Custom PC - UK (2020-07)

VERDICT

A fast, attractive and well-built gaming machine,

although the CPU can get hot and it’s a little pricey.

OVERALLSCORE

86 %%

PERFORMANCE

23 / 25

DESIGN

22 / 25

HARDWARE

21 / 25

VALUE

20 / 25

WIRED

+Fastgamingperformance

+Attractivelooks

+Quietoperation

FIRED

• CPUgetshotwhenstressed


• A bitpricey


• Messycablingatrear

BENCHMARKRESULTS

The GPU performs similarly well. At 2,560 x 1,440, its
minimums ranged between 51fps and 77fps – good speed,
but not the best we’ve seen. At 4K, the Blizzard remained
playable in some games too – in Shadow of Tomb Raider
and Total War: Warhammer II, its minimums sat at playable
frame rates of 60fps and 35fps respectively, and in
Battlefield V with DLSS enabled, the Blizzard ran at 42fps,
although it dropped right down to an unplayable 21fps
without DLSS.
This PC’s GPU doesn’t get too hot either – its delta E of
51°C is fine. The overclocked processor is a different matter
though – its delta T of 77°C means a peak CPU temperature
of 100°C. Most of the chip’s cores didn’t reach this point
and the Blizzard only hit these temperatures during a CPU-
intensive stress test, but it’s still concerning.
This PC also has no traditional air intake fans, or an
exhaust fan for that matter, which may have contributed
to the high CPU temperature. Noise levels were generally
good though – no matter what the task was, the Blizzard
only produced a low, consistent rumble, but without any
annoying oscillating fan noise.

Conclusion
The Blizzard looks fantastic, and it’s a good performer: the
overclocked CPU is fast and versatile, and the RTX 2080
Super is reliably quick. Elsewhere, this machine has a well-
rounded specification and a good warranty.
Dig deeper, though, and this system isn’t infallible. Its
overclocked CPU gets very hot under stress tests, and you

GIMPIMAGE

EDITING

65,508

HANDBRAKEH.264

VIDEO ENCODING

597,041

HEAVYMULTI-

TASKING

243,975

SYSTEM

SCORE

271,332

can get better value and performance from 3rd-gen

Ryzen chips at stock speeds, while getting more cores

in the process. The all-core overclock will limit peak

performance in some games as well.

You can also find RTX 2080 Super systems with

more conventional processors for under £2,000 if you

shop around, although you may well have to give up on

the Blizzard’s good looks. The Blizzard is undoubtedly

a stunning-looking system, though, and it has plenty of

power for work and play.

MIKE JENNINGS

INTELPERFORMANCE

INDEX

237%

Minimum Average

2,560x1,440,HighestDetail,TAA

SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 77fps 97fps

3,840x2,160,HighestDetail,TAA

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 60fps 72fps

2,560x1,440,UltraDetail,DX12,FXAA

TOTAL WAR: WARHAMMER II

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 62fps 83fps

3,840x2,160,UltraDetail,DX12,FXAA

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 35fps 46fps

2,560x1,440,Ultra,DX12,HighDXR, TAA

BATTLEFIELD V

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 51fps 63fps

3,840x2,160,Ultra,DX12,HighDXR,TAA

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 21fps 27fps

2,560x1,440,Ultra,DX12,HighDXR, DLSS

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 66fps 78fps

3,840x2,160,Ultra,DX12,HighDXR, DLSS

0 30 60 90 120

Wired2Fire Blizzard 42fps 51fps