We try to rotate our official test bench hardware every few years to maintain a relevant, but realistic configuration. Ideally, we use mid-range components that more accurately reflect what a consumer would build – an i5-3570K or i5-4690K, for instance, rather than a $340 i7-4790K. This platform is applied to all of our game benchmarks, which aim to report real-world framerates of newly-launched games.
In a recent attempt to increase testing efficiency, we opted to remove the tried-and-died NZXT Phantom 820 (the case is shot from years of abuse) and migrate to an HPTX top-deck tech station, or “test bench,” as we call it. The unit is fully open-air, exposing expansion cards and video cards for easier access and swapping when performing tests. There are some test concerns by opting for this route, but we've addressed those in our methodology (and will briefly mention them below).
As we've always updated our readers on the site's methodologies and proceedings, I thought I'd put together a video showcasing the new test bench. You can find that below.
This bench required manual assembly and does not ship built; honestly, the result was one of the most fun system builds I've done in a while. The box includes all mounting hardware – a mix of metal screws, rubber caps, and nylon or acrylic points of contact – and two decks for components, alongside an ESD-free foam mat for the lower deck. The top deck hosts the motherboard, compatible with all major form factors, and up to four video cards. Three optional fans are hosted top-side, with two below the deck.
The lower deck is home to the PSU and drives, none of which are permanently mounted. SSDs slide into an acrylic railing system – ensuring it's free of ESD – without screws to hold them permanently in place. Even the 'columns' that support the upper deck are ESD-free. No metal hardware is exposed at any time to a component; all of the metal is covered by plastic caps or rubber feet to support the motherboard. Two nylon threaded bolts can be capped with nylon washers to hold the motherboard more securely in place, if desired.
The bench still uses the same components as it has for the last two years:
| GN Test Bench 2013 | Name | Courtesy Of | Cost |
| Video Card | (This changes for every test). | NVIDIA. | $200 |
| CPU | Intel i5-3570k CPU Intel i7-4770K CPU (alternative bench). | GamersNexus CyberPower | ~$220 |
| Memory | 16GB Kingston HyperX Genesis 10th Anniv. @ 2400MHz | Kingston Tech. | ~$117 |
| Motherboard | MSI Z77A-GD65 OC Board | GamersNexus | ~$160 |
| Power Supply | NZXT HALE90 V2 | NZXT | Pending |
| SSD | Kingston 240GB HyperX 3K SSD | Kingston Tech. | ~$205 |
| Optical Drive | ASUS Optical Drive | GamersNexus | ~$20 |
| Case | Phantom 820 | NZXT | ~$130 |
| CPU Cooler | Thermaltake Frio Advanced | Thermaltake | ~$65 |
In this sense, we've mostly “revamped” the test bench rather than fully updated it. We anticipate a full update with the next major CPU & chipset cycle.
A few concerns, here: By eliminating a case, we greatly improve efficiency but instantly drop the real-world environment. We've rotated the motherboard to a non-standard orientation, removed paneling, and use cooling differently from most cases. To this end, we will not be performing CPU cooler tests using this bench as the results would be considered unrepresentative of a real test; this is amplified by the horizontal motherboard orientation, something that could impact the way some air coolers are designed. We have a solution for CPU cooler tests in the works and will update you as soon as we're done custom building it.
In the meantime, we've just finished our new case review test bench and will be posting about that shortly. Going forward, GN Staff Writer Patrick Lathan will be handling many of the ATX and mATX case reviews. It seems that I will keep mini-ITX case reviews for the time being.
We hope you're all as excited about the site's bump in test equipment and professionalism as we are!
- Steve “Lelldorianx” Burke.