Reactor X Blows Away the Competition
Going Hard Core
This geek has gone hard core!!!
The new Reactor X ($4,044 base price) from Hardcore Computers is a muscle-bound, liquid-cooled super PC that can handle everything from graphics-intensive, memory-hogging games to business applications.
The basic unit comes with:
• An Overclocked Intel® Core™ i7 930 Quad Core Processor (3.4GHz, 8MB Cache)
• A 650W power supply
• A 6GB DDR3 1600MHz (3 x 2GB) tri-channel memory
• A GeForce® GTX 470 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5
• A Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB removable hard drive
• A Samsung slot-loading DVD burner
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit operating system
The computer also has nine USB ports, two Firewire ports, up to six HDMI and DVI ports for video, and Creative Labs X-Fi Professional Audio with connectivity for speakers and headsets.
The key here is the thick, slimy liquid that cools the PC and allows you to overclock the Intel processor to levels you wouldn't dare to try with a conventional computer.
The only complaints I have with the Reactor X are its weight (more than 100 pounds when fully loaded with liquid) and the lack of built-in Wi-Fi with the basic configuration. Other than that, this is one mean machine!
The one I played with was a bit souped up, but even the basic configuration blows away most electronic-store PCs. The upgrade included:
• An Intel i7 970 Six Core Processor (3.2GHz, 12MB Cache)
• 12GB of Tri-channel RAM
• Two Nvidia GTX 480 Graphics cards
• A Western Digital 300GB 10,000 RPM Velociraptor hard drive
Simply put, this ain't your grandpa's Commodore 64!
The tests I ran were pretty basic, but intensive enough to cause the average, store-bought PC to cry uncle -- ranging from accessing multiple, graphics-intensive websites and running six or more applications (ranging from Microsoft Word to Adobe Photoshop) at once to playing games, such as Borderlands and Civilization V, with other programs running in the background. The Reactor X just stared back at me as if to say, "What else you got?" As hard as I tried, I couldn't make it crash!
For more information, check out the company's website at www.hardcorecomputer.com.
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