Raw Power: Building The Ultimate PC

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Intel's Core i7 processor is heralding yet another new era of hardware so that performance bottlenecks could be a thing of the past. But it takes a particular combination of throughput, graphics, power and architecture to extend the hardware as far as it can go on a desktop.

So what to do when trying to build the Ultimate PC? The CRN Test Center took an up-close look at how to put it all together. More than just slapping cards into slots, achieving the ultimate personal computing experience takes the construction of, what we determined to be, the ultimate desktop ecosystem.

With the Core i7 as the centerpiece, the highest-performing system we could build with industry-standard components was a process, not an event. Nothing exotic, like liquid cooling or jury-rigged chassis, would be acceptable because we wanted to see what was possible with off-the-shelf parts. Here's a look at how we built the Ultimate PC:

The CPU

When Intel released its Core i7 processor, built on the next-generation microarchitecture, formerly code-named "Nehalem," performance testing showed it was the most powerful CPU of any kind the Test Center had ever seen. Designing a system around the high-end Core i7 965 Extreme, at 3.2GHz, seemed like a good place to start.

A quad-core processor, the Core i7 introduces many new technologies to Intel's lineup. Replacing the front side bus, Intel's QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) increases bandwidth and reduces latency between the CPU and the chipset. Another new feature is called Turbo Boost Technology, which automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the base frequency, as long as it is operating within power and temperature specs. In addition, the Extreme model offers an unlocked multiplier for those who want to push the CPU's limits.

At a cost of around $1,000, the processor is definitely priced in a class of its own, but we didn't concern ourselves with that, as our goal was to focus only on performance. As a completely new platform, many of the remaining components we chose had their basis in the Core i7. Among other reasons, because Nehalem processors have integrated memory controllers, Intel also introduced a new chipset in conjunction with the Core i7—the X58, which does not have a memory interface. As seems the norm with most new Intel architectures, the Core i7 and X58 also launch the latest, slightly larger socket configuration, this time called the LGA 1366.

The Motherboard

Limited by the CPU to an X58-based motherboard (not that we're complaining), and the graphics configuration we desired, the best motherboard available—which could also support our ultimate configuration—was Asus' Rampage II Extreme.

Released under Asus' own Republic of Gamers (ROG) moniker, the Rampage II Extreme is a performance board, designed with enthusiasts and overclockers in mind. Although we didn't use them for this particular project, it has numerous overclocking features, including Tweak-It, a miniature joystick mounted directly on the actual board that allows for changing various settings. Also, the BIOS has an "Extreme Tweaking" tab dedicated to overclocking, which offers a dizzying array of options. There is also something Asus calls Probelt, which is a set of clearly labeled contact points, where a multimeter's leads can be placed for precise measurements. The board offers various other features to make overclocking easier, and a few protection elements to make it safer for the components.

Aside from the enthusiast aspect, the Rampage II Extreme has many of the features we've come to expect from Asus, such as a lighted onboard power button, and the EPU (Energy Processing Unit) engine, now up to version 6, which analyzes the CPU load and automatically regulates the power draw and performance of various components to get optimum energy savings. Finally, the board supports three-way configuration for both Nvidia's SLI, as well as ATI's CrossFireX technologies.

With elegant-looking heat pipes and LEDs, a nice side effect of choosing this board was the techie appearance it gives off through the side window of the case. The Rampage II Extreme provided a nice foundation for the rest of the PC.

Next: Graphics

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