July 2006 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide

Introduction

Now that we're firmly into Summer, and since it's been a while since our last update, it's high time for another edition of our High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide. In this particular guide, we take $2500 in spending money, and then go to the limit in search of the ultimate in high-end gaming machines. These two systems certainly have the juice to pump out high framerates, but we also do not spend the money like a drunken sailor, preferring to keep a close eye on both the hotrod component list, and our wallet. All of the hardware picks in this guide are completed after weighing the price-performance ratio of each component very carefully, then doing a little mix-and-match comparison to see which configuration is the best fit for our $2500 budget.

This guide also represents the median between our Value Buyer's Guide with only a $1000 limit, and our Extreme Buyer's Guide with its massive $4000 budget. Here, our basic goal is to determine what kind of gaming PC configuration is optimal, while still adhering to our $2500 budget limit. We certainly do choose high-end, brand name equipment, but also keeping an eye on the bottom line, and not wanting to spend madly in one area, while leaving another with a non-existent budget. Here at Sharky, we also offer recommendations for both Intel and AMD systems, as well as providing a secondary ATI/NVIDIA graphics option. After all, we're here to deliver kick-ass gaming systems, not promote one platform over the other.

The weather is definitely heating up, as are the computer hardware announcements. AMD was out of the gate first with the new AM2 platform and processor lines, but we're still waiting for Intel to respond with the Core 2 Duo. In the meantime, Intel has been steadily cutting prices on their existing Pentium D 900 series, and trying to put the pressure on AMD that way. This is definitely good news for both the AMD and Intel system configurations, as one receives the benefit of an updated platform, while the other gets a bit more money to play with. These are the two main areas we have upgraded, but there are a few other improvements and product shifts in this guide.

Case: Cooler Master WaveMaster TAC-T01-E1C w/Antec 550W TruePower TP2-550EPS12V Power Supply

Current Cost: $230
Months on list: 4
Price Change: $0

The foundation for any gaming system starts with a high quality case and power supply, and this is doubly important with a $2500 budget. We list these selections first, across all three of our buyer's guides, to help stress the relative importance of system enclosures and that these provide the base for the other components. Aesthetics certainly count for something, but usability, features, craftsmanship, and real estate also figure into the overall ranking. It is very likely that the system case will outlast just about any other component in your PC, so it makes sense to give it special attention.

This month we made a concerted effort to examine the various high-end case designs, and to determine if any were noticeably better than the WaveMaster. The answer was inconclusive, and although we do offer a secondary recommendation based on that search, the Cooler Master WaveMaster TAC-T01-E1C remains our default pick, and is a system case that offers everything we need and a price that easily fits our budget.

The WaveMaster TAC-T01-E1C is definitely one of the top cases we've had the pleasure of evaluating, and the fact that nothing has come along at the price range to dislodge it, is a testament to its excellence. The WaveMaster case features all the features you'd expect at this level, including a removable motherboard tray, a spacious interior, convenient front-mounted peripheral ports, an aluminum drive door, and an eye-catching brushed aluminum housing.

The internal real estate is also top notch on the mid-size WaveMaster TAC-T01-E1C, as the case offers 4 x 5.25", 1 x 3.5" (External), and 4 x 3.5" (Internal) expansion slots, along with front mounted USB ports, and space for 7 expansion slots. We don't really want to get into the full-size tower range, as many of you take part in LAN parties, and the WaveMaster offers a great compromise. It also comes in a variety of colors, including Silver, Black, Blue and Yellow, and with a price tag of approximately $125-$130, this case is not bargain basement, but it does offer a lot for the money.

The mid-size dimensions and light weight of the WaveMaster TAC-T01-E1C are the main reasons why our secondary choice was not able to dislodge it from the list. The ThermalTake Armor VA8000BWS is a superb case with exceptional internal real estate, cooling, and aesthetics, but the unit is a real beast. It is classified as a Super Tower, and features eleven 5.25" and eight 3.5" bays, along with multiple 80mm and 120mm cooling fans. It fits everything from Micro ATX to Extended ATX, and has more cool features (Relocate-able HDD & FDD drive bay) than we can list here. The only real negative is its sheer size and weight, which virtually eliminates it as a LAN option, but for stay-at-home systems, it's a killer option.

Most high-end cases do not ship with a default power supply, preferring to let the buyer choose exactly which model meets the system requirements. This is a nice solution, as there are very few one-size-fits-all power supplies. Our recommendation is one of them, and the Antec 550W TruePower 2.0 TP2-550EPS12V power supply offers everything but the kitchen sink, and is flexible enough to easily power both our AMD and Intel system configurations.

The Antec 550W TruePower 2.0 TP2-550EPS12V is more of an old school design, forgoing the removable power connectors in favor of a more consistent wired approach. The Antec 550W TruePower 2.0 not only provides up to 550W of consistent and reliable power, this PSU also features native support for PCI Express, SLI video cards, Serial ATA, as well as both 20 and 24-pin motherboard power connectors. The EPS12V format translates into both 4-pin and 8-pin ATX 12V connectors, which support all manner of Intel and AMD desktop platforms. The Antec 550W TruePower 2.0 TP2-550EPS12V is as comfortable running an Athlon 64 X2 as it is a Pentium D, and at a price of only $100, this is a relatively affordable unit, noting its excellent specifications.

In case the Antec 550W TruePower 2.0 is not available, or for whatever reason is not a preferred brand, another prime choice is the Enermax 550W EPS12V (EG651P-VE) power supply. We mention this model specifically because all of our high-end benchmark testing is performed using this PSU and it easily stacks up there with the best from Antec.