TeAM YYePG

TECH
KILLER RIG
Kandalf Intel-SLI
WE’VE TAKEN INTEL OFF OUR KILLER RIG
MIA status now that it’s become a charter
member of Nvidia’s exclusive NForce4
MCP SLI (Scalable Link Interface) club. With the
Nvidia NForce4 SLI chipset firmly entrenched in
Intel’s gaming camp, Intel fans have plenty to be
thankful for.
Scanning the guts of our new Kandalf Intel-SLI
system, it reads like we’re pimping our A-List
again. With all DIY setups, the processor forms the
basis for system building. Since our focus is an
Intel-based SLI configuration, we went right to the
top in choosing Intel’s Pentium 4 3.73GHz Extreme
Edition 1,066MHz FSB core CPU component.
Pricey, yes, but it kicks butt. Asus has outdone
itself by manufacturing the first Intel SLI motherboard;
its new P5ND2-SLI Deluxe offers the same
features as its heralded AMD-based A8N-SLI
Deluxe board. Adding two Hitachi 7K500 500GB
> If
NCQ SATA II HDDs in RAID 0 gives one whopping
terabyte of storage. For filling the two PCI Express
video slots, we went with the best GeForce GPU
cards—a pair of BFGTech GeForce 6800 Ultra OC
256MB GDDR3 cards. Finally, we stuck a couple
of Corsair 5400UL 512MB RAM modules running
at 667MHz in the memory channels.
The Thermaltake Kandalf full-tower chassis
with its toolless design, thermal capacity, and
spacious interior is perfect for housing our components.
The expansive design makes it easy to
work inside, especially when adding a couple of
LED fans, a cabling kit, and dual cold cathode
ray tubes purchased from www.xoxide.com.
Since I’ve been running into power-supply
issues (see sidebar), I chose a PC Power &
Cooling Turbo-Cool 510-watt Nvidia-certified SLI
power supply for our power needs. This is a
serious power supply.
you want Intel, it has finally
become an alternative for gamers
looking for high-performance SLI.
PC POWER & COOLING
TURBO-COOL 510 EXPRESS (PSU)
With RAID, SLI, mod lighting, and a heavy assortment of fans, PCs today demand
greater and more reliable power-supply solutions. PC Power & Cooling’s Turbo-
Cool 510 Express power supply saves the day. This is one of the first power supplies
to actually receive Nvidia SLI certification. PC Power & Cooling builds its
PSU from the ground up with quality heavy-duty caps, inductors, and heat sinks,
and its Turbo-Cool offers tight, consistent, and reliable +12VDC output at a continuous
ambient temperature while maintaining output at full and peak loads,
with a minimum of sag and surge issues, which can lead to a busted machine.
84 > COMPUTER GAMING WORLD
As brawny as this rig is, benchmark testing
shows it to be just slightly behind (and sometimes
beside) the AMD SLI systems here in the
cave. But if you want Intel, it has finally become
an alternative for gamers looking for high-performance
SLI. /Raphael Liberatore
The Guts COMPONENT PRICE
Case Thermaltake Kandalf
aluminum full-tower case
with window panel
$70
Operating Microsoft Windows XP $149
System Professional x64 Edition
Power Supply PC Power & Cooling 510watt
T51SLI power supply
$210
Processor Intel Pentium 4 660
3.73GHz processor
$1,100
Motherboard Asus P5ND2-SLI PCI
Express Motherboard with
7.1 audio, Gigabit LAN,
RAID/Serial ATA
$249
Memory Corsair XMS2 5400UL
675MHz 2 x 512 MB DDR
memory (1GB total; 2 x $140)
$280
Hard Drives Two Hitachi 7K500 500GB
7,200 rpm NCQ SATA II
HDD (2 x $225)
$450
Graphics Two BFGTech GeForce $1,020
Processor 6800 Ultra OC 256MB
GDDR3 PCI Express
graphics cards with TV-out
(2 x $510)
DVD-ROM Drive LG dual-layer DVD+/-R+/-RW $120
Floppy Drive Sony 1.44MB floppy drive $19
Monitor Dell 2404 24-inch LCD $1,299
Keyboard Saitek Gamers Keyboard $59
Mouse Logitech Razer
Diamondback Optical Mouse
$50
Speakers Creative S750 7.1
Speaker System
$329
TOTAL COST $5,404