While some enthusiasts argue that gaming is better on a console gaming system, such as the Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation, or Microsoft Xbox, they also agree that these consoles can't deliver the detailed graphics of a top-end PC, such as the Falcon Northwest FragBox 2 ($3,225 direct). The latest incarnation of the FragBox 2 is powered by an AMD Athlon 64 4000+ processor, rather than the Intel Pentium 4 and Pentium 4 EE, processors we've seen in previous versions, and it rocks.

The use of the Athlon processor translates into a less expensive FragBox system, since the processor in the one we tested cost almost $700 less than the one in the previously reviewed P4EE-powered FragBox 2. That P4EE-powered FragBox 2 cost more than $6,000, though it came with a monitor, 600GB of SATA RAID storage, and the more expensive 6800 Ultra graphics card. Configuring a similar system with the same monitor, speakers, and graphics card, but substituting the Athlon 64 4000+, its motherboard, and memory (the P4EE uses DDR2 memory; the Athlon 64 uses DDR), garners an overall saving of almost $1,000. You can save another few hundred bucks by configuring a version of the FragBox 2 using GeForce 6600GT graphics, but the tested configuration here is a decent balance between smoking performance and price.

The FragBox brand represents Falcon's portable gaming PCs, which deliver the performance hardcore gamers expect. The system we reviewed was "just the box," which aside from bringing down the price, also brings down its gaming score. (In other words, we can't give the system points for the monitor or speakers, which we added.)

The blue interior lighting and backlit logo give the FragBox 2 just enough flash to attract a crowd without being garish. Inside the windowed black metal case, this FragBox 2 is all gaming, featuring a high-powered Athlon 64 4000+ CPU, 1GB of DDR400 memory, a 120GB SATA hard drive, and an nVidia GeForce 6800 GT OC (overclocked) graphics card from BFG. The included handle makes toting the FragBox around easy and comfortable. There are no bundled multimedia or even typical Microsoft Office applications, but then again, this is a specialized PC.

Gaming graphics cards, like the BFG GeForce 6800GT OC, give the FragBox 2 the power to display Doom 3 and Halo games at stutter-free levels of animation, especially when paired with a high-powered CPU like the Athlon 64 4000+. Its Halo scores, more than 100 frames per second at 1,024-by-768 and around 60 fps at 1,600-by-1,200, mean that the FragBox 2 can play Halo—which is designed to be played at 30 fps—flawlessly at virtually any resolution. Its scores at 1,024-by-768 on Doom 3, which is a more graphics-intensive game, indicate that play is smooth at that resolution. Doom 3 plays best at 60 fps, so the FragBox 2's score of 34 at 1,600-by-1,200 means that you will see a hiccup occasionally at that resolution, but then again, we haven't seen any single-graphics-card solution go higher than the mid-40s on this test. The FragBox 2 does have a PCIe x16 graphics card slot available, so it can be upgraded when nVidia or ATI release their next graphics cards.

Though it's certainly not a bargain system, the Falcon Northwest FragBox 2 gives gamers exactly what they want—blistering gaming performance for a price that doesn't require a trust fund.

Falcon FragBox 2 Test Results

Multimedia Tests PC Magazine uses the same tests and the same scale when rating the multimedia—Music, Photos, Video, Gaming—on desktops and notebooks. We do this so it is easy to compare consumer notebooks against consumer desktops in addition to comparisons within each category. As a guide: the best desktops will score above a 90 on a given subject, and the best notebooks will score above a 70. The reason for this is even the most advanced notebook will have to give up some capabilities, when compared to a desktop, for portability: notably size and weight compromises that affect hard drive space and screen size, as well as power compromises that affect CPU and graphics performance.

Subratings (out of 100): Music: 56 Photo: 59 Video: 45 Gaming: 63

Benchmark Test Results Falcon FragBox comparative benchmark test results

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Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.