February Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 5

Video Card: Visiontek Xtasy 6964 GeForce3 Titanium Ti500

Current Cost: $318
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

For our high-end gaming dollar, the GeForce3 Ti 500 is the card to beat. ATI has a definite contender with the Radeon 8500, but since we have the available budget, we're going for the highest overall framerates we can find. The GeForce3 Ti 500 features a 240 MHz clock / 500 MHz memory speeds and definitely has the power to handle even the most demanding 3D games. There are several excellent GeForce3 Ti 500 brands, but the VisionTek Xtasy 6964 is a very safe bet. Not only is it priced competitively with other models, but as our primary reference card here at Sharky Extreme, it has proved to be a very durable product as well.

Monitor: Sony CPD-G520 21"

Cost: $750
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$50

Sony produces some of the very best computer monitors, but shopping for a 21" Sony gets me humming the Bare Naked Ladies tune, "If I Had a Million Dollars". Sony monitors can be pricey to say the least, but we're splurging with a Sony CPD-G520 21" monitor for our Extreme Gaming Guide. A monitor may be one of the few investments that you take from new system to upgrade and back again, so buying quality is most often the best angle to take. Those who need high resolutions and color depths will be big fans of this Trinitron monitor as the CPD-G520 has a high-end resolution of 2048x1536 at 80 Hz, and Sony uses a recommended setting of 1880 x 1440 @ 85Hz.

Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum

Cost: $158
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

While the SoundBlaster Audigy line of soundcards is the de facto standard for new gaming systems, the Platinum version has all the extra features necessary for our Extreme System. Along with the Audigy soundcard, the Platinum edition also includes an internal Front-Panel Audio Connectivity Drive, a wireless remote control and a SB1394 bracket connection (compliant to the IEEE 1394a specification). You also won't give up compatibility in going the Audigy route, as the Audigy Platinum supports both the older EAX and newer EAX AdvancedHD standards. The Audigy Platinum also comes with a ton of bundled audiophile software, as well as a full retail version of either Giants or Deus Ex. Support, compatibility, performance, features and multimedia hardware are all in the Audigy Platinum's court, especially with the newest driver revision.

Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 THX

Cost: $399
Months on list: 2
Price Change: $0

Along with huge 21" monitors and gobs of system memory, speakers are another area where some extra cash can really make a huge difference. Speakers are also a long-term investment, as they are easily ported to a new or upgraded PC. For these reasons, we're not holding back and recommend the Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 THX unit. This 6-speaker setup is truly in a league of its own and supplies a full 500W of power that'll really shake the walls. The ProMedia 5.1 THX also includes a Control Tower, which has full volume controls for main, center, rear and sub-woofer speakers, as well as an on/off switch and dual headphone jacks. The Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 THX system also looks like a million bucks and is sure to impress friends and family alike.