Vadim Fusion CS

A new name to us, Vadim Computers shows a commendable attention to detail when it comes to building a system. From an enthusiast’s point of view, Vadim is a dream come true since every component, from the case right down to cable management, can be configured online.

The Fusion CS comes with an AMD X2 4800+ (2.4GHz) dual-core processor, overclocked to 2.6GHz. This sits on an Asus A8N-SLI Premium motherboard with 2GB of Corsair XMS C2PT DDR400 memory.

It’s a decent base for a powerful PC and resulted in a Sysmark 2004 SE score of 257 – one of the highest we’ve ever seen.

Also overclocked is a pair of MSI Geforce 7800 GTX graphics cards in SLI configuration. These run at 480MHz/1.3GHz core/memory instead of the normal 430MHz/1.2GHz, and although outside the top 10, are among the faster cards we've seen to date.

If this sounds like too much overclocking, you can save yourself £100 and opt for the standard speed processor and graphics cards.

Another reason for the fast performance is the choice of storage, namely a pair 36GB Western Digital Raptor drives configured in a Raid 0 array. For general data storage, a 500GB Seagate drive is included.

All the overclocking requires a serious amount of both power and cooling. Once again, Vadim has opted for top-notch components – an Enermax Noisetaker AX PSU, Coolermaster Hyper 6 CPU cooler and Vadim’s own Antarctic cooling option, which consists of a series of digitally controlled fans.

The advantage of using such products becomes obvious when you hear just how little noise the system is making – despite housing no fewer than seven fans, it is very, very quiet.

Other features include the 20in NEC monitor, which lets you make the most of the two 7800 GTXs.

There’s no denying it’s ridiculously expensive, but if you want top performance and the best components, you’re going to have to spend this sort of money.

Full performance results

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