Computer Shopper - UK (2019-10)

ISSUE 380|COMPUTER SHOPPER|OCTOBER 2019 23

SPECIFICATIONS

Windowsoverall

Multitasking

DirtShowdown

Metro:LastLight

0% -50 Reference + 50 + 100

Seepage90forperformancedetails

PROCESSOR~exa-core3.8p~zAMDRyzen53600Ů•

RAM16pBDDRɱ•FRONTUSBPORTS1xUĦB3,2xUĦB2•

REARUSBPORTS2xUĦB2,2xUĦB3,2xUĦB3.1,1xUĦB

Type-C•GRAPHICSCARD8pBƂotacpamingpeForceRTŮ

2060Ħuper•STORAGE256pBĦĦD,2TBharddisk•

DISPLAYNone•OPERATINGSYSTEMWindows10~ome•

WARRANTYThreeyearslabour, oneyearparts,onemonth

collectandreturn•DETAILSwww.pcspecialist.co.uk•

PARTCODEnfernoR1

apre-built system. Even if it is
only mildly more powerful than a
standard RTX2060, ahandful of
extra frames can make avisible
difference at 1440p and 4K, and
if it’s pushing the Inferno R1 to
undercut rival PCs without
sacrificing speed, then we can’t
complain toomuch.
To keep from breaking
through the £1,200 mark, PC
Specialist has fitted an X470
motherboard, rather than amore
recent model that uses the X570
chipset launched alongside the
Ryzen 3000 processors. This is
fine by us, as the Ryzen 53600X
is backwards-compatible with
the older chipset, and this
specific motherboard –Asus’s
TUF X470-Plus Gaming –isone of very few
last-gen motherboards to share the X570’s
major feature of PCI-E 4.0 support.
That means the Inferno R1 can be
equipped with aPCI-E 4.0 M.2 SSD,which
are potentially capable of read and write
speeds up to 5,000MB/s. To start with,
however,you’ll have to make do with a
256GB PCI-E 3.0 SSD,along with a2TB hard
disk formore general storage duties.
That’s ashame,though an understandable
one: PCI-E 4.0 SSDs can currently cost
anywhere between £30 and £150 more than
an equivalent-capacity 3.0 drive,and so far
seem to only come in larger capacities like 1TB
and 2TB, so they’re not as economically
feasible fora£1,199 system unless big cuts are
made elsewhere.For now,it’s fine to think of
4.0 support as futureproofing; besides, the
included SSD is hardly slow.Using the AS
SSD benchmark, we measured very quick
sequential read and writespeeds of
2,315MB/s and 1,276MB/s respectively.

ASSEMBLYTIME
Should you wish to add an upgraded SSD
in the future,the motherboard has a
conveniently vacant M.2 slot in addition to
the one already occupied by the 256GB SSD.

Internal upgradability is good in general: there

are two empty PCI-E x1 slots and one empty

PCI-E x16 slot, with two RAM slots and five

SATA ports also spare.The only aspect that’s

abit sparse is support forphysically larger

storage drives: there’s only one dedicated

3.5in trayand two 2.5in mounts, although the

former’s cage can additionally hold either one

3.5in drive or one 2.5in drive on top.

External connectivity should more than

suffice.The rear I/O panel looks quitebasic

at first glance,with no premium audio

connectors and an older PS/2 socket, but two

of the six full-size USB ports are of the fast

USB3.1standard. Asingle USB Type-C port

also improves the Inferno R1’s cabled

flexibility,while two USB2 and two USB3 ports

handle peripherals. Networking offers achoice

of wired Ethernet or 802.11n Wi-Fi, granted via

aPCI-E x1 card, and the graphics card’s single

HDMI and three DisplayPort outputs will suit

both single- and multi-monitor configurations.

FAST BURNING

There’s lots about the Inferno R1 to be

pleased about, then, but it’s the CPU and

GPU that will draw the biggest smiles.

Both punch above their weight in pure

performance,and their middling prices help

keep the PC as awhole more affordable than

comparably powerful systems.

The Inferno R1 is likely to get some tough

competition as other PC builders bring out

their own Ryzen 3000 systems, so it’s

probably worth waiting before you buy.

That said, you could take delivery tomorrow

and would still have agreat PC on your hands.

JamesArcher

267

89fps

190fps

302

There’s lots about

the Inferno R1 to

be pleased about,

but it’s the CPU and

GPU thatwill draw

the biggestsmiles.

Both punch above

their weightin

pureperformance