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In the past 3 years, PSU market competition is on 80Plus. All brands make own design be more green and get better certificate from 80Plus. As per 80Plus level, it has platinum, gold, silver and bronze. It bases on energy efficiency. Of course, this standard is not absolutely. The excellent PSUs also need other features. I think components are also the key factors. CORSAIR is a well-known memory brand from USA. They have very good reputation in DRAM products. CORSAIR PSU product is just around 3 years. Their products are positioning at high quality and stability for mid-high end. Previously, CORSAIR PSU has HX, TX and VX series. The highest one is 80Plius Silver certificate. In months ago, they launched new AX, GS, and CX product series. This review is most high end AX series, the 80Plus Gold level. It belongs to Professional Series Gold. AX has 3 products, 750/850/1200W. I use entry AX 750W to share this latest high end PSU. First of all, let’s see the package. The box main symbols are spec and technical feature. 7 years warranty, 80Plus Gold certificate are 2 main features. Accessories Product manual, cable ties, CORSAIR sticker, screws and power cord PSU body is packed by flannelette bag Professional Series Gold AX750W Body The shell is black matt baking for good quality. Hybrid Silent Fan Control technology has Fanless mode, Quiet mode and Cooling mode. When the PSU output below 20%, the fan is complete stationary and silent. Quiet mode is working as PSU output between 20~50%. The fan starts to work and the noise level is 16dBA. High quality cable collecting pack and modulized cables 12 X SATA 8 X 4 Pin 2 X Floppy 1 X ATX 24 Pin 1 X EPS/ATX12V 8/4 Pin 4 X PCI-E 6+2 Pin The back design is cell heating holes. Active PFC spec for 110~240VAC Product Spec Model, CMPSU-750AX Simplex +12V design. Total is 62A and max is 744W

Update BIOSTAR TP67XE 1/3 BIOS - Internal PLL Voltage Override 2500K D2 OC 5404MHz Thanks

Power consumption test: System standby: 139W CPU in full usage: 257W Compared with power consumption of default clock rate: Power consumption of system standby: 65% higher Power consumption of CPU in full usage: 105% higher It seems that the consumption increase so much, but as far as 5GHz high clock rate and high performance platform is concerned, 257W can be acceptable. By the way, is 5GHz the maximum for 2600K under air-cooling? If fortunately, 5.1GHz can be achieved steadily. CPU 100 X 51 => 5100.4MHz(Turbo Boost disabled; C1E disabled) DDR3 2133.6 CL7 10-7-27 1T 1.650V Hyper PI 32M X8=> 11m 48.382s Fritz Chess Benchmark => 40.11/19251 As to the latest Sandy Bridge LGA 1155 CPU in 2011, 2300~2500K all use L3 Cache 6MB, and only 2600/2600K is equipped with 8MB. K series are 2500K and 2600K, but other Sandy Bridge CPU, with limited scope of bus speed, may only have 5~8% overclocking scope. Therefore, LGA 1155 is categorised definitely. To the consumers who want to overclock, choosing K series is suggested, but with higher prices. And most of the other Sandy Bridge CPUs may be suitable to the consumers who don’t overclock. About the consideration above, I’m not sure that Intel is overconfident with Sandy Bridge performance, or that Intel wants to let LGA 1156 survive. Originally, I thought that the reason why clock rate and power consumption of LGA 1155 platform made great progress was that 45nm manufacturing process became 32nm. However, afterwards I find that all Sandy Bridge CPUs are built in GPU, so it will be more convenient for users in future to use the chipset with display output function, such as H67. Moreover, another advantage of this new platform is that it has higher performance of DDR3 and Turbo Boost 2.0 technology. I use new generation P67 chipset in the test. When manufacturers release P67 motherboards in the market, their prices, I estimate, will be a bit expensive than the prices of P55 motherboards. BIOSTAR TP67XE is still featured parity, and the price is about US$160. The motherboard supports the latest USB 3.0 and SATA3; unique BIO-Remote2 multimedia software; and THX TrueStudioPRO sound effects technology. Furthermore, TP67XE also shows great performance of overclocking, so it can be a high C/P P67 product. BIOSTAR now also aims for supporting multimedia software and hardware technology, making its products more competitive in the market. I shared much overclocking experience about X58 and P55 before, and I shall continue overclocking and analysing P67 motherboards from various brands in future. If there is something this article doesn’t mention, I shall renew related information in the future reports. Finally, I hope with the release of new generation products, the prices of previous generation platforms can be lowered faster. So, consumers can choose more platforms with good quality at bargain prices. This article is also in my blog WIND 3C. Any comments are always welcome

CPU 5020.4MHz DDR3 2142 CL7 10-7-27 1T 1.650V ADIA64 Memory Read: 25582 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth: 28475 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy: 28139 MB/s After CPU clock rises, the test figures of memory bandwidth in ADIA64 and MaXXMEM also rise obviously, but not in Sandra Memory Bandwidth; this is the main difference amongst the three software. And about the test figure of bandwidth, even if LGA 1155 and LGA 1156 are both dual-channel design, the former shows about 20% greater performance than the latter does. Although Sandy Bridge CPU only uses dual-channel design, its memory bandwidth can compete with that of LGA 1366. ADIA64 Memory Read: 26605 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth: 29903 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy: 29007 MB/s Due to the limited scope of bus speed of Sandy Bridge architecture, about only 104~108MHz can be adjusted (depending upon each CPU). The default CPU bus speed can contribute to achieve DDR3 2133 clock rate, so overclocking would not be a big problem. If DRAM quality is good enough, performance over DDR3 2200 is not a difficult challenge. Overclocking performance: CPU 100.4 X 50 => 5020.2MHz(Turbo Boost disabled; C1E disabled) DDR3 2142 CL7 10-7-27 1T 1.650V Hyper PI 32M X8=> 12m 06.384s CPUMARK 99=> 774 Nuclearus Multi Core => 32585 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 39.29/18859 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 427585 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 9.82 pts CPU(Single Core) => 2.05 pts PCMark Vantage => 25062 3DMark Vantage CPU SCORE => 65044 After 2600K is overclocked from 3.5 GHz to 5GHz, performance increases 20~30% in most software mentioned above. When CPU is in full usage, voltage only needs 1.392V; hence, 32nm manufacturing process makes overclocking ability much better. According to the related information I acquired on the Internet, 2600K over 5GHz is not commonly seen; generally, the scope 2600K D1 is about 4.7~4.9GHz under air-cooling system. The performance of Sandy Bridge is still better than 45nm 4C8T CPU (overclocking scope is 4.1~4.3GHz). Temperature: System standby: 43℃~46℃ CPU in full usage: 74℃~83℃ Intel Burn Test v2.4，Stress Level Maximum If you want to overclock over 5GHz, you have to increase voltage, and note that temperature also rises much. If you prefer low voltage and temperature for long-time using, 4.5GHz can be steady under 1.272V only. Users can set personal setting by their preference.

Please refer to my BIOS setting: Boot logo: Main page: Compliency is AMI UEFI X64 2.0 O.N.E page: The default setting of Turbo Mode is 38, 37, 36, and 35, with better CPU speeding up mode in version 2.0. As to DRAM frequency, 1066~2133 modes are supported, so users can enjoy better DDR3 performance. CPU Base Clock shows 10000, which means current bus speed is 100.00MHz; if it shows 10560, which means 105.60MHz. Therefore, the item may not show an integer, such as 133, 166, 200MHz. The setting above is DDR3 arguments, providing users to choose faster arguments; of course, making the system steady is also important. There are 4 modes for CPU VCore Mode: SPEC Volgate/Auto/Offset Mode/Fixed Mode CPU VCore Offset +0.010~+0.520V CPU VCore Fixed 1.000~1.790V DRAM Voltage 1.300~2.200V CPU Configuration: Some functions about CPU, such as common HT technology; you also can choose how many cores you want to activate. PC Health Status: With built-in monitor chipset, you can know main voltage or temperature information. As to overclocking, this time it is not necessary for LGA 1155 to adjust too many items. So just focus on CPU voltage, clock multiplier; and DRAM clock, arguments, voltage. Due to the limited scope of bus speed (about 5~7%), using K series CPU would be a better choice to overclock substantially. As to DDR3, I use US brand CORSAIR high-level DOMINATOR-GT series—the latest CMT4GX3M2B2133C9. GT series use red and black as colour matching; in recent year, more and more motherboard and DRAM also use the two colours. The argument specification is CL9 10-9-27 1.50V. Compared with DDR3 voltage specification (1.650V) recommended by Intel, 1.50V only of GT 2133 can make the system steady. AIRFLOW of Red-black version with DOMINATOR-GT makes the appearance quality nicer. CPU 3502.8MHz DDR3 2135.2 CL7 10-7-27 1T 1.650V ADIA64 Memory Read: 22132 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth: 28132 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy: 21755 MB/s

Default performance: CPU 100.1 X 35 => 3502.7MHz (Turbo Boost enabled, C1E disabled) DDR3 2135.2 CL7 10-7-27 1T 1.650V The architecture of Sandy Bridge CPU is different from that of previous Core i7. The bus speed is changed to 100MHz. And about other frequency information, the highest ratio of 1366 CPU is 133/1866, 1156 CPU is 133/1600. Now the default frequency of 1155 CPU can achieve 100/2133, making DDR3 clock show better performance. Hyper PI 32M X8=> 14m 57.750s CPUMARK 99=> 540 Nuclearus Multi Core => 22513 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 27.58/13236 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 332817 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 6.83 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.43 pts PCMark Vantage => 19941 3DMark Vantage CPU SCORE => 53268 The default clock of 2006K is 3.4GHz. After Turbo Boost 2.0 is enabled, the clock can achieve 3.5~3.8GHz by CPU usage. Hence, the test figures above are great, so the result means CPU can easily deal with many tasks under any circumstances. And as to CPU performance under the same clock, I find that LGA 1155 is about 10% higher than LGA 1156. As to DDR3 bandwidth, probably with more advanced Memory Controller technology, I find there is 20~30% performance improvement in much software. Therefore, about basic performance and DDR3 bandwidth, Intel Sandy Bridge CPU with latest architecture has made great progress. Temperature: System standby: 33℃~37℃ Hence about the temperature of 2600K: Standby: about 3℃~5℃lower than the temperature of 1156 45nm CPU. Full usage: about 10℃lower than the temperature of 1156 45nm CPU. It goes without saying that as to testing temperature, different motherboards display divergent results. But through the comparing, we can observe the temperature difference between 32nm and 45nm of 4C8T. Power consumption: Standby: 84W CPU full speed: 125W As to power consumption, with 32nm manufacturing process technology, the power saving of this CPU is 30~50W more than that of 45nm Core i7. So obviously Sandy Bridge CPU can save more energy, and this is also one of the reasons why consumers may prefer quad-core platform.

Upper-left of the motherboard: TP67XE adopts 10-phase power supply, the design that is enough for 32nm CPU. There are two 8-Pin power connectors, which are usually seen only on high-level motherboard (such as for server). The existence of dual 8-Pin is not aimed at high power consumption of P67, but at LN2 users who have to consume more 12V under high clock (such as overclocking). IO: 6 X USB 2.0 (Red/Black) 2 X USB 3.0 (Blue) 1 X eSATA/USB 2.0 (both Red) 1 X 1394 1 X RJ-45 1 X S/PDIF In the past, I preferred not using a computer case when testing hardware. But this time many net pals hope me to use a case so that the test result, such as overclocking ability and temperature, will be more similar to most consumers’ condition. The case is high-intermediate-level product Antec DF-35, with 1 x top 140mm fan, 1 x rear white 120mm fan, and 2 x front variable-speed 120mm fans with white LED. DF-35 has such advanced cooling system that it is helpful to keep the system steady after the computer is overclocked. Test platform: CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K MB: BIOSTAR TSERIES TP67XE DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GT CMT4GX3M2B2133C9 VGA: GIGABYTE GTX460 OC HD: Intel X25-V 40GB RAID 0 POWER: Antec High Current Gamer 620W Cooler: Mega Shadow Deluxe Edition Case: Antec DF-35 OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit Whole LGA 1155 system in Antec DF-35: BIOSTAR provides much software: Energy-saving software has been very popular in recent years. CPU can effectively lower power consumption according to user’s setting. TOVERCLOCKER is BIOSTAR’s unique software The software provides CPU, Memory information, and also shows H/W Monitor. In TOVERCLOCKER, OC TWEAKER, which can adjust many clocks, is a useful tool to overclock.

About one and a half years ago, Intel released LGA 1156, and plus three chipset P55/H55/H57. As to CPU, main products are Core i3/i5/i7, and their obvious features are: dual-core with built-in GPU, quad-core with built-in HT, and quad-core without built-in HT respectively. As mentioned before, the primary goal of LGA 1156 platform is to replace Intel high-intermediate-level products; besides, LGA 1366 is still the predominant platform for the high-level ones. The product positioning of the new LGA 1155 is similar to that of LGA 1156. To most users, they probably feel that the replacing is too fast. When facing three kinds of LGA platform, they even feel perplexed. If future price of LGA 1156 can be lowered appropriately, it is also a good trend that the platform becomes the mainstream for low-intermediate-level products. At the beginning of 2010, Intel introduced 32nm CPU, and the related products are: dual-core—LGA 1156 i3 and i5; six-core—LGA 1366 i7 980X Extreme, representing low and high-level CPU respectively. As for 32nm quad-core processor, Sandy Bridge LGA 1155 will be released in 2011. This article will introduce the latest LGA 1155 platform, and analyse important features about 32nm Sandy Bridge CPU. As for the CPU, it is Intel Core i7-2600K, and “K” means that CPU multiplier can be unlocked. The clock is 3.4GHz (maximum: 3.80GHz), and Turbo Boost 2.0 technology is supported. There are 4 Cores and Hyper-Threading technology, so 8 Threading is supported, also abbreviated as 4C/8T. And, the CPU uses 32 nm manufacturing process, with 95W and 8MB L3 Cache, is the highest-level specification amongst current LGA 1155. Back side of 2600K D1 and 2400 D2: The motherboard is BIOSTAR TSERIES TP67XE, and this brand’s products are famous for parity and overclocking. The colour of the package is different; this time red makes the looking of the motherboard more distinguishing feature. Accessories: User’s Manual, Rear I/O Panel for ATX Case, Serial ATA Cable, CorssFire/SLI Bridge, Fully Setup Driver CD. As for colour matching, PCB is black, and PCI-E or DIMM are matched red or white; the whole appearance looks not bad. Red matching is an eye-catching design. More and more electronic products are matched red and black, the colour combination (similar to the colour used in automobile racing) that stresses speed or high performance. Lower-left of the motherboard: 2 X PCI-E 2.0 X16: support 2Way CrossFireX and SLI technology, with bandwidth X8+X8 2 X PCI-E X1 2 X PCI LAN chipset: Realtek RTL8111DL Codec: Realtek ALC892, with 8+2 channels and supporting Blu-ray Codec technology Lower-right of the motherboard: 3 X red SATAII: provided by P67 chipset, support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 2 X white SATAIII: provided by P67 chipset, support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 Power button, reset button, and debug indicators Upper-right of the motherboard: 4 X DIMM DDR3, supporting 1066/1333/1600/1866/2133, maximum capacity of DDR3 is 16GB. Only by overclocking can DDR3 2133 above be achieved. 1 X IDE, 24-pin power connector

WindowsExperience Index - CPU 7.3 PCMark Vantage => 7701 After Core i3-540 OC to 4.14GHz, the performance increase 30% comparing to default 3.06GHz. Also compare to previous AMD X4 640 CPU OC to 3.6GHz. i3-540 reply on own higher performance and frequency, it only small behind most quad-core full load software. In Nuclearus Multi and Core PCMark Vantage, Intel even leads. Hyper PI 32M and CPUAMRK99 even have bigger gap due to Intel structure. Temperature System Idle - 34~36 CPUFull Speed - 77~79 Intel Burn Test v2.4，Stress Level Maximum After OC, the idle temperature is similar to default. Full Speed temperature rise about 20. The main reason is the original cooler too thin and CPU clock increase 1.1GHz after OC. Due to 32nm manufacture, you just need to use better cooler, you can OC it to 4.4~4.6GHz without any issues. Power Consumption System Idle - 63W CPU Full Speed - 110W After OC, the idle power consumption increase 11W and Full Speed increase 27W. The range is very small, but the CPU performance enhance obviously. The power consumption of dual core plus 32nm is very impressive. This Intel mainstream DIY PC guide is i3-540 and H55. The previous AMD mainstream DIY PC guide is X4 640 and 880G. Let’s review the main performance difference in 2 platforms again. 3D part, in non-OC condition, they are very similar, but Intel built-in GPU has better OC ability. After OC GPU, its 3D performance is better than AMD 880G. The most inconvenient thing is after OC CPU/DRAM, the GPU OC capability will be lower. 880G doesn’t have this issue. So both platforms have different advantages. CPU performance, Intel leads in single core and AMD leads in multi-core full speed mode. The main reason is that Core i3 simulate HT at dual core mode. But rely on 32nm manufacture and good OC capability, i3-540 after OC single core performance lead X4 640 a lot. Even for multi-tasking, i3-540 also leads X4 640 in some applications. These 2 platforms are similar price and level. It does take time to research before starting. Includes Case, DVD-ROM to build a PC around 16500NTD and consider quality and performance, I use more high end configuration. If you have limited budget, you can use cheaper H55, DDR3 2GX2 and 350W PSU. The PC price will drop to 12500NTD, around 429USD. You can have a most entry Intel PC. It takes weeks to finish these two 2010 DIY PC guide. Windwithme will make 2011 guide with LGA 1155 platform. Thanks for all readers and friends support in 2010. Hope next year the PC movement can be faster, and price can be lower. Let’s look forward the new platform few months later. This year, I only share two DC reviews. It’s too busy for me to share more DSLR. Hopefully, next year I can improve this. This article is also in my blog WIND 3C. Any comments are always welcome.

DDR3 Parameters Setup Page If your system is unstable after OC, you can fine tune non-Auto items. For example, you can change to 2T or rise the CL to enhance the stability. Voltage Page Pull high CPU clock, you needs to add CPU Vcore. Pull high DDR3 clock or better latency, you need to add DRAM Voltage. If you pull high both CPU and DDR3 clock, ex. 200/1600 or 180/1800, you need to adjust QPI/Vtt Voltage. In general condition, I recommend DRAM Voltage 1.660V and QPI/Vtt Voltage should below 1.250V. PC Health Status Due to built-in GPU, i3-540 cannot run CPU/DRAM at 200/2000. You only can set 200/1600 or 180/1800 (depends on quality) to achieve the best OC ratio. If you want to reach 200/2000 as P55 in this All in one platform, you need to add an external graphic card. DDR3 Bandwidth Comparison DDR3 1333.4 CL6 6-6-18 1T 1.400V ADIA64 Memory Read - 8855 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 10407 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 8116 MB/s DDR3 1800.2 CL9 9-9-24 2T 1.600V ADIA64 Memory Read - 11181 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 13510 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 10778 MB/s DDR3 1600.2 CL7 8-7-21 1T 1.600V ADIA64 Memory Read - 11902 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 14362 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 11690 MB/s You can see Intel Clarkdale DDR3 performance is similar to AMD platform under non-OC condition. But after OC, the DDR3 performance is far away ahead AMD. Even though, comparing to Intel quad-core P55, X58 bandwidth is far behind. But i3-540 has quite good DDR3 performance. Configuring with CORSAIR 4GBX2 1600, the official spec is CL9. It looks quite conservative. No matter Intel or AMD platform, it can reach 1600 CL7 8-7-24 1T. The bandwidth also increases a lot. In Intel platform, it can reach 1800 CL9 2T. OC Performance Test CPU 180MHz X 23 => 4140.5MHz DDR3 1800 CL9 9-9-24 2T 1.600V Hyper PI 32M X4 => 14m 49.202s CPUMARK 99 => 644 Nuclearus Multi Core => 16189 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 15.63/7500 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 173900 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 3.46 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.39 pts

CPU Full Speed - 83W System idle power consumption 52W is not too low. However, the full speed is only 83W to bring out 32nm advantage. If you enable C1E, it’s only 38W at idle status. I believe it’s very low consumption in PC. 3D Performance Built-in GPU Intel Clarkdale 733MHz 3DMARK 2006 => 1752 3DMARK VANTAGE => P371 CPU SCORE => 8956 GPU SCORE => 281 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1024 X 768 => 20.62FPS Intel Clarkdale OC to 1033MHz 3DMARK 2006 => 2223 3DMARK VANTAGE => P580 CPU SCORE => 8909 GPU SCORE => 442 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1024 X 768 => 26.85FPS After OC GPU, the 3DMARK 2006 increase 27% and 3DMARK VANTAGE increase 56%. For the game StreetFighter IV Benchmark, it’s also 30% higher. Even for most mid to high end GAME still cannot run smoothly, it’s still helpful for normal 3D GAME performance. If you pull high CPU/DARM ratio, the GPU OC range will be lower. Maybe it’s caused by Intel integrated GPU into CPU. If you OC the GPU, please watch out this issue. BIOS OC Setup Main BIOS Tuning Menu, called M.I.T. I set CPU clock at 180MHz to match DDR3-1800 ratio. CPU Related Items C1E is power saving feature. When CPU utilization is low, CPU will lower the frequency automatically. If your DRAM cannot reach 1800, you can change the ratio at System Memory Multiplier.

Test Configuration CPU: Intel Core i3-540 MB: GIGABYTE GA-H55M-UD2H DRAM: CORSAIR CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 VGA: Intel Clarkdale GPU HD: WD 640AAKS 640GB 7200rpm POWER: Be Quiet! Straight Power Deluxe 400W Cooler: Intel original cooler Default Performance (C1E Disable) CPU 133.3MHz X 23 => 3067MHz DDR3 1333.6 CL6 7-6-18 1T 1.400V Hyper PI 32M X4 => 19m 20.549s CPUMARK 99 => 478 Nuclearus Multi Core => 11961 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 11.65/5590 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 131958 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 2.56 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.03 pts Windows Experience Index - CPU 7.3 PCMark Vantage => 6333 Compare to previous AMD X4 640. I3-540 performance is lower about 10~25% in many multi-core benchmark. On the other hand, Spuer PI, CPUMARK for single core performance, it’s higher around 18~20%. Windows Experience Index 7.3 is same. PCMark Vantage, i3-540 is higher 2%. X4 640 4C/4T compares to i3-540 2C/4T, the performance is different by benchmark software identity. Temperature System Idle - 31~32 CPU Full Speed - 52~57 Intel Burn Test v2.4，Stress Level Maximum The latest 32nm manufacture is really helpful for the temperature. Even though the original cooler is thin, the full speed temperature is still under 60. After enabling C1E, the temperature even goes lower. The idle status is only 19~22. Core i3 is very good at idle temperature. Power Consumption System Idle - 52W

It’s been years for users to select different components to make own DIY PC. Advantage of DIY is freedom. Comparing to brand PC, there is only one brand to provide after service. The DIY PC can have the vendors or distributors warranty. For this warranty, you have to go to different service center by different components. However, you can choose your favorite brands and suitable products. This is the main reason for DIY PC users are interested in computer technology or studying before buying. Windwithme also mentioned in previous article that most DIY PC users are concerned about budget. So they set the budget first and search for suitable products. This review is introducing Intel platform with built-in GPU to make a good C/P PC. Last review is AMD mainstream PC guide. This time, I will use similar budget to compare the Intel platform. My original idea was putting Intel and AMD PC in one article. However, the content is too long, so I divided into 2 parts. If you are interested, you can compare to these 2 guides. I believe you can have more idea for current mainstream hardware performance and price. Also, it can help you to make decision before buying. CPU Part I use Intel current hot sell model Core i3-540. 3.06GHz, 32nm manufacturing, 4MB L3 Cache, Revision K0. Physical 2 Cores with Hyper-Threading for 4 threading, called 2C/4T. K0 version is adding ID(PCID) technology into processor. Most users all hope new version can be better at OC. The price is 3350NTD, around 112USD. Inside Box Product manual, original cooler, Intel Core i3-540 Upper-Right is cooler bottom. It’s 100% aluminum also with thermal pate in the bottom. Lower-Left is Intel Core i3-540. LGA 1156 Socket. It’s recommended for H55/H57 chipsets. You also can use P55 chipset, but the GPU function will be disable. DRAM Part Recently, the DDR3 4GB price is very cheap. You can choose 2GBX2 or 4GBX2. If you have more budget and plan to use 64Bit OS, 4GBX2 is better pick. I use CORSAIR DDR3 1600 4GBX2. 1600 version price is a little higher. CORSAIR is internal well-known brand and famous in quality control. The price is acceptable. The price is around 115USD. CORSAIR CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 Core i3 can support DDR3 1333 without OC. For Intel platform, you just pull CPU clock, the DDR3 can reach 1600~1800. If your budget is limited, you can use DDR3 1333 or 2GX2. MB Part H55 or H57 chipsets are first choice for Intel built-in GPU platform. The main difference is H57 supporting Raid, but H55 price is lower. You can find many models and spec in the market. I choose mid-price GIGABYTE H55M-UD2H. it’s 3500NTD, around 117USD. GIGABYTE GA-H55M-UD2H Look Ultra Durable 3, 2oz copper PCB, 100% Japanese made capacitors 3x USB Power supports On/Off Charge which can charge iPhone, iPad and iPod touch easily. USB 3x Power also provide more stable power to external USB devices. CPU PWM 4+2 phases 2 X PCI-E X16 supports ATI Hybrid CrossFireX technology. The bandwidth is X16+X4. Audio chip is Realtek ALC892. It supports 7.1 channel and Dolby Home Theater surrounding technology. GIGABYTE also has another model, H55M-S2V, spec and components are lower. The price is 700NTD cheaper, around 24USD. Power Supply Part I pick Be Quiet! Straight Power Deluxe 400W which is E6 product line. The price is 2400NTD, around 80USD. 80Plus Copper Certificate, Active PFC design, 18dBA super silent 12cm fan, 5 years warranty. If you only use PC for word processing and no more graphic card upgrade need, you can consider Be Quiet! L6 350W. HDD still use WD 640AAKS. The cheap price is main advantage even the performance is not the best. If you need more capacity, currently 1T~1.5T HDD price is only a little higher. You just need to study the HD performance more. In Intel platform, CPU and MB price are few hundred NTD higher. If including Case, DVD-ROM, the price is around 16260NTD, 524USD. Many users trust in Intel brand or performance due to the Intel structure. The configuration is not absolute. If you don’t need such high performance, you can pick cheaper one. However, if you need higher performance, you can buy the better spec one. Per your need, budget and brand, you can make your own configuration to enjoy the DIY fun.

CPU Full Speed - 64~66 Intel Burn Test v2.4，Stress Level Maximum As thermal meter, the standby and full speed temperature after OC is around 2~4 degree C comparing to default. After OC, the temperature is a little higher than default. Maybe it’s AMD 45nm characteristic?! Power Consumption Standby - 68W CPU Full Speed - 204W 3D Performance Built-in GPU ATI Radeon HD 4250 830MHz 3DMARK 2006 => 2138 3DMARK VANTAGE => P417 CPU SCORE => 11567 GPU SCORE => 315 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1024 X 768 => 25.88FPS When OC the ATI Radeon HD 4250 clock from 560 to 830MHz, the 3D benchmark software improve around 30%. 880G is capable for general 3D application or games. If you need to run some professional 3D application, you better to add a grapgic card. During the test, the pity is the revision C3 X4 CPU cannot enable L3 Cache. Even though as my experience, the L3 Cache doesn’t improve performance much. However, enableL3 Cache is for personal feeling. This is the main difference between C2 and C3. Of course, C3 also has some strength. As per the internet, C3 has better memory compatibility. It’s helpful for DDR3 OC range. As per my experience, the same voltage, C3 OC range is around 100~200MHz to C2. AMD strategy is focus on mid-low market for years. You can see in this segment, CPU and chipset price are lower. For the mid-end to hi-end market, the performance is lower than Core i and DDR3 performance is also lower. I do hope AMD K10 structure ca improve this issue. However, so far AMD is still focus on multi-core and higher C/P value. After buying Case and DVD writer, you can build your own PC. The budget is around 15500NTD. If you have any preferences of price, performance or brand, you can adjust your budget. If the 3D performance is not enough in the future, you just need to spend 2000~ 3000NTD for graphic card upgrade. This DIY PC could be the mid-high performance and mid-low price choice. After sharing AMD 2010 mainstream platform, I will share Intel platform asap. Due to the year end, the Intel mainstream platform will be done near year end or early 2011. Wish you keep supporting my original review article. Thanks This article is also published in my personal blog. WIND'S 3C You are welcome to check any time.

PC Health Status Previously, as my experience of using 785G, 790GX or 890GX, the AMD CPU can OC to 300MHz mostly. For the BIOS setup and DRAM multiplier, you have to pay more attention for these setup, then you can join AMD 300MHz club. DDR3 bandwidth comparison DDR3 1607.2 CL9 9-9-24 1T 1.400V ADIA64 Memory Read - 9205 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 12044 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 10903 MB/s DDR3 1600 CL7 8-7-24 1T 1.600V ADIA64 Memory Read - 9557 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 12588 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 11545 MB/s AMD started to build in Memory Controller into CPU since K8. During that time, it really created the better bandwidth and memory clock, However, years passed, the Core i series performance has over it. The CORSAIR DDR3 quality is very good. The official spec is 1.400V for DDR3 1600 CL9. I set as DDR3 1600 CL7 8-7-24 high performance parameter. It just needs 1.600V to pass all benchmark software. OC Performance CPU 300MHz X 12 => 3599.8MHz DDR3 1607.4 CL9 9-9-24 1T 1.400V Hyper PI 32M X4 => 20m 28.284s CPUMARK 99=> 463 Nuclearus Multi Core => 15673 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 17.56/8428 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 185249 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 3.86 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.01 pts WindowsExperience Index - CPU 7.4 PCMark Vantage => 6314 X4 640 default clock is 3.0GHz. After OC to 3.6GHz, some benchmark improves 20%. Windows Experience Index doesn’t improve much. Or we can say, since the index over 7, the score cannot improve much dues to the highest score is 7.9. PCMark Vantage is a multi-factors benchmark software, the performance improvement is not much. For original cooler, long time run at 3.6~3.75GHz can be stable. Temperature Standby - 32~34

Power Consumption Standby - 59W CPU Full Speed - 150W 45nm X4 CPU power consumption is not so good, but it’s still better than the standard. It’s still a power saving system. I hope AMD can implement 32nm to lower the power consumption. 3D Performance Built-in GPU ATI Radeon HD 4250 560MHz 3DMARK 2006 => 1757 3DMARK VANTAGE => P302 CPU SCORE => 9919 GPU SCORE => 228 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1024 X 768 => 20.87FPS These years, AMD built-in GPU performance is better than the others. Above 3D performance is still lower than entry graphic card, but compare to the other built-in GPU, the 3D performance is pretty good. 880G built-in ATI Radeon HD 4250, the 3D performance is around 20~25% lower than own 890GX HD 4290. BIOS OC Setup Main BIOS tuning page, called M.I.T. CPU clock set to 300MHz, you need to adjust CPU NorthBridge Freq./HT Link Frequency. I suggest you to set at X7, 2100MHz. It’s helpful for the stability after pulling CPU to 300MHz. Voltage Page DRAM Voltage control 1.300~2.500 CPU NB VID Control -0.600~+0.600V(0.025V) CPU Voltage Control -0.600~+0.600V(0.025V) Memory depends on DRAM quality. The range set at CPU/DDR3 as 300/1600. CPU Voltage Control/DRAM Voltage Control bases on memory quality to adjust the voltage. If 300MHz is not stable, you can adjust NB Voltage Control to 1.3000V. DDR3 set up is CL7 8-7-24 1T Built-in ATI Radeon HD 4250 Setup Page It can share up to 512MB system memory and OC the clock from 560MHz to 830MHz. CPU Unlock can enable X2/X3 CPU to X4 by chance. CPU Core Control is more detail features. If X2 cannot enable to X4 stable, you have one more option to enable to X3.

80Plus Copper Certificate, Active PFC design, 12cm low acoustic fan, 3 years warranty. If you just use for word processing and no need external graphic card, you also can consider blow 400W product. HDD uses WD long life model, 640AAKS. The performance is not so outstanding, but the price is its main advantage. I used to use WD 15EARS. The performance is only 75MB/s which is similar with 640AAKS. If you have higher capacity need, currently 1T~1.5T HDD price is also only a little bit higher. You just need to check the performance in advance. The above components are not must. If you don’t need such high performance, you can choose cheaper products. On the other hand, you can buy more high end one. Base on your demand, budget and favorite brand, you can choose whatever you want. It’s the most fun for DIY PC. Configuration CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 MB: GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H DRAM: CORSAIR CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 VGA: ATI Radeon HD 4250 HD: WD 640AAKS 640GB POWER: Antec High Current Gamer 400W Cooler: AMD original cooler Default Performance CPU 200.9MHz X 15 => 3013.7MHz DDR3 1607.4 CL9 9-9-24 1T 1.400V Hyper PI 32M X4 => 23m 50.367s CPUMARK 99=> 393 Nuclearus Multi Core => 13227 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 14.94/7172 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 153603 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 3.40 pts CPU(Single Core) => 0.87 pts Windows Experience Index - CPU 7.3 PCMark Vantage => 6222 X4 640 default frequency is 3.0GHz already, so it’s capable for most applications. Even for the file converting performance is also good due to the quad core multi-tasking. The original cooler is around 1670rmp under BIOS control. The acoustic is very low. If it’s in full speed, it’s 3260rpm which is louder in bare system. The noise is acceptable inside the chassis. Temperature Standby - 28~31 CPU Full Speed - 62~65 Intel Burn Test v2.4，Stress Level Maximum The standby temperature is very low. This number is satisfied. The full speed is 62 degree C and it’s too high for bare system. X4 640 original cooler is too slim. It may cause the temperature too high.

These years, the DIY PC market seems to be smaller and smaller. The main reasons are Notebook popularized and Netbook, Apple iPad launched. Most users just use computer for internet surfing or email. However, the internet topic of how to build a DIY PC is still very popular so far. Many users will search info by budget or needs to build own DIY PC. There are many friends ask me how to build the DIY PC. I think there are 2 kinds of mainstream PC. One is all in one MB, which built-in GPU. The price is lower and budget is around 11000~13000NTD, 365~431USD. The other one is discrete with graphic card for 3D online game. The price is still the key concern. We just pick the entry model. The budget is around 14000~16000NTD, 465~531USD. However, in my personal idea, I still recommend to add more budgets. Some hardware like VGA or HDD, you can enhance performance and spec for just pay more few hundred NTD. Also, you can use this PC longer. For this kind of article, I hope I can share every year. Last share is early 2010, Intel annual best buy Micro ATX PC with Core i3-530 boxed cooler OC guide. Recent 2 years, AMD more emphasize in fair price. The low price multi-core CPU strategy is more and more acceptable for end users. This time, I set the budget at 15500NTD, around 515USD, to build a high C/P value PC for your reference. CPU Processor I buy the most popular entry X4 CPU - AMD Athlon II X4 640. 3.0GHz, 45nm, 2MB L2 cache, Revision C3 Recently, AMD launched X4 645, 3.1GHz, and price is a little higher. So after considering, I still pick higher C/P X4 640. The price is 2950NTD, around 98USD. Inside the box Manual, sticker, cooler, Athlon II X4 640 Upper Left is cooler bottom, 100% aluminum, and thermal paste. Lower Right is AMD Athlon II X4 640, AM3 socket and compatible with AM2+. AMD platform has better extensibility. DRAM DDR3 price keeps dropping. There are more and more 4GB DDR3 kit in the market. If you have more budgets and may need 64-bit OS in the future, 4GBX2 is the better choice currently. I use CORSAIR DDR3 1600 4GBX2, dual channel. The price is a little higher. CORSAIR is a well known international brand and passed the dual channel stability test. The price is still acceptable. The price is around 125USD. CORSAIR CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 As AMD in non-OC condition, the system can run at DDR3 1600, so I choose 1600 DDR3. If your budget is limited, you can choose DDR3 1333 or 2GX2 kit. Mainboard For building AMD platform, there are 2 kinds of chipset. 880G and 890GX are built-in GPU. 880G price is lower and many brands can choose. I use GIGABYTE 880GMA-UD2H. The SB is SB850, supporting SATA3 and NEC USB3.0 technology. The price is 3500NTD, around 116USD. GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H CPU PWM is 4+1 phase. 2 X PCI-E X16, supports ATI Hybrid CrossFireX and bandwidth is X16+X4. Audio is Realtek ALC892, supports 7.1 channel and Dolby Home Theater surrounding technology. The same chipset series, there is also one more model, 880GM-UD2H. The SB is SB710 and no SATA3 and USB3. This model price is around 600NTD, 20USD, lower than 880GMA. If you have limited budget for MB, you also can consider this. Power Supply I use Antec High Current Gamer 400W, HCG series is Antec latest product line. The price is 2490NTD, around 83USD.

LOST PLANET 2 DX11 1920 X 1200 TEST A - 40.1 fps In the same GPU clock, let’s compare the performance by CPU difference. 3DMark Vantage GPU score is almost the same, but the CPU score raise around 13%. FINAL FANTASY XIV, DEVIL MAY CRY4, StreetFighter IV Benchmark 3D performance also raise a little. However, it doesn’t mean higher CPU clock doesn’t help 3D performance. It’s possible that CAPCOM games don’t rely on CPU. In the market, there are many GAME needs high CPU ability. For Intel hi-end X58 platform, the entry model price always keeps at 300USD. Since i7-920, i7-930 and i7-950 are all in this range. The hi-end one is 32nm 6C12T 980X Extreme to replace 45nm 4C8T 965/975 Extreme. So if you own LAG 1366 platform, you no need to envy 2011 Sandy Bridge. After all, LGA 1155 is 32nm 4C8T i7 product line, so far there is no news about 6C12T CPU. LGA 1366 is long life product in Intel platform. Since Nov 2008 launched, Intel will launch new LGA2011 chipset in 2011 Q4. This part is not same as LGA 1156 users which need to upgrade soon. In multi-core performance, 980X and 990X can provide upgradeable higher performance. Although I know the price is high, but it’s still better than no 32nm 6C12T CPU can choose. Last thing about X58 product line is X58 having wide product range in the market due to every vendor launched many models in past 2 years. The most entry X58 chipset MB is same as X58A-UD3R around 250USD. Compare to the other same price range P55 products, even the entry X58 products spec is still better than P55. This is windwithme 15th LGA 1366 review in past 2 years. I hope it can be your reference data before purchasing. This article is also published in my personal blog. WIND'S 3C You are welcome to check any time.

OC Performance CPU 200 X 20 => 4000MHz 1.392V DDR3 2000 CL8 9-7-24 1T 1.600V Hyper PI 32M X8=> 14m 04.133s CPUMARK 99=> 628 Nuclearus Multi Core => 26426 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 30.61/14690 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 313158 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 6.88 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.40 pts Windows Experience Index - CPU 7.7 PCMark Vantage => 18251 After i7-950 OC to 4GHz, you can compare the detail performance difference. The performance increases over 20% in most benchmark software. There is only Windows Experience Index is almost the same. It’s due to Windows Experience Index is the estimate system performance. It doesn’t test too detail items. This system get 7.7 of 7.9 is very high score already. I used to test several better quality Core i7, most need 1.30~1.392V to OC to 4.2GHz. Just for your reference. 3D Performance 3DMark Vantage => P17254 CPU SCORE => 54034 GPU SCORE => 14063 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1920 X 1200 => 210.98FPS DEVIL MAY CRY4 1920 X 1200 => 154.46/127.41/166.21/116.81 fps FINAL FANTASY XIV 1920 X 1080 => 3209

FINAL FANTASY XIV 1920 X 1080 => 3172 LOST PLANET 2 DX11 1920 X 1200 TEST A - 37.5 fps GTX460 is mid-end VGA market, and its performance is quite well in the above games. OC version clock is 715MHz which is higher than normal GTX460. 3DMark Vantage is also over 17000. LOST PLANET 2, need very high 3D performance, is over 37 pages as well. BIOS OC Setup Main BIOS Tuning Menu, called M.I.T. System Status and Info CPU 200Mhz/DDR3 2000 Setup Page Memory Setup Page Advanced DDR3 Parameter Setup Voltage Page Load-Line Calibration Standard/Level1/Level2 CPU Vcore 0.50000~1.90000V QPI/Vtt Voltage 1.075~2.015V CPU PLL 1.300~2.520V IOH Core 1.000~2.000V DRAM Voltage 1.300~2.600V Besides CPU, DDR3 quality, voltage is also important for OC. You can see the X58A-UD3R setup pages above, QPI/Vtt Voltage is important for pulling high clock. CPU operates at 200/2000 stable will need 1.45~1.55V. The voltage setup is the key factor for OC X58 chipset. DDR3 Bandwidth Comparison DDR3 1865.2 CL8 9-7-24 1T 1.500V Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 28574 MB/s ADIA64 Memory Read - 16057 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 21755 MB/s DDR3 2000 CL8 9-7-24 1T 1.600V Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 30813 MB/s ADIA64 Memory Read - 21072 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 21755 MB/s LGA 1366 platform is the only platform supports 3-channel technology. The DDR3 bandwidth is extremely high. Especially, when OC to DDR3 2000, the performance is almost double. DDR3 performance increased is the key strength for Intel phase in Core i7.

System Configuration CPU: Intel Core i7-950 MB: GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GTX3 DDR3-2400 VGA: GIGABYTE GTX460 OC HD: Intel X25-V 40GB RAID 0 POWER: CORSAIR Gold AX750W Cooler: Mega Shadow Deluxe Edition OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit Default performance CPU 133.2 X 24 => 3197.8MHz 1.088V DDR3 1865.2 CL8 9-7-24 1T 1.500V Hyper PI 32M X8=> 17m 04.626s CPUMARK 99=> 504 Nuclearus Multi Core => 21816 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 24.63/11822 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 257373 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 5.53 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.12 pts Windows Experience Index - CPU 7.5 PCMark Vantage => 15799 i7-950 spec is over 3GHz already. When user enable Turbo Boost, the clock can pull to 3.2~3.3GHz. i7-950 can get very good scores in most common benchmark software. The CPU performance has achieved high end segment. Also, DRAM can OC to DDR3 1866 without pulling CPU frequency and combine exclusive 3-channel technology, the overall performance can be enhanced more. This time, I use new mid-end VGA - GTX460. I also test some 3D benchmark to compare the LGA 1366 performance. 3D Performance 3DMark Vantage => P17078 CPU SCORE => 47850 GPU SCORE => 14063 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1920 X 1200 => 209.18FPS DEVIL MAY CRY4 1920 X 1200 => 156.96/133.44/161.89/115.24 fps

I still remember Intel launched new platform in November 2008. It started the Core i7 Age. This platform is LGA1366, and CPU is Core i7 series. The chipset is X58+ICH10R. Half years later, Intel announced LGA 1156 platform and CPU has Core i3, i5 and i7 which is wider product range. For LGA 1366 market position is not big impact compare to P55. Currently, LGA 1366 platform strength are 3-channel memory and multi PCI-E x16. The weakness is X58 power consumption is higher. The entry model is same as mid range LGA 1156 platform. End of March, Intel announced first 32nm 6-cores 980X CPU for X58 platform to extend its’ life cycle. Internet also has many news about next 6C12T Core i7-980X in 2011. Back to our topic - Intel Core i7-950. Blue box is representing Intel. The price is 9100NT, around 299USD. Inside the box, there are CPU, original copper-bottom cooler, manual and Intel sticker. The clock is 3.06GHz, support Turbo Boost to achieve 3.33GHz. Physical 4 Cores with Hyper-Threading to reach 8 threading, also called 4C/8T. 45nm manufacturing, Max TDP 130W, 8MB L3 Cache. The spec above are all entry LGA 1366 CPU spec. MB is GIGABYTE X58A-UD3R, the entry model for high end X58 chipset. The price is around 7500NTD, 250USD. Light blue and white colors design. The overall components and design are good. Lower-Left Corner 2 X PCI-E X16 supports X16 and 2-Way/3-Way ATI CrossFireX/NVIDIA SLI technology. 2 X PCI-E X16 supports X8 Realtek 8111E LAN Chip Realtek ALC889 supports 7.1 channel and High Definition Audio/Dolby Home Theater technology Design in Taipei Lower-Right Corner 6 X Blue SATAII, provided by ICH10R, SATA2 supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 2 X White SATAII, provided by GIGABYTE SATA2 chip, SATA2 supports RAID 0, RAID 1 and JBOD 1 X IDE, provided by GIGABYTE SATA2 chip 2 X White SATAIII, provided by Marvell 9128, SATA3 supports RAID 0, RAID 1 Dual BIOS, dual protection Upper-Right Corner 6 X DIMM DDR3 supports 800/1066/1333/1866/2200(OC) and the maximum capacity is DDR3 24GB. DDR3 uses 2 phase PWM and next is 24-PIN power connector. Upper-Left Corner LGA 1366 CPU socket. The electroplating metal cover for better looking. Back is 8PIN design, UD3R uses 12 phase PWM to fulfill X58 platform Core i7 power. IO 4 X USB 2.0(Black/Yellow) 2 X USB 3.0(Blue) 1 X RJ-45 LAN port 2 X eSATA/USB 2.0 combo (Yellow) 1 X S/PDIF Fiber/Coaxial output 1 X 1394a clr CMOS button

Sorry, its 2600K

CPU Intel Core i7-2600K 32nm, 4C8T MB BIOSTAR TP67XE Chipest Sandy Bridge - Cougar point DDR3 CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GTX3 DDR3-2400 CL9 11-9-27 1.65V System Configuration CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K MB: BIOSTAR TP67XE DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GTX3 DDR3-2400 VGA: GIGABYTE GTX260 OC HD: CORSAIR CSSD-F40GB2 Raid 0 POWER: Antec TPQ-1200W Cooler: Mega Shadow Deluxe Edition OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit Default Performance CPU 100 X 35 => 3500MHz (Idle 1.044V, Full 1.008V) DDR3 2133.8 CL9 10-9-27 1T 1.5V Hyper PI 32M X8 => 14m 24.460s CPUMARK 99=> 539 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 27.53/13212 AIDA64 Memory Bandwidth - 21901 MB/s OC Performance CPU 100 X 50 => 5000MHz (Idle 1.452V, Full 1.392V) DDR3 2133.8 CL9 10-9-27 1T 1.5V Hyper PI 1M => 07.551s CPUMARK 99=> 770 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 39.25/18839 AIDA64 Memory Bandwidth - 25235 MB/s This article is also posted in my blog: WIND'S 3C Welcome 3C fans to drop by. Thanks