MaxForce Javelin P55

Though every hardcore gamer would love to have a PC packed with the six-core performance of Intel’s Core i7-980X Extreme Edition, truth is, it’s out of reach for most gamers. Fortunately, achieving the high frame rates of today’s latest games doesn’t actually require a six-core powerhouse. By forgoing that monster CPU, you can easily buy a fast machine and equip it with a state-of-the-art video card. This seems to be the idea behind MaxForce’s new Javelin P55 gaming PC, which according to the company was named after an “anti-tank rocket launcher”, which is fitting, considering how much of a blast we had testing it. (We know, lame pun, but it’s actually appropriate in its own way.)

As a configurable system, the Javelin allows you to choose which components fit in your budget. Don’t have $5,000+ to blow on a six-core CPU? Not a problem. The smart set-up MaxForce delivered in our review system goes for a more reasonable $2,855 direct. Instead of the more expensive six-core processing unit, they set it up with Intel’s respectable quad-core Core i7-860 (overclocked to 3.8GHz), a couple of graphics cards, and a Corsair H50 water-cooler, which was a pleasant surprise in place of the oft seen Asetek model which is all too commonly used in today’s budget gaming setups. As tested, the Javelin performed extremely well considering its price tag and provides excellent value when compared to the leading six-core gaming systems.