November 2001 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 5

Video Card: Visiontek Xtasy 6964 GeForce3 Titanium Ti500

Current Cost: $322
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$33

For high-end 3D gaming, the NVIDIA GeForce3 Ti 500 offers the highest level of 3D gaming performance on the market today. This is also a nice upgrade from the standard GeForce3, and NVIDIA has ratcheted up the clock rate to 240 MHz core and the memory to an impressive 500 MHz. There are several different models to choose from, and at varying price points and feature sets. For a general recommendation, we don't see a better deal than the VisionTek Xtasy 6564GeForce3 Titanium Ti500. This is pure gaming power at an affordable price. Remember, even in a high-end gaming system we don't have a blank check and buying the VisionTek ensure we'll have some scratch left over for some nifty extras. By next month, we should have a better feel for the products from ELSA, Hercules and others, and we'll see then if the value-priced Xtasy 6564 can hold up.

Monitor: Samsung 900NF

Cost: $379
Months on list: 5
Price Change: N/C

The $700-$900+ required for a quality 21" monitor is still a bit out of our budget, so getting a premium 19" is where we're looking at. When the words "premium" and "19"" are used in the same sentence, you can insert Samsung 900NF right at the end. This is high-quality monitor featuring a flat, aperture-grille tube, and it produces exceptional images whether used for gaming or office work. Samsung is also one of the top names in computer monitors and their support is very good compared to the competition. We should also note that since listing the 900NF on our buyer's guide, there has been a wave of positive comments forwarded by Sharky readers, who have been very pleased with their purchase.

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 Platinum

Cost: $158
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

No matter your budget, getting the proper gaming sound for your system is a key ingredient in your overall enjoyment of gaming PC. This time out, we're hitting yet another high note with our choice of the SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum. This soundcard has everything a discriminating gamer demands, and even throw a few nifty extras on the table. The included hardware is impressive, and along with the Audigy Platinum card, you also get an internal Front-Panel Audio Connectivity Drive, a wireless remote control and a SB1394 bracket connection (compliant to the IEEE 1394a specification). All Audigy cards also feature EAX and EAX AdvancedHD. This translates into advanced 3D positional audio, along with backwards compatibility for previous EAX games. The Audigy Platinum also comes with a ton of bundled audiophile software, but doesn't forget the gamer by adding (depending on your locale) either a full version of Giants or Deus Ex to the overall mix. The SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum is truly the beast of gaming soundcards and makes a perfect match for our high-end system.

Speakers

In general terms, the recommendation of any speaker system is based on individual tastes and requirements. Hit your local PC store, take along a CD and give a few sets a close listen. What we can do is give you a good place to start your gaming speaker investigation.

Intel System Speakers: S4 MidiLand 7100M Plus

Cost: $180
Months on list: 3
Price Change: -$5

Due to the price difference between some of the AMD and Intel components, we are splitting the speaker recommendations in two. This doesn't mean we're scrimping on the Intel side, as the S4 MidiLand 7100M speaker system is a great speaker setup in its own right. The S4 MidiLand 7100M features 100W of power (this is actual wattage here!) through a 50W sub-woofer and five 10W satellites. Buying the Plus version of the S4 MidiLand 7100M speakers means that the box also includes an enhanced Audio Digital Station (complete with ultra-cool, green-lit LCD display), full support for Dolby 5.1 surround sound, and a remote control. At the end of the day, you're getting a great looking speaker system with an excellent feature set and more than enough performance for the vast majority of gamers. It may not put you directly in Klipsch country, but it's pretty darn close.

AMD System Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 4.1

Cost: $295
Months on list: 2
Price Change: $0

Given that the Athlon XP is very close to the price of the Pentium 4, any extra cash we allocated for our AMD speakers have basically come from DDR cost savings. The extra $100+ really comes in handy, as we can nab a high-end set of Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 speakers. If you were hoping for a Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 THX set, don't be too disappointed, as the ProMedia 4.1 doesn't give up much to its big brother. The Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 set is still a five-piece, THX-Certified, 400W system, and will satisfy even the most demanding gamers. It also looks great and will definitely give a real finishing touch to your high-end gaming system. Just don't crank it unless you like the sound of neighbors pounding on the walls.