Intel's quad-core 2.6-GHz Core 2 Extreme QX6700 processor forms the nucleus of the $3599 (available later this month) Gamer Infinity 1950. The system, which also has 2GB of RAM, achieved an impressive WorldBench 5 score of 155, about the same as we've seen from other quad-core systems, but not as high as some systems we've tested using a high-end dual-core CPU. However, some of the programs WorldBench 5 uses don't take advantage of the extra processor cores; see "Test: Intel's Quad-Core CPU Speeds Video" for more details on Intel's new processor and how it performs.
Two ATI Radeon X1950 XTX graphics cards in a CrossFire configuration provide this system's graphics muscle. The PC produced a frame rate of 161 in Doom 3 at a resolution of 1280 by 1024, an above-average result. The CrossFire connection that allows the cards to work together requires an awkward cable that runs between the two boards on the outside the case; this looks ugly, and you may have to work around it if you fuss around with the connections at the back of your PC.
The 19-inch ViewSonic VA1912WB monitor that CyberPower included with our test system produced great-looking images, with sharp details and accurate colors. One complaint: Some details disappeared in the shadows of darker games (such as Doom 3).
The system's solidly built case has a cover over its optical drives for a clean look, plus a two-tone brown/green (depending on the viewing angle) marbled covering.
A fan controller, which reports the system temperature on an LCD screen and allows you to set the speed of the six case fans in the system, occupies one of the machine's five externally accessible drive bays. Though you can adjust the speed of the case fans, the controller doesn't allow you to set the speed of the most important fan, on the processor's water-cooling system. Instead, you must control that fan through a knob on the back of the system, which can be awkward to reach. More important, the fan is not temperature controlled; though you can choose to leave the fan on the lowest, quietest setting, doing so could lead to your processor's overheating. We didn't experience any problems--and the motherboard has thermal controls that will slow or halt the processor if it overheats--but this could become an issue over time if you consistently keep the fan on the quietest setting.
Three 200GB hard drives, which combine for a healthy 600GB in total (two are in a RAID 0 array), occupy three of the system's internal drive bays. That still leaves three internal bays open, giving you plenty of room for additional drives.
CyberPower backs this system with a three-year parts-and-labor warranty that includes 24-hour daily tech support. Unfortunately, the company scored poorly in our most recent reliability and service survey.
Although the Gamer Infinity 1950 isn't cheap, it includes Intel's latest processor. It provides a lot of processing and gaming power for the price, but several design flaws take the shine off an otherwise interesting package.
Richard Baguley