While we've seen many PCs in recent months with support for DDR3 memory, this is the first equipped with the chips. A DDR3 system offers a convenient upgrade path, and performance gains in the future are likely to be significant.
Not that the Infinity's performance will be an issue in the near future - with 2GB of 1,333MHz DDR3 RAM and an Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 that's been overclocked from 2.33GHz to 3.16GHz, the Infinity XT breezed through our benchmarks to a final score of 1.50.
Graphics power is equally impressive. The Nvidia 8800 GTS graphics card might only have 320MB of RAM, but it's enough to satisfy most gamers. In Call of Duty 2, at its highest settings, the Infinity XT ran at an impressive average of 42fps. Call of Juarez ran at a decent 33fps, too, albeit at its lowest settings of 1,024 x 768. The card provides the additional benefit of two DVI connections, making a dual-monitor upgrade simple.
The PC is built around the P5K3 Deluxe motherboard from Asus. Besides DDR3 support, there are two gigabit Ethernet ports, an integrated 802.11bg WLAN controller and a gamer-friendly BIOS with numerous options for fan control and overclocking.
The monitor is Mirai's DML-522W100. The maximum resolution of 1,680 x 1,050 is practical for almost all Windows tasks and it excels when it comes to gaming courtesy of its 5ms response time. It's less impressive for image work: colours lack vibrancy, so they're less punchy onscreen. Colour accuracy is reasonably good and it's a fine monitor for occasional photographic use. The stand is the final letdown: a limited tilt is all the adjustability on offer.
Booting the machine for the first time is rather surprising. The six fans create a lot of ambient noise and four of them come complete with blue LEDs that cast an eerie glow both inside the case and out thanks to the large transparent window.
The case's curved front has a door covering the drive bays and features a blue LCD screen displaying hard disk, CPU and system temperature. The curved shape of the front is mirrored by a plastic cage on the back of the PC. It gives the case a certain aesthetic balance, but makes accessing some of the rear ports difficult.
Things are well arranged inside. Liberal use of cable ties means spare power connectors are neatly tucked away. This is good news for upgraders, as access to the interior is easy; it also means good internal airflow. There's space for future upgrades as well, although the 500GB disk provides plenty of room for a decent game and media collection.
For a top-end machine, the included keyboard and mouse are rather run of the mill. Perhaps anticipating the fact that many gamers already have peripherals, CyberPower has bundled cheap items to keep costs down. The Logitech Value keyboard is unsatisfying and light, although the mouse has a better weight. A set of Creative T6100 speakers is the final inclusion - audio quality isn't the best, but they're sufficiently loud for parties and neighbour-waking gaming sessions.
The main problem for the CyberPower is the tough competition it faces. The A-Listed Mesh Tempest Quad Pro offers a bigger, better screen, similar gaming performance and markedly better multitasking performance courtesy of its quad-core processor. You also get twice the RAM and a TV tuner. It could be argued that with the Infinity XT you're buying a more future-proof system. By the time it shows its age in the latest games, DDR3 RAM will be more affordable. But DDR2 won't be wiped off the face of the earth before then, and those looking for a well-featured, fast sub-£1,000 PC should first consider the Mesh.
3.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
2GB 1,333MHz DDR3 RAM
Asus P5K3 Deluxe
500GB Maxtor STM3500630AS hard disk
Optiarc DVD R/W AD-5170A optical drive
Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS graphics
22in 1,680 x 1,050 Mirai DML-522W100 TFT
SoundMAX integrated HD audio
Creative T6100 speakers
Twin DVI-I out
6 x USB
3 x eSATA
802.11bg WLAN
Gigabit Ethernet
Windows Vista Home Premium
3yr RTB warrantyThe first PC we've seen with DDR3 RAM, this future-proof gaming machine also has a striking design.Author: Matthew Sparkes
CyberPower Gamer Infinity XT Elite DDR3