benchmarks posts

Hardware Review: iBuypower Paladin F870-SB

by Steven Wong Apr 3rd 2009 @ 6:00PM

Estimated MSRP: $1,949

For those who don't recognize the system, Big Download gave away a computer very similar to this one in contest a few months ago. So, we couldn't help trying out one of these monster systems for ourselves. iBuypower custom builds high-powered gaming computers, and the Paladin F870-SB has everything top-of-the-line technology has to offer. For starters, they system features an Intel Core i7-940 2.9GHz Quad Core processor along with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 295 video card. Other features include a whopping 6 GB of RAM, a Blu-ray/HD DVD drive in addition to the standard DVD read/write drive and multicard reader, running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. It's all topped off with a Sceptre 20.1" monitor, an NZXT "Avatar" gaming mouse, and a Logitech G15 gaming keyboard. Altogether, this monster has power and features to spare, and we threw a bunch of games at it to see how it all stacks up.

Continue reading Hardware Review: iBuypower Paladin F870-SB

Filed under: Features, Hardware, Opinion

Age of Conan benchmarks bode ill for single-core processors

by Samuel Axon Jun 24th 2008 @ 9:00PM

Age of Conan is a beast of a game, and it requires a beast of a system. In the open beta test, players faced serious performance problems. There was much gnashing of teeth. Now that the game has hit retail, have things improved? More importantly, can your system run the game?

Gamespot set out to answer those questions in a recent feature. Its staff tested the game with nearly 20 video cards, several processors, and two different RAM configurations. The result: a five page lowdown with all you need to know if you're you're thinking about buying the game, but are afraid to take the plunge because your system isn't quite ideal.

It turns out that the game is playable on most 7, 8 or 9 series Nvidia GPUs or their ATI equivalents, but at least two gigabytes of RAM and a dual core processor are pretty much non-optional. Check out the article for more details.

Filed under: Hardware, MMO, RPG, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures