Jan 10 2011 - The Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 desktop computer is one of the first systems on the market featuring the new Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge processor. Already fast with this 2nd Generation Core i7 CPU, the Gamer Xtreme 3000 also boosts performance with a fast and spacious 1TB 7200RPM hard drive. Even though the AMD Radeon HD 6850 graphics card isn't top of the line, the budget-friendly price of $1,059 and the ability to customize virtually every component makes the Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 a top buy.
Pros
- Fully Customizable
- New High-End Sandy Bridge CPU with P67 Chipset
- Fast and Spacious Hard Drive
Cons
- Added Options Can Drive Price Way Up
- Standard Power Supply is Only 700 Watts
- Lack of Triple Channel Memory
Description
- Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz CPU with 8MB of Cache
- Asus P8P67-M Intel P67 Chipset DDR3 mATX Motherboard
- 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 Memory
- AMD Radeon HD 6850 1GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
- 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM Hard Drive
- 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+/-RW + CD-R/RW Drive
- CoolerMaster HAF 912 Mid-Tower Gaming Case
- XtremeGear Liquid Cooling System
- 700 Watt XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply
Review - Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 Gaming Desktop Computer
Image Courtesy Cyberpower
On the heels of the release of Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, comes the Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 desktop PC. This model is fully customizable, so you can upgrade a component here or downgrade one there to save some money. However, the model up for review today is equipped with the hardware specifications shown above with a starting retail price of $1,059.
Up first is the CPU. This Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 is equipped with the 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge processor. This chip is a speed demon at 3.4GHz (stock) with a robust 8MB of cache. However, since the Core i7 is a "K" chip, it is fully unlocked for even higher overclocked speeds. These new Sandy Bridge processors are an overclocker's dream, but if you'd prefer to let the professionals handle it, Cyberpower will do it for you for $19 to $99 depending on the performance boost.
As stated above, each element is customizable on this machine. So if you'd prefer neon green lights on your CoolerMaster HAF-912 mid-tower case or an upgraded liquid cooling system, it's yours with the simple click of a mouse. This is especially nice for gamers who don't want to be saddled with slow memory or a subpar motherboard that are found in many systems at big box retailers.
The base configuration of the Cyberpower Sandy Bridge Gamer Xtreme 3000 desktop also comes with an ASUS P8P67-M CrossFireX motherboard with the Intel P67 chipset, onboard support for USB 3.0, and 7.1 HD audio (in case you don't have a sound card). All in all, this motherboard is an excellent choice for the price.
Since the Cyberpower Xtreme 3000 is made for gamers, the machine has to have an abundance of memory, right? That's true. The Gamer Xtreme 3000 comes standard with 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 for fast load times. You can upgrade to 16GB, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg. Until memory prices drop, 8GB should suffice.
Speaking of price, you won't find AMD's top of the line graphics card in the Gamer Xtreme 3000. Instead, the AMD Radeon HD 6850 with 1GB of GDDR5 is equipped in the standard configuration. And while it's not as fast or as smooth as the GTX 480 or HD 6970, it does perform very well in DirectX 11 games. However, if you're looking for the ultimate gaming machine, you can upgrade to the AMD Radeon HD 6970 or NVIDIA GTX 480. And since the ASUS P8P67 supports two graphics cards, you can always pair two HD 6850's in CrossFireX configuration as budget allows.
The Cyberpower Xtreme 3000 is also equipped with a 700 watt power supply. This is sufficient, but if you plan on running more than one graphics card or upgrading the system in the future, you may want to consider a more powerful PSU.
And last but not least is storage. Any gamer will acknowledge the fact that games take up a lot of space. Depending on the amount of titles you store on your system, a large (and fast!) hard drive may be necessary. Fortunately, the Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 comes with a large 7200RPM 1TB hard drive. You can also upgrade to an SSD or add RAID to your configuration.
Overall, the Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 3000 is an excellent value. Starting at $1,059, the Gamer Xtreme 3000 is fast with smooth gameplay. And with the new Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge CPU, this machine flies in a variety of environments. The quality components set this gaming rig apart from other cookie cutter machines.