Eclipse Computers Nebula VR GTX 1080 Gaming PC Review

Introduction Virtual Reality has the potential to provide a more immersive gaming experience and evoke a strong emotional response. Even though this technological marvel is quite expensive, the benefits are clear to see and consumers have warmed to the idea of using VR equipment. Given the excitement surrounding VR, it's important to offer end-users the hardware capable of driving VR games and ensure they're not disappointed with the level of fluidity. Of course, the huge array of components claiming to be VR ready can be confusing and I've received many queries asking what's required to construct a VR-compliant system. Today, we're talking a look at a pre-configured build designed with VR in mind. The Eclipse Computers Nebula VR doesn't make any concessions and employs the highest grade of hardware. As you can see, the system opts for an Intel Core i7-6700K overclocked to 4.6GHz, 16GB of DDR4 3000MHz RAM, and the stunning Asus STRIX GAMING GTX 1080. Not only that, the CPU is managed by the Cooler Master Nepton 240M and there's enough storage to make the system feel responsive while installing a large number of games. This configuration is powered by the Cooler Master GM750 PSU and contained in the sublime Cooler Master MasterCase Maker 5 chassis. Interestingly, this PC was built by the Twitch personality and renowned cosplayer, Riiri Chan and you can check out the entire process here. Priced at £2056.70, the Eclipse Computers Nebula VR is a serious investment but it has an extraordinary component selection which I'm expecting to flourish in a wide range of benchmarks. Specifications Name: Eclipse Computers Nebula VR Case: Cooler Master MasterCase Maker 5 Motherboard: Asus Intel Z170 Pro Gaming/Aura Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K Overclocked to 4.6GHz Processor Cooler: Cooler Master Nepton 240M System Memory: Crucial Ballistix Elite 16GB (4x4GB) DDR4 3000MHz Main Boot Drive: Crucial MX300 275GB SSD Additional Storage Drive(s): Western Digital Black 2TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache Graphics card: Asus STRIX Gaming GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5X Power Supply: Cooler Master GM750 750-Watt Bronze Semi-Modular Peripherals: N/A Monitor: N/A Optical Drive: N/A Wireless: N/A OS: Windows 10 Home Warranty: 3-Year Collect and Return (1-Year Parts, 30-Days Collect, Lifetime Support Line) Price: £2056.70 Packaging and Accessories The system arrives in an enormous box which weighs a considerable amount and isn't too easy to carry. Ideally, I'd like to see some handles to properly lift the package without having to bend down in an awkward manner. Saying that, the handles would tear quite easily given the hefty weight. While not pictured from this angle, the box has a number of precautionary stickers informing the courier to handle the system with care. To prevent the packaging from buckling under the substantial weight, durable straps are deployed which work rather well. Once opened, we can see the main chassis box is surrounded by thick cardboard inserts. These heavy-duty strips enhance the box's structural integrity and help to keep the main system in a solid, upright position. The chassis box is also protected by an assortment of foam packs which add essential cushioning and ensure the system can withstand the journey without any mishaps. The Cooler Master MasterCase 5 box is really sophisticated and contains gorgeous snapshots of the internal layout and front section. Rather impressively, the case inserts are unbelievably thick and built to an impeccable standard. As someone who hasn't encountered this particular chassis before, I was blown away by the exemplary packaging materials. The system's power cord is neatly contained in a small cutout and shouldn't rattle around even if the courier adopts a heavy approach. Eclipse Computers' attentive approach when it comes to packaging deserves credit and they've used a combination of foam blocks and air bags. The end result is absolutely fantastic and well beyond what I'd normally expect. The foam pieces above and below the GPU eliminates sagging and stops any pressure from being applied to the PCI-E slot. This is essential because the system is really heavy and put under a great strain during delivery. The internal packaging is possibly the most important area of protection and dramatically reduces the probability of hardware damage. Please note, no accessories barring the power adapter were included with the review system. This is a policy many system integrators rely on because accessories, documentation and other extras are usually lost by the media who have loads of products hanging around in their office. I'd expect the situation to be different for consumers, though. CPU-Z GPU-Z A Closer Look This particular build is based on a stealth black theme which looks very professional and should appeal to a wide range of tastes. For those who enjoy a more ostentatious appearance, there's no need to fear because the motherboard and GPU can be configured to display a whole host of vibrant colours as well as numerous transitional effects. The neutral colour scheme is a sensible strategy because it caters to those who enjoy a more subtle approach and the lighting elements allow you to mould the system around your favourite colour scheme. The Cooler Master MasterCase Maker 5 chassis is a work of art and contributes to the elegant styling. Not only that, the case has an innovative layout, loads of storage options and an ample supply of dust filters. Personally, I think it's a great choice for this system although the slightly cheaper MasterCase 5 would have been ample. The only gripe I have is the lack of a removable power supply cover which would have improved the cable management opportunities. On the other hand, the cabling is difficult to see and it doesn't seem to have caused any issues. By default, the graphics card cycles through the entire colour spectrum which greatly enhances the system's aesthetic qualities. The ROG logo positioned on the backplate really shines once the system is powered on and a joy to watch as the colours shift. Also, the motherboard employs Asus' Aura lighting system and emanates light from the edge. This combines with the GPU's lighting rather well and creates a sense of synergy. As you can see, the Cooler Master CPU block lights up in an attractive fashion and can be easily seen even when the side panel has been closed. The system contains an integrated lighting strip which illuminates in a red hue and makes it easier to see the main components. While it would have been advantageous for the strip to support multiple colours, it's a good addition and I warmed to the red colour within a short space of time. Cooler Master's G750M power supply utilises a semi-modular design and compact form-factor. Additionally, the PSU has an 80+ Bronze efficiency rating and innovative circuit design to aid heat dissipation. There's also a double layer EMI filter, custom 12V to 3.3V and 5B module and attractive print which coincides with the system's jet black theme. Unlike many system integrators who focus on budget secondary storage devices, Eclipse Computers decided to include a 2TB Western Digital Black drive. This is one of the highest performing 3.5-inch mechanical drives on the market and capable of reaching pretty impressive sequential read/write speeds. As you can see, the drive easily slots into place, and there's loads of room to add additional storage devices in the near future. The chassis' front portion features distinctive lines and a smooth, angular design. This classic, minimalist styling is wonderful and evokes a luxury feel. Unfortunately, the front stickers do not correspond with the system's appearance and should have been left in the component boxes. While the Eclipse Computers logo is perfectly fine, the Intel and ROG badges are an unnecessary addition. These extra stickers combine to create a rather messy and dated finish which distract your attention away from the lovely Cooler Master logo. Evidently, you can just remove the stickers and it's not something which permanently detracts from a premium PC experience. Another intriguing aspect of this system is the ASUS ROG front bay which allows you to monitor the CPU frequency, thermal readings and adjust fan speeds. While I'm not usually fond of huge front bays, the ROG model is sublime and I really like the dials which mimic a glamorous hypercar. On another note, the display outlines the motherboard's post status and the current time. There's also a USB port and high-fidelity audio jacks. Unfortunately, the beautiful display is completely covered by the chassis' front cover unless you pull the plastic section towards you. This is a baffling decision and a major error which shows a lack of planning. Clearly, the wrong chassis has been selected or the screen should have omitted instead. I'm really disappointed by this blunder and expected a member of staff to notice this glaring issue before the system's design was finalised. On a more positive note, the chassis' USB 3.1 Type-C connectivity is most welcome and illuminated labels for the various connections proves to be quite useful. The system's CPU liquid cooling solution revolves around a matte black square block and FEP tubing. Frankly, I've never cared much for FEP tubing from an aesthetic standpoint and prefer the braided finish on alternatives products such as the Corsair H110i GTX. This is just a personal viewpoint though and the black colour compliments the memory modules. Speaking of memory, it's interesting that four DIMMs have been used to provide in a 4x4GB configuration. If you're not aware, Skylake only supports dual-channel which means the memory performs the same as a kit with two modules. On the one hand, this limits the upgradability but the fully populated DIMM slots look rather special. Here we can see the USB 3.0 header, 24-pin connector and 8-pin power cable have been routed in a proficient way creating a very tidy build. Also, the motherboard's heatsinks employ a spectacular design which helps the system to stand out. The Asus STRIX graphics card's DirectCU III cooler is extremely quiet thanks to the large heatsinks utilising a dense fin array. The GPU is covered with a striking pattern and the STRIX branding has been implemented quite nicely without appearing too overpowering. Also, the graphics card cabling is effectively managed using a tight cable run and single zip-tie. The system's cable management has been completed to a good standard and I didn't encounter any problems when trying to reattach the side panel. As you can see, the chassis' velcro straps are useful to couple a large number of cables together in a flat formation. While there's still the odd protruding cable, it's not enough to become problematic and everything is kept relatively tidy. Thankfully, the cabling didn't rely solely on the velcro straps and a decent supply of zip-ties were used. Also, the cables are routed in a logical, thoughtful arrangement and have the shortest possible cabling run. Near the power supply. any excess cables are held down and kept away from the main chamber. Upon closer inspection, this area doesn't look that neat and the cables appear to cross over each other in a jumbled direction. Saying that, this isn't a huge issue because it doesn't impair airflow it's quite difficult to achieve straight cable runs while making the section around the power supply perfect. The hard drive cables are routed quite well and there's loads of space around this area to easily manage the cables for additional storage devices. Also, the main cluster of cables including the USB 3.0 and front panel are grouped together in a proficient way which minimises clutter around the HDD tray. To maintain a clean finish, Eclipse Computers deployed a PWM fan control hub which keeps all the fan cabling in the back section and well out of view once the side panel has been shut. Not only that, the hub can power LED strips and is a really versatile piece of hardware. Here we can see the 8-pin EPS is properly routed using the clips around the chassis and through a cable management hole. Testing & Methodology To test each system or notebook, we want to stress every component of the system to check stability and performance, giving us an idea as to why those particular components were picked for this particular system. We use a wide variety of applications to gain a broad spectrum of results for comparing diverse aspects of system performance. Unless specifically stated, all games are running at maximum settings but any vendor-exclusive features such as TressFX or PhsyX have been disabled to make the results fair. There are some titles where the maximum preset can be altered further in regards to AA, AF, Tessellation, and Draw Distance. To allow our readers to make the most informed decision, any additional options will be clearly labelled in this section. Please note each benchmark is run three times to maintain the highest level of accuracy. Hardware Acoustic dBA meter AC "Killawatt" power meter Software 3DMark AIDA64 Engineer Cinebench R15 CrystalDiskMark CPU-Z GPU-Z HW-Monitor MSI Afterburner Passmark PerformanceTest 8.0 PCMark 8 Prime95 WPrime Unigine Heaven 4.0 Grand Theft Auto 5 Rise of the Tomb Raider Hitman Far Cry Primal PC Mark 8 The PCMark 8 Home benchmark includes workloads that reflect common tasks for a typical home user. These workloads have low computational requirements making PCMark 8 Home suitable for testing the performance of low-cost tablets, notebooks, and desktops. Home includes workloads for web browsing, writing, gaming, photo editing, and video chat. The results are combined to give a PCMark 8 Home score for your system. Download here. 3D Mark The new 3DMark includes everything you need to benchmark your hardware. With three all new tests you can bench everything from smartphones and tablets to notebooks and home PCs, to the latest high-end, multi-GPU gaming desktops. Download here. Grand Theft Auto V Our GTA5 Benchmark is run on the standard benchmark with MSAA=Off, FXAA=On, Advanced Graphics Disabled and everything else set to their maximum values: Rise of the Tomb Raider Even though Rise of the Tomb Raider recommends graphics cards above 4GB for the Very High preset, we believe it's the best option to stress graphics cards and distinguish between systems opting for different hardware. Of course, lower-end hardware can struggle with the benchmark and output some unusual results. FXAA is also enabled. Hitman To properly test DirectX 12 performance, the integrated Hitman benchmark is used and everything is set to maximum with FXAA set to on. Far Cry Primal In this game, the Ultra preset is selected with the HD texture pack and FXAA. Once the settings have been dialled in, the game's built-in benchmark is run three times with an average taken to display the performance. Cinebench R15 Cinebench is a widely respected benchmark for testing the performance of x86 CPUs. The program allows you to test single and multi-threaded performance as well as GPU performance by rendering with Open GL. Download here. Super Pi Super PI is a single threaded benchmark that calculates pi to a specific number of digits. Super PI is a single threaded benchmark ideal for testing pure, single threaded x87 floating point performance and while most of the computing market has shifted towards multithreaded applications and more modern instruction sets, Super PI still remains quite indicative of CPU capability in specific applications such as computer gaming. Download here. AIDA64 Engineer Edition AIDA64 Engineer is a streamlined Windows diagnostic and benchmarking software for engineers. It has unique capabilities to assess the performance of the processor, system memory, and disk drives. AIDA64 is compatible with all current 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating systems, including Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. Memory and cache benchmarks are available to analyze system RAM bandwidth and latency. Download here. CrystalDiskMark CrystalDiskMark is a portable storage drive benchmark utility that enables you to measure sequential and random read/write speeds on different block size data. CrystalDiskMark will work with any storage drives including hard drives, SSDs and USB flash drives. Download here. Passmark The PassMark Advanced Network Test (which is part of PerformanceTest) is designed to test the data transfer rate between two computers both of which must be running PerformanceTest. One of the computers must act as the server and will sit waiting for a connection. The other computer acts as a client. It connects to the server machine and sends data to it for the duration of the test. You can download a trial version of PerformanceTest from here. Acoustic Performance The amount of noise produced by any computer is a vital consideration for most buyers, even gamers don't really want a noisy PC because less noise is always better. We use an acoustic dBA meter held 2 feet behind our test system at idle and under load to get the idle and load noise levels for the system. For idle we allow the system to sit at the Windows desktop, for load we let Unigine Heaven 4.0 and Prime95 to loop together - we take the acoustic measurements 5 minutes into both of these scenarios. Power Consumption To test power consumption we measure the total system power draw during idle and load scenarios. For idle we allow the system to sit at the Windows desktop, for load we let Unigine Heaven 4.0 and Prime95 to loop together – we take the power measurements from the “Killawatt” AC power meter 5 minutes into both of these scenarios at the same point. Temperatures To test thermal performance we measure average CPU and GPU core temperatures during idle and load scenarios. For idle we allow the system to sit at the Windows desktop, for load we let Unigine Heaven 4.0 and AIDA64 to loop together - we take the temperature measurements from within CPUID HWMonitor 5 minutes into both of these scenarios at the same point. For load we take the average of the maximum temperatures, for idle we take the average of the minimum temperatures. Synthetic Benchmarks PC Mark 8 In PC Mark 8, the system performs brilliantly and achieves one of the best scores on record. As expected, this means it's able to contend with common desktop tasks such as basic photo editing, web browsing and teleconferencing without a hitch. 3DMark The Eclipse Computers Nebula VR's graphics card is an absolute beast and outputs incredible scores even when the resolution is turned up to 4K. Evidently, this is the highest performing GTX 1080 system thus far and the improved numbers occur due to a combination of factors such as driver enhancements, the CPU's 4.6GHz overclock and the Asus STRIX GAMING GTX 1080's factory overclock. Gaming Performance Grand Theft Auto 5 Despite being a few years old, Grand Theft Auto V's gorgeous visuals and vibrant environments provide a good performance test, especially given the superb optimisation. Here we can see the system just edges the Wired2Fire Diablo Elite and manages to offer a fluid frame-rate even when powering a 4K display. During 1080p and 1440p testing, the frame-rate doesn't fluctuate too much and it's suitable for someone with a high refresh display. The 4K experience is pretty solid but there are moments when the frame-rate dips substantially. Rise of the Tomb Raider Rise of the Tomb Raider's Very High preset is extremely demanding and requires lots of video memory, only possible on certain graphics solutions. The GTX 1080's immense performance is tailored towards such scenarios and easily contends with the game's visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the frame-rate is fantastic and dips remain very uncommon. Additionally, the 1440p average is more than ample for most people and well above 60. Unfortunately, the system cannot quite reach 60 frames-per-second while using a 4K render but it's not far off and you should be able to achieve this figure using the High preset. Once again, the Eclipse Computers Nebula VR comes out on top. Hitman Hitman is quite useful to assess DirectX 12 performance and it's no secret that NVIDIA products are lacking in this area. Of course, it doesn't dramatically hinder the experience via high-end options like the GTX 1080 as reflected below. During 1080p testing, the system attained a wonderful result and didn't suffer from hitching, or sporadic frame drops. Also, the performance alongside a 2560x1440 monitor was excellent even though the Wired2Fire Diablo Elite recorded a higher number by the smallest of margins. Sadly, 60 frames-per-second isn't possible on a 4K display but the 55 average is closer than I've encountered on similar configurations. Far Cry Primal This time, the Eclipse Computers Nebula VR falls into the second position although the gap is tiny and could easily change with additional benchmark runs. At 1920x1080, the frame-rate is glorious and remains well above 100. Once the resolution is set to 1440p, the performance doesn't dip too much and it's still a very fluid and enjoyable experience. The game's advanced textures and lighting effects prove too much on a 4K panel and require you to make a few concessions in the options menu. CPU & Memory Performance Cinebench R15 The system's i7-6700K processor has a substantial frequency boost which allows it to shine compared to competing options with a lower overclock. As you can see, the end result is amazing and the CPU offers magnificent multi-threaded performance. WPrime On a similar note, the processor's 8-threads and 4.6GHz overclock combine to complete the Pi calculation task in a record time. AIDA64 Engineer In terms of memory bandwidth, the Eclipse Computers Nebula VR fares rather well and reports commendable read, write and copy figures. Most importantly, it's able to just edge the Wired2Fire Diablo Elite which opts for a similar setup. Please remember, even though four modules are paired together in the system, the Z170 chipset only supports single-channel and dual-channel memory. Storage and USB Performance CrystalDiskMark - Sequential Read In a frustrating turn of events, Eclipse Computers didn't configure the secondary hard drive properly. As a result, the mechanical disk wouldn't show up in Windows Explorer and I had to manually create a brand new partition using Windows' Disk Management tool. While this isn't a huge deal, the hard drive not showing up will cause panic for those without technical expertise. Here we can see only the main boot drive is displayed due to the aforementioned error. Please note, the test drive is a connected USB 3.0 device for testing purposes and should be ignored. Putting this slight annoyance aside, the system's SSD isn't particularly fast and lingers behind more premium alternatives. Of course, this is to be expected because the Crucial MX300 targets affordability. The mechanical hard disk performs well and outputs a good read rate while the USB 3.0 performance remains competitive. CrystalDiskMark - Sequential Write The boot SSD's write performance is decent although it struggles to contend with SSDs like the Samsung 850 EVO. Nevertheless, it's still a good showing and should be ample for most people. The mechanical drive managed a respectable write rate although it was less than I initially envisioned. The USB 3.0 speeds were good and within the 150-160MB/s bracket. Networking Performance Passmark PerformanceTest 8.0 Ethernet (LAN) The system's Intel I219V networking controller is notorious for providing a stable flow of traffic and impressive numbers. As you can see, the NIC maintained speeds without a small range and wasn't too far off reaching a 950Mbps average. Acoustic, Power & Thermal Performance Acoustic Performance During idle conditions, the system is relatively quiet and any fan speed changes are quite subtle. As a result, the noise output appears lower than it actually is because your ears adjust to the current levels. Of course, the idling noise isn't silent and I'd prefer the system to record lower numbers. Once stressed, the system noise hovers around 44 decibels and is much quieter than many competing systems. Saying that, the cooler has the propensity to make slight vibrations every so often and I'm not entirely sure why this is the case. Power Consumption The hefty manual overclock applied to the CPU and extreme graphics card contribute to a higher power draw than other systems. Despite this, the load rating is still pretty low when you consider the kind of performance on offer. Thermal Performance Unfortunately, the CPU cannot maintain a 4.6GHz frequency when tackling the AIDA64 stress tests and consistently hits the 100C TJ Max. As a result, the CPU scales back to 4.3GHz to prevent hardware failure. Whether or not this is down to the cooling being insufficient or the CPU utilising too much voltage remains to be seen but it's certainly a disappointing result. Thankfully, the CPU doesn't exhibit these problems during games due to the lower thermal stress. On a more positive note, the GPU's cooling is exemplary and way under the core's safe limit. Final Thoughts Pricing According to the information I've been provided with, the Eclipse Computers Nebula VR costs £2056.70 from the company's website. Of course, this is only the base price and it's possible to upgrade certain components based on your individual requirements. Please note, Eclipse Computers also allows you to acquire the components in a special bundle and make a saving compared to a pre-configured build. If you wish to construct the system yourself, the final cost will be £1977.61. 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. When looking into the price of custom water loop builds, it's more involved due to the increased selection of parts. Case: Cooler Master MasterCase Maker 5 = £169.99 Motherboard: Asus Intel Z170 Pro Gaming/Aura = £160.27 Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K = £324.08 Processor Cooler: Cooler Master Nepton 240M = £87.99 System Memory: Crucial Ballistix Elite 16GB (4x4GB) DDR4 3000MHz = £149.99 Main Boot Drive: Crucial MX300 275GB SSD = £63.59 Additional Storage Drive(s): Western Digital Black 2TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache = £119.99 Graphics card: Asus STRIX Gaming GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5X = £659.99 Power Supply: Cooler Master GM750 750-Watt Bronze Semi-Modular = £78.40 Front Bay: Asus ROG Front Base = £48.46 OS: Windows 10 Home = £80.47 Once added together, an identical self-build comes to £1943.22, which is a saving of £112.78. As a result, the pre-configured option is pretty decent value if you're uncomfortable with building a system and struggle to perform effective cable management. Additionally, the 3-year warranty and customer service helpline will be extremely valuable to certain customers. Overview The Eclipse Computers Nebula VR sports a simplistic, elegant design and relies on RGB illumination to add a more exuberant touch. This is a brilliant strategy because the lighting can be tuned to suit the buyer's aesthetic preference and turned off completely if you require an understated finish. The neutral jet black theme is marvelous and comprises of a number of premium components. In particular, the Cooler Master MasterCase Maker 5 is built to an impeccable standard, features a superb layout and the modular construction provides you with endless possibilities to change the chassis' functionality at a later date. As previously mentioned, the minimalistic design has been slightly spoilt by the use of multiple stickers on the front section but these can be removed without any effort. Unlike the majority of pre-configured systems on the market, Eclipse Computers decided to include a stylish fan controller with a bright display. Honestly, I'd argue visual controllers are becoming a little outdated and solutions like the NZXT Grid+ which can be hidden appear to be the better option. Saying that, the ASUS ROG Front Base is stunning and I've admired this device since its initial release. More specifically, the dials look quite similar to the sort of thing you would expect on a hypercar which should appeal to petrol heads. I absolutely love the panel's readings and the smooth, precise dial to change fan values. Unfortunately, Eclipse Computers' error which results in the fan controller being obscured for the most part is inexcusable. Frankly, it's one of the most glaring mistakes I've seen from a system integrator and expected someone to raise this issue well before it's released to market. Whether or not, it's down to poor planning by selecting the wrong case remains to be seen but this is certainly one area that needs to be resolved quickly. On a more positive note, the system's cable management is pretty good and revolves around straight, logical cable runs and a copious supply of zip-ties. Not only that, the chassis' integrated velcro straps were used effectively and I didn't detect a cluster of protruding cables which might have made the side panel challenging to close. While it's not the tidiest build I've encounter, a large portion of the cabling is exemplary and I was very pleased with the final result. The Eclipse Computers Nebula VR's cooling apparatus can contend with the CPU's hefty thermal loads during gaming scenarios without making too much noise. Granted, it's not silent and I've encountered quieter solutions, but the noise output is easy to accept. However, every so often, a small rattling noise comes in effect and I cannot pinpoint a reason for this. Honestly, I think this is just a byproduct of the system being under strain during delivery and down to bad luck. Sadly, the cooling hardware cannot tame the i7-6700K's overclock when running the AIDA64 stress test which forces the CPU to reduce its frequency to 4.3GHz. As mentioned earlier, the thermals hit a whopping 100C which caused a great deal of alarm. Upon further inspection, it seems the CPU's voltage isn't too overpowering although it's enough, in this case, to result in instability. Perhaps, the overclock was too aggressive and a more modest setting should have been applied. To reiterate, this doesn't happen in games or other applications, although the operating temperatures are far from ideal. Another annoyance occurred when booting up the system for the first time and finding out the secondary hard drive wasn't partitioned. Of course, this is a simple issue to fix and takes a matter of seconds using Windows' partition manager. On the other hand, I'd argue that a large portion of those buying a pre-configured system haven't got the technical expertise or they'd build something themselves. As a result, if they're presented with the mechanical hard disk missing in Windows Explorer, they might presume a cable has come loose or the drive is faulty. This would lead to apprehension on the customer's part and further hassle for Eclipse Computers' customer service department to try to diagnose the root cause. Speaking of storage, the boot SSD isn't going to set the world alight during synthetic benchmarks, but it provides a good balance between performance and capacity for the money. Additionally, the mechanical drive is a premium model backed by a fantastic warranty period and upholds impressive performance numbers. The system's GTX 1080 graphics card is a feat of engineering and provides an astonishing user experience even when paired with a high-resolution monitor. Throughout a wide range of games, the system managed to easily exceed the 60 frames-per-second mark when deploying a 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 display. Furthermore, the minimum frame-rate didn't dip substantially which ensures the gameplay feels really fluid and responsive. As expected, the product doesn't have enough horsepower to play titles on a 4K monitor at maximum details while reaching 60 frames-per-second. Saying that, it's relatively close and you should be able to achieve this target with small concessions in the options menu. The GTX 1080 is such a high-end, versatile card which never ceases to amaze. Pros Attractive stealth black styling Chassis' modular nature adds a great deal of customisation Excellent networking Good cable management Gorgeous RGB lighting Marvellous gaming performance even in 4K Relatively quiet under load Strong foundation for a sophisticated and professional build Superb internal packaging Cons CPU throttles in stress tests Fan control display obscured by chassis front cover Mechanical hard drive not properly configured "The Eclipse Computers Nebula VR isn't without some glaring flaws, but luckily enough these can be fixed quite easily. Furthermore, the system's performance makes up for the slight oversights and I'm confident that the package will become really impressive once the recommended changes have been made." Eclipse Computers Nebula VR GTX 1080 Gaming PC Review Thank you Eclipse Computers/Cooler Master for providing us with this sample.