February 2003 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide

Introduction

Each month we are given $2500 cash to spend, going to the limit in search of the ultimate high-end gaming machine. However, we do not spend this money frivolously, and our tech savvy and eye for a bargain play a large role in the choices we make. All of the picks we make in this guide are after carefully weighing the price to performance ratio of each component to see if they meet our budget limit of $2500. This guide is your median between our Value Buyer's Guide with only a $1000 limit, and our Extreme Buyer's Guide with a massive $4000 budget.

The purpose behind this guide is to give you a general idea of what kind of gaming PC is possible with a budget of $2500. While the individual components we choose are excellent, we take a look at the larger picture, and what components meld together the best to form the best performing, feature-rich gaming PC possible. We recommend configurations for both the Intel and AMD sides of the spectrum, and are not here to promote one platform over the other.

Case: Lian Li PC-65 w/ Antec TruePower 430W PSU

Current Cost: $260
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Choosing the right case can be the most time consuming, and personal, choice to make when constructing your own computer. A good case can stay with you long after you have swapped internal parts out multiple times and as enthusiasts, we grow to love, or hate our case based on its internal and external characteristics. However, each month we do our best to find a case that will fit the needs of a high-end gaming PC, and look mighty fine doing so.

We have taken a look at many popular chassis manufacturers, and every month a few consistently come out at the top of our list: Lian Li, Cooler Master, Antec, and Thermal. Considering our standard case budget of $175-$190 and an extra $60-$70 for the power supply, we try to pick the top few. Our current favorite case in this category is the Lian Li PC-65 Aluminum Case. Lian Li has proven time and time again as exceptional aluminum case designers, and the PC-65 is no exception. Throw in an Antec 430W TruePower power supply and you should be set.

As most high-end cases do not generally ship with power supplies, be sure to pick a high quality one, and steer clear of bargain bin units, that come complete with outrageous output claims. Antec and Enermax are both top tier brand names and although we're going with the Antec 430X TruePower, you can't go wrong with a 400W or higher model from either company.