May High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2

Intel CPU: Pentium 4-3.0C GHz (800 MHz) OEM

Current Cost: $439
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Just last month we upgraded to the latest processor that Intel had available, and it looks we'll do it again this month. Price differences between the high-end Intel and AMD chips has remained competitive, allowing us to include the fastest available for each system with no hit to the budget. As a result, we chose to go with the slightly more expensive 3.0GHz Pentium 4 that utilizes Intel's new 800MHz FSB (200MHz quad-pumped). The chip comes with a slightly lower core clock speed than the older 3.06GHz 533MHz FSB Pentium 4, but the extra FSB bandwidth surely makes up for it. The Pentium 4-3.0C performs comparatively with the Athlon XP 3200+, besting the more expensive Athlon XP in many tests.

AMD CPU: Athlon XP 3200+ (2.2 GHz Barton) OEM

Current Cost: $449
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

This past month, AMD released their much awaited Opteron processor, designed for workstations and servers, and while performance looks promising, extremely high prices keeps this combo out of the enthusiast segment. Until desktop Athlon 64 CPU appears, AMD is pushing their K7 architecture further and further. The Athlon XP 3200+ is just what AMD needs to buy themselves some much needed time. With a 2.2GHz core clock speed utilizing a new 400MHz (200MHz double-pumped) FSB, AMD is able to keep up with Intel's best, at least for the time being.

The same logic we applied to our Intel processor upgrade stands true for AMD as well. Due to very competitive prices between the two companies, prices at the high-end segment are moving close, and it makes good sense to spend a bit more and get higher performance out of the box. A price of $449 may seem steep, but rest assured it is a far cry away from prices of yesteryear, and a pretty good value to high-end gamers.

Pentium 4 Heatsink-Fan: Alpha PAL8942, Panaflo fan

Current Cost: $33 + $5 = $38
Months on list: 7
Price Change: $0

Nearly any Pentium 4-3.0 GHz or higher-certified heatsink/fan combination should be good enough, and going the Pentium 4 retail route also attractive due to the upgraded HSF. Still, it's our recommendation that you spend the extra money on a more powerful heatsink/fan. For the past seven moths we have recommended the excellent Alpha PAL8942, and will continue to do so again this month. You can toss in a high CFM Delta (if you're not interested in saving your ears) though we recommend a much quieter (though less effective) Panaflo for lower case noise for a few extra dollars.

AMD Heatsink-Fan: Thermalright SLK-800, Panaflo fan

Current Cost: $34 + $5 = $39
Months on list: 4
Price Change: -$4

With the removal of the four heatsink mounting holes from AMD's motherboard specifications, the greater number of nForce2 boards come sans mounting holes (with the exception of the one included in this guide), which is unfortunate as many hardcore heatsinks require the extra mounts to properly hold them in place due to their larger surface area and weight. To ensure the maximum compatibility (in case you want to swap out our MB choice) we have decided to go with a standard cooler that did not require the mounting holes and the Thermalright SLK-800 certainly fits the bill.

We certainly dont lose out on any cooling or overclocking features, as the SLK-800 cooler offers a very large copper surface area, and stepping fins capable of holding 60mm, 70mm or 80mm fans. We prefer to use an 80mm fan to cut back on noise, but still achieve a respectable CFM rate and for an extra $5 the Panaflo fan provides quiet, efficient cooling.