August Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 8

Price Roundup

Intel Pentium 4 System

Case: Lian Li PC-68USB w/ 430W Antec PSU - $208
CPU: Intel Pentium 4-2.53 GHz - $590
Cooling: Included - N/A
Motherboard: ASUS P4T533 - $178
Memory: 768 MB PC1066 RIMM 4200 - $497
Hard Drive: Western Digital 120 GB Special Edition - $175
Video Card: Leadtek Winfast A250 Ultra TD - $295
Monitor: Sony CPD-G520 21" - $690
Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum- $151
Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 THX - $365
CD/DVD-ROM: Toshiba SD-M1612 16X DVD-ROM - $46
CDRW: TDK VeloCD 48x24x48 CDRW - $129
NIC: Intel Pro/100 S - $60
Modem: US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem - $60
Mouse: Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer v 3.0 - $35
Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro - $35
Gamepad: Logitech Wingman Rumblepad - $24
Operating System: Windows XP Pro - $130
UPS: APC BackUPS Pro 500 USB - $130
Floppy: Panasonic, TEAC, etc. - $8

Total: $3,806

AMD Athlon XP System

Case: Lian Li PC-68USB w/ 430W Antec PSU - $208
CPU: Athlon XP 2200+ - $210
Cooling: Swiftech MCX462 / Thermaltake Fan/Shim- $68
Motherboard: ASUS A7V333 - $145
Memory: 1 GB Corsair PC3200 - $472
Hard Drive: Western Digital 120 GB Special Edition X 2- $350
Video Card: Leadtek Winfast A250 Ultra TD - $295
Monitor: Sony CPD-G520 21" - $690
Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum- $151
Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 THX - $365
CD/DVD-ROM: Toshiba SD-M1612 16X DVD-ROM - $46
CDRW: TDK VeloCD 48x24x48 CDRW - $129
NIC: Intel Pro/100 S - $60
Modem: US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem - $60
Mouse: Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer v 3.0 - $35
Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro - $35
Gamepad: Logitech Wingman Rumblepad - $24
Operating System: Windows XP Pro - $130
UPS: APC BackUPS Pro 500 USB - $130
Floppy: Panasonic, TEAC, etc. - $8

Total: $3,611

Closing Remarks

Both of our Extreme Gaming Systems offer the high-end goodies, combined with exceptional performance and a lot of headroom for upcoming games. The Pentium 4 PC does hold the edge in overall speed, but the AMD system features more memory and an extra WD 120 GB hard drive, yet still comes in under the price of the Intel box. Each system has its own set of pros and cons, but one area that AMD could do some catching up concerns processor core speed. With a $4,000 budget, we've got the scratch to really go wild at the CPU end, and while the Athlon XP 2200+ is a very fast performer, the Pentium 4-2.53 GHz is still the current speed demon. Those looking to cut a few costs on the way to your dream machine are actually better served by going the AMD route, while the "money is no object" crowd might be advised to lay it all on the line for a super-charged Pentium 4 system. Regardless of your decision, the owner of either the AMD or Intel setup will be one very happy individual.

Next month's Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide has us very excited, as not only could we see a few new processors being released, but we continue to hear rumors that AMD may jump the Athlon XP to the 166 MHz FSB and really give Intel a run for the money. The cherry on top is definitely the ATI Radeon 9700, and if it lives up to its advance billing, we'll find it a nice home inside one of our future Extreme Gaming PCs. We're also hoping for some lower memory prices, which could work wonders on our bottom line and give us a bit more room to add some extra goodies. See you next month, and be there or be square.

"Please note that the prices in our guide do not include shipping costs or taxes. The final system price also reflects a "best case" scenario of finding an online vendor that stocks the majority of internal components, or having access to a number of local computer retailers for system quotes and comparison shopping."