October 2002 Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2

Intel CPU: Pentium 4-2.8GHz Retail

Current Cost: $485
Months on List: New
Price Change: N/A

With an Extreme Gaming System, it's only natural to outfit the system with the fastest CPU possible. The current top-end Intel desktop PC offering is the Pentium 4-2.8 GHz model. The Pentium 4-2.8 GHz is based on the Northwood core, which features 512K L2 cache, a 0.13-micron die, along with the much lower core temperatures and heat production. With the 0.13-micron die there is also more overclocking headroom versus CPU's produced on the older 0.18-micron process.

Additionally, the Pentium 4-2.8 GHz is operating on the 533 MHz front side bus, providing the fastest possible performance on the Pentium 4 platform. We're recommending the retail version of the CPU because the Northwood core runs quite cool, and the retail coolers shipped with Intel Pentium 4's are nothing to be ashamed off. They're quite large, yet are coupled with a virtually noise free fan allowing for quiet, yet cool operation of the CPU. Retail Intel CPU's also come with a 3-year warranty, and that is always a plus.

AMD CPU: Athlon XP 2400+ OEM

Current Cost: $235
Months on List: New
Price Change: N/A

With AMD Athlon XP 2600+ - 2800+ processors not yet available in the retail channel, we're looking at the Athlon XP 2400+ as the best AMD CPU you can buy. Clocked at 2.0 GHz with a model rating of 2400+, this new AMD processor is definitely not a slouch in the performance category. The AMD Athlon XP line is quite attractive with the addition of SSE and Data Prefetch, which enables the XP line to compete against Intel's offerings. This high end model from AMD is produced on the newer Thoroughbred core, which is essentially the same as the older Palomino core. However the T-bred has had a die shrink from the 0.18-micron on the Palomino core, to a more attractive, and heat efficient 0.13-micron die process. Despite the die shrink, AMD Athlon XP's are best served with a nice third party cooler, and if you plan on overclocking, it's best to get a hefty third party cooler! The $250 savings compared to the Pentium 4-2.8 GHz might work in AMD's favor, providing an opportunity for a cost savings, or for more goodies to be packed into the computer.

Intel Cooling: included Retail HSF

Current Cost: N/A

Considering how expensive the Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz is, and how cool it runs, there really is no need to shell out more money for a better cooler. There are some excellent third party socket 478 coolers on the market now, but the included Intel HSF unit does the job, and is very quiet to boot. The Intel HSF is also quite easy to install, and if you have problems with installing it, then you're obviously doing something wrong. If you insist on having a third party cooler, or are unable to purchase a retail version of the Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz, then a Thermalright AX-478 + a Quiet 80mm (3000rpm or less) fan for about $40 will suffice.

AMD Cooling: Swiftech MCX462 heatsink, Thermaltake 80mm Smartfan, Thermaltake Copper shim

Current Cost of Swiftech MCX462 Heatsink: $45
Current Cost of Thermaltake 80mm Smartfan: $13
Current Cost of Thermaltake Copper shim: $10
Months on List: 2
Price Change: $0

Cooling for the Athlon XP 2400+ is quite a different story from the Intel Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz. Then again, you do have to balance good cooling, without harming ones ears from those ridiculously loud fans that so many AMD users utilize. The solution is to get a big heatsink to start, and very few are larger than the Swiftech MCX462.

Combining the Swiftech MCX462 with the Thermaltake 80mm "Smartfan" will provide you with a cool running CPU, and at a very acceptable decibel level. The "Smartfan" has a thermal sensor attached to it that controls how fast the fan spins. When the temperature around the fan is high, the fan will spin faster to compensate, and vice versa. Lastly the inclusion of the copper shim is more of a safety feature, so that the heatsink will not crush the poor CPU.

If you are looking for more "Extreme" cooling, then simply swap the fan out for a much faster and louder model. The choice of sacrificing low noise for a 7200 RPM rocket is yours to make. We believe an extreme gaming machine should perform at a high level, but not be able double as a jet engine in its spare time.