"Build Your Own" Gaming Machine
The average PC user is probably not familiar with CyberPowerPC ( www.cyberpowerpc.com), as the company's product line tends to
gravitate toward high-end gaming machines. The Los Angeles based
company's approach is to be both manufacturer and distributor, thereby
offering customers high tech products at wholesale prices. If you are a
present or aspiring gamer, you might want to check out CyberPowerPC's
"build your own" desktop bundle available through (no kidding) Walmart.
This give you the option of choosing among a range of cases, motherboards
and processors, drives, video cards, and so forth to create a totally custom
machine. The bottom of the line configuration runs only $465, but
processing power comes from an AMD FX-4100 CPU which rates an
average CPU benchmark of only 4045, according to cpubenchmark.net.
You can go all the way up to an Intel Core i7-4960X Extreme Edition,
however, which tests out with a 14164 benchmark. This option will run an
extra $1237, so you'll need to be serious about being serious.
Of course, the power of the graphics card is crucial for gaming, and the
el-cheapo version comes with a lowly CyberPower CPVC6100 NVIDIA
GeForce GT 610 card. For an extra $794, you can substitute a GeForce
GTX 780Ti — which the company claims is "the best gaming GPU on the
planet." In all, you can choose from a list of 15 different motherboards and
processors, 15 graphics cards, six hard drives, three optional cooling systems, and many other options. Don't worry
if you're not mechanically inclined. The "build your own" phrase isn't really accurate. CyberPowerPC actually
assembles the machine at the factory, loads the OS, and tests it before shipping it to you. ▲
EVENTS, ADVANCES, AND NEWS
July 2014 9
COMPUTERS and NETWORKING
New Ruggedized Notebooks
We don't usually associate Dell, Inc. ( www.dell.com), with military-grade equipment, but the company
recently introduced the Latitude Rugged Extreme lineup,
built for "the world's toughest jobs in the harshest
conditions." The Latitude 12 notebook and Latitude 14
convertible notebook models are built to withstand dust,
moisture, vibration, extreme temperatures, and drops
from up to six feet. Plus, data is protected with sealed
doors and compression gaskets. The cases are built with
impact-resistant polymers and magnesium alloy, and the
machines have been independently tested for compliance
with MIL-STD-810G, IEC 60529 (IP- 65), MIL-STD-461F,
and ANSI/ISA. 12. 12.01 standards. Other interesting
features include an outdoor
readable display — even in harsh
sunlight — a full HD webcam
with privacy shutter, a backlit
keyboard with an "instant stealth"
mode, and an eight megapixel
bottom camera with flash
(Latitude 12 only). The Latitude
14 (starting at $3,499) offers
14 hr of battery life, and the
Latitude 12 ($3,649 up) will run
for 8. 5 hr on a charge. ▲
■ Dell's Latitude Rugged Extreme
notebooks withstand dust,
moisture, extreme temperatures,
and drops from six feet.
■ Raidmax Viper gaming case,
one of six options.
