Reviews4u

It may not be overclocked, but the Scan 3XS Gamer keeps up with its rivals when it comes to gaming. Read our Scan 3XS Gamer PC review. Also see: Best gaming PCs 2015.

The 3XS Gamer from Scan, is one of the less expensive gaming PCs we’ve reviewed based on Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics card. Housed in an NZXT Source 340 system case, it looks, externally, almost identical to several other gaming PCs we've reviewed this month.

Inside it also features what has turned out to be a very popular and successful combination of components, in the form of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics card teamed up with an Intel Core i5-4690 CPU. The crucial difference here is the inclusion of the standard version of this CPU rather than the overclockable “K” version. Also see: Best gaming laptops 2015.

This has resulted in rather less impressive overall system speeds than similar PCs with overclocked chips, but it should also give you confidence that this PC will work reliably for years. However, the graphics card ensures that in a large proportion of games, the Scan 3XS Gamer will be able to keep up the pace, but if you play games which benefit from a lot of CPU power, this probably isn’t the system for you.

In our tests, the 3XS Gamer proved capable of gaming at 1080p with mid to high level quality settings, which is great for a PC at this price.

The system comes with 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory and storage is provided by a speedy, and capacious, 240GB Kingston SSDNow V300 SSD. Unfortunately, that’s all the storage you get, and we feel that 240GB simply isn’t enough for a Windows gaming PC. We would definitely urge you to add a hard drive to the specification before purchasing this PC.

Scan offers a three-year warranty on this system, the first year of which is covered on site. The remainder of the term reverts to a standard return to base service.

At IFA 2015 in Berlin, Acer announced three new PC’s – a tower, an all-in-one and, most interestingly, a modular Mini PC, the Revo Build M1-601. The modular design was said to allow customers the ability to easily customise their computers for their own needs, and is set to start shipping in October. The magnetic pin design meant that blocks would snap into place, making the process as easy as building a Lego tower (in theory). Is the Acer Revo Build’s modular design the future of Mini PC’s or is it a gimmick? We went hands on at IFA 2015 to find out.

If you want to find out what Revo Build's predecessor was like, read: Revo One RL85 review

The key selling point of the Acer Revo Build is its modular design. It’s an interesting concept, and depending on how the additional “Blocks” are priced, it could pave the way for a new way for consumers with little to no PC building knowledge to build and customise computers to their own needs. Theoretically, it makes perfect sense because you’ll only buy the features/parts that you need, and you’re not wasting money on additional features that you won’t make the use of.

The Acer Revo Build has a small 1 litre chassis with a 125x125mm footprint, making it small, portable and will fit pretty much anywhere you need it to be. It also makes it the ideal companion for those that travel and rely on a PC for work, as all they’d have to find is a TV screen (hotel room?) and they’d have a full PC with all their documents and programs at their fingertips. We were surprised at just how lightweight each component was, and even with three external hard drives and an external graphics card stacked up with the base unit, it’s nowhere as big as a standard PC tower.

So, how easy is it to add and remove Blocks from the Revo Build? A lot easier than we thought, actually. The beauty of the design means that there are no loose cables that you have to plug in, and the system uses a magnetic pin design that allows the block to snap into place securely and not move. There’s even a lid for the top Block to hide the exposed magnetic pin, which both protects the Block itself and makes the modular PC look more like a standard Mini PC.  

Chillblast’s Fusion Krypton system certainly stands out from the crowd. Housed in the company’s own small-form-factor “Kube” case, the PC sits lower on the desktop, taking up less space than a full-sized alternative. The case is finished in a matt black softcoat, with what Chillblast describes as a “touchy-feely” surface, lending the whole system are rather expensive-looking finish, despite it being one of the least expensive PCs of its kind.

See also: Best gaming PCs roundup

Inside the case, the PC is lit with deep blue LEDs which glow through the mesh front and illuminate the internal components through tinted windows on either side of the PC.

Components can be accessed from either side of the case or my removing the top panel to look down on the motherboard from above. Inside, the motherboard tray and drive bays are coloured blue, to match the internal lightshow.

The Fusion Krypton is powered by an Intel Core i5-6600K “Skylake” processor. In this case it has been overclocked from 3.5GHz to a respectable 4.4GHz and installed in an Asus Z170M-Plus mATX form factor motherboard.

The smaller-sized motherboard is necessary to fit in to the Kube case, and size constraints force the removal of a couple of PCI slots found on full-size versions, such as the Asus Z170-P found in The Eclipse SuperNova i566n9700C. The Chillblast, PC is nonetheless packed with features, including support for USB 3.1 Type C, fanless heatsink design, individual fan controls and M.2 support with SATA Express. It also offers excellent overclocking support, should you wish to tweak the performance beyond what Chillblast provides as standard.

Graphics performance comes from an MSI-branded Nvidia GeForce GTX 970, which delivers excellent performance for the price. This particular model features a large twin-fan cooler andhas been factory overclocked, giving the Fusion Krypton a small edge in performance and some of the fastest gaming results among its rivals.

The CPU is cooled by an Akasa Nero 3 CPU Cooler which runs quietly, although a couple of degrees hotter than most of the competition under full load. Not that this is anything to worry about unless you’re planning on attempting some extreme overclocking of your own.

General computing performance is also very good, its Samsung SM951 M.2 SSD easily outclasses the competition in raw speed, although we feel its 128GB capacity is a rather small, which could cause users to run into problems later if they’re not careful to ensure that anything which isn’t speed-critical is installed on the accompanying hard drive instead. Thankfully, the hard drive is a roomy 2TB model rather than the 1TB versions we’re most used to seeing in similar review systems. You also get a full 16GB of DDR4 RAM where others have dropped the amount to 8GB to cut costs.

Our review system comes without an optical drive but a 24-speed DVD burner can be added for £19.99 or you can provision a Blu-ray writer for £69.99. We’d prefer the look of the system if no optical drive, or drive bay, were provided at all. Without Chillblast’s suggested AOC U2868Pqu 28” 4K monitor, the Fusion Krypton comes in at just £869.99 inc. VAT, making it the least expensive option, yet also one of the fastest.

The Infinity X55 SE is a rugged-looking desktop PC with chopped off corners and a protruding front grill, which give it an industrial, almost military look marking it out immediately as a gaming PC. You also get a full-size transparent side panel, through which you can see the internal components illuminated by blue LEDs which also shine through the grille at the front. This is the Corsair Carbide SPEC-01 system case we’ve seen housing gaming PCs for some time now. You’ll either love it or hate it.

Visible through the window are the large heat pipes of the graphics card, and the black tubing of the Corsair Hydro H55 liquid-based CPU cooler keeping the Intel Core i5-6600K in check. In this system, the CPU has been pre-overclocked from 3.5GHz to 4.2GHz. This is a significant increase in speed, albeit somewhat unambitious alongside the 4.4GHz and even 4.5GHz systems challenging it in our Skylake gaming PC group test.

 

The CPU is teamed up with 8GB of 2133MHz DDR4 RAM and installed in a Gigabyte Z170-HD3 motherboard, where it’s supported by a 120GB Kingston V300 SSD and a 1TB Seagate hard drive.

This motherboard does the job, but is a little short on features. It supports 2-Way AMD CrossFire technology to allow the installation of a second graphics card, but the second PCI Express x16 slot is limited to x4 speed which will hamper performance. It doesn't support USB 3.1 either. By contrast, Mesh’s Elite Skylake PCA features the GA-Z170X-Gaming 3 motherboard which rectifies both of these omissions in a system costing the same price as the CyberPower Infinity X55SE.

This PC is unusual since it's the only Skylake PC we've seen so far that uses an AMD graphics card, rather than the more popular choice of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970. In this case CyberPower has selected an AMD Radeon R9 390 card from VTX3D. These cards are matched price-wise with the Nvidia GTX 970 cards, but oofer double the RAM, at 8GB, and offer rather different performance characteristics depending on which games you choose to play.

Future games are also likely to make much more use of video RAM, which also plays to the Radeon’s strengths. One disadvantage of this card, however, is power consumption. When running flat out, this system consumed 520W of power – somewhere in the region of double that of competing PCs built with Nvidia graphics cards. Thankfully, Cyberpower has included a beefy 750W Corsair Builder Series PSU to make sure it gets all the juice it needs. Unfortunately, the Infinity X55 SE is also the loudest PCs of the group – often the consequence of high power consumption which leads to increased heat output and faster fan speeds.

The rugged, industrial styling of the Eclipse SuperNova i566n970OC ensures that there’s no mistaking it for anything other than a gaming PC. Closest in appearance to Cyberpower’s Infinity X55 SE, the Corsair Carbide Spec-03 case used here adds a few more moulded details and a more imposing grille making it either the most badass of the bunch, or perhaps the ugliest depending on your preference. A Mesh panel front allows a red LED to shine through from the front, while the side window panel gives a clear view of the internal components – not that there’s really a whole lot to look at. Also see: Best gaming PCs 2015/2016.

Cooling the overclocked Intel Core-i5 6600K processor is a Zalman CPS11X Performa heatsink and fan combo, above a Palit Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 graphics card. Eclipse has overclocked the main CPU from 3.5GHz up to 4.2GHz, while the graphics card runs at Nvidia’s default stock speeds. This immediately puts the Eclipse SuperNova i566n970OC at a bit of a disadvantage against PCs which run the CPU faster and come with factory overclocked graphics cards. See all PC reviews.

Storage is provided by a 240GB Kingston HyperX Fury SSD, paired up with a 1TB Seagate Barracuda hard drive. We’re pleased to find a decent capacity SSD installed here, as it’s much less hassle than a 128GB model which requires a little more care to ensure it doesn’t fill prematurely. It’s not as fast though as the M.2 SATA Express SSDs provided by Chillblast and Mesh. Given the choice, we think the extra capacity is probable more useful for most people as it will allow more games to be installed on the SSD rather than the hard drive and cut down on loading times. A 24x speed DVD burner is also included as standard.

At the heart of the Eclipse SuperNova i566n970OC is an Asus Z170-P motherboard, which supports M.2 and USB 3.1 as well as providing an extra pair of PCI slots, not present on the mATX board found in Chillblast’s system. It also has an illuminated audio section on the motherboard, which provides a little extra interest when viewed through the side panel. You also get customisable fan control and a host of overclocking options which should enable to you to increase performance beyond the provided 4.2GHz if you feel the need. See allgaming PC reviews.

The Eclipse SuperNova i566n970OC comes with 16GB of the fastest DDR4 memory of the whole group, but there’s no getting away from it, the performance of the Eclipse SuperNova i566n970OC isn’t exactly spectacular. The PCMark 8.0 Home score of 4574 points is particularly low, although it does pick up in other tests. More importantly though, gaming frame rates are only 1-2 fps behind the fastest systems, so not something you’d notice outside of benchmarking.

Performance in our tests was as follows: PCMark 8 2.0 Home: 4574; PCMark8 2.0 Work: 5112; PCMark8 2.0 Creative: 6594; PCMark8 2.0 Storage: 4884; Alien vs Predator 1080/720: 88.8/170.3fps; Sniper Elite V2 Ultra/Medium/Low: 47.7/203.9/356.4fps; Final Fantasy XIV Creation Benchmark Maximum: 128.3fps; 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra/Fire StrikeExtreme/Fire Strike/Sky Diver/Cloud Gate/Ice Storm Unlimited/Ice Storm Extreme/Ice Storm: 2,487/4,711/8,606/19,782/16,272/144,592/131,366/137,700; max CPU temp under load: 68ºC; power consumption idle/load: 51/264W

It may not resemble a gaming PC at first glance, but the Mesh Elite Skylake PCA exudes quality. Its tower case comes with a matt black finished that’s soft to the touch, giving it an expensive feel, while at the top an illuminated display shows the current CPU temperature in a variety of colours which can be altered at the push of a button. Also see: Best gaming PCs 2015/2016.

Unlike most of the gaming PCs we review, the case has no transparent side panel. It’s a real shame in this case, because the Mesh Skylake PCA is by far the most impressive-looking inside. The case is spacious, with plenty of available drive bays and the Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 3 motherboard features attractive red and black details. Most impressive though is the Raijintek Triton 250mm high performance all-in-one CPU cooler, its two transparent pipes fat and filled with striking blue coolant. There’s also a blue downlight which illuminates the desk surface from the bottom of the case. We’d say the build quality of this case is considerably higher than most, certainly a tier above those from Cyberpower andChillblast.

Under that fancy cooler lurks an Intel Core-i5 6600K Skylake processor, overclocked from 3.5GHz to 4.4GHz. This yields a decent boost in performance without pushing components to the absolute limit. It’s coupled with 16GB of 2400MHz DDR4 RAM – a little faster than the base 2133MHz stuff found in lower-end systems and comes with a 250GB Samsung SSD backed by a 1TB Seagate hard drive. Although the SSD uses one of the two M.2 ports on the motherboard, it’s using the SATA interface, rather than PCI-E so it can’t match the raw performance of the Samsung 128GB SM951 used by Chillblast. However it does perform very well and its extra capacity may well prove more beneficial than extra speed. See all PC reviews.

Mesh has opted for the ever-popular Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 graphics card in the Elite Skylake PCA, and in this case it’s a Palit-branded model running at standard clock speeds, rather than the boosted speeds found in some competitors’ systems.

Mesh’s chosen motherboard doesn’t just look good, it’s also designed specifically for gaming and comes with a selection of features not found on lesser models. Not only does it support USB 3.1, but it also supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 which allows for speeds of up to 10Gb/s and up to a claimed 16 Gb/s using Intel’s USB 3.1 controller. It also supports both USB Type-C and Type-A connectors.

Audio quality has also been boosted, claiming 115dB signal to noise ratio and featuring support for the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 audio suite. The OP-Amp chips have also been made user-upgradable, so if you want the very best sound quality, you can swap them out for higher-fidelity alternatives of your choice. See all gaming PC reviews.

The board also includes a high-performance “Killer Ethernet” network interface, designed to reduce latency and improve overall system performance and is one of the few reviewed here to offer 2-way Nvidia SLI certification, allowing the addition of an extra GTX 970 as a future upgrade. The supplied 750W power supply also provides plenty of upgrade potential.

The Mesh Elite Skylake PCA is a great performer, but not the fastest overall. Chillblast’s Fusion Krypton, for example, beats is in the application performance tests, probably due to its faster SSD, and also beats it by a few fps in gaming, thanks to its factory overclocked card. The Mesh system does come with double the amount of SSD storage however, which means more games can be installed on it for much faster loading times.

Performance in our tests was as follows: PCMark 8 2.0 Home: 5316; PCMark8 2.0 Work: 5748; PCMark8 2.0 Creative: 7282; PCMark8 2.0 Storage: 4996; Alien vs Predator 1080/720: 89.6/169.6fps; Sniper Elite V2 Ultra/Medium/Low: 47.6/203.2/444.7fps; Final Fantasy XIV Creation Benchmark Maximum: 130.4fps; 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra/Fire StrikeExtreme/Fire Strike/Sky Diver/Cloud Gate/Ice Storm Unlimited/Ice Storm Extreme/Ice Storm: 2,588/4,919/9,494/24,308/23,574/207,151/183,687/194,602; max CPU temp under load: 51ºC; power consumption idle/load: 63/251W

The imposing, angular frame of the Wired2Fire Diablo Skylake gaming PC immediately sets it apart from the competition. With a distinctive ridged top panel illuminated in blue and scarcely a straight edge to be seen, the sweeping curves and bulging protrusions of the hefty Zalman Z11 Neo case convey power and style – perfect for a modern gaming PC.

The Diablo Skylake is also based on the Intel Core-i5 6600K processor, overclocked from 3.5GHz to 4.4GHz and fitted with 16GB of 2400MHz DDR4 RAM. Graphics performance comes from an Overclocked MSI GeForce GTX 970 graphics card identical to those used by both Chillblast and Vibox in their Skylake systems, featuring boosted performance and an enhanced cooling system driven by a pair of twin fans.

The processor is air-cooled by a Prolimatech Basic 68 heatsink and 128mm fan combo, while the case itself features additional cooling fans at the front, back and top of the case. The first and last of which light up with a cool blue glow.

Storage comes from a 250GB crucial BX100 SSD and a 1TB hard drive. Both pretty standard fare for a PC at this price point. However, what’s not so standard is the performance. The Diablo Skylake may not be clocked as fast as the Vibox Spawn X, but this system manages to edge ahead of the competition in many tests, including the Vibox PC.

Chillblast’s Fusion Krypton offers faster storage, but there’s less available than on the Diablo Skylake, which proves itself to be an excellent all-round performer with a great balance of features.

You also miss out on SLI certification, which is not ideal if you were thinking of adding a second graphics card later and an upgrade. Speaking of upgrades, the power supply included in this system is a little on the weak side, at only 500W. Power draw remained comfortably under 295W during our stress tests, but if you think you might go crazy with internal upgrades in the future, this could be something to watch out for.

Our review PC was shipped with an Asus VS247HR 1080p display - a £100 optional extra - which is a good match for the PC, but the graphics card could drive a higher-resolution model if you prefer. We wouldn’t suggest trying 4K with this level of graphics card, but a 2560x440 monitor would be perfect, depending on your budget.

The Spawn X is a great-looking gaming PC, which combines smart, clean lines with gamer-friendly transparent side windows and a fair smattering of red internal LEDs. The Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid system case gives a good view of internal components, but retails a smart appearance which we feel looks a great deal better than the faux industrial moulding of competing cases such as the Corsair Carbide range.

Processor temperatures are kept in check by a Cooler Master Seidon 120V – a sealed-unit liquid cooler with a 120mm fan and fitted with a blue LED on the impeller unit which lights up when in operation.

The internal design of the case makes it very easy to keep things tidy, thanks to cable management grommets, a separate compartment for the power supply, and 3.5in drive bays which are accessed from the side of the case facing the back of the motherboard. This means almost no cables are visible from the front, but it can be a hassle if you want to lay the PC down flat for maintenance and have access to both the drive bays and the motherboard at the same time. The case also features a huge 200mm front fan and a 140mm fan at the rear. Our review sample also has an additional fan at the top of the case, beneath a meshed roof. The case has a premium brushed aluminium look, but is actually made from plastic. It’s quite a convincing effect however, giving the case rather premium good looks.

Alongside that overclocked CPU, sits an overclocked graphics card, in the form of the MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GD5T OC with its twin-fan cooling system and a small bump in performance over the standard models.

Storage is provided by a generous 240GB Patriot Blast SSD and a roomy 2TB hard drive, giving the Vibox a large storage capacity, albeit at slightly lower performance levels than the fastest models available, based on PCI-Express technology.

All of these components should add up to one the fastest Skylake gaming PCs, but while the Vibox Spawn X does well, it’s not right at the top of the pile. Both Chillblast and Wired2Fire manage to pull ahead by a small margin in several tests – not so much that you would notice the difference, but don’t be fooled into thinking that because the Spawn X is clocked at 4.5GHz rather than 4.4GHz you’ll be getting a noticeable increase in performance.

The system also includes a Wireless-N adapter and comes with an internal 24x DVD-RW drive, should you still have a use for such technology.