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

Video Accelerator: EVGA e-GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked 256MB

Current Cost: $360
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

The latest round of GeForce 7 Series video cards have proven quite successful at fending off the best from ATI, especially the NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT and GTX. While the latter is still a bit out of our price range, we had the 7900 GT in our sights soon after it was released. The GeForce 7900 GT and GTX are essentially a 7800 GTX shrunk down from an 110nm die size to a 90nm one, complete with 24 pixel pipelines and a 256-bit GDDR3 interface. This is a great deal, and with most GeForce 7900 GT cards priced in the $300+ range, these are a perfect fit for our budget. So nice in fact, that we were able to move a bit higher on the performance chart with the EVGA e-GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked 256MB.

The reference GeForce 7900 GT runs at a core speed of 450 MHz and a memory speed of 1.32 GHz. EVGA offers a standard e-GeForce 7900 GT running at these default speeds, as well as an e-GeForce 7900 GT CO overclocked to 500 MHz core and 1.5 GHz memory. On top of that is the e-GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked, which is jacked even higher to 550 MHz clock and 1.58 GHz memory speeds, and offers performance well in excess of a GeForce 7800 GTX. This card also features 256MB of 1.5ns GDDR3 memory and is SLI ready when the time comes.

The NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT 256MB takes over the top high-end value crown from the GeForce 7800 GT 256MB, and offers incredible performance for the money. It also includes all the standard GeForce 7 Series features such as CineFX 4.0, Intellisample 4.0, HDR, Ultra Shadow II, and nView. Its 90nm core also runs cooler than previous GeForce 7800 models, and even with an overclocked card like the e-GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked, does not require significant cooling. Basically, EVGA has taken a killer design and overclocked it into something even better.

It is very tough to find a comparable ATI card in the same price range, as the new Radeon X1900 XT is priced significantly higher, and the $320+ ATI Radeon X1800 XL 256MB simply cannot keep pace in the performance department. This is a tough call, and we'd recommend either the ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon X1800 XL 256MB for $330 and grab a few multimedia and TV extras, or pay the piper and snag a hotrod ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB for about $100 more than our NVIDIA selection.

Monitor: Samsung 940b 19" LCD

Cost: $325
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$15

LCD monitors have quickly become the standard for any mainstream or high-end desktop, and CRTs have really died out for all but the entry-level market. Finding a high-end 19-20" CRT is virtually impossible these days, as manufacturers lower production, and shift it towards LCD displays. Overall LCD technology is also continuing to improve, and both color reproduction and pixel response times are getting better. Our top LCD choice remains the Samsung 940b, which is a performance 19" model with a native resolution of 1280x1024, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 700:1 contrast ratio, 8ms response time, and both analog and DVI inputs. The low 8ms response time virtually guarantees that there will be no ghosting in games or video, and its $325 price tag is a nice bonus.

For those buyers who continue to avoid LCD screens, we continue to recommend a CRT monitor as an alternative. The NEC/Mitsubishi DP930SB-BK 19" monitor offers a 0.24mm grille pitch, totally flat aperture grille CRT, a 1920 x 1440 at 73 Hz maximum resolution, and a three-year warranty. This model, as well as other high-end CRTs, is only getting tougher to find, but does sell for slightly less than our LCD monitor, if available. Keep in mind that CRT monitors are constantly being discontinued and can go "out of stock" at any time.

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, especially in their "dead pixel replacement policy" for new LCDs.

Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic

Cost: $115
Months on list: 3
Price Change: -$5

Creative's X-Fi line of soundcards is a real update compared to previous models, and is definitely not an "upgrade" in name only. Creative packages this X-Fi sound chip in four different variants (XtremeMusic, Platinum, Fatal1ty and Elite), but we're still going with the entry-level X-Fi XtremeMusic edition. The X-Fi XtremeMusic offers several improvements such as a 109dB signal-to-noise ratio, 7.1-channel surround sound, DTS ES and Dolby Digital decoding, 24-bit, 192 kHz audio support, EAX 5.0 support, as well as the new 24-bit Crystalizer engine, which up samples and enhances all sound to 24-bit. In addition, the X-Fi provides for gaming, audio creation, and entertainment modes that can be switched on the fly. The price is the real key, as the X-Fi XtremeMusic accommodates all of our audio requirements while remaining within budget, something the other three Sound Blaster X-Fi cards cannot do.

Of course, if the extra budget is available, then the X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS might be a worthwhile upgrade. This is more of a pure gamer-oriented card, and it includes all the base features of the X-Fi XtremeMusic, but also includes 64MB of built-in memory and a front connector port. This onboard X-RAM is a neat idea and serves as a sound/FX buffer, and if it is implemented, may well increase game performance. Some limited support exists in a few games, but nothing even approaches an industry standard like EAX. At around $300, this is still a very expensive card, and with our budget, remains an unattainable luxury.

Speakers:

With a high-end gaming soundcard, a good set of surround sound speakers is a great way to fully immerse yourself in games, movies and music. Choosing the right set of speakers is an important long-term investment, as these will likely stay with you a very long time.

System Speakers: Logitech THX Z-5300e 5.1 Speakers

Cost: $135
Months on list: 5
Price Change: +$1

Logitech's THX Z-5300e 5.1 speakers are a true value when it comes to multimedia computer audio, and you would be hard pressed to find this kind of performance, features and quality at the same price. Logitech is the name in mainstream gaming speakers, and although some companies excel at the enthusiast level, the THX Z-5300e 5.1 speakers own this market. The Logitech THX Z-5300e 5.1 speakers offer an exceptional price-performance ratio, and with a total of 280 watts RMS power, these redefine the meaning of "bang for your buck". The overall audio quality is certainly not lacking, and the THX Z-5300e 5.1 offers considerably better output than other speakers sets in its class.