Cyberpower PC Gamer Xtreme 1006 Mainstream Desktop PC

Aug 6 2009 - Cyberpower PC's Gamer Xtreme 1006 is a gaming focused system but it puts most of its performance into the processor and memory than the graphics. This doesn't mean that the system isn't good for gaming, just not as graphically capable as some others. still, the system is a solid value for anyone considering a high performance system for more general use.

Aug 6 2009 - Cyberpower PC's Gamer Xtreme 1006 is one of a number of systems now available for around $1000 that features the Intel Core i7 920 processor. This latest generation of processor has a major advantage over many other systems in this price range because of its improved performance and integrated DDR3 memory controller. This when combined with the 6GB of PC3-8500 memory gives this system some of the best general performance that can be found in this price range.

Graphics for the Gamer Xtreme 1006 are kind of mediocre. The NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 graphics card is really no more than a renamed GeForce 9800 GT. This gives it performance that allows games to be played up to the 1680x1050 resolution without too much problem but it would have been nicer to see something like a GeForce GTX 260 card at least in a system designed for gaming. The system does have a 800W power supply that allows for a second GTS 250 card to be added for SLI and added performance.

In order to offer such a high end processor in a gaming systems, some sacrifices needed to be made to keep costs down. This results in a slightly smaller 500GB hard drive compared to the 750GB drives that are being offered in many similarly priced desktops. This probably doesn't make much impact for many gamers but those with lots of media file will find 500GB potentially limiting.

One minor annoyance with the Gamer Xtreme 1006 is the XION case used in the system. It has a large number of green LEDs that can easily light up a dark room. Some may wish to disable these lights. Still, this is a a very minor aspect to what shapes up to be a very good value for anyone looking at a higher performance system at a reasonable price.