OcUK Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2 (3.6GHz FX-8120 / 2GB Radeon 7850)

With the Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2, OverclockersUK have used the competitive price vs performance attributes of AMD's upper-market components to build an effective high-resolution gaming machine that doesn't break the bank.

Gaming performance of the Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2 is very good, with the system outputting playable frame rates in three of the market's most demanding games at a 1920×1080 resolution. Image quality can be increased to allow for the DX11 enhancements to be enjoyed while a playable gaming experience is maintained, thanks to the performance of the overclocked AMD FX-8120 processor and Sapphire 2GB HD 7850 Dual-X graphics card.

Productivity is hit or miss due to the AMD FX-8120's weak single-threaded performance and average – 3.6GHz – clock speed (by today's standard), but good multi-threaded performance thanks to the CPU's 8 processing cores. As pointed out in our review of the FX-8120 Black Edition processor, the chip could be capable of much higher frequencies by way of overclocking.

On the topic of overclocking, with such a high performance CPU cooler being bundled with the system and the AMD chip being rated as a Black Edition part, we would usually see no harm in raising the frequency. This is where the inaccurate CPU temperature readings really cause problems. How do you know when to stop pushing the frequency or voltage? With no accurate CPU temperature reading, it's a guessing game that we'd opt to avoid, but that's just our preference.

Acoustic performance, component temperatures and power consumption levels can be considered acceptable for all but the most environmentally-friendly of users who will dislike the load electricity usage. An additional 120mm fan to use as a front intake is recommended; it'll offer a more balanced cooling configuration and keep component temperatures down when the gaming sessions start lasting for the day's majority.

We can see the thought that has been put into the Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2 system's build quality and aesthetic appearance, but our sample did little to prove the implementation. Well-chosen and colour-coordinated components are good, but our sample seems to have been rushed through the build phase.

A fan cable was disconnected, a screw wasn't installed correctly, the SATA mode was left at IDE and a RAM stick was loose. There wasn't any warning of the two inactive front panel USB ports, either. These may be small niggles that are easily solved (with the exception of the SATA ports' IDE mode), but they are the difference between a customer being delighted with their new system and just pleased.

And on to the biggest issue of all: packaging. Shipping a system in a case box without any additional protection isn't a good idea. We were lucky that our sample's damage didn't affect the system's functionality; others may not be so fortunate. OverclockersUK needs to package the system in the case's box and then post it in an additional external box with padding that can be used to absorb impact blows. The negligible cost increase is a worthwhile compromise for effective shipping protection.

The closest configuration to the reviewed sample that we could select from OverclockersUK's Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2 product page would cost £835.99 with a faster – 60GB Intel 330 – SSD, but lower performing – Prolimatech Lynx – CPU cooler, Corsair GS 600W power supply and different memory. As OverclockersUK allows over-the-phone upgrades to be made, we would estimate today's reviewed system to cost around £860 with the upgraded CPU cooler and power supply, but slower – Vertex 2 – SSD.

Buying the components separately would cost around £835, but that doesn't include the guaranteed overclock and is more effort, without a warranty system in place. A slightly different system customised around DinoPC's Intel Core i5 3570K-based ‘Black Ops II GTX 660‘, tailored to closely match the Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2, would cost around £20 less. We wouldn't call the Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2 a bargain, but we would say that it is priced fairly.

Offering solid high-resolution gaming performance and a well-chosen set of components, the OverclockersUK Titan 8350a King Cobra MK2 Gaming System is worthy of consideration.

Pros:

• Good high-resolution gaming performance.
• Upgradable system – good case, power supply and motherboard choices.
• Well-picked, high-quality components.
• Out-of-the-box CPU overclock to 3.6GHz.
• 60GB SSD.

Cons:

• No front panel USB 3.0 connection due to lack of motherboard header.
• Inadequate packaging with a high possibility of shipping damage occurring.
• No bundled items, not even cables or manuals.
• Build stage seems to have been rushed, rather than completed to an appropriate standard.
• Tough competition from similarly-priced Intel-based systems.

KitGuru says: A good system in terms of gaming and general performance, but the seemingly rushed build phase and tough competition close the door to a higher award.

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