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Sharky Extreme : Monthly High-end Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
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Monthly High-end Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
June High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 5By Vince Freeman June 20, 2007
Current Cost: $380 The video card is the most important part of any high-end gaming systems, and assuming no corners have been cut in the areas of processor, motherboard, LCD, or memory components, this is usually where you should spend the most cash. We actually had some extra money left over this month to allocate to the high-end graphics component, but unfortunately, the next step up is a monster, to the $550+ GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB. The GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB is a certainly a top performer, and its new unified shader architecture makes it one of the most future-proof video cards on the shelf. These GPUs are comprised of individual stream processors, which while relatively simple by nature, can really pump out the framerates by virtue of their sheer numbers and high clock rate. Gaming performance is extremely high, with a single-card GeForce 8800 GTS falling behind only the GeForce 8800 GTX in terms of raw speed.
The GeForce 8800 GTS is the natural choice for our budget and performance requirements, and this $380 powerhouse features a 90nm GPU with 96 stream processors. This DirectX 10 card is clocked at 500 MHz and has 640MB of 1.2 GHz GDDR3 running on a 320-bit bus. It might be the little brother to the higher-clocked GeForce 8800 GTX ($550+), but the GeForce 8800 GTS is still an extremely fast card with the same basic specifications and features. In terms of brands, we kept that open for now, but can recommend both the ASUS (shown above) and PNY (shown below) models as high-performing, quality graphics cards.
In terms of a single-card solution, the Radeon HD 2900 XT is the ATI card of choice, and even though we prefer the GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB, this is still a viable alternative. With 320 stream processors and 512MB of onboard GDDR3/4 memory, the Radeon HD 2900 XT certainly stacks up in terms of base specifications. The card is also DirectX 10 compliant, so there are no worries in terms of future game compatibility or Vista support.
Cost: $399 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 19-21" CRT display is virtually impossible these days, as manufacturers have dropped production and shifted it towards LCD displays. Overall LCD technology is also continuing to improve, and both image reproduction and pixel response times are getting better. Due to the number of widescreen games, and built-in support for older ones, we're switching to the Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP 20.1" LCD this month.
The Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP is a high-end 20.1-inch widescreen display, which foregoes the lower cost TN LCD type for a higher-end S-IPS/S-PVA display that offers better color depth, a wider viewing angle, and better image quality, along with true 8-bit color. The UltraSharp 2007WFP has a native resolution of 1680x1050, while providing an 800:1 contrast ratio and 16ms response times, the latter of which may seem slow until you realize it's actually 8ms the way other manufacturers measure it. For widescreen 20.1" gaming displays, it really doesn't get any better, and the Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP includes a host of connectivity options (DVI, VGA, composite, S-Video, and USB, as well as HDCP over DVI). We use the standard retail price of $399, but this can drop significantly during regular sales or Days of Dell promotions, so stay alert and save some cash. For those who want a standard size LCD, the 20" Samsung 204B LCD more than fits the bill. With the 204B, Samsung offers a performance gaming 20" model with a native resolution of 1600x1200, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 800:1 contrast ratio, 5ms response time, and both analog and DVI inputs (although Samsung does not include a DVI cable). The ultra-low 5ms response time virtually guarantees that there will be no ghosting in games or video, and its incredible $350 price tag is a nice bonus. This LCD is also available in either silver or black, lending it even greater flexibility.
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/stuck pixel replacement policy" for new LCDs.
Cost: $90
Creative's X-Fi line of soundcards updates the line in a verifiable way, and is definitely not an "upgrade" in name only. Creative packages this X-Fi sound chip in different variants, but to keep our budget in line, we're moving to the entry-level X-Fi XtremeGamer edition. The X-Fi XtremeGamer 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 HD 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 XtremeGamer accommodates all of our audio requirements while remaining within budget, something the other Creative Labs X-Fi cards cannot do.
We tried to fit the X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS into our two gaming systems, but the budget came up a bit short, but for those with some extra cash, it might be a worthwhile upgrade. This is more of a high-end gamer-oriented card, and it includes all the base features of the X-Fi XtremeGamer, but also includes 64MB of built-in memory and a front connector port. This onboard X-RAM serves as a sound/FX buffer, and if it is implemented at the software level, may well increase game performance. Some limited support exists in a few games, but nothing even approaches an industry standard like EAX. At approximately $175-$185, it is still a very expensive card, and with our budget, remains an unattainable luxury.
Cost: $150 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.
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 a similar 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 speaker set offers considerably better output than other speakers sets in its class.
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