Our second test setup: The Poor Man's Testbench

Kevin Hofer

15.5.2020

Translation: machine translated

Testing new hardware takes time - a lot of time. When several products are launched at the same time and they need to be compared with their predecessors, the time required is all the greater. At digitec, we currently only have one test bench. We need a second one quickly.

Thanks to your advice, I have steadily adapted the test methodology for processors and graphics cards. So far, I've done all the reviews on the benchtable with Ryzen 9 3900X and Asus mainboard. But now the launch of the tenth generation of Intel chips is imminent. So I'm testing the old and new processors with the new methodology to get comparable results. Thingiverse and my 3D printer come to the rescue.

The Poor Man's Testbench

As a CAD beginner, I don't immediately set to work designing my own testbench, but first have a look around Thinigverse - an open database for CAD files. I find what I'm looking for straight away: "the poor man's computer testbench", as its creator Romanizer calls it, fulfils my requirements:

• Easy and quick to build
• Small, as I am currently testing in my home office
• Thought through

The testbench is assembled from parts from the 3D printer and wood. The mainboard is attached to three 3D printed brackets on the wooden base plate. The power supply unit is attached under the base plate. To do this, I have to print a bracket that can hold a 2.5 and a 3.5 drive in addition to the power supply unit. The power supply unit is then clamped between this holder and a wooden side panel. In addition to the two wooden panels cut to size and the six parts from the printer, eight screws are needed to connect everything together.

Printing and screwing

The instructions from Romanizer are brilliant. While I order the parts for my printer, I have the wood cut to size at the DIY store. Printing takes about twelve hours and I can pick up the wood a day later. I still have screws at home.

Within ten minutes, I have assembled the testbench and am ready for testing. It's so easy, why should I get a second, "real" benchtable? I don't have much space at home, where I'm currently testing, so the size of the Poor Man's Testbench suits me just fine.

Of course, I can't attach an AIO or custom water cooling system to the Poor Man's Testbench. But it is possible on both sides of my existing testbench. So I could simply attach an AIO there and connect it to the DIY test bench in the same place. The part is the perfect addition to the existing setup. This means I can swap components even more quickly and easily.

That's what I'm doing now. Namely chips of the tenth Intel core generation on the MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Edge Wifi motherboard and the new testbench. You can read about their performance next week.

Kevin Hofer

Senior Editor

kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.ch

From big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.

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