May 2002 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 7

Communications Device

For our Value Gaming PC, you're going to have to make the tough choice between adding a modem or NIC, since the budget simply doesn't allow for both .

Modem: Creative Labs Modem Blaster 56K

Current Cost: $20
Months on list: 8
Price Change: -$7

For the choice of modem, the basic goal is to select a name brand part with hardware support for V.90/56K access. The Creative Labs Modem Blaster 56K more than fits the bill and due to Creative Labs' long tenure producing modems, the only better choice for driver and tech support is to pay the piper and go with 3COM/USR. Buying a PCI card is also required, since few (if any) new motherboards include a legacy ISA slot.

We recommend staying away from Winmodem models, not simply because of the extra CPU load, but also due to driver dependency that may limit future migrations to new operating systems (like Windows XP) or alternative products such as Linux. Stay on the hardware-Hayes compatible modem list and play safe.

Or...

NIC: D-Link DFE-530TX

Current Cost: $10
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

With the upgrade to Windows XP, we're looking for a combination of compatibility and performance in our NIC pick. For value buyers, D-Link is an excellent option, as they produce quality components at a low price. The D-Link DFE-530TX provides the basic features and is an incredibly popular NIC. If you want to spend a bit more or need additional Wake-on-LAN features, then both the 550TX and 538TX are two impressive NIC cards that are still quite value priced. . As with our modem choice, PCI is really the only way to go, since it is best to not get saddled with an older ISA network card and then discovering your new motherboard no longer supports it.