May High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 7

NIC: Intel Pro/1000 T

Cost: $83
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

LAN gaming, and DSL/Cable Internet access are all good reasons to have a quality NIC (Network Interface Card) in your gaming rig. Unless you already own a functional network card, we do not recommend going the cheap route when buying a primary NIC. Otherwise, you could be ripping apart your PC on a monthly basis, and filling out enough RMA forms to need a Word template to keep up. Buying a brand name, quality NIC is always money well spent.

In this guide, we are breaking free of the 3-COM NIC line, and switching over to the impressive Intel Pro/1000 T. This is a very fast NIC, that also comes with the flow control and packet prioritization features of the high-end Intel cards, along with support for 10/100/1000 connections. The Intel Pro/1000 T is fully backwards compatible with previous 10/100 standards, but raises the bar with support for the faster Gigabit Ethernet.

Yep, that's right Gigabit network access could be yours, and with the addition of compatible, fiber Gigabit cabling (though some expensive copper cabling may work), you can have another bragging point for your next LAN party. Better yet, put a "Gigabit Only" sign on the front door and watch their jaws drop.

Or...

Modem: US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem

Cost: $83
Months on list: 3
Price Change: N/A

Although the NIC will work great for those lucky souls with DSL or cable Internet access, many gamers are still using dial-up Internet accounts. In addition, some may actually use their killer gaming systems for business-related functions, and require a standard modem for fax or data transmissions. For a fast, stable modem, we recommend the US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem. You not only get an external model, along with standard v.90 support and a chance to try out the new v.92 pseudo-standard, but this modem comes from a company long known for their quality communications hardware.

Operating System: Windows XP Pro

Cost: $127
Months on list: 3
Price Change: +$1

The choice of an operating system is another tough one, especially given the reluctance of many to buy into the Windows XP hardware authorization scheme. Still, Win XP has many benefits and is virtually the only operating system available for new systems, so were going with the flow rather than trying to stem the tide. We also feel that the Windows XP Pro version is far superior to the Home version and well worth the extra investment to get the enhanced networking and configuration options available in the XP Pro operating system.

The above price is for the OEM version of Windows XP Pro and assumes you buy it alongside a new system or with one of your hardware components. If you buy a pre-built PC or plan your hardware purchases correctly (usually a hard drive is the best bet to qualify) this would qualify you for the lower-priced OEM version. If you already own a copy of a Windows operating system (limited to Win 98 or newer and Win NT 4 or newer) then you can also purchase the Windows XP Pro upgrade CD and potentially save more money.

Name Brand Floppy

Current Cost: $10

Although the floppy drive is rapidly approaching obsolescence, you still need something to boot with and flash your system BIOS safely. Just buy a basic name brand (Panasonic, Sony, TEAC, etc.) for around 8 bucks and be done with it.

Extras:

Although a UPS isn't really part of a gaming system, anymore than a printer or scanner is, it is still something to consider when laying down the cash for a $2500 PC. A quality UPS will no only provide protection against power outages and allow a smooth shutdown after the lights go out, but also offer enhanced power spike and irregular voltage protection as well. APC produces some excellent home UPS models, but be sure to match the voltage ratings (VA) against the actual power consumption of your PC.