November High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4

Memory: Corsair 512-MB PC3200/DDR400

Current Cost: $183
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Given that prices have adjusted in a few key areas, the available cash is quite equivalent between Intel and AMD. We also have the available budget for only one stick of 512-MB DDR, so why not go full bore and spend a few extra bucks for PC3200 400 MHz DDR. 512-MB should be more than adequate for a high-end gaming system, and memory is the most easily upgraded components and starting off with only a single DIMM makes adding more a breeze. Overclocking is also much easier with DDR400 memory, as it can handle the higher clock speeds, as well as operating at high memory timings at sub-400 MHz speeds. With the price of PC2700 rising quite steadily, buying into PC3200 is actually a better value and longer-term investment.

Hard Drive:

Western Digital 180-GB SE

Current Cost: $270
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Another area we've upgraded quite significantly is the hard drive. We're still going with the powerful Western Digital Special Edition drives, but have moved up from the 120-GB to the 180 GB model. These SE drives are the current cream of the IDE hard drive crop and feature a full 8-MB of cache, fast access times and a 7200 RPM speed. These units can approach SCSI performance levels and the large 180 GB of storage space will hold drive upgrades off for some time. We also recommend buying as much physical space as possible in a single drive to start, and making a potential new drive install a snap.

CD-ROM: Toshiba SD-M1612 16X DVD-ROM

Cost: $45
Months on list: 5
Price Change: $0

Our testing of various DVD-ROM drives has shown us that the standard tray-loading mechanism is the best bet for most users. Sure, it won't impress the ladies (or gents), but with all the different-sized CD media we've encountered, it can be simpler to play it safe rather than risk losing something in a slot-loader. One of the very best DVD drives is the Toshiba SD-M1612 16X DVD-ROM. This Toshiba unit is a standard tray-loader easily matches the features and performance specs of even the high-powered Pioneer DVD-ROMs. Not only does the SD-M1612 provide speedy 16X DVD and 48X CD playback, but it can also handle DVD-RAM disks as well. With a 512K buffer, a 85ms access time and excellent product support, this is a popular, high-performance DVD-ROM unit without the correspondingly high price tag.

CDRW: Plextor PlexWriter 48/24/48A

Cost: $110
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

We're back with Plextor for our CD-RW duties, and the Plextor PlexWriter 48/24/48A includes all the high-end performance specs we were waiting for, along with the Plextor name and quality. PlexWriter 48/24/48A is one fast drive and is surprisingly inexpensive for Plextor hardware. It features 48X write, 24X rewrite (with compatible media) and 48X read speeds, along with a 4 MB buffer and buffer under-run protection technology. If you haven't burned a disk at 48X speeds, you owe it to yourself to give it a run. Trust us, you're not going to have a chance to nab that cold drink or catch a bit of the football game like you can with your old 12X.