August 2002 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 8

Price Roundup

Intel Pentium 4 System

Case: Aluminum PC Case w/ 350W or higher PSU - $260
Processor: Pentium 4-2.4B GHz (533 MHz) - $365
Cooling: Alpha PAL8942 - $35
Motherboard: ABIT SR7-8X - $108
Memory: 512-MB PC2700 - $140
Hard Drive: Western Digital 120GB SE - $175
Video Card: MSI GeForce4 Ti 4600 - $315
Monitor: Samsung 900NF - $350
Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum - $150
Speakers: Altec Lansing 641 or Logitech Z560 - $130
CD/DVD-ROM: Toshiba SD-M1612 16X DVD-ROM - $45
CDRW: TDK 48/24/48 VeloCD ReWriter - $128
Communications: Intel Pro/1000 T or US Robotics External v.92 - $60
Mouse: Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer Optical 3.0 - $35
Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro - $35
Operating System: Windows XP Pro - $130
Floppy: Generic - $10

Total: $2,471

AMD Athlon XP System

Case: Aluminum PC Case w/ 350W or higher PSU - $260
Processor: Athlon XP 2200+ (1.73 GHz) - $205
Cooling: Thermalright SLK-800, Panaflow fan and Shim- $63
Motherboard: EPoX 8K3A+ - $120
Memory: 2x512-MB PC2700 - $280
Hard Drive: Western Digital 120GB SE - $175
Video Card: MSI GeForce4 Ti 4600 - $315
Monitor: Samsung 900NF - $350
Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum - $150
Speakers: Altec Lansing 641 or Logitech Z560 - $130
CD/DVD-ROM: Toshiba SD-M1612 16X DVD-ROM - $45
CDRW: TDK 48/24/48 VeloCD ReWriter - $128
Communications: Intel Pro/1000 T or US Robotics External v.92 - $60
Mouse: Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer Optical 3.0 - $35
Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro - $35
Operating System: Windows XP Pro - $130
Floppy: Generic - $10

Total: $2,491

Closing Remarks

Both of these high-end systems are equally impressive in their own ways, with the main difference being in the processors. Since prices have declined in a few key areas, we were able to sneak in a Pentium 4-2.4B GHz into our system, although we did rack the AMD box with a full 1 GB of memory with the cost savings. The remainder of the component list remains mostly unchanged, although we did improve a few like the CDRW and motherboard selections. There were no corners cut, and video, audio, cooling and input hardware is all top-notch and guaranteed to satisfy even the discriminating gamer. From an overall perspective, these two systems are true gaming powerhouses and are exceptional deals, even at the $2500 price tag.

Next month should hold a few interesting developments, not the least of which is the anticipated release of the ATI Radeon 9700. This card could revolutionize the 3D speed and features of our desktop systems, and we will be taking a close look at the price as well as the performance of this new entrant. We're also crossing our fingers that both AMD and Intel release new processors in the next month, not only for possible inclusion into our guide, but for the natural lowering effect these have on prices. No matter the new hardware releases, you can be sure that next month we'll be back with our checkbook in hand, busily working out the numbers for the best high-end gaming in town. As we like to say here at Sharky Extreme, pure 3D gaming speed certainly doesn't come cheap, but each month it becomes a bit more affordable.

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. Also, throughout the compilation of this guide, we have made every attempt to ensure availability and realistic street pricing of the included components.