AVADirect Custom Gaming PC

Custom Gaming PC
$6,889.29 (as tested)
AVADirect
www.avadirect.com
CPUs: 4

Specs: CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme @ 4.7GHz; Motherboard: Evga X58 SLI Classified (X58 chipset); RAM: 6GB Corsair Dominator XMP DDR3-1600; HDDs: 1TB Samsung SpinPoint (x2; RAID 1), 30GB OCZ Vertex SSD (x4; RAID 0); GPUs: BFG GeForce GTX 295 (x2; Quad SLI), GeForce GTX 250; PSU: Corsair HX1000W; Optical Drive: LG GGW-H20L

The Custom Gaming PC features an automotive-grade coating of AVA-Direct’s Viper Blue, which is a nice complement to the smooth contours of Cooler Master’s Cosmos S case. And when you combine the reflective auto paint with the case’s bright silver handles, front-panel LCD, and large side-panel window, you’ve got a desktop that stands out from the pack, even among our dream PC competition.

The Custom Gaming PC offers a number of unique design elements. The first thing we noticed was the three graphics cards: two BFG Tech GeForce GTX 295s in Quad-SLI (factory overclocked) and one Nvidia GTX 250 for dedicated PhysX processing. AVADirect tells us that “true multithreaded games have yet to arrive, so any way to increase frame rates without increasing CPU load is optimal.” The Custom Gaming PC also features Swiftech’s cooling kits that pass liquid through three thermoelectric units, and the loops of green liquid add a “cool” (pun intended) look to the case.

At the front of the case, AVADirect added a 5.25-inch backplane that lets you hot-swap and lock four SSDs to save drive bay space as well as an Alpha Cool LCD (takes up two 5.25-inch bays) that AVA-Direct configured to display pertinent system information, such as free storage space and system temperature. The Custom Gaming PC was packed with hardware, but three high-speed AeroCool fans (one in front of the drive cage, one at the base of the case, and one rear exhaust) and the Swiftech liquid cooling did an excellent job of moving the heat out of the case. Other vendors did a better job of hiding the system cables, but there’s enough free space to work in the case. The Custom Gaming PC sent to us also featured several white cold-cathode lights to show off the hardware from the large side-panel window.

For our benchmarking purposes, AVA-Direct set up three overclock profiles (adds $230 to setup cost; AVADirect offers its mild overclocking service for free, while extreme overclocking will cost you $100) in the BIOS to provide quiet computing (4GHz), high all-around performance (4.4GHz), and best gaming (4.7GHz, Hyper-Threading disabled). We benchmarked using the third option, which produced 47.06fps in Far Cry 2 and 162.55fps (the highest frames per second of all our test systems) in Left 4 Dead. The high overclocks also put it into the top three scores in Dr. DivX, POV-Ray, and Cinebench 10. On the flip side, disabling Hyper-Threading brought down its 3DMark Vantage, PCMark Vantage, and SiSoftware Sandra scores. Of course, we could have simply switched profiles if we wanted to use a multithreaded application.

The Custom Gaming PC offers plenty of distinctive features and produced great gaming results at its 4.7GHz speed. We also thought AVADirect’s Viper Blue automotive paint was a nice touch.

Digital Storm Benchmark Crusher

Benchmark Crusher
$7,965 (as tested)
Digital Storm
www.digitalstormonline.com
CPUs: 4

Specs: CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme @ 4.4GHz; Motherboard: Evga X58 SLI Classified (X58 chipset); RAM: 6GB Mushkin Redline DDR3-1866; HDDs: 160GB Intel X25-M (x2; RAID 0), 2TB Western Digital Caviar Green; GPUs: Nvidia GeForce GTX 295 (x2; Quad SLI); PSU: PC Power & Cooling Turbo Cool 1200 ESA; Optical Drive: Lite-On iHES206

We have to give Digital Storm credit: We’ve seen three Benchmark Crusher systems, including this year’s entry, and have yet to see a single paint bubble, scratch, or adhesion error with its high-gloss automotive paint. The unit submitted this year also features Digital Storm’s color logo in raised lettering along both side panels and the top of the case. Digital Storm painted the exterior white, the interior black, and used black faceplates to create a desktop with attractive contrast.

Similar to last year’s entry, Digital Storm uses its FrostBite cooling that runs a single loop of liquid through three radiators, and Digital Storm overclocked the Core i7-975 Extreme to 4.4GHz. As part of Digital Storm’s Stage 2 overclocking package, the builder also installed a Corsair Airflow Fan above the northbridge cooler on Evga’s X58 SLI Classified motherboard. Digital Storm tells us that it does so to ensure that the motherboard runs cool and stable for the long term. In terms of airflow, Digital Storm uses a modified Silverstone Temjin with a 240mm fan in the center of the case to push outside air over the GTX 295 graphics cards. Two 120mm side-panel fans and a 120mm exhaust fan also help move hot air out of the case.

The Benchmark Crusher was one of two systems to offer Nvidia’s single-PCB GeForce GTX 295 reference boards, which deliver the same performance as the dual-PCB version but wouldn’t require as complex of loop to water-cool. The single-PCB GTX 295 in the Benchmark Crusher used Nvidia’s stock cooler setup. Between the two graphics cards, Digital Storm installed an X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional sound card. The hardware and liquid-cooling loops were nicely illuminated by white LEDs in the two side-panel fans and two white cold-cathode lights attached to the side panel. Overall, the Benchmark Crusher features a number of nice touches that you won’t find from every custom builder.

In terms of performance, the aptly titled Benchmark Crusher scored in the top three in five of PCMark Vantage’s tests, including first in TV & Movies, Communications, and Productivity. The Benchmark Crusher was also the fastest in WinRAR and in the top three in Sandra 2009’s Processor Algorithm and Memory Bandwidth tests.

The blemishes on the Benchmark Crusher’s scores were in our games tests, where the stock-clocked Nvidia GeForce GTX 295s lagged slightly behind the competition’s factory- and vendor-overclocked graphics cards. Digital Storm can also overclock (at a cost, as with the processor overclocks) the graphics processors and memory in your system.

Although some of our entries were showy and others focused on raw power, the Benchmark Crusher offers an elegant appearance with its crisp white and black contrast, and Digital Storm designed the system so it’ll last. The Benchmark Crusher is backed by a three-year extended parts and labor warranty.

Hypersonic PC Sonic Boom ATS

Sonic Boom ATS
$13,999.99
Hypersonic
www.hypersonic-pc.com
CPUs: 3.5

Specs: CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition @ 4.43GHz; Motherboard: Evga X58 Classified; RAM: 6GB OCZ Blade DDR3-2133 @ 2,350MHz; HDDs: 120GB OCZ Vertex EX SSDs (x4; RAID 0), 1TB Western Digital WD1000FALS (x2; RAID 0); ODDs: LG GGC-H20L Blu-ray writer/HD-DVD ROM, Samsung SH-S223 DVD-RW; GPUs: Evga GeForce GTX 285 (x3; 3-Way SLI); PSU: PC Power & Cooling 1200W Turbo Cool Series

As last year’s champ, we really expected a lot from Hypersonic. The Sonic Boom ATS they sent us came in a Cooler Master ATCS 840 tower painted and adorned in the Digital Urban Assault scheme, which consists of a three-tone, automotive-grade paint job on the frame, front, and top panels and a custom appliqué on the two side panels. Although not as impressive as a full coat of paint, it’s probably more durable for LAN party use. According to Hypersonic, the custom paint job by ColorWare adds $2,700 to the bottom line. Because they’re not offered on the Web site, you can request any custom chassis modifications (from Hypersonic) or paint jobs (from ColorWare) on a per-order basis.

Inside the foam-lined case, you’ll find Intel’s Core i7 975 clocked up to 4.43GHz and 6GB of OCZ Blade PC3-17000 RAM overclocked to 2,350MHz (PC3-18800), and Hypersonic informs us that any failed Elpida-based modules will be replaced, no questions asked. Hypersonic also tweaked the timings on the memory and liquid-cooled the CPU, voltage regulators, and chipset with its slick-looking HydroX system, composed of Koolance and OCZ parts. LED lighting and a mirrored side-panel window are nice touches, as well. The dual-fan-equipped OCZ XTC (Xtreme Thermal Connection) kept the memory cool, and the motherboard that provided the foundation of this system was the ever-popular Evga X58 Classified.

Without a doubt, Hypersonic aimed for the stars with its HDD configuration. The OS and applications directory consists of four OCZ Vertex EX 120GB SSDs in RAID 0. The media directory consists of a pair of 1TB Western Digital WD1000FALS drives, also in RAID 0. Let’s let that sink in for a second. Yep, instead of opting to deliver redundancy, Hypersonic decided to see how far it could push the performance envelope. When we asked Hypersonic for its justification, “performance” was the response we got. OCZ’s SSDs, while more affordable, just can’t achieve the performance of Intel’s X25-Es.

Gamers are Hypersonic’s bread and butter, so that’s who the company built this system for: “The Sonic Boom ATS was designed for an extreme gamer with superior performance expectations,” says the builder. For handling the multichannel aural demands of games and movies, Hypersonic included the Asus Xonar D2X sound card. The graphics horsepower under the hood of the Sonic Boom ATS consisted of a trio of Evga GeForce GTX 285s in Tri-SLI, which, at least in the DX10 heavyweight Far Cry 2, outperformed quad-SLI. The Sonic Boom ATS finished fifth in Left 4 Dead but scored a blisteringly fast 140fps doing so. The memory configuration also garnered the system the runners-up prize in memory bandwidth, and that, coupled with one of the higher overclocks we saw for the Core i7-975, makes this machine really shine with CPU-intensive applications.

In overall performance, Hypersonic’s entrant scored a spot among the top three rigs, making it a well-rounded PC for gaming or professional-quality content creation. A questionable storage choice and the lack of Web-advertised paint options are the only things holding this system back from dominating the competition.

iBuyPower Gamer Paaladin XLC

Gamer Paladin XLC
$5,999 (as tested)
iBuyPower
www.ibuypower.com
CPUs: 3.5

Specs: CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme @ 4.2GHz; Motherboard: Evga X58 SLI Classified (X58 chipset); RAM: 6GB Corsair Dominator GT 2000 DDR3-1866; HDDs: 160GB Intel X25-M (x2; RAID 0), 1TB Hitachi Deskstar (3x; RAID 5); GPUs: Palit GeForce GTX 295 (x2; Quad SLI); PSU: Corsair HX1000W; Optical Drives: LG GGW-H20L, LG GH22NS30

In the quest to create an aesthetically appealing system, boutique builders sometimes leave out all the front-panel connectivity and control conveniences. iBuy-Power’s Gamer Paladin XLC offers a front panel with—from the top down—four USB ports, one FireWire, and one eSATA port; an NZXT Sentry LX fan controller; 22X DVD-RW and 6X BD-RE drives; a 12-in-1 memory card reader; and audio controls for Creative Lab’s Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium. Additionally, iBuyPower applied a two-tone black and red paint job to a Cooler Master HAF 932 case, which we found to be an attractive design.

iBuyPower overclocked the Intel Core i7-975 to 4.2GHz using an Asetek liquid-cooling kit with a 240mm radiator, which was attached to the top of the case with two 120mm fans both above and below the radiator. There’s also a 360mm fan in front of the hard drive cage, a 360mm side-panel fan, and 120mm rear exhaust fan to cool the hard drives and two Palit GeForce GTX 295s. The large fans let iBuyPower cool the Gamer Paladin XLC without the need for a multitude of high-speed, silent fans. You can adjust the fan speed and monitor system temperature from the NZXT front-panel fan controller.

The Paladin XLC features two 160GB Intel X25-M SSDs in RAID 0 for speedy OS access, and the three Hitachi Desk-stars are set up in a RAID 5 configuration (an option you can request from iBuyPower) and offer data protection and high storage capacity. There’s 6GB of Corsair Dominator GT DDR3 running at 1,866MHz, but because Corsair has temporarily discontinued the Dominator GT line, iBuyPower tells us the system you purchase would offer different 1,866MHz modules. We like that iBuy-Power included a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium and Xeno Pro NIC to a system with all the hardware a gamer could need.

Similar to the system hardware choices, the Gamer Paladin was an all-around performer in our benchmark tests. For example, the desktop was in the top five in all of PCMark Vantage’s synthetic tests. In particular, iBuyPower’s RAID configurations helped the system deliver 22035 Productivity and 34035 HDD scores. It also produced some of the highest marks in 3DMark Vantage’s GPU-based tests. The 34.55fps Far Cry 2 and 134.81fps Left 4 Dead scores were a few frames per second below the top competitors, but the difference wouldn’t be too large in real-world performance.

If you’re looking for a system that offers plenty of connectivity and an attractive design, the Gamer Paladin XLC is a good option. iBuy-Power offers a standard three-year limited warranty with lifetime phone support.

Maingear Ephex

Ephex
$7,864.25
Maingear
www.maingear.com
CPUs: 3.5

Specs: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition @ 4.3GHz; Motherboard: Asus Rampage II Extreme X58; RAM: 12GB Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600; HDDs: 80GB Intel X-25M SSDs (x2; RAID 0), 1TB Western Digital WD1000FALS; ODDs: LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM, Dual-Layer DVD-RW; GPUs: Nvidia GeForce GTX 295 (x2; Quad-SLI), GeForce 9800GT; PSU: PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1200W

Maingear’s offerings have always been solidly built and subtly impressive, and this year’s Ephex refresh is no exception. The version we tested sports Quad SLI, but Maingear also offers a CrossFireX version. Like last year’s Ephex, this unit comes with one of Maingear’s signature automotive-grade paint jobs—white Smokewerks ($999.99)—which makes this PC stand apart even in a room full of top-shelf rigs. Another Maingear mainstay is the Silverstone TJ10 case, which was wildly popular last year but unique to the Eph-ex this year. A laser-etched clear acrylic window and the white LED lighting bundle round out this system’s aesthetic touches.

Under the hood, Maingear equipped the Asus Rampage II Extreme X58 motherboard with Intel’s current flagship Extreme Edition processor, the Intel Core i7-975, and then Redlined it (a free service) from the stock 3.33GHz clock to an impressive 4.3GHz. If you want to take the wheel regarding overclocking, Maingear mounted the LCD Poster adjacent to the motherboard’s TweakIt Extreme OC controls. Maingear’s Arctic X20 Liquid Cooling system keeps the CPU as close to ambient temperature as possible and adds a little visual flair with clear tubing and Tang-colored coolant. The liquid-cooled loop consists of the CPU block, a Swiftech pump, and a large radiator bolted to the top of the system and saddled with a pair of quiet 120mm fans.

The Ephex we tested came with 12GB of Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600 memory. The internal storage subsystem consists of two Intel X-25M 80GB SSDs in RAID 0 and a 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black hard drive for media and applications. One of the more impressive aspects of this system was the graphics. Maingear decided to cram a ton of graphics horsepower into this system: It features two single-PCB GeForce GTX 295s in quad-SLI and a fifth GPU in the form of a GeForce 9800GT to act as a dedicated PhysX, CUDA, and OpenCL accelerator to offload those CPU-crippling calculations. But that’s not the only aspect of the system designed to give the CPU a breather; Maingear also installed a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series sound card.

Other highlights include an “all-in-one” memory card reader, two optical drives (LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM and Dual-Layer DVD-RW), and a modular 1,200W PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool PSU. Maingear includes lifetime labor and phone support and a three-year hardware warranty in the price.

The Ephex was decidedly middle-of-the-road regarding the benchmarks, scoring hightest in only PCMark Vantage’s Gaming test, but when we looked at the composite scores, Maingear’s offering was consistently better than average, and, considering the competition, that’s no mean feat.

Overdrive PC BigBlock GTR

BigBlock GTR
$11,395
Overdrive PC
www.overdrivepc.com
CPUs: 4.5

Specs: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition @ 4.32GHz; Motherboard: Evga X58 Classified; RAM: 6GB Kingston DDR3-2000 @ 1,653MHz; HDDs: 64GB Intel X-25E SSDs (x4; RAID 0), 1.5TB Seagate; ODDs: LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM (x2); GPUs: Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 (x3; 3-Way SLI); PSU: 1,200W XIgmatek Power Supply

Velocity Micro-parented Overdrive PC really impressed us last year with its iridescent paint job and component choice. (OPC sent in last year’s only dual-core CPU, but the system dominated in games.) This year’s BigBlock GTR also stands out, but not for the paint job. The case, the same customized aluminum Lian-Li case OPC sent us last year, came bare and unpainted (though paint is still an available option), but this time there’re side-panel vents on either side of the Boreas 12 TEC Peltier cooling system, which is the same active cooling system featured prominently on Velocity Micro’s system last year. Incidentally, it’s a similar cooling setup to the one installed in the AVADirect system. OPC’s attention to detail and cooling expertise really comes across in the system’s wiring, from the completely concealed PSU to the cascading SATA and tightly bundled PCI-E power cables.

With such a capable cooling system, OPC was able to “HyperClock” the Intel Core i7-975 to an impressive 4.32GHz. The motherboard in this system is the Evga X58 Classified, and the triple-channel memory OPC went with is 6GB of Kingston HyperX DDR3-2000. But in order to lower latencies and boost stability, OPC underclocked the memory slightly to 1,653MHz.

Perhaps one of the most impressive features of this system is the hard drive configuration. Because the Peltier cooler takes up the portion of the system traditionally designated for hard drives (and completely blocks the two external 2.5-inch drive bays), OPC installed a modular, hot-swappable HDD bay in the top three 5.25-inch drive bays, with a maximum capacity of five drives. Here OPC installed four 64GB Intel X25-E SSDs in a RAID 0 array and a single 1.5TB Seagate hard drive for photos, videos, and music. If you’re reading this, you probably already know Intel doesn’t affix the term “Extreme” to just any old component. These drives consist of SLC (single-level cell) flash memory, which is significantly faster and more reliable than the MLC (multi-level cell) flash used in Intel’s M series SSDs. But the tradeoff is lower capacity and higher cost; the four hard drives in BigBlock GTR represent a stunning $4,185 of the bottom line.

For optical drives, OPC again went over the top, with two LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM drives. The graphics subsystem consists of three Evga GeForce GTX 285s in Tri-SLI. The BigBlock GTR garnered the top spot in 3DMark’s Overall score as well as the best scores in the overall GPU and the best frame rate in the GPU 1 test. Other bests include the PCMark Vantage Overall, Music, and, unsurprisingly, HDD. The BigBlock GTR also finished second in both Far Cry 2 and Left 4 Dead.

Like the visually uninspired Nissan GT-R, this rig demonstrates that you can’t judge a PC by its panels and paint job (or lack thereof). But even among the heavyweights of extreme PCs, it’s what’s under the hood that makes Over-drive PC’s BigBlock GTR stand above the rest.

Puget Systems Genesis II

Genesis II
$10,414.01
Puget Systems
www.pugetsystems.com
CPUs: 3.5

Specs: CPU: Intel Xeon (Nehalem) W5590 @ 3.33GHz (x2); Motherboard: Intel S5520SC (Shady Cove); RAM: 12GB Kingston ValueRAM DDR3-1333; HDDs: 80GB Intel X25-M SSD, 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black; ODD: Pioneer 8X Blu-ray burner; GPUs: Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 (x2; CrossFireX); PSU: Corsair HX 1000W

Puget Systems submitted the most unique system of the bunch, the Genesis II. The version we tested is built around Intel’s S5520SC Shady Cove motherboard and a pair of 3.33GHz quad-core Intel Xeon W5590 processors, capable of processing a stunning 16 threads at once. In another departure from the boutique builder groupthink, Puget equipped the system with a pair of Radeon HD 4870 X2s in quad CrossFireX.

To house all of these components, Puget uses the highly capable Antec P193. The system’s Extreme Liquid Cooling Package consists of a bevy of Koolance parts, including CPU and GPU blocks, two radiators, and a reservoir and pump combo that shows temps and fan speeds on the front panel and lets you adjust settings as needed. The window kit also gives you a nice view of the blue-tinted interior (thanks to blue LED fans, lighted cables, and cold-cathode lights). When the system first arrived, the 3/8-inch tubing was severely kinked in several places, but once warm water began circulating, the kinks vanished for good; and the liquid-cooling system looks great overall.

To feed those thread-hungry processors, Puget selected 12GB of DDR3-1333 Kingston ValueRAM (three 2GB sticks per CPU). Regarding hard drives, Puget’s president, Jon Bach, chose to forgo RAID altogether, saying that although customers can request RAID, “We are very big on building high-quality, highly reliable computers. . . . I felt like including RAID was selling out for the sake of benchmark scores.” As such, a single Intel X25-M 80GB SSD serves up the OS, while a Western Digital Caviar Black offers an additional 1TB of storage.

Although benchmarks don’t test for reliability, Puget’s no-RAID policy does make sense for most users. However, if Puget wants to become the solo hero of reliability, perhaps RAID 1 or RAID 5 would’ve been a more compelling banner to hoist, not the white flag of “we’re not playing.” Technically, my mom’s PC storage is more reliable than any of those tested here, but my mom’s PC is hardly the stuff of enthusiasts’ dreams.

Puget didn’t exactly cede benchmarks to its competition, though. As you’d expect, the Genesis II owned almost every test that favors the CPU, getting downright biblical on Cinebench R10. All that CPU muscle did trip up 3DMark Vantage; because the benchmark can only handle 8 threads at once, we disabled Hyper-Threading to complete the test. Graphics tests represented this system’s biggest weakness. In Far Cry 2, we narrowed the culprit down to the antialiasing. With the in-game AA settings at 8X, FC2 runs at 10fps, but when we disable the in-game AA and set the Catalyst Control Center AA setting to 8X, the system managed more than 80fps, right in line with the top gaming systems. According to an ATI spokesperson, the dismal Far Cry 2 scores were simply the result of an overwhelmed frame buffer.

Overall, the system is great for multimedia enthusiasts and professionals who enjoy gaming, as well, but in the end it lacked some of the wiring expertise and case customizations seen from other builders. All of Puget’s systems come with lifetime labor and one-year parts warranty, but our configuration had the three-year parts warranty built into the price.

Smooth Creations Reaper Extreme Edition

Reaper Extreme Edition
$8,800
Smooth Creations
www.smoothcreations.com
CPUs: 3.5

Specs: CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme @ 4.16GHz; Motherboard: Asus Rampage II Extreme (X58); RAM: 6GB (x3 2GB) Kingston DDR3-1600; HDDs: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor 10,000rpm (x2; RAID 0), 2TB Western Digital Caviar Green (x2; RAID 1); GPUs: BFG Tech GTX 295s (x2; Quad SLI); PSU: Topower PowerBird 1100W; ODD: LiteOn DH-4B1S 4X Blu-ray/DVD Burner

The Smooth Creations Reaper Extreme Edition is an example of taking the notion of a dream PC holistically by building something that performs at a high level, is built solidly, and looks incredible.

For the most part, the benchmark scores for the dream PCs we reviewed demonstrated decent parity, performance-wise. However, the Reaper Extreme Edition performed near the back of the pack in many categories.

That said, a dream PC isn’t just about performance. One must also consider the construction and looks of such a machine. After all, if you’re laying down thousands for the best system you can find, you don’t want parts to fall off when you’re schlepping it around to LAN parties. And when you get there and fire the thing up, you want everyone’s jaw to drop.

The attention to detail on the paint job is impressive, with an automotive-quality, two-tone red and black scheme and a grim reaper on the side for extra pizzazz. Even parts such as the underside of the partition containing the PSU and optical drive are painted. Smooth Creations even went so far as to paint the included keyboard and mouse (Logitech G15 and G5, respectively) to match the color on the Danger Den Tower 26 case.

The look is complete with a clear Lucite side panel, which reveals the guts of the system, including a red-colored watercooling system. This is highlighted further by the cold-cathode red lighting at the bottom of the case and the red LEDs next to all seven case fans. The back panel is also clear Lucite, inviting gawkers to behold the system from multiple angles.

The cooling system itself is well-made, with heavy-duty coupling and Tygon tubing. There’s nary a kink to be found, despite the fact that there are tubes everywhere, pumping cooled water to the CPU, graphics cards, memory, northbridge and southbridge, and a host of power phase chips.

The Reaper Extreme features an Intel Core i7-975 Extreme overclocked to 4.1GHz, 6GB of DDR3 RAM, and two BFG Tech GTX 295s in a Quad-SLI configuration. In terms of storage, this rig is a monster, with 2.6TB of total storage capacity spread over two 2TB WD Caviar Green drives in a RAID 1 configuration and two 300GB VelociRaptors (10,000rpm) in a RAID 0. The build also includes a convenient front-panel card reader and a standard one-year warranty.

All told, the Smooth Creations Reaper Extreme Edition embodies the spirit of a dream PC, with a near-perfect custom case mod and paint job coupled with sturdy construction—for example, the SATA and power connectors on all four hard drives are glued into place to prevent shipping mishaps. The Reaper Extreme could do with some performance tweaks to catch up to the rest of the field of systems we tested, but overall it’s a build that virtually anyone would be proud to show off.

Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition

Raptor Signature Edition
$9,999
Velocity Micro
www.velocitymicro.com
CPUs: 3.5

Specs: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition @ 4.15GHz; Motherboard: Evga X58 Classified; RAM: 6GB Kingston DDR3-2000 @ 1,653MHz; HDDs: 64GB Intel X-25E SSDs (x4; RAID 0), 1.5TB Seagate; ODDs: LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM, Dual-Layer DVD-R/W; GPUs: Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 (x3; 3-Way SLI); PSU: 1,200W XIgmatek Power Supply

Velocity Micro is very proud of its case. So proud, in fact, that the builder sent this year’s dream rig naked (read: unpainted). It’s called the Velocity Micro Flagship LXe-W, and it’s really a customized aluminum Lian-Li that basically acts as a giant heatsink. For this round, we can only assume that VM wanted the guts to do the talking, so the Raptor Signature Edition came with a windowed side panel that shows off the VM-branded Domino A.L.C. CPU Cooler and VM’s unmatched wiring expertise.

Under that liquid-cooler you’ll find the same Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition processor most of the rest of the systems use, but VM overclocked it to 4.15GHz. For the motherboard, VM again waded into familiar territory, with the Evga X58 Classified. Like the Overdrive PC, this system boasts 6GB Kingston DDR3-2000 and the strategic underclock to 1,653MHz to improve performance.

Like the Overdrive PC BigBlock GTR, VM chose to pull out all the stops for the Raptor’s storage configuration. Here, VM installed the same quartet of 64GB Intel X-25E SSDs in RAID 0, which represents the current epitome of performance among this year’s dream PCs. A single 1.5TB Seagate fills in for media storage. On the inside, VM secured the hard drives in removable trays that slide the SATA power and data ports right into a hot-swap backplane.

Two optical drives provide all the disc reading/writing you’d ever need; the top drive is an LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM, and the bottom is simply a dual-layer DVD-R/W drive. The graphics subsystem on the Raptor Signature Edition consists of three Evga GeForce GTX 285s in Tri-SLI. A custom-lit GPU fan with a cut VM logo helps internal airflow and adds a nice visual highlight to the side of the case.

VM also threw in its gaming bundle, which consists of Far Cry 2 and Supreme Commander. Other bundled software includes Nero 7 and Norton Antivirus, but you’ll be happy to know that these titles don’t come preinstalled and are yours to do with as you please.

When you look at the performance chart, the Raptor’s CPU scores tend to trail those of the rest of the field, and that’s largely due to the meager overclock. With a more substantial liquid-cooler instead of the all-in-one Domino A.L.C., this system might have been a better-rounded rig. As is, though, gaming is this system’s strong suit. It achieved third place overall in 3DMark Vantage and also scored the bronze in both Far Cry 2 and Left 4 Dead. The Raptor Signature Edition comes with a one-year Velocity Micro Standard parts and labor warranty.

Vigor Gaming Force Recon T7N

Force Recon T7N
$6,499
Vigor Gaming
www.vigorgaming.com
CPUs: 3

Specs: Intel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition @ 4.16GHz; Motherboard: MSI X58 Eclipse Plus (w/ nForce 200); RAM: 12GB Kingston DDR3-2000; HDDs: 80GB Intel X-25M SSDs (x2; RAID 0), 1.5TB Hitachi; ODD: LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM; GPUs: MSI GeForce GTX 285 OC (x3; 3-Way SLI); PSU: Vigor Bolt 1000W Modular

Vigor’s Force Recon T7N comes to us in a modified Antec 1200 painted a muted shade of gray. Vigor also plastered its logo to the right side panel and affixed placards with Vigor’s namesake on the front of the case and on the CPU cooler. The windowed and vented side panel provides a view of the graphics stack, CPU cooler, and blue anodized RAM heatsinks on the 12GB of Kingston HyperX DDR3-2000MHz memory. Blue LEDs adorn the motherboard, two exhaust fans in the rear, three intake fans in the front, and the CPU cooler for a subtle splash of colored light. It’s clear that Vigor went to some lengths to tidy up the wiring, and although the results are professional looking, the Antec 1200 does a poor job of providing PSU and wiring hidey holes.

As the lone all-air-cooled PC in this roundup, we weren’t surprised to see that the Intel Core i7-975 Vigor installed was only overclocked to 4.16GHz. A modest overclock, indeed, but when you consider that it beat the overclock in the liquid-cooled Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition, it goes from “ho hum” to “hmmm.” We paid close attention to the fan noise on the Force Recon T7N, and even with all case fans reduced to minimum, Vigor’s prototype CPU cooler was audible even at idle. Though it was un-named as we went to press, Vigor tells us that the cooler performs on par with the Monsoon III LT, which was featured in last year’s dream PC roundup.

The motherboard used in this system is a bit of a departure from the field; Vigor used MSI’s X58 Eclipse Plus, which includes the SLI-enabling nForce 200 chip. Three MSI overclocked GeForce GTX 285s fill in for the gaming and 3D rendering muscle behind this system. These cards employ MSI’s SuperPipe fansink and sport 680MHz core and 2,500MHz memory clocks.

Vigor also stepped up the audio performance by including a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Series sound card. The storage subsystem is composed of two 80GB Intel X25-M SSDs in RAID 0 and a single 1.5TB Hitachi drive for media files. A single LG Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Writer/HD-DVD ROM drive is Vigor’s optical drive of choice. Vigor also sent us the Logitech G5 Laser Mouse and the Razer Lycosa keyboard. Vigor also supplied us with a selection of preinstalled MAME games (fully licensed of course) and an arcade controller, which will be available by October for $250. A three-year parts and labor warranty is also part of the package.

In the benchmarks, The Force Recon T7N didn’t shine in any single test but managed to score third place in PCMark Vantage’s Gaming and Memories tests. It also placed fourth in Far Cry 2. Despite never running ahead of the pack, Vigor’s offering did manage to keep pace with the big dogs.

Final Word

It’s no secret that the vast majority of you (and us, too) aren’t capable of buying a $10,000 luxury PC. But just because a top-of-the-line performance PC painted to eye-popping perfection is likely beyond your budget doesn’t mean you can’t get a quality build from these builders for a more affordable price.

CPU’s annual dream PC roundup is a chance for the best of the boutiques to strut their stuff, pull out all the stops, and wow us all with the pinnacle of performance and peak of aesthetic brilliance. Although this year’s batch certainly aced the first part, they generally failed miserably when it came to pure artistry. The paint on Smooth Creation’s Reaper Extreme Edition, while a bit cliché (enough with the skulls!), is sure to impress even the most jaded LAN attendees. The Smokewerks paint job on the Maingear Ephex was a more abstract offering, but appealing nonetheless. Hypersonic’s paint/sticker approach and iBuyPower’s two-tone number weren’t quite as impressive but at least showed some creative color choices. We liked the quality of the paint jobs on the single-colored Digital Storm, Vigor, and AVA-Direct systems, as well.

In performance, no single system really ran away with the top prize, although Puget’s unique dual-Xeon W5590 and Shady Cove combo brute-forced its way to the top in a number of the benchmarks. Although it’s not much to look at on the outside, the overall best performing system has to be the Overdrive PC BigBlock GTR, but Digital Storm’s Benchmark Crusher, Hypersonic’s Sonic Boom ATS, Maingear’s Ephex, and iBuyPower’s Gamer Paladin XLC also turned in respectable runs in a majority of the benchmarks.

At the end of the day, all of these systems are more than capable of playing BDs, running current games, ripping CDs, editing video, rendering 3D models, folding proteins, or whatever else your enthusiast heart desires—sometimes all at once and always without flinching. So until next year, dear reader, dream big and save your imaginary pennies.

by Andrew Leibman, Nathan Lake, and Seth Colaner