July 2002 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 5

Video Card: MSI G4Ti4200-TD GeForce4 Ti 4200

Current Cost: $145
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

When choosing the 3D video portion of our value system, we were stuck with a real problem. We could select the GeForce3 Ti 200 and come in well under budget, or spend a few dollars more and go with a GeForce4 Ti 4200. We had to have a very good reason for exceeding the set budgets, but in this instance, there is a very good case for going with the higher-end model. In the most basic sense, a GeForce4 Ti 4200 is faster, has a better feature set and will make our new system a great deal more future-proof. We also took a close look at the Radeon 8500 128-MB boards, but these were still a bit high on the price list, and going any lower on the ATI scale sends the advantage back over to the GeForce4 Ti 4200.

The only potential negative is that even by extending our budget ever so slightly, we are still looking at a 64-MB GeForce4 Ti 4200. The name brand 128-MB cards are still priced noticeably higher, and we don't want to go too far out of budget range. The choice of specific brand is the MSI G4Ti4200-TD GeForce4 Ti 4200 64-MB, due to its high performance, recognizable brand name and incredible game and application bundle. Feel free to choose the card you feel most comfortable with, but you definitely can't go wrong with the MSI GeForce4 Ti products.

Monitor 17": Samsung 700NF

Current Cost: $205
Months on list: 5
Price Change: $0

Our $1,000 budget creates a situation where we're caught between a 17" flat-screen rock and a 19" standard CRT hard place. Making it even harder is the fact that many basic 19" CRTs have been dropped from production (like the popular Samsung 950p) in favor of flat-screen models, and can be extremely difficult to find. We still can't fit a high quality 19" flat screen monitor into our budget, and in a battle between image quality and low price, we stick with quality every time. So our choice comes down to a 17" flat-screen monitor, and we've gone with a single pick, along with a few alternate options. .

The Samsung 700NF is a low-cost, high quality flat screen 17" monitor, and is quite similar to the popular 900NF 19" model. Finding the right mix of price and features is a tough job, and we discovered many 17" flat screen models either limited resolutions or (1280x1024 max) or refresh rates (60 Hz at max resolution) and did not exhibit the high-end features we were looking for. On the flip side are higher-end 17" monitors that have all the features, resolutions and refresh rates, but carry a price tag much closer to the 19" competition.

Thankfully, the Samsung 700NF combines high-end features with an incredibly low price. The 700NF features a flat screen, aperture grill design, along with a 0.25mm Stripe Pitch, which provide deep, rich colors for both gaming and basic application use. The unit's refresh rates are truly exceptional for a 17" monitor, and can achieve a 75Hz refresh rate at 1600x1200. Add in MPR-II and TCO-99 certifications and an estimated $205 price tag, and youre looking at one incredible deal. If Samsung isnt your bag, then both the LG Flatron 795FT Plus and Viewsonic G75F are comparable models at a very similar price.

Please keep in mind that when buying any type or brand of monitor, there is always the chance of receiving a defective unit or a flat-screen with convergence issues, so be certain to purchase only from a vendor that offers liberal return and replacement options.