Showing posts with label Gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gaming. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
V3 Gaming PC Move 3DS
TypeGaming, Multimedia, Digital Entertainment SystemProcessor FamilyIntel Core i5RAM4 GBStorage Capacity (as Tested)1000 GBGraphics CardnVidia GeForce GTX 560Primary Optical DriveDVD-R SuperDriveOperating SystemMicrosoft Windows 7 Home PremiumMore
The V3 Gaming PC Move 3DS ($1199 direct) is a small form factor (SFF) gaming desktop that's been tricked-out with Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processor and discrete graphics. Though, some will mourn the lack of expandability, those with limited desk space or intent to make this desktop a part of their home entertainment/ gaming room will welcome its compact dimensions.
Design & Features
At 6.93 by 8.74 by 10.87 inches (HWD), the V3 Move 3DS's design can be summed up as a little black box. Compared with its SFF gaming peers, like the Polywell MiniBox X5800x-3D ($2,099 street, 3 stars) a 9.12-by 7.12-by 9.25-inch (HWD) cube and AVADirect Nano Cube ($1,999 direct, 3.5 stars) 7- by 9- by 11.5-inch (HWD) desktop, the V3 Move 3DS seems to be a little more compact—but not by much. Metal grates leave the desktop well ventilated on all sides, but don't make for the most appealing design. Through the grate on the face of the desktop, you can see a blue lit fan to help light up your dark-night gaming sessions.
The front of the V3 Move 3DS sports a few easy access ports: Two USB 2.0 and audio jacks. There's also a DVD drive. On the back of the desktop are a slew of connectivity options, including 4 USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, eSATA, PS2 (for old mice and keyboards), SPDF-out, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI, mini-HDMI, two DVI (analog), and DVI (digital). There is 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, but it's in the form of two adapters. You'll have to screw in two antennas with your hands, which may cause more wire clutter than you'd like. However, most gamers won't even use these as a hard line connection is always more reliable than a wireless one. Our review unit came with a 1TB 7,200rpm hard drive, which should be enough to store all your media files—even if you're an avid video downloader. The Cyberpower Gamer Dragon ($1,099 direct, 4.5 stars), on the other hand, also features a 1TB drive, but throws in a Blu-ray drive for $100 less, though; it does come in a bigger chassis. There's no keyboard or mouse that come packaged with the V3 Move, but then again, it's rare to see a boutique PC builder to bundle peripherals in, unless you pay for the option.
Bloatware is a regular problem among consumer systems, but since the V3 Move 3DS comes from a custom boutique desktop builder it comes bloatware free. The desktop also comes with a 3-year parts and lifetime labor warranty, coupled with 24/7 e-mail support and 11:30AM-8:30PM PT Monday-Friday telephone support.
Performance
The V3 Move 3DS comes with a 3.3GHz Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge processor coupled with 4GB of memory. These components helped it do well on our CPU-intensive benchmark tests, like PCMark Vantage (10,545) and Cinebench R11.5 (5.67). Among our other small form factor desktops, the V3 Move 3DS did well, landing somewhere in between the Intel Core i7-powered Polywell MiniBox (9,624 PCMark; 5.09 Cinebench R11.5) and Intel Core i5-equipped AVADirect Nano Cube (13,593 PCMark).
In terms of multimedia creation, the V3 Move 3DS was able to encode a video on our Handbrake benchmark test in 1 minute 31 seconds and move through our Photoshop CS5 test in 3:07, which involved timing how long it took the desktop to process creating image effects. The Polywell MiniBox continued to fall behind, taking 2:05 on Handbrake and 4:07 on Photoshop CS5.
The V3 Move 3DS took the stage on our 3DMark Vantage test (65,989), besting the AVADirect Nano (47,376) and Polywell MiniBox (31,840). However, its Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti graphics card was not enough to best these two desktops in Crysis (88fps), as the AVADirect Nano's ATI Radeon HD 5870 was able to average 8 frames better and the Polywell MiniBox's Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 was only 3 frames behind, which in real-world standards isn't a huge difference. When it came down to our DirectX 11 game, Lost Planet 2, the V3's more advanced GPU was able to garner 120.5fps whereas the Polywell Mini Box fell behind with only 82fps.
The V3 Gaming PC Move 3DS's price for parts and performance is very good, at $800 less than the AVADirect Nano and $900 less than the Polywell Mini Box. The desktop's small size helps it fit right into an entertainment setup or a cluttered desk, adding to its value. Even seasoned LAN warriors can surely appreciate its compact nature combined with fast components. If you're looking for a small system with a fair price tag, I highly recommend the V3 Move 3DS. But for $100 less you can get 1TB of storage, a Blu-ray player, and expansion room with our Editors' Choice Cyberpower Gamer Dragon.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS
COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the V3 Gaming PC Move 3DS with several other desktops side by side.
More desktop reviews:
‧?? Gateway One ZX4951-33e
‧?? V3 Gaming PC Move 3DS
‧?? HP Pavilion p6719c
‧?? Acer Veriton Z290G-UD525W
‧?? Giada Ultra MiniPC DN2301
‧? more
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Interview: We get a new update from PC Gaming Alliance's Matt Ployhar
Last week as part of GDC 2011, the PC Gaming Alliance revealed some details of its latest Horizons report, claiming that PC gaming as a whole generated $16.2 billion in worldwide revenue in 2010, up 20 percent from 2009. Big Download decided to get back in touch with Ployar to find out more on the status of the organization including hints about its upcoming Technical Advisory Board.
First, the PCGA recently lost two of its founding members. How will this affect the organization going forward?
The mission stays the same. We'll continue to remain focused on scoping out ways to help and assist the PC Gaming Ecosystem. Ultimately we're a nonprofit (501 C3) volunteer organization; so members will come and go periodically, contribute at what levels they're able too; and or participate based on our overall mission and alignment.
You have spoken a lot about getting the PCGA to start walking with more active participation rather than just research. How do you plan to go about doing this?
Forming the Technical Advisory Board will play a big part in helping the PCGA ensure we're making the most technically informed decisions possible. We've got several other great ideas on the table for 2011 and beyond but need to take everything one step at a time.
In a recent blog on the Intel site you said there would be an announcement about a new "technical based advisory board". What can you now tell us about this new division?
I'm viewing the Technical Advisory Board as a sort of child organization that we're helping to launch. So the PCGA will take every step necessary as the parent org to nurture and grow this over time.
Why did you want to launch such a board now?
The idea of doing this board has been around for quite some time. When I came on board I did a quick member survey to validate what this would look like, who would run it, that sort of thing; and am just focusing on doing what I can to facilitate it & bring it to life.
Who are the members of this new technical advisory board?
Too early to announce. Some members may wish to remain anonymous. Suffice it to say we've got some very key Architect/Fellow/CTO types that will be participating. The more important thing isn't what company they belong too but who they are.
Ultimately what will be the goal of this new board?
Early goals are still TBA. We have a long laundry list of things that we'd like to tackle. So I think 2011 will largely be prioritizing that list & with any luck we'll have 1-2 big things we can present & cover at say GDC this time next year.
PC gaming seems to be gaining more and more attention, particularly as small game developers release games via download that can make money even with a relatively small amount of sales. Is this part of PC gaming's future?
I, and most analysts I talk too, largely believe that most games are moving towards some type of a service model. This isn't just the future of PC Gaming; but likely impacts all Gaming formats. In that future, PCs at least by my definitions, have by far the most flexibility to evolve and survive. The form factors and the way we interact with PCs in the future I suspect are going to change over time.
Online also is becoming more and more important. Do you see the PC gaming industry competely moving away from single player only games at some point?
I think there will always be a place for single player; and or standalone games. Online though will likely continue to play a bigger role in some fashion for that style of game play.
What other aspects of PC gaming with the PCGA concentrate its efforts on in the coming year?
We just released our preliminary findings for the year end 2010 PC Gaming Market via the Software Horizon's Report. Research will continue to be one of our bread and butter deliverables. The Tech Advisory Board is another big one. I have two other things I'd like to get in place for 2011 but will have to save that for a later conversation.
Finally is there anything else you wish to say about the PCGA?
We're staying committed and passionate towards PC Gaming. 2011 will obviously be a very big year for us as we start tackling some of the other things that have been on our to do list for the past couple of years. So stay tuned.
Friday, April 1, 2011
V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS
TypeGamingProcessor FamilyIntel Core i7RAM6 GBStorage Capacity (as Tested)2128 GBGraphics CardnVidia GeForce GTX 580 Triple SLIPrimary Optical DriveBlu-Ray DiscOperating SystemMicrosoft Windows 7 Home PremiumMore
The V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS ($3,499 direct) is a hardcore performance gaming desktop with three high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards running in a Triple SLI configuration. What all that technobabble means is you'll be able to hook this up to a large-screen monitor and play current 3D games at full resolution with all the eye candy turned on. It doesn't quite have the dominating braggability, nor bang for the buck we look for in an Editors' Choice, but it's certainly a compelling option for the hardcore gamer who wants to spend well under $5,000 for a triple-SLI system.
Design and Features
The Avenger 3DS comes in a standard black gaming tower case. A little digging identifies it as the Antec Twelve Hundred. It's a huge chassis, standing about 23 inches tall, so space is a must. Internally-lit 120mm fans reside in the front and back, with a huge 200mm fan on the top panel. All of these fans push air through the desktop, especially over the CPU's liquid cooling radiator mounted to the back panel. However, there's a lot of extra cabling left over, connected to the three graphics cards. While not a dealbreaker, the extra looped cabling can affect airflow in the case, and is unattractive when seen through the windowed side door. (Builders of more expensive systems would have trimmed these extra cables). The fans all have manual controls, so you can slow down or silence them, but of course that would mean the desktop wouldn't get the needed cooling they provide. While running through the 3D gaming tests and benchmark tests, the graphics cards' fans added to the case fans noise. I hope you have a pair of sound-blocking headphones, because this desktop gets loud.
The Avenger 3DS's bulk translates into a lot of interior space with room for airflow, but surprisingly little usable upgrade space, thanks to the three humungous Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards. The desktop has one set of three memory DIMM slots free (you need to populate all three since the Avenger 3DS has triple-channel memory). Aside from that, there isn't any internal space for components. The three graphics cards block the remaining PCI and PCIe slots, so you don't have space for upgrades like a gaming-optimized network card (if you believe that they help in the first place). There's physical space for up to four more hard drives and two optical drives, but you'll have to remove the graphics cards to get to the three free SATA ports on the motherboard. The 1,000W power supply will provide more than enough power to the Avenger 3DS. It comes with a lifetime labor warranty, so I'd recommend that you ship the system back to V3 Gaming for future upgrades. The system has a 3-year warranty on parts, something I'd almost mandate for overclocked systems.
There is a plethora of I/O ports, some on the top of the desktop, but most in the back. The Avenger 3DS has 6 USB 2.0 ports, 3 eSATA ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and a FireWire port. Basically, every kind of hard drive can connect to the Avernger 3DS—good thing since internal upgrades are a pain. The top of the case has a wide, shallow indentation where you can rest your digital camera, hard drives, or phone, while connected to one of the USB or eSATA ports.
The Avenger 3DS unaffected by bloatware, which is a benefit of buying from a smaller system builder. The only thing on the hard drive is Windows 7, drivers for the various hardware bits, and some software for the Blu-ray burner (including Cyberlink PowerDVD 9 BD). It comes with download codes for the games H.A.W.X. 2, Mafia II, and Napoleon Total War, courtesy of the Nvidia GTX 580 cards. It also comes with a pair of 64GB solid-state drives (SSDs) linked together in a RAID 0 array (for a total of 128GB) for the C: drive, plus a pair of 1TB 7,200 rpm SATA hard drives for storage (for a total of 2TB). The GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards are 3D Vision capable, for people who really want to be on the bleeding edge.
Performance
The V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS shows good bang for the buck compared to systems like the Falcon Northwest Mach V (Core i7-2600k) ($4,812.82 list, 4 stars) and Origin Genesis. The Avenger 3DS can run with these big boys on the game tests. However, the system isn't quite as nice: The Avenger's chassis is a retail design off the shelf, and the internal wiring could be a bit better in light of the windowed case. The current reigning mainstream gaming Editors' Choice winner is the Maingear F131 Super Stock ($2,300 direct, 4 stars), and while it is true that the Avenger 3DS is faster at the highest end gaming tests, the fact that the Maingear F131 is about $1,200 less expensive is a pivotal detail. The Avenger 3DS is not $1,200 faster than the Maingear F131 Super Stock, in fact the F131 is faster on two of the 3D tests and all of the multimedia tests. So, the V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS is a good system for hardcore gamers that want a triple SLI system for a lot less than $5,000, but it doesn't have the bang for the buck or the braggability we look for in a Editors' Choice gaming desktop.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS
COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS with several other desktops side by side.
More desktop reviews:
‧?? Gateway One ZX4951-33e
‧?? V3 Gaming PC Move 3DS
‧?? HP Pavilion p6719c
‧?? Acer Veriton Z290G-UD525W
‧?? Giada Ultra MiniPC DN2301
‧? more
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS
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Friday, March 18, 2011
V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS
TypeGamingProcessor FamilyIntel Core i7RAM6 GBStorage Capacity (as Tested)2128 GBGraphics CardnVidia GeForce GTX 580 Triple SLIPrimary Optical DriveBlu-Ray DiscOperating SystemMicrosoft Windows 7 Home PremiumMore
The V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS ($3,499 direct) is a hardcore performance gaming desktop with three high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards running in a Triple SLI configuration. What all that technobabble means is you'll be able to hook this up to a large-screen monitor and play current 3D games at full resolution with all the eye candy turned on. It doesn't quite have the dominating braggability, nor bang for the buck we look for in an Editors' Choice, but it's certainly a compelling option for the hardcore gamer who wants to spend well under $5,000 for a triple-SLI system.
Design and Features
The Avenger 3DS comes in a standard black gaming tower case. A little digging identifies it as the Antec Twelve Hundred. It's a huge chassis, standing about 23 inches tall, so space is a must. Internally-lit 120mm fans reside in the front and back, with a huge 200mm fan on the top panel. All of these fans push air through the desktop, especially over the CPU's liquid cooling radiator mounted to the back panel. However, there's a lot of extra cabling left over, connected to the three graphics cards. While not a dealbreaker, the extra looped cabling can affect airflow in the case, and is unattractive when seen through the windowed side door. (Builders of more expensive systems would have trimmed these extra cables). The fans all have manual controls, so you can slow down or silence them, but of course that would mean the desktop wouldn't get the needed cooling they provide. While running through the 3D gaming tests and benchmark tests, the graphics cards' fans added to the case fans noise. I hope you have a pair of sound-blocking headphones, because this desktop gets loud.
The Avenger 3DS's bulk translates into a lot of interior space with room for airflow, but surprisingly little usable upgrade space, thanks to the three humungous Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards. The desktop has one set of three memory DIMM slots free (you need to populate all three since the Avenger 3DS has triple-channel memory). Aside from that, there isn't any internal space for components. The three graphics cards block the remaining PCI and PCIe slots, so you don't have space for upgrades like a gaming-optimized network card (if you believe that they help in the first place). There's physical space for up to four more hard drives and two optical drives, but you'll have to remove the graphics cards to get to the three free SATA ports on the motherboard. The 1,000W power supply will provide more than enough power to the Avenger 3DS. It comes with a lifetime labor warranty, so I'd recommend that you ship the system back to V3 Gaming for future upgrades. The system has a 3-year warranty on parts, something I'd almost mandate for overclocked systems.
There is a plethora of I/O ports, some on the top of the desktop, but most in the back. The Avenger 3DS has 6 USB 2.0 ports, 3 eSATA ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and a FireWire port. Basically, every kind of hard drive can connect to the Avernger 3DS—good thing since internal upgrades are a pain. The top of the case has a wide, shallow indentation where you can rest your digital camera, hard drives, or phone, while connected to one of the USB or eSATA ports.
The Avenger 3DS unaffected by bloatware, which is a benefit of buying from a smaller system builder. The only thing on the hard drive is Windows 7, drivers for the various hardware bits, and some software for the Blu-ray burner (including Cyberlink PowerDVD 9 BD). It comes with download codes for the games H.A.W.X. 2, Mafia II, and Napoleon Total War, courtesy of the Nvidia GTX 580 cards. It also comes with a pair of 64GB solid-state drives (SSDs) linked together in a RAID 0 array (for a total of 128GB) for the C: drive, plus a pair of 1TB 7,200 rpm SATA hard drives for storage (for a total of 2TB). The GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards are 3D Vision capable, for people who really want to be on the bleeding edge.
Performance
The V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS shows good bang for the buck compared to systems like the Falcon Northwest Mach V (Core i7-2600k) ($4,812.82 list, 4 stars) and Origin Genesis. The Avenger 3DS can run with these big boys on the game tests. However, the system isn't quite as nice: The Avenger's chassis is a retail design off the shelf, and the internal wiring could be a bit better in light of the windowed case. The current reigning mainstream gaming Editors' Choice winner is the Maingear F131 Super Stock ($2,300 direct, 4 stars), and while it is true that the Avenger 3DS is faster at the highest end gaming tests, the fact that the Maingear F131 is about $1,200 less expensive is a pivotal detail. The Avenger 3DS is not $1,200 faster than the Maingear F131 Super Stock, in fact the F131 is faster on two of the 3D tests and all of the multimedia tests. So, the V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS is a good system for hardcore gamers that want a triple SLI system for a lot less than $5,000, but it doesn't have the bang for the buck or the braggability we look for in a Editors' Choice gaming desktop.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS
COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS with several other desktops side by side.
More desktop reviews:
‧?? Acer Veriton Z290G-UD525W
‧?? Giada Ultra MiniPC DN2301
‧?? Asus Eee Box EB1501P-B016E
‧?? V3 Gaming PC Avenger 3DS
‧?? ViewSonic VPC220T
‧?? more
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