Source: Tom's Guide | Keywords: uberclok, reactor, system | Themes: Desktop Computers
3. Internal Components, Continued
A Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme provides maximized air cooling without the significant weight penalty typically found in oversized coolers. It allowed Überclok to increase the E8400’s front-side-bus to 445 MHz clock-speed (1780 MHz data rate) without losing stability, resulting in a 4.01 GHz CPU frequency.
Überclok included two BFG 8800GTX graphics cards in SLI mode for this sample Reactor PC. These are the basic-overclock versions with a 600-MHz graphics core and 1800-MHz memory data rate, and Überclok hasn’t increased these speeds any further.
The sample Reactor also included 4 GB of Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 CAS 5, which Überclok set somewhat conservatively at a 1052 MHz data rate.
Power quality becomes especially crucial to assure a stable overclock, so Überclok stepped up to an 850-W unit from Cooler Master. The FS-850-EMBA has become especially popular for use with cases that have the power supply at the bottom, because the extra-long CPU 12V power lead is required for reaching the upper corner of most motherboards.
Uberclock installs the power unit with its fan on top, where it pulls air downward into its housing and exhausts it through the rear panel. Mounting the power supply in this orientation helps to direct intake air past the lower graphics card as it enters from the front of the case.
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Crysis benchmark is where?
Wow...pricey!
Exactly my thoughts rtfm.
with the exception of Supreme Commander and Warhammer. The games tested are clearly last generation. Why are you still running DX9 games to benchmark a DX10 system? get something there to actually stress the system a little bit.
Wow, I bet solitare would have over 200 fps with the Uber. Where are the benchmarks for games that folks actually play?
I just want to know what the CPU voltage is, I have the e8400 and have it a 3.6 but would love to go to 4.0 if I knew more on how to set it. I have DDR2 800 ram though (Gskill)
Two DVD burners would have been better choice than a DVD reader and a DVD burner. You can launch two copies of most writer software (i.e. Nero Essentials that's included with LG drives) and burn two DVD's simultaneously, good for making quick rapid copies of photo albums and home videos for friends at a party. Even worthwhile in the budget $1500 gaming rig. I have two of the same DVD writers and writing to both simultaneously is not a problem for modern dual core systems (less than 5% CPU to burn to two drives at once), and you still have enough CPU headroom left to play HD video simultaneously on a mid-range graphics card.
ap90033, I also have the E8400, DDR2 800 ram and have it at 4.0 stable. My settings:
Unlinked
FSB - 1779
RAM - 800
CPU core - 1.50v
CPU VVT - 1.35v
Nothbridge - 1.43v
LTD - 3x (Under Advanced Chipset Features)
Memory Timing - Auto
Would like to go higher than 4 but my abit FP-IN9 mobo refuses. The same with everyone else who has this board. Point is, you should get your e8400 up to 4.4 at least with a OC friendly board.
isnt that voltage to high? I thought 1.4 was the highest you could go safely?
which voltage do you mean: cpu core or northbridge? some people go even higher:
http://forus.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=139623
Check out those settings. Apparently raising the cpu vvt voltage quite high can help a lot with stability.
extra cooling for the northbridge would be a good idea though.
pffff
This isnt a supercomputer...
My home machine
Two quad-Core x5350 xeon's 2.66GHz/1333
160GB (7,200rpm) SATA2 Hard Drive (the wimpyist thing about the machine)
16GB DDR2 677 Quad Channel FBD Memory (8x2GB)
XFX 8800 GTX 768mb DDR3
Soundblaster Audigy