Cybertron CLX Ra System Review: A Luxury Dual GTX 1080 Killer Gaming Rig
CLX Ra: Design And Build Quality
One thing we rarely mention in any of our product reviews is the packaging. That's because it's hardly ever worth the attention, though in this instance, we felt compelled to mention the giant wood crate the CLX Ra arrived in. It's quite the intimidating thing when the delivery person arrives with a massive wooden box that looks like it could fit a baby Rhino inside. In keeping with the Egyptian theme, Cybertron calls this "sarcophagus" packaging, which is included in the price of the system.
Inside the massive wooden crate sits the custom configured CLX Ra, a large and heavy system measuring 21.3x9x22.6 inches (HxWxD). The parts are housed inside a familiar case, the In Win 909 with tinted tempered glass side panels held in place with thumbscrews. It's the same chassis Maingear uses for its X99 SuperStock and like that one, Cybertron was able to pack the CLX Ra tight with top-shelf gear.
Doing this system any sort of justice in pictures without being a professional photographer is an exercise in futility. That said, were able to show some of the lighting effects that shine through the Ra's smoked, tempered glass side windows. Cybertron offers several LED color options, if going that route, along with an RGB option to change the color on a whim.
The front panel ports rest on the left side of the case near the bottom and towards the front. They consist of three USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, a reversible USB 3.1 Type-C port, and the power button. We'd prefer these to be on the top of the chassis or at least higher up where they would be more convenient to access, especially since the rear I/O ports are so difficult to access (more on that in a moment).
Two MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Gaming X graphics cards provide copious gaming muscle
Closer look at MSI's custom cooled and overclocked GTX 1080s and cool air intake fans
Make no mistake, this setup is intended for the discerning gamer who doesn't want to fiddle with graphics settings in order to obtain playable framerates at crispy-high resolutions. With the tinted tempered side glass panels tossed aside, we can see the two burly MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Gaming X graphics cards nestled inside and neatly wired.
Compared to NVIDIA's reference blueprint for a GeForce GTX 1080, MSI's Gaming X model brings factory overclocks to the GPU and memory. There are three modes:
Inside the massive wooden crate sits the custom configured CLX Ra, a large and heavy system measuring 21.3x9x22.6 inches (HxWxD). The parts are housed inside a familiar case, the In Win 909 with tinted tempered glass side panels held in place with thumbscrews. It's the same chassis Maingear uses for its X99 SuperStock and like that one, Cybertron was able to pack the CLX Ra tight with top-shelf gear.
Doing this system any sort of justice in pictures without being a professional photographer is an exercise in futility. That said, were able to show some of the lighting effects that shine through the Ra's smoked, tempered glass side windows. Cybertron offers several LED color options, if going that route, along with an RGB option to change the color on a whim.
The front panel ports rest on the left side of the case near the bottom and towards the front. They consist of three USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, a reversible USB 3.1 Type-C port, and the power button. We'd prefer these to be on the top of the chassis or at least higher up where they would be more convenient to access, especially since the rear I/O ports are so difficult to access (more on that in a moment).
Two MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Gaming X graphics cards provide copious gaming muscle
Closer look at MSI's custom cooled and overclocked GTX 1080s and cool air intake fans
Make no mistake, this setup is intended for the discerning gamer who doesn't want to fiddle with graphics settings in order to obtain playable framerates at crispy-high resolutions. With the tinted tempered side glass panels tossed aside, we can see the two burly MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Gaming X graphics cards nestled inside and neatly wired.
Compared to NVIDIA's reference blueprint for a GeForce GTX 1080, MSI's Gaming X model brings factory overclocks to the GPU and memory. There are three modes:
- OC Mode: 1,847MHz (boost), 1,708MHz (base), 10,108MHz (memory)
- Gaming Mode: 1,822MHz (boost), 1,683MHz (base), 10,010MHz (memory)
- Silent Mode: 1,733MHz (boost), 1,607MHz (base), 10,010MHz (memory)
There is a separate chamber for the power supply inside the In Win 900. Cybertron filled it with an EVGA 1,000W Supernova G2, a modular PSU that is 80 Plus Gold certified. There is more than enough power here for this configuration and future upgrades, though if more headroom is needed, Cybertron also offers 1,200W 80 Plus Platinum and 1,600W 80 Plus Titanium upgrades. Going in the other direction, Cybertron's PSU selection also consists of 850W, 750W, and 650W models, all of which are 80 Plus Gold certified.
Cybertron left plenty of room for future storage expansion. The primary drive is a gumstick-sized 512GB Samsung 950 Pro NVMe PCIe-based SSD that is plugged directly into the motherboard, while a 4TB Seagate SSHD Hybrid drive fills one of four drive bays the top.
This angled view also provides a look at the all-in-one liquid cooling solution that keeps the Core i7-6950X chilly. It's attached to a large radiator that is installed into a rear chamber separated from the main system area. The unique design keeps things looking clean and leaves more room for airflow, but it comes at the expense of convenience.
This angled view also provides a look at the all-in-one liquid cooling solution that keeps the Core i7-6950X chilly. It's attached to a large radiator that is installed into a rear chamber separated from the main system area. The unique design keeps things looking clean and leaves more room for airflow, but it comes at the expense of convenience.
It is practically impossible to access the motherboard's rear I/O ports without removing at least one side panel. There's a cutout in the rear to route cables, but it's too tight and sits too low to wiggle an adult sized hand into it with cable(s) in hand.
Taking off the right-side panel offers the easiest access to the motherboard's ports. We tried going in from the other side and while we were ultimately successful; our knuckles rubbed against the spinning fans a couple of times.
The best course of action here is to connect oft-used peripherals such as the keyboard, mouse, and headphones to the rear before firing up the Ra. That leaves the three side mounted USB 3.0 ports available for things such as external flash drives, digital cameras, and so forth. These are just the intrinsic mechanical limitations of the In Win 909 chassis, which is very high quality and looks great but is just simply a bit impractical in this area.
Taking off the right-side panel offers the easiest access to the motherboard's ports. We tried going in from the other side and while we were ultimately successful; our knuckles rubbed against the spinning fans a couple of times.
The best course of action here is to connect oft-used peripherals such as the keyboard, mouse, and headphones to the rear before firing up the Ra. That leaves the three side mounted USB 3.0 ports available for things such as external flash drives, digital cameras, and so forth. These are just the intrinsic mechanical limitations of the In Win 909 chassis, which is very high quality and looks great but is just simply a bit impractical in this area.
Here is one last look at the Ra before moving onto the benchmarks. Good cable management consists of more than just stuffing excess cables and wires behind the motherboard tray and cramming the panel shut like an overstuffed suitcase. As Cybertron demonstrates, it's possible to keep the hidden area clean with a little time, effort and a few zip ties. Nice work.
What are we waiting for, right? Let's fire this beast up...
What are we waiting for, right? Let's fire this beast up...
