14 DAY TRIAL // Intel’s high-performance Sandy Bridge-E processors aren’t exactly the kind of chips that one would expect to find inside a small-form factor of compact system, but this is exactly what AVADirect has done when it designed two of its six-core gaming and workstation PCs.
Users going for these desktops have the option of selecting from the Core i7-3960X and i7-3930K processors Intel introduced in mid-November, which can be paired with micro-ATX X79 motherboards manufactured by MSI or ASRcock.
These can be populated with up to 32GB of RAM, various AMD or Nvidia graphics cards, and a maximum of four hard drives, all of these being powered by PSUs with ratings ranging from 550 to 1250 Watts.
The more powerful of the two systems announced today has a base price of $1,850.80 (1,419 Euros) and targets gamers.
Its standard configuration includes a six-core 3.2GHz Intel Core i7-3930K processor, 8GB of system memory and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti graphics card with the option of adding a second GPU to form a CrossFireX or SLI setup.
Storage is handled by a single 1TB Seagate hard drive seconded by a Sony DVD burner and all these are installed in a NZXT Vulcan chassis.
The workstation version of the gaming AVADirect desktop ($1884 US) also features the same Intel six-core processor and 8GB of system memory, but this time it doesn’t support dual graphics cards and comes fitted with an AMD FirePro V3800 professional GPU.
The motherboard remains the same MSI X79MA-GD45 used by AVADirect in its LGA 2011 gaming system, which is also the case with the 1TB Seagate HDD, but the NZXT case was now swapped with a more compact Lian-Li PC-V354B.
Both systems are available right now from AVADirect's website, where users can also configure them to their liking.