Not only is this system from Dino PC
a Dark Claw, it’s also a dark horse, combining high performance and a low
price.
The Dark Claw if proof of the fact you
don’t need a GTX 680 graphics card to go head-to-head against the bigger boys
in gaming warfare. Dino PC has selected a less expensive nVidia GeForce GTX
670, then overclocked it to the max. In several of our gaming tests the Dino PC
beat pricier systems fitted with a GTX 680.
Dino
PC Dark Claw GTX 670
Dino PC has also selected a 3.4GHz Intel
Core i5-3570K CPU, here pushed up to 4.5GHz, which is a sensible increase for
an air-cooled system that’s built into a relatively small case.
The Carbide 200R system case has a very
clean, minimalist design, which lends it a rather classy and unassuming look.
Its front panel is largely plain, save for a DVD drive (Blu-ray isn’t
supported) and power/reset switches. A couple of audio jacks and a pair of USB
3.0 ports are also provided here.
The
Carbide 200R case
Inside, things are just as clean and tidy.
Cables are neatly tucked away, and the matt black internal finish continues
through to the Xigmatek Knighthawk processor cooler. There’s also room for
extra cooling fans to be fitted top and bottom, although you won’t need them at
the system’s current specification.
the
Xigmatek Knighthawk processor cooler
An Asus P8Z77-V LX motherboard forms the
backbone of the system. It’s very similar to the non-LX version selected by
Chillblast and PC Specialist, but it lacks support for multiple nVidia graphics
cards. It also omits the built-in Wi-Fi you get with these systems.
nVidia
GeForce GTX 670
There’s a 23.6in Asus VS247H display, a stylish
and good-looking monitor with pleasingly good image quality for a TN panel.
The Dino PC is supplied with some
impressive input devices, too. After all, why enter battle with a mere mouse
when you could use a rat? Dino PC provides a Cyborg Rat 3, which has
programmable buttons and switchable DPI settings and looks suitably hardcore.
The Cyborg V7 keyboard looks equally bonkers, with multicolour backlit keys and
a touch-sensitive backlit control panel.
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Information
·
Price: $1,874
·
Contact: www.dinopc.com
·
Model: Dark Claw GTX 670
·
Processor: 3.4GHz (OC @4.5GHz) Intel Core
i5-3570K
·
CPU cooler: Xigmatek Knighthawk
·
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1,866MHz
·
Storage: 120GB Corsair Force 3 SSD + 1TB
Hitachi HDD
·
Power supply: 550W Corsair
·
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LX
·
External USB ports: 2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0
·
Display: 23.6in Asus VS247H (1920x1080) TN
panel with HDMI, DVI and VGA
·
Graphics card: Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTX 670
OC, 2GB VRAM
·
Sound: Onboard
·
Networking: Gigabit Ethernet
·
Other ports: HDMI, 2x DVI, DisplayPort
·
Case: Corsair Carbide 200R
·
Keyboard & mouse: Cyborg rat3 mouse,
Cyborg V7 keyboard
·
Optical drive: TSST DVD ± RW
·
Operating system: Windows 8
·
Extras: BullGuard security, surge protector
·
Case dimensions: 270x590x560mm
·
Warranty: 3-year PromoCare
Verdict
·
PCMark 7 score: 6,412
·
Hard Reset: 150, 131
·
Lost Planet 2: 91, 74
·
Stalker CoP: 255, 116
·
Alien vs Predator: 107, 58
·
Sniper Elite V2: 86, 22
·
The Dark Claw is a great gaming PC that offers
excellent performance at a low price.
·
It’s outpaced by the less expensive Chillblast
and lacks Blu-ray, but offers superior gaming peripherals.
·
Build: 4/5
·
Features: 3.5/5
·
Performance: 4.5/5
·
Value: 5/5
·
Overall: 4/5
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