December High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 5

Video Accelerator: ATI Radeon 9800XT 256MB

Current Cost: $463
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

ATI has been able to cement their leadership position with each refresh of their R3xx core. While the Radeon 9800XT is certainly the least substantial upgrade yet, the extra ten percent performance increase does coming in handy, especially when battling a similarly equipped GeForce FX 5950. The Radeon 9800XT is still able to hold its own against the clock increased GeForce, besting it in many tests, especially when anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering modes are activated. As if that weren't enough, the Radeon 9800XT also includes a coupon for a free full version of what is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2004: Half-Life 2.

There isn't much new with the Radeon 9800XT other than the increased clock and memory speeds (412MHz and 730MHz respectively) and the new OverDrive feature. OverDrive is ATI's way of dynamically overclocking the core speed, while taking factors such as temperature and usage into account. Aside from that, the Radeon 9800XT has the same basic features as the Radeon 9800 Pro, including SmartShader, SmoothVision and HyperZ III+. The ATI flagship card also features a new, non-invasive cooling apparatus to ensure stable operation at higher clock speeds.

Monitor: NEC/Mitsubishi MultiSync FP912SB

Cost: $288
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a suitable 19" CRT monitor for this guide each and every month. It seems companies are moving to larger 21"+ CRT tubes or flat and sexy LCD monitors, leaving little in the middle ground. The NEC/Mitsubishi MultiSync FP912SB 19" Aperture grill monitor is currently one of the best monitors you can buy for the money. The monitor features a 0.24mm grille pitch, totally flat aperture grille CRT, 1920 x 1440 at 73 Hz maximum resolution, and three year warranty. Until we are able to move to a larger CRT or LCD monitor this is our top pick.

Due to some people's aversion to Aperture grill monitors we still recommend the LG 915FT Plus as a secondary choice. The LG features a nice Flatron tube that is devoid of Aperture grill's two horizontal stabilization wires. This monitor also features resolutions and refresh rates that are not normally supported by shadow mask monitors, and is a super value in this price range.

Please keep in mind that when buying any type or brand of monitor, there is always the chance of receiving a defective unit, so be certain to purchase only from a vendor that offers liberal return and replacement options.

Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Retail

Cost: $162
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$17

Creative's new Audigy 2 ZS card is a mild evolutionary step up from the previous Audigy 2. Improvements include a slightly better 108dB signal-to-noise ratio, updated EAX 4.0 support, 7.1 channel surround sound, and DTS ES decoding. Just like the Audigy 2 before it, this card supports 24-bit, 192kHz audio. The Platinum model also offers a number of additional connectors for input and output, as well as a very handy remote.

The Audigy 2 ZS Platinum also sports a great game and application bundle. On the gaming side, you receive full retail copies of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, and Rainbow Six: Raven Shield. For the audio aficionado, Steinberg Cubasis VST 4.0 Creative Edition and Wavelab Lite 2.0, and Image Line FL Studio 4 Creative Edition, can certainly handle the audio creation and editing duties.

Speakers:

What better way to compliment your new soundcard than with some high-end speakers. Your speaker purchase can be as important as that of your monitor, as you are unlikely to upgrade either one for quite awhile. This makes your initial speaker choice crucial to the enjoyment of your new gaming PC, and an important investment.

System Speakers: Creative Inspire T7700 7.1 Speakers

Cost: $111
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Creative's basic speakers have actually increased in quality with each new set sounding considerably better than the last. While their speakers still can't compete with the likes of Klipsch or some other high-end manufacturers, we can appreciate the additional savings. Creative's new 7.1 speaker system fits perfectly for those who wish to try the new 7.1 format and still save a bit of cash for the performance end. The Creative Inspire T7700 set can deliver 92 watts RMS power and 125 watts of total system power making it only slightly more powerful than the 6.1 set we included last month. Creative's Inspire T7700 speakers sound very good for the price, making the $111 price tag for 7 speakers and a subwoofer a real bargain.