Specs. and component analysis
We'll take a look and discuss specifications with due respect to price. We'll then take a visual look at the package and determine how well Scan measures up to recent integrators' efforts.
| System name | Scan 3XS-OC Overclocked Series |
| Price | £1119.50 excluding VAT (£1315.41 including VAT). £39 + VAT delivery charge |
| Case | Casetek 1018BM case with 450w CWT PSU |
| CPU | Intel Pentium 4 2.6GHz (800MHz) @ 3126MHz (13 * 240MHz, 960MHz QDR ) |
| Motherboard | ABIT IS7 i865PE Springdale |
| Memory | 512MB (2 x 256MB Corsair XMS4000 CL3 in DC mode) - 2 slots free |
| Hard drive(s) | 2 x 80GB Maxtor 6Y80M0 SATA in RAID0 |
| Optical drive #1 | NEC ND1300A multiformat DVD-ReWriter |
| Optical drive #2 | Samsung 16x DVD-ROM |
| Graphics card | Gainward GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128MB dual DVI (pre-overclocked) |
| Sound card | None (on-board sound) |
| Speakers | Creative Inspire 5.1 P580 (5-speaker package) |
| Modem | Terra PCI v.90 modem |
| Monitor | IIyama 17" LCD panel (E431S-B) |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Microsoft Internet keyboard and optical mouse, both black |
| Software (Main) | Windows XP Home, Microsoft Works |
| Warranty | 1 year onsite - Extended warranties available |
| Other notables | Overclocked CPU, motherboard, and graphics card |
A spec. sheet usually reads like a boring list in most cases. Here, though, Scan has added extra oomph to the CPU's speed. A 2.6GHz Pentium 4 runs off a standard 200MHz FSB (Intel will tell you to use 800MHz as the quoted figure). With the performance inroads made by AMD's new 32- and 64-bit-capable consumer-level CPUs, the 2.6GHz Pentium 4 usually resides in midrange systems. That's not to say it's poor in any one regard, it's just that the performance game has moved on. Hyper-Threading support and a fast interlink to system memory keeps it ticking over nicely. The other benefit of using lower speed CPUs that are manufactured using the same process as the 3.2GHz version, for example, is in their ability to hit stupendous speeds with little or no extra voltage. Depending upon demand, a 2.6GHz P4 may use a wafer that was destined for 3GHz P4s. And even without specific knowledge of stepping codes, the general consensus is that most 2.4GHz and 2.6GHz Northwood 'Cs' can, and do, hit 3GHz with relative ease.
Scan's effectively chosen to use a CPU that's considerably cheaper than, say, a genuine 3.0 or 3.2GHz Northwood, and then overclock it to their default levels. Looking at it from enthusiasts' points of view, there's little wrong with this approach assuming that voltage is untouched, or is raised by the smallest possible margin. To put this into context, vigilant readers may know that recent 2.4GHz Northwoods, often using the SL6Z3 stepping, have hit 3.3GHz without requiring anything other than a FSB change. Scan pairs up the overclocked CPU, running at just above 20% over the stock speed (3126MHz), with ABIT's decent IS7 Springdale motherboard. Intel CPUs arrive in a stubborn, multiplier-locked state, so the usual method of raising speeds is in inching up the Front-Side Bus. 240MHz is standard fare for most i865PE / i875P dual-channel motherboards.
Faster FSB speeds, ideally, need to be paired with DDR RAM that's running in a synchronous state. The Springdale chipset does allow the use of FSB-to-DDR ratios that can take advantage of slower RAM, but that's missing some of the point. Scan decides to invest allocate a larger-than-normal portion of the system's cost into using high-speed modules from Corsair. Taking no chances with obviously overclocked memory (although the Corsair's Hynix modules are overclocked, ironically), 2 x 256MB sticks of XMS4000 CL3 should ensure that system RAM isn't a limiting factor. CPU and motherboard are run at 20% above what Intel ratifies, whilst RAM is 'underclocked'. An interesting state of affairs.
Scan goes down the MESH route of RAIDing (striping) 2 80GB Maxtor hard drives. Our thoughts remain the same. We'd prefer a single larger drive to 2 smaller RAIDed ones. The possible RMA implications, we reckon, outweigh the small performance advantage of having RAID0. Still, this choice fits in with the performance ideology present here. NEC's ND1300A Dual Format Recorder (4x DVD+/-R, 2.4x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-RW, 16x CD-RW) can now be purchased for around £60 in OEM form, so it's expected to be present in a £1300+ system. No complaints against the Samsung 16x DVD-ROM drive. Just like MESH, Scan has opted for the midrange GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128MB video card. Scan ups the ante by providing a dual-DVI model (cue heavenly music of appreciation) provided by Gainward and, in keeping with the OC name, a 500MHz core speed, up from the default 475MHz. Another decent choice that's only marred by the arrival of the similarly priced GeForce FX 5900XT.
Our first compliant centres around the sound card, or lack of it. Onboard sound has improved but the ICH5 / Realtek ALC650 combination isn't going to make full use of the reasonable Creative 5.1 P580 speakers' sonic abilities. There's little excuse, we feel, for not supplying a discrete sound card at the asking price of £1300+ (inc. VAT). This omission would have been less apparent if the all-new ALC658 had been used on the IS7. IIyama's new, sleek 16ms 17" panel, however, is a choice inclusion. We'll discuss its merits later. We're die-hard supporters of top-notch input devices. Microsoft's Internet keyboard and optical mouse, both in black, are decent, sensible additions. Colour coordination seems to be a big thing now, Scan doesn't disappoint.
