HD 5870 1,024MB |
| Graphics driver | ForceWare 197.17 | Catalyst 10.3 |
| Disk drive(s) | Corsair
Nova V128 SSD 2 x 1TB Samsung F3 in RAID1 |
Corsair
Nova V128 SSD 1TB Seagate 7200.12 |
| Optical drive(s) | LG GGW-H20L Blu-ray/HD DVD writer | Pioneer BDR-205BK Blu-ray writer |
| Chassis and PSU | SilverStone Temjin TJ09 and Corsair HX 1,000W | Corsair Obsidian 700D and Corsair HX 1,000W |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit | Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit |
| Warranty | One year (hardware), return to base, parts and labour | None |
| Notable extras | Overclocked CPU, twin GeForce GTX 480s | Radeon-oriented system |
| Base unit price, including VAT | £2,749, including VAT | £2,200,
including VAT (no
warranty) |
| Benchmarks | PCMark Vantage
b1.0.1 HEXUS.PiFast calculation to 10m places CINEBENCH R11.5 multi-CPU, 64-bit Bibble v5.02 image-processing benchmark - 200 photos x264 HD v3.0 media-encoding benchmark - both passes noted DiRT 2 v1.1, London map - ultra quality Battlefield: Bad Company 2 v523648 - FRAPS-recorded benchmark Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - FRAPS-recorded benchmark Power-draw, heat, and noise tests |
|---|
Notes
We've knocked up a comparison system that features much of our current high-end testbed. The obvious differences are a) the use of two Radeon HD 5870 cards in CrossFireX b) a higher-specified motherboard in the P6X58D Premium c) housing in a larger Corsair Obsidian 700D chassis d) the use of Windows 7 Ultimate, although one can remove £90 of the system cost if using Home Premium 64-bit.Performance will be fast on both machines, naturally, so we're rather more concerned with the power and noise characteristics of both.
