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Monster Machines
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Made for pros, gaming PCs are awe-inspiring monsters that feature only the most powerful and branded components. From the unique exterior down to the inside cabling, they look awesome and cater to a niche but growing number of enthusiasts. We list five such PCs that are custom-built and wow with their lightning fast performance. Expectedly, these are expensive — in fact, more expensive than the average fancy laptop.
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Courtesy: Digital Storm |
Digital Storm Assassin
"Powerful is an understatement," proudly proclaims the digital storm website. And indeed, the handsome Digital Storm Assassin is more than a powerful gaming machine: the build quality of the system and the manufacturer's dedicated customer service make it a recommended buy for those who can afford $1,627 (Rs 72,978). Featuring 8-GB DDR3 memory and an Intel Core i5 2500K 3.30GHz processor, the Assassin also sports a much-needed 1-TB Western Digital Caviar hard disk drive, while a 1-GB NVIDIA GeForce graphics card makes gaming a visual delight on the black machine. However, the ASUS motherboard with Intel P67 Chipset does not support Scalable Link Interface (SLI), a technology that's meant to increase the processing power available for graphics.
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Courtesy: Dell |
Alienware Aurora
The science-fiction-inspired designs of the alienware brand of pcs from Dell have always been a big hit, even with those who don't play games. The Alienware Aurora, for example, sports a case that reminds one of an alien's head. Apart from boasting an 8-GB RAM (upgradable to 16-GB!), it also comes equipped with a whopping 2-TB hard drive. The capable Intel Core i5 processor and the 1-GB AMD Radeon high-definition video card give the alien monster all the power it needs to run heavy, graphics-intensive games, be it The Witcher 2 or your old favourite Tomb Raider: Legend.
However, the Aurora's processor boosting limit is clocked at 3.3GHz, which, when compared with some of its rivals, looks insufficient. Some of the Aurora's other standard features include integrated 7.1-channel audio, Alienware High-Performance Liquid Cooling and AlienFX lighting. So, if you are game, get ready to shell out $1,299 (Rs 58,097) to catch this powerful monster of a gaming PC.
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Courtesy: Maingear |
Maingear Shift
The sturdy-looking chassis with advanced vertical heat Dissipation of the Maingear Shift is more than a façade. The brushed black aluminium exterior houses a CPU that boasts the power of an Intel Core i5 processor and 8-GB Crucial DDR3 memory. The system also comes equipped with a 64-GB solid-state drive, a 1-TB Samsung hard drive and a decent cooler. However, adding extra hard drives is a big problem, courtesy the pre-wired layouts in the two additional hard drive bays.
When it comes to graphics, the Maingear Shift features the staggering 1-GB power of an NVIDIA GeForce GPU. Considering the full specifications, the fact remains that a retail price of $2,040 (Rs 91,239) makes the Shift slightly overpriced as many of its less expensive rivals also deliver similar — and better — performance.
CyberPower Black Pearl
The Cyberpower Black Pearl is an object d'art in its own right. The machine flaunts a beautiful Azza Hurrican 2000 Full Tower Gaming Case that houses an Intel Core i7 processor and a motherboard featuring an Asus Sabertooth X58 chipset complementing the CPU. The staggering capacity of 12-GB onboard memory and a 1-TB SATA hard drive add to the joys of the dedicated gamer. It also boasts a 1-GB AMD Radeon HD video card and Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System, while 7.1 HD audio comes standard with the system. But with the base model itself having a starting price of $1,299 (Rs 58,097), it is no wonder that the Black Pearl will make a sizeable hole in your pocket.
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Courtesy: Velocity Micro |
Velocity Raptor Signature Edition
It turns out that the raptor signature Edition from Velocity Micro is one of the most expensive gaming PCs in the market. Its scary price of $4,549 (Rs 2,03,454) aside, it is also one of fastest gaming monsters — the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition processor and the Intel motherboard with X58 chipset are apt to handle multitasking while the SLI-ready NVIDIA GeForce video card renders high-end graphics.
However, given its price and the Signature Edition tag (the system comes with the signature of Velocity Micro's founder and CEO Randy Copeland), the 6-GB memory looks paltry and the loud cooling hardware is something of a downer. Thankfully, it comes equipped with a 2-TB hard drive and a Blu-ray reader. Also, a premium Razer gaming keyboard is supplied with the machine.
(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 27-06-2011)