The extremely chic midi tower Stronghold comes from Kolink with a stylish side panel made of tempered glass and a front panel made of plastic with an attractive brushed aluminum look. There is plenty of room for presentable hardware in the tidy interior of the Stronghold. Pre-installed dust filters, extensive space for water cooling and practical cable management are just a few of the highlights of this Kolink housing, which is inexpensive despite its high-quality workmanship.
The features of the Kolink Stronghold at a glance
- Design case for mainboards up to E-ATX
- Side panel made of 4 mm thick tempered glass
- Plastic front with a brushed aluminum look
- 2x pre-installed 120mm fans, 6 possible in total
- I/O panel with 2x USB 2.0 / 1x USB 3.0 & HD audio in/out
- Support for two radiators, each in 240 mm format
- 2x 3.5/2.5 inch disk slots
- Graphics cards up to 38 cm in length & CPU coolers up to 16 cm in height
Side panel made of tempered glass & two pre-installed fans
The solid chassis consists of one millimeter thick SECC steel and is covered with a four millimeter thick tempered glass side panel and a plastic front with a stylish brushed aluminum look. The entire interior is coated black and fitted with a power supply cover to achieve a particularly clean look. This accommodates a permanently installed hard drive cage with brackets for two 3.5 or 2.5 inch drives and the power supply unit.
In order to ensure ventilation of the hardware installed in the housing, two of six possible 120 mm fans with Molex connectors are already included and installed in the housing. One is placed in the lowest of three possible places behind the front, the second in the only place at the back. Two more 120 mm fans can be installed under the cover.
Dust filters keep the Kolink Stronghold clean
The mainboard tray and the power supply cover offer numerous openings for sophisticated cable management. A 240mm radiator can be accommodated in the front and top of the Observatory housing. Ventilation openings with fine dust filters are located in the cover and on the underside of the housing. They can be removed without tools and are reinforced with a filigree honeycomb pattern.
Graphics cards can be up to 38 centimeters long and CPU coolers up to 16 centimeters high. In addition, the I/O panel on the front has two USB 2.0 ports and a USB 3.0 Type A port.
INTEL Core i5-12400F, clock frequency @ 4.4GHz, Socket 1700, code name Alder Lake-S, cores 6, threads 12, base clock 2.50GHz, turbo clock 4.40GHz, SMT yes (Intel Hyper-Threading), memory controller Dual Channel PC5-38400U ( DDR5-4800), also supports PC4-25600U (DDR4-3200), CPU functions GNA 3.0, DL Boost, Optane Memory Support, Speed Shift, Turbo Boost 2.0, Hyper-Threading, VT-x, VT-d, VT- x EPT, Intel 64, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, Idle States, EIST, Thermal Monitoring, VMD, AES-NI, Secure Key, OS Guard, XD Bit, Boot Guard, MBE, CET, Architecture Golden Cove, L2 cache 7.5MB (6x 1.25MB), L3 cache 18MB, chipset interface DMI 4.0, 16GT / s (PCIe 4.0 x8), PCIe lanes 16x PCIe 5.0, 4x PCIe 4.0, memory max.128GB, memory bandwidth 76.8GB / s.
The first benchmarks of the Core i5-12400F, probably the most exciting new Intel CPU, showed up as early as November 2021. The CPU designed for 65 watt TDP with 6 cores and 12 threads should be able to easily compete with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, while the single-core performance should even be above that of an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X. Since the Intel Core i5-10400F and i5-11400F already scored with a very good price-performance ratio, a Core i5-12400F should also convince many interested parties from Alder Lake, especially if you consider the price of an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X in the Retains the back of the head.
It took a while, but it's going well at Intel. 22 new processors will be added to the portfolio and the Core i7-12700F and Core i5-12400F in particular should be exciting, as they deliver high performance at a comparatively low purchase price. Thanks to the RAM-OC capability of the B660 chipset, a 12400F could be exactly the budget option that potential buyers have been waiting for years with the competition.
INTEL Boxed cooling. All models, whether K or non-K, rely on a cooler that is very similar to that of the Clarkdale and Lynnfield versions. However, Intel has decided against radially oriented cooling fins and uses instead again curved aluminum fins. This cooler we liked in terms of smoothness in idle quite well and should be absolutely sufficient for most users.
ASUS Prime H610M-E D4, Intel 1700 socket, Intel H610 chipset, 2x DDR4 DIMM, dual PC4-25600U/DDR4-3200, max. 64GB, expansion slots 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x1, 1x M.2/ M-Key (PCIe 3.0 x4, 2280/2260/2242), 1x M.2/M-Key (PCIe 3.0 x2, 2280/2260/2242), external connections 1x VGA (iGPU), 1x HDMI 2.1 (iGPU), 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (iGPU), 2x USB-A 3.0 (5Gb/s, H610), 2x USB-A 2.0 (480Mb/s), 1x Gb LAN (Realtek), 3x jack, 1x PS /2 keyboard, 1x PS/2 mouse, internal connections 1x USB 3.0 header (5Gb/s, 2x USB 3.0, H610), 
2x USB 2.0 header (480Mb/s, 4x USB 2.0), 4x SATA 6Gb/s (H610), 1x serial, 1x TPM header, 1x S/PDIF header, 1x speaker header, 1x COM debug header, header cooling 1x CPU fan 4-pin, 2x fan 4-pin, header lighting 1x 4-pin RGB (+12V/G/R /B, max. 3A), audio 7.1 (Realtek), special features audio+solid capacitors, onboard TPM 2.0 support (Intel PTT).
Extensive control options form the basis of the ASUS Prime series. The Prime H610 motherboard offers flexible tools that allow you to optimize every aspect of your system. So you can perfectly adapt the performance to the way you work and maximize productivity.
The Energy Processing Unit (EPU) automatically optimizes power consumption and maximizes energy savings with Away Mode - a smart setting that creates an extreme power saving scenario by turning off unused I/O controllers.
The renowned ASUS UEFI BIOS offers everything you need to configure, optimize and tune your system. It offers both intelligently simplified options for PC novices and rich features for seasoned veterans. An intuitive advanced mode offered through the UEFI puts you in full control. A built-in search function makes it easy to find options, and various advanced features allow you to make smart adjustments so you can tune performance exactly how you want it.
The Prime H610 series is equipped with a heatsink and a set of hybrid fan headers to ensure your system stays cool and stable even under heavy loads.
The Prime H610 series is ready for the additional cores and increased bandwidth of 12th Gen Intel® processors. The ASUS H610 motherboards provide all the essentials to boost day-to-day productivity. So your system is ready to go with stable performance, intuitive cooling and flexible transmission options.
The PRIME H610M-E D4 offers two M.2 slots that support data transfer speeds of up to 32Gbps via PCIe 3.0, enabling faster boot and load times for operating systems or applications.
Prime H610 motherboards have been specifically designed for the 12. th generation of Intel Core CPUs and offer PCIe® 4.0 connectivity for the latest GPUs. The high bandwidth and super-fast transfer speeds allow you to create feature-rich builds that can handle heavy loads with ease.
KFA2 GeForce RTX 3050 EX (1-Click OC), 8GB GDDR6, connections 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, chip GA106-150-A1 "Ampere", 20SM, 276mm², chip clock 1552MHz, Boost: 1837MHz (OC Mode), Memory 8GB GDDR6, 1750MHz, 14Gbps (14000MHz effective), 128bit, 224GB/s, shader units/TMUs/ROPs 2560/80/48, cooling 2x axial fans (90mm) (RGB illuminated), special features real-time raytracing, raytracing cores (20), tensor cores (80), NVIDIA G-Sync, NVIDIA VR-Ready, AV1 Decode , HDCP 2.3, 0dB zero fan mode, backplate, LED lighting (RGB), boost clock overclocked (+60MHz), interface PCIe 4.0 x16 (x8), computing power 9.4 TFLOPS (FP32), 147 GFLOPS (FP64), DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, OpenCL 3.0, Vulkan 1.2, shader model 6.6.
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is Nvidia's new entry-level gaming graphics card with amps. In the test, the graphics card proves to be a good all-rounder with all the well-known Ampere properties without any real weaknesses.
The GeForce RTX 3050 offers 34 percent higher performance than its predecessor, the GeForce RTX 1650 Super, and the GeForce GTX 1660 Super is also just beaten. The GeForce RTX 2060, on the other hand, is not reached and the distance to the GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon RX 6600 remains noticeable. Nevertheless, the graphics card guarantees smooth gaming in 1,920 × 1,080 in every game. In AAA titles, it is sometimes necessary to reduce the graphic details a bit, but there will always be smooth frame rates. On the other hand, it is sometimes not enough for full details in AAA games, but this is not a problem in e-sports or casual games.
With the GeForce RTX 3050, Nvidia is bringing RT and tensor cores and thus ray tracing and DLSS to the entry-level segment for the first time. However, ray tracing comes with limitations. If a game delivers a very high frame rate in rasterizer mode, ray tracing is not a problem. But many RT titles place high demands on the GPU and then the RTX 3050 quickly runs out of breath. Nvidia lists DLSS as the tool of choice and the FPS can undoubtedly be increased with it. In Full HD, however, even DLSS on "Quality" does not manage to reconstruct the quality of native FHD. Then ray tracing makes the graphics more beautiful, while DLSS makes them less beautiful. If you really want to use ray tracing, you should definitely go at least one performance class above it.
Of the custom designs tested, the KFA2 GeForce RTX 3050 EX OC stands out positively. Not because of the inherently higher clock rates, which bring a little more performance. But the cooler simply does a good job and keeps the graphics card cool and quiet at the same time.
FSP Hydro K Pro power supply, 850W, ATX 2.52, fan 120mm, connections 2x 4/8-pin ATX12V, 4x 6/8-pin PCIe, 8x SATA, 2x IDE, 1x floppy, 1x 24-pin, average efficiency 88 %, certificates according to the manufacturer 80 PLUS Bronze (according to the manufacturer, 230V EU), dimensions (WxHxD) 150x86x140mm, manufacturer's guarantee 5 years, +3.3V, 20A +5V, 20A +12V, 70.8A -12V 0.3A +5Vsb 2.5A number 12V -Rails 1, PFC active, form factor ATX PS/2, specification ATX 2.52, special features ErP Lot 6, supports Haswell C6/C7 low-power states, color black.
Up-to-date Circuit Design
A dual forward topology integrated with active PFC and PWM technology and double EMI filter delivers full power and enhance stability to your system.
Double Layer EMI Filter
To reduce electromagnetic interference and suppress noise.
Stable DC to DC Output Quality
DC to DC modules with low ripple noise and prolongs system lifetime.
Low Noise, Less Heat
Hydro K PRO series is equipped with the 120mm hydraulic bearing fan (HYB) which makes optimum cooling and reduces noise. Moreover, the lifespan of fan is longer than standard one.
+12V Single Rail Design
Designed for power-intensive VGA cards, provides strong power to any overloading condition
80 Plus® Bronze Certification
With an 230V 80 Plus® rating, Hydro K PRO series delivers over 88% high efficiency.
Energy Related ErP/Eup
Green Power! The total AC power consumption less than 5Vsb rail to meet the new EU Regulation ErP for modern systems.
MEGA Electronics Fastro MS150 SSD 1TB, Solid State Module (SSM) design, form factor M.2 2280, interface M.2/M-Key (PCIe 3.0 x4), reading 2400MB/s, writing 3200MB/s SLC-Cached, IOPS 4K read/write 240k/250k, memory modules 3D-NAND TLC, TBW 1.2PB, reliability forecast 1.5 million hours (MTBF), controller Silicon Motion SM2263XT, 4 channels, cache 2GB (DDR4), SLC cache, protocol NVMe 1.3, Power consumption 6W maximum.
Fastro MS150 SSD is a large storage solution that offers read/write speeds of up to 2,400MB/s / 3,200MB/s. That's 6 to 8 times faster than a SATA-based SSD and even 50 times faster than a traditional hard drive. The SSD works with high performance, lower heat and faster loading time. The efficient performance and the M.2 2280 design make the MS150 SSD ideal for slim notebooks and systems with limited space.
NVMe is leading the new standard for SSDs, and NVMe SSDs are designed to provide a range of storage solutions that are ideal for new PC builds, laptops/notebooks, and storage system upgrades. Improved systems and higher PC performance also mean better performance in software and applications such as 3D rendering, gaming and media creation.
No 2nd drive selected!
No optical disc drive in the system!
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (2 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
1 x DisplayPort
1 x D-Sub port
1 x HDMI® port
1 x Realtek 1Gb Ethernet port
3 x Audio jacks
1 x PS/2 Keyboard (purple) port
1 x PS/2 Mouse (green) port
Monitor connections can be found in the detailed description of “GRAPHIC CARD(S)”
Front ports of the PC / Cases can be found in the detailed description of “CASE“
No WLAN chosen!
The ultimate pleasure for your ears thanks to Creative Sound Blaster Cinema.
MSI, the world's leader in motherboards and graphics cards has chosen Creative Sound Blaster Cinema audio technology for its new motherboard lineup. Sound Blaster is the leading brand in PC gaming audio and MSI is excited about the prospect of providing class-leading audio technology with its motherboards. Thanks to the Sound Blaster Cinema suite of audio technologies, gamers can enjoy upgraded surround sound through their stereo headphones, enhanced gaming sound effects and Smart Volume control for long gaming sessions.
When using Sound Blaster Cinema, gamers will be able to hear their opponents more clearly and easily while enjoying the competitive advantage of accurate positional audio to reveal the precise location of their opponents.
Sound Blaster Cinema
Armed with the technology of the biggest name in PC gaming audio, gamers can leverage Sound Blaster Cinema to get the best sound enhancements for today's games powered by Sound Blaster SBX Pro Studio technology. Each of the five technologies of SBX Pro Studio is focused on delivering a more immersive gaming experience:
-SBX Bass - SBX Bass technology dramatically improves the sound experience by expanding the low frequency tones
-SBX Crystalizer - Ensures that every audio detail is heard by restoring the "highs" and "lows" that are compromised with audio compression
-SBX Dialog Plus - SBX Dialog Plus intelligently enhances voices in games and moves for dramatically clearer dialog
-SBX Surround - Goes beyond 7.1 surround sound creating unprecedented levels of audio realism including stunning surround effects that produce virtual speakers around, above and below you
-SBX Smart Volume - Address the problem of abrupt volume level changes in games by intelligently applying gain and attenuation to deliver consistent volume levels
Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64Bit, pre-installed with all necessary device drivers. Switch on and get started!
The launch of Windows 10 and the associated developments are among the most important market launches in Microsoft's corporate history. Windows 10 not only brings a new version of the operating system onto the market, Windows 10 enables a new platform generation:
"We want to ensure that we offer developers the largest and most vibrant user base for their applications," said Satya Nadella in his opening keynote at BUILD 2015 in San Francisco. Windows 10 is now available in 190 countries and 111 languages.
The browser is really new in Windows 10: Edge replaces Internet Explorer. The new browser doesn't just have the cooler name. It is also much faster. In almost all browser benchmarks, Edge depends on IE 11 from Windows 8.1. It can almost double its pace in Mozilla's Kraken benchmark. It looks the same in Google's Octane 2.0 test. Its pace remains roughly the same in the Sunspider test and the Peacekeeper benchmark. Conclusion: When it comes to the browser speed, Windows 10 with Edge catches up a lot. In Kraken and Octane, Edge overtakes the competition, in the Sunspider he stays ahead. The old conditions are only preserved in the Peacekeeper test.
Windows start
Microsoft already shortened the start times of Windows extremely with Windows 8. If the computer is switched off using "Shut down", it does not switch itself off, but only goes into hibernation - from which it can wake up more quickly. Even with a real Katlstart or restart, Windows 8.1 is slightly slower: However, over time, Windows remembers the files that it needs for the start: The start time is shortened with repeated starts. After ten starts, the two operating systems were almost on par with 20 seconds (Windows 10) and 22 seconds (Windows 8.1).
System performance
Windows is actually getting faster and faster the older it gets: For most components, manufacturers are releasing ever more up-to-date drivers that accelerate the hardware. Windows feels like it is getting slower and slower: This is mostly due to the fact that the autostart folder is filling up with more and more entries, more and more tools are running in the background and more and more programs that are no longer used are littering the memory. The performance tests show hardly any difference between Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Sometimes one system is faster, sometimes the other. But all the results are so closely related - with less than three percent difference - that no difference is noticeable in practice. This also applies to tests such as Cinebench R15, which primarily check the processor performance. Even if we repeated the tests several times, nothing changed: When saving and buffering frequently used files, nothing seems to have changed between Windows 8.1 and 10. Conclusion: When it comes to hardware performance, Windows 10 is as fast as Windows 8.1 - or vice versa. So that Windows 10 stays fast, the same rules apply as always with Windows: Install the latest drivers and keep the system clean.
3D performance
Windows 10 comes with the new Direct X12 3D interface. DX12 is designed to allow game programmers to use the capabilities of the GPU more efficiently. Computers with less powerful graphics cards can also benefit from this and display graphically complex games more smoothly. At the moment, the potential of DX12 can only be demonstrated using synthetic benchmarks such as the API overhead test. Conclusion: Windows 10 has the potential to accelerate games on weaker systems thanks to the DX12. But the concrete results will only show games that use DX12. The first should appear at the end of the year.
Windows 10 lays a good foundation: the hardware manufacturers have to use this to tease out a performance plus with improved drivers. Or in the case of Direct X12 game programmers who use the capabilities of the new interface in games.
HI-TECH anti-cucumber guarantee (already included in full when purchasing a HI-TECH PC and / or notebook)
a) Complete assembling of the PC system or notebook including serial number management
b) Optimization of the cabling between the individual PC components for the purpose of optimal air flow in the system
c) Optimization and performance enhancement of various hardware components (GraKa / CPU etc.)
d) Installation of the latest BIOS updates (motherboard, GraKa)
e) Complete configuration of the BIOS settings to provide the maximum performance and reliability of the PC system + storage of the settings in order to be able to reload them later (e.g. after changing the BIOS battery)
f) free hotline
g) 24-hour long-term test for quality control of the PC components
Enjoy a Breathtaking Gaming Experience with the Systems of HI-TECH!
Our perfectly configured high performance systems offer you the power that you need to win against all your opponents. Real graphics and extreme performance lead you into new dimensions of gaming. Independent journalists attest: our PCs and notebooks are a "masterpiece" (Ingame.de) and the "antithesis of the iMac" (Profil.at)
one of the biggest game portals - tests on our high performance gaming PCs - you should also trust on this clear recommendation!
All information are provided by the manufacturer. Product images shown above may present a possible scenario and represents no liability or responsibility for incorrect or omitted entries and pictures.
