Intel Core i7 desktop roundup: the rest of what's new
By Donald Melanson 
posted Nov 18th 2008 9:50PM
posted Nov 18th 2008 9:50PM
You likely don't need any reminders that the likes of Gateway and Dell (and Alienware) have released some new systems based around Intel's flagship Core i7 processor, but it's a whole other matter to sort out the multitude of options available from some of the smaller PC manufacturers out there, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to shed a bit light on some of those slightly lower profile contenders for the desktop throne. Ready to get started? Then check your bank account and head on past the break.
iBuyPower Paladin F860-a, F860-n, and F970
iBuyPower was one of the first manufacturers out of the gate with a Core i7 system ready to be tested and benchmarked, but it's naturally not about to keep things confined to one solitary system, and it recently took the wraps off of three more models based around two different Core i7 processors. Two of those, the Paladin F860-a and F860-n are identical apart from the graphics cards, with the former getting an ATI Radeon HD 4870 and the latter sporting an NVIDIA GeForce GTX260, while the Paladin F970 gets upgrades across the board and, of course, a considerably higher price tag.
Key specs:
iBuypower Paladin F860-a & F860-n
- Processor: 2.93GHz Intel Core i7-940
- Memory: 6GB DDR3 1333MHz
- Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4870 1GB (F-860-a), NVIDIA GeForce GTX260 896MB ( F-860-n)
- Hard drive: 1TB SATA-II 7,200-rpm
- Price: $2,199.00
- Processor: 3.2GHz Intel Core i7-970
- Memory: 12GB DDR3 1333MHz
- Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB
- Hard drives: 1TB SATA-II 7,200-rpm, 128GB SSD
- Price: $3,799.00
Velocity Micro Edge Z-55
Key specs:
- CPU: 3.0GHz Intel Core i7-920 (overclocked)
- Memory: 6GB DDR3 1,066MHz
- Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 512MB
- Hard Drive: 750GB, 7,200 rpm
- Price: $2,499
Read- CNET
Read - HotHardware
Falcon Northwest Mach V
Key specs: (base configuration)
- Processor: 2.66GHz Intel Core i7-920
- Memory: 6GB DDR3, 1,066MHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT 512MB
- Hard drive: 250GB, 7,200 rpm
- Price: $2,657
Puget Systems Core i7 Gaming Computer, Core i7 Video Editing Computer
Key specs:
Core i7 Gaming Computer (base config)
- Processor; 2.66GHz Intel Core i7-920
- Memory: 3GB DDR3, 1,333MHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT 512MB
- Hard Drives: WD Caviar 320GB SATA2
- Price: $2,188
- Processor: 2.66GHz Core i7-920
- Memory: 3GB DDR3, 1333MHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT 512MB
- Hard drives: Dual WD Caviar 320GB SATA2
- Price: $2,312
CyberPower Black Pearl Core i7 965 EE Gaming System
CyberPower looks to have gone all out with its Core i7 options, but those with money to burn will no doubt head straight towards the company's top-end Black Pearl model, which boasts a base configuration that starts at $3,999. According to the folks at TweakTown, those that do decide to go for broke won't be disappointed, as the system delivered some expectedly impressive benchmark scores and earned enough other high marks to snag their Editor's Choice award. Oh, and you'll get a free copy of Far Cry 2 with it too.
Key specs:
Read- TweakTown
Smooth Creations Hellcat Core i7 965 EE Gaming System
CyberPower's system couldn't quite top Smooth Creations' latest Hellcat system in TweakTown's tests, however, with it delivering the most impressive benchmark scores they've seen to date, and an equally stratospheric price tag: $5,400. That'll get you nothing but the top end components, including an overclocked Core i7-965 processor, a speedy 300GB boot hard drive and two 1TB drives in a RAID array for some added storage, plus an elaborate Danger Den cooling system to keep everything from exploding -- the whole thing also comes packed in an actual wooden crate to prevent any shattered dreams that could possibly occur a shipping mishap.
Key specs:
Read- TweakTown
As impressive as all those options are, they're only a hint of things to come from all the boutique and specialty manufacturers out there, and you can be sure that Dell, Gateway, and some of the other big players won't just be sitting around with their launch systems for too long either -- heck, even Commodore looks to be blowing things out. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for the next little while, and we'll be sure to make note of any other notable new systems as they crop up.
Key specs:
- Processor: 3.2GHz Intel Core i7-965 Extreme
- Memory: 6GB DDR3, 1,066MHz
- Graphics: Dual ATI Radeon HD 4870 2GB
- Hard drives: Dual 300GB 10,000 rpm SATA-II in RAID 0 array
- Price: $3,999
Read- TweakTown
Smooth Creations Hellcat Core i7 965 EE Gaming System
Key specs:
- Processor: 4.0GHz Core i7-965 Extreme (overclocked)
- Memory: 6GB DDR3
- Graphics: Dual ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2
- Hard drives: WD VelociRapter 300GB, Dual WD 1TB drives in RAID 1 array
- Price: $5,400
Read- TweakTown
As impressive as all those options are, they're only a hint of things to come from all the boutique and specialty manufacturers out there, and you can be sure that Dell, Gateway, and some of the other big players won't just be sitting around with their launch systems for too long either -- heck, even Commodore looks to be blowing things out. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for the next little while, and we'll be sure to make note of any other notable new systems as they crop up.
who would've thought a processor could look so fashionable
Haha I know! It reminds me the Toshiba MK4001MTD hard drive I made into a necklace, btw it's only 0.85 so I'm not bling.
http://www.toshibastorage.com/main.aspx?Path=StorageSolutions/0.85-inchHardDiskDrives/MK4001MTD
I want one.
this article is a who's who of some fucking ugly computers
quiet mac boy ur just jealous!
considering the most processor intensive thing i do is fucking photoshop cs3 i'm not too jealous, but i certainly wouldn't mind having the innards of one of these
however those cases are an embarrassment and reinforce the stereotype that people who like videogames also have no fucking taste whatsoever
You fuck photoshop?
that's why i'm uncontrol and you're control, baby
The Haf case is so nice. Unique, not like a Bland mac.
I honestly have to agree with this guy. (prepares to be low ranked)
These cases are terrible. If I were to get one of these computers, I'd have to take out all the parts and put them in another case.
You use photoshop a lot? You don't want nehalem, you want GTX 280 and CUDA-oriented photoshop - faster.
why use the core i7 when phenoms cost half the dough?
My thoughts exactly....but, *sigh*, now I await being low ranked and being told how the i7 kicks the crap out of any of AMDs offerings buy some dude that doesnt actually have one, but knows all about it.
The i7s kick the crap out of any of AMD's offerings. I don't own one yet, but I've read all the anandtech articles. :-)
Superior performance. When someone wants the best of the best, they will pay and extra $500 if for nothing more than bragging rights
@Me from few minutes ago
I think you meant "an" stupid!
Q6600 costs half the dough as well, and beats out the Phenoms at stock and especially overclocked while consuming less heat.
Of course we do need technology to move forward so we need to use newer CPUs.
since when is the a Core i7 970??? (read- iBuypower Paladin F970
* Processor: 3.2GHz Intel Core i7-970)
The first thing I saw was Halo 2 on the first monitor. lolz
Best FPS for PC ever...but COD is up there too....I wonder if Halo 3 will come to PC with the release of Halo 3 Recon...
But I stray from the topic. ME WANTS!!!!! ;)
I'm gonna have to disagree with you about the best FPS for PC, "ever".
HINT: the developer is in the same state as Bungie: Washington, and their office is a single floor in a large commercial building.
I would love to have one too, but those prices make me sick. Makes me glad that I quit PC gaming a long time ago.
Again, to reiterate the point of another commenter, if you still games you would know these are ridiculously expensive for their performance. My 400 dollar comp I built a few months ago plays every game out at high. For 800 you could have a computer that is future proof for a few years that would just need a new video card half way through. The people that go above 1,000 just like seeing ridiculous stats and/or game/computer build as a hobby.
A gaming console costs about the same as my computer, but delivers much less functionality and has worse graphics.
i don't mind the price of the actual CPU (seeing as how i paid $316 for an E6600 2 years ago); what i do mind are the prices for the i7 motherboards. you can't get anything decent for under $275 - as soon as the market gets saturated and those drop $100 i'll upgrade. i just hope that live.com will continue the ebay cashback - with that you can get the 920 for around $225 now on ebay.
@ CP
All new tech costs $$$ when it's new. This is new tech. If price is a sore point, then wait a bit for prices to plummet, and then pick it up.
Another thing, (not directed at you, but) why is it that people complain about new tech being expensive as if like purchasing it upon it's release is compulsive. If your current rig does what you want acceptably then there's no need to buy the latest and greatest.
well considering the core 2 quad beat the crap out of the phenom, and the i7 smokes the core2, hard to believe that the i7 wont destroy the phenom. Don't label me as an intel fanboi, I run an amd dual core, and unfortunately, unless amd picks up its game, my next machine will be intel.
sorry, was supposed to be a reply to magnum870,
too bad you can't delete comments....
Or otherwise edit them..
When people turn posting into a time sensitive sport, you can't expect them to catch every typo.
"smooth creations hell cat:" wow, that system is epic, but "ibuypower" is a stupid name for a computer or company
Most detailed review of the lot:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Velocity-Micro-Edge-Z55-Intel-Core-i7-Gaming-System/
i believe that Alienware has two new desktops that have the new processors in them, one with the extreme and one with the normal, and as always are expensive, yet have amazing upgrade-ability(is that a word?)
A desktop that has amazing upgrade-ability? Who would have thought! You can upgrade any of those desktops the exact same, even if it was an E-machines with a newer mobo.
Nice try guys, but my high-end $2499 macbook air will beat these systems to a pulp in Crysis benchmarking.
+1 just because I know its sarcastic
Sarcasm?! Why, I'd never! My macbook air really is more powerful than these lousy Windows PCs! It also fits into a manila envelope.
i'd like to to see MBA run Crysis; while you're doing that, you can start an omelet right on the cover.
These prices are a rip off for people who don't know how to build computers.....glad there's a option of buying parts u want and put them together because in the end it comes out a lot cheaper
is it just me or are the puget gaming and video editing computers exactly the same, but the video editing costs more?
does the video editing computer come with some special software or something?
o i see the video one has dual hard drive, silly me
There's a core i7 970 !?
Heh, nope. ^^
These are single core?
They are quad core with hyperthreaded so the PC will see 8 processors.
Sorry, I meant hyperthreading.
Nice ripoff!
Example based on cheapest PC - falcon.
Key specs: (base configuration)
* Processor: 2.66GHz Intel Core i7-920 - $310
* Memory: 6GB DDR3, 1,066MHz - $200
* Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT 512MB - $125
* Hard drive: 250GB, 7,200 rpm - $50
* Motherboard - $220
* Case - $100 (doesn't look more expensive, that falcon)
* PSU - $80 (expensive for PSU but I hope they didn't try to save here)
* CPU cooler - $60 (a good cooler)
* Price: $2,657
* Rip-off - $2,657 minus $1,045 - $1,612 (more than 150% ripoff)
NICE JOB FALCON!!!!
I hope I didn't forget any components. I chose the cheapest motherboard for X58. All prices taken from newegg.com. DDR3 - 3gb x 2, cheapest. Even if I take the more-or-less expensive stuff (no need for the most expensive), its still going to be around $1000 overpriced. And they didn't even bother to install 1TB HDD and GTX 280 video card (price could be the same).
Please correct if anything is wrong.
Hope this helps to see just how much cheaper and better Do It Yourself is.
Sorry folks, didn't notice
iBuypower Paladin F860-a & F860-n
its cheaper and has better components. Looks soooo much better than falcon machine. But I'm 100% sure you can get it cheaper if you DIY.
no shit sherlock, of course you can get it cheaper if you DIY. That's not the point here obviously.
Why would i ever need 6 or even 12 GB of Ram on a 32 Bit Gaming (Windows) machine?? It's not supported
So you can boast to friends?
Most of these machines are built with "brains not found" error sticker on them. And the price is usually 200% from parts cost...
There are few exceptions though.
Because the core i7..is a monster :3
I could not build my own computer to save my life, so I have no choice but to purchase a company-made computer. Still, I didn't think Falcon and the others were ripping off people like myself THAT much. I realize they have to charge for labor, but they are going a little too far.
The Cyberpower is actually a pretty good deal:
Processor: $1060
MB: $221
RAM: $500
Video Cards: $1060
2 Raptor HD's: 540
that's already $3200+ without a Heatsink, Power Supply, Case, Backup HD, OS, other peripherals and monitor if needed.
Dont care what anyone else says they do look nice computers dont they.
http://laptopsbargain.com
fuck me DDR3 1666, i was surprised at only 3Gb at first but that explains it....