YoYoTech Warbird i750CX

Overclocked CPU and dual Radeons? Ripper

We saw a curious result in PCMark Vantage where the stock Intel system delivered better performance than the YoYoTech in the gaming test, which is usually a sign you're having a problem with CrossFire. When CrossFire works properly, the results are epic. But when it suffers an incompatibility with the software that you’re using, you’ll find you have big problems.

Stormed through 3DMark

Having said that, the YoYoTech stormed through 3DMark Vantage with a score of 19,322 - the Intel system scored 12,917 - and it produced excellent frame rates in Far Cry 2 and Battle Forge at 1920 x 1080. The full details are shown on the graphs but the take-home is that the gaming experience is absolutely superb yet the PC remained cool and quiet, and drew less than 300W at the mains socket.

We wondered about the price, which, for a bare tower without Windows, seems a bit steep at £1071. We did some window shopping and priced all the bits up and we got £1068. So, yes, you could buy the parts and assemble them yourself of less than YoYoTech charges, but we figure three quid to pay someone to do the work for you - and guarantee the overclocked CPU works - is something of a bargain.

Verdict

YoYoTech has combined a pair of AMD ATI Radeon HD 5850s with an Intel Core i5-750 overclocked to 4.0GHz. The result is a docile PC that you can use for mundane tasks without excessive noise or heat.

And then you can turn up the wick for a frantic gaming session that’ll rip your face off. ®

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