November Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2

Intel CPU: Pentium 4-2.8GHz Retail

Current Cost: $385
Months on List: 2
Price Change: -$100

With an Extreme Gaming System, it's only natural to outfit the system with the fastest CPU possible. We've gone back to the current top-end Intel desktop PC which is the Pentium 4-2.8 GHz model. There has been a nice price drop since last month's guide, and it should provide for an interesting upgrade of another component within the Extreme Gaming System. 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 2700+ OEM

Current Cost: $348
Months on List: New
Price Change: N/A

For this month, the AMD CPU will not be considered the "value" version of its Intel brethren. The Athlon XP 2700+ is a top of the line CPU, with a hefty price tag attached to it as well. Clocked at 2.17 GHz with a model rating of 2700+, and with a FSB speed of 333 MHz, this new AMD processor is definitely not a slouch in the performance arena. The AMD Athlon XP line is quite attractive due to the presence of SSE support and Data Prefetch, which helps 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 high-end cooler, and if you plan on overclocking, it's best to get a hefty third party cooler!

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 80mm 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: 3
Price Change: $0

Cooling for the Athlon XP 2700+ 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. Please note that due to the "raised label" format of the new Athlon XP 2200+ - 2700+ (and higher) processors, the addition of a shim may result in problems linking the CPU core to the HSF. We have tested the Thermaltake Copper model and found no problems, but confirm full compatiblity when choosing another brand.

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 to double as a jet engine in its spare time.