February 2003 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 7

NIC: Intel Pro/100S

Cost: $35
Months on list: 5
Price Change: $0

While most motherboards include integrated 10/100 NIC cards already, we still like giving a true PCI-hardware option. For thise, we recommend the Intel Pro/100S. Whether you are LAN gaming or connecting to Cable/DSL having a good NIC on hand is very important. Intel is a very well-known and respected name in the NIC business, and you can't go wrong by choosing the Intel Pro/100S.

Or...

Modem: US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem

Cost: $45
Months on list: 7
Price Change: +$5

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. For this we recommend the US Robotics External v.92 / 56k fax/modem. US Robotics has long been the standard for consumer level modem products, and the new v.92 standard works superbly with this modem.

Operating System: Windows XP Professional

Cost: $132
Months on list: 7
Price Change: $0

The Windows XP transition has been a rousing success, and the operating system itself is superior to Windows98/ME, and even Windows 2000 in many respects. We have grown attached to the expanded features of the Pro version mainly for the dual-processor support, and better networking options. Windows XP is also an excellent base for gaming, since new hardware, drivers and games are developed with this operating system in mind.

We have included the price for the OEM version of Windows XP Pro as opposed to the retail box, and assume that you will purchase it alongside hardware, thereby qualifying for the lowered OEM price. 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: $8

Floppies have been obsolete for years, but many people still feel that they need them. For emergency BIOS updates or data recovery they can be quite helpful, but just buy a brand you can recognize (Sony, Panasonic, etc.) and be done with it.

Power Bar or UPS

While not part of our budget for a standard high-end gaming system, we still recommend you buy adequate surge protection for your new PC, or better yet, spurge and nab a UPS for added security.