Hardware Scan 3XS Cyclone PC Review

Looks very tidy and pleasant, congrats to scan!
I agree with the lack of an SSD, even a 64GB, as also the mobo issue, you could have saved a few more pounds and get that SSD or go bananas on another component, as a sound card or something else.

One thing that got me curious.... Are the PSU cables stock from Corsair or are they after-market?? I really liked them a lot!

 

Yup thats the standard Corsair cables.

While I'm aware that the GTX480 is fast, does it really matter to anyone who doesn't have a 30" screen? I bet a 5850 instead of the 480 and adding in a ssd in return would would be preferable.

 

How lol

Ssd doesn't do alot and you would be replacing the 5850 in 6 months

480 can max anygame at the min at just about any rez 5850 struggles at 1920x1080

 

SSD doesn't do a lot? how many current gen ssds have you tried out?

Replace any current gen gpu in 6 month? why? the majority of games are just console ports and the 58x0 cards got everything you could want, low idle power consumption, high gaming performance, dx11, not too loud, there won't be more than a handful games in the next 1 -2 years that you can't run maxed on any current high end card no matter if from amd or nvidia.

 

Maybe it's because I wasn't properly caffeinated when I read this but my first thoughts when I say the picture and read the title was : "What? That's not a Scan 3XS Cyclone, that's a bloody Coolermaster 690 Advanced! Why don't they just design/build their own cases!?"

Like most people here, I tend to build my own PCs but this is rather good setup for people for people who doesn't/can't build there own PC. (I have no idea about UK pricing so I have no idea if that's expensive or not thought when converted to SA monies it doesn't seem expensive for what you're getting...)

@ rollo : I still have a GTX275 and I haven't had any problems running my games maxxed at 1920x1200 (Samsung T260) so I can't imagine that the 5850 will be a bottleneck in games any time soon....

 

Sorry, double post

 

Scan wouldn't build pre-built systems if no-one bought them to start with. You don't own and run a company while driving a Nissan GTR with the reg '5CAN' without running a succesful company...

There will always be people who want the best components and professionally built and overclocked systems but either can't be botehred or don't have the confidence to build it themselves. As Phil said, you can customise parts of it when ordering anyway...

Using the waterblock on the graphics and nothing else is an idea I like - it's different, I havent seen it tried anywhere else and is a novel approach to the problems of the new Fermi cards.

I also like the fact that we have representatives of Scan on here (Hi Phil!) who can answer our questions and (should they feel the need) take advice and tips based on the opinions of both CPC and it's plethora of readers and posters...

 

Oh how it's easy to tell you've never used one

 

It's just a pre-built PC so move along folks nothing to see here.

get rid of the water cooling and use the extra $200 for a HD 5970 and a i7 930
instead of a gtx 480 and the old i7 920

 

The case is quite s***e for that price tag (*please don't take my free delivery discount away*)

 

I kind of see where he's coming from. Yes, the loading times are immense, but you need to spend a fairly large sum of money to get an SSD that you can install more than a few games on. From a gamers point of veiw I can see why a top end GPU would be more appealing than an SSD.

 

I think pre-built systems are excellent. Yes the whole DIY front for bit tech and custompc is at the heart of these, but you have to remember pre-built systems are tried and tested, there already to go out the box and dont cost that much more (or less in some systems) than doing it yourself.
I think the cable management and the watercooling already done for you is pretty much a selling point on its own...
The 920 or 930 i hear in the comments. Who cares they perform roughly the same. So tbh the 930 is not worth the money at all....£50 just to see a benchmark score no more than 100 pts more? You wont see anything with your own eyes as different, so Scan did the right thing.
However I do think that the watercooling of the 480 has bumped up the price quite alot. Maybe a £150 increase but not the £300+ on top of the gladiator.

 

whats the point of paying 300 quid for a card that carnt run games with aa on its usless a tell thee useless , thats why im buying the cheaper but fastr with aa on gtx 470 .night night im off to watch a dvd the watchmen

 

i wonder if the watercooling pipes will obstruct cards being inserted just below the gtx 480 . but who cares not me cauz im aint getting 1 , i will instead buy a gtx 470 with i5 750 4GB ddr3 .

 

You can put a card in the slot below, you just have to remove the gpu from its slot to insert / remove it, but thats not really a problem as if you look at the tubes they are long enough to lay down the gpu next to the case without removing it from the wc loop.

 

I couldn't get that system with the config you published for under £1800 on SCAN's site.

I'd prefer to see the Dominator properly filled, with a 120 on the back, and 240 top and bottom.

 

Like this: http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5323/img1927a.jpg