AWD-IT Valyrian GTX 1060 Gaming PC Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing 

At the time of writing, the AWD-IT Valyrian is available from the company’s website for £974.98. Please note the base model is cheaper but the configuration sent for review has received a number of upgrades. Of course, you can customise the specification to suit your individual requirements before ordering. To determine a system’s value proposition, we endeavour to compile an identical self-build and compare the price. This allows us to analyse the fee (if any) that a system integrator is choosing to charge customers for its services. Please note all prices include shipping and we don’t permit Windows 10 keys from disreputable sites. Of course, you might want to acquire a digital code much cheaper, but it’s not something we’re happy to recommend as many keys can be MSDN-based with limited activations.

• Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro M Acrylic Gunmetal = £71.99
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z170 Gaming K3 = £94.98
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K = £219.98
• Processor Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H45 Liquid Cooler = £45.46
• System Memory: 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000MHz = £85.96
• Main Boot Drive: Samsung 250GB 850 EVO SSD = £79.99
• Additional Storage Drive(s): Seagate 1TB 7200RPM 64MB SATA = £41.99
• Graphics Card: Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX 1060 6GB = £269.99
• Power Supply: XFX XT 500W 80+ Bronze Non-Modular = £50.45
• Optical Drive: Lite-On x24 DVD-Writer = £13.00
• Fans: Thermaltake Riing 12 LED Triple Pack 120mm = £40.83
• Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64-Bit = £79.98

Once calculated, the total cost for an equivalent self-build comes to £1094.60 which is a whopping £119.62 more expensive than the AWD-IT Valyrian. Whether this is down to the fluctuating component prices caused by Sterling devaluation against the USD is unclear, but I was genuinely surprised by this monumental price difference. Not only have AWD-IT have done the hard work by building the system, completed it at a cheaper price and promised great after-sales support. This isn’t to be sniffed at as trying to setup an RMA for individual components can be a frustrating and lengthy process. Of course, one could argue that it’s possible to acquire a different set of parts with improved performance for less, but the fairest method is to compare an identical specification. Honestly, this is a superb price given the current exchange rate and I’d expect component prices to rise even further in the next quarter as stock is purchased at the new exchange rate. ASUS themselves admitted they plan to increase UK prices by 9%. I mention this situation because it puts the system’s price point into perspective.

Overview

Aesthetically-speaking, the AWD-IT Valyrian is splendid and revolves an elegant design philosophy. More specifically, the balanced selection of red and black components combine in a seamless manner and creates a sense of synergy throughout the build. One element in particular I like is the Gigabyte Z170 Gaming K3 motherboard which contains extremely stylish red streaks directly on the PCB. On another note, the braided cables really add a premium touch and it’s not something you usually find on a pre-configured system under £1000. The cables themselves are built to an impeccable standard and compliments the build’s theme. The braid could be thicker though which poses a problem when trying to create a straight finish without using cable combs.

The system’s visual appeal is greatly enhanced by the chassis’ side panel window which mimics the tempered glass deployed on expensive models such as the In Win 805. Saying that, the dark finish requires some form of illumination to properly showcase the main components. While AWD-IT has included a set of highly-regarded RGB fans, the coloured rings cannot compensate for the lack of LED strips. Thankfully, this is an easy change to make without impacting on the system’s price point.

Interestingly, the fan controller is positioned outside of the chassis and secured in place using velcro. At first, this appears like a bizarre choice and doesn’t correspond with the system’s sleek construction. However, there is a logical reason for this as placing the controller outside the chassis allows the end-user to quickly cycle between various colours, fan speeds and modes. If the controller was embedded inside the chassis, you would have to carefully remove the four thumbscrews, then uncouple the side panel just to access this controller. Also, it’s been attached in a relatively discrete place which cannot be seen once the system is on a table.

In terms of cable management, AWD-IT has made a decent effort considering the huge quantity of cables and non-modular power supply. Even though braided extensions are more flexible and cheaper than dedicated sets, they cause a lot of problems when aiming for a tidy finish. Hiding two sets of cables in a clean fashion requires a higher level of expertise and even then, it’s not always possible due to a chassis’ design. Honestly, I think the cabling is good enough and you’re not going to see this segment or have any issues closing the side panel. Granted, the SATA cables look messy and could be tied together to form a straighter run.

The system’s Corsair H45 liquid cooling solution is relatively compact but is more than ample to keep the CPU running at temperatures under 60C. However, the noise output is substantial during idle and load usage scenarios. This is disappointing and I investigated the fan speeds to find out if the H45 or Thermaltake fan controller was causing the loud operation. According to my research, the H45 was at fault and didn’t scale back the fans in idle states.

Unlike Corsair’s H80i GT and the older H100i, the fan speeds aren’t controlled using software. Ironically, this should be a positive notion because the Corsair Link software can suffer from bugs which cause unusual behaviour. Honestly, I’m perplexed by the high idle noise output especially since there’s the i5 6600K is extremely efficient and doesn’t need hefty cooling at resting voltages.  I’d argue that the cooler isn’t functioning properly and perhaps the pump’s flow is too slow resulting in the fan trying to compensate.

The AWD-IT Valyrian’s GTX 1060 is an excellent choice for mainstream users who own a 1080p or 1440p monitor. It offers a much better price to performance ratio than the GTX 1080 and can still uphold very smooth frame-rates at high visual details. Throughout the testing process, the system’s GPU fared brilliantly although I would recommend users with a 2560×1440 display to opt for slightly lower settings. This prevents any major frame drops which detract from the user experience. The system’s CPU doesn’t appear to hold it back when playing the latest games and only becomes a hindrance in video editing and other multi-threaded workloads. Honestly, I doubt this is an issue for the unit’s target demographic. Also, the boot SSD drive outputs superb read/write speeds and is one the best SATA devices available today. Of course, it’s well behind NVMe storage but this is to be expected.

Pros

• Beautiful chassis
• Decent cable management considering the limitations
• Good storage speeds
• Great build quality
• Exceptional packaging
• Extraordinary value
• Fantastic temperatures
• Low power draw
• Sensible overclock settings
• Solid networking results
• Stunning braided cables
• Superb colour coordination
• Wonderful gaming performance up to 2560×1440

Cons

• Components are difficult to see behind the tinted side panel

Neutral

• Loud in both idle and load scenarios but I’m fairly certain it’s down to a hardware fault

“The AWD-IT Valyrian offers incredible value and is significantly cheaper than an equivalent self-build according to today’s market prices. Not only that, it’s provided with a generous warranty and looks stunning due to the faux tempered glass windowed side-panel.”

AWD-IT Valyrian GTX 1060 Gaming PC Review

Thank you AWD-IT for providing us with this sample.