October Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4

System Memory: 256-MB PC2700 DDR

Current Cost: $53
Months on list: 4
Price Change: +$3

Since we've got a KT400 and SiS 648 under the hood, we're dying to get our hands on some DDR400 memory, but with a $1K budget, it pays to be realistic. So we're going with standard PC2700/DDR333 instead, since it offers high-end performance at a very good price. The Athlon XP will really not need the 400 MHz memory, but the Pentium 4's 533 MHz front-side bus can make use of higher speeds without any problem. That's where the EPoX EP-4SDA5+ comes in. This board features a wide array of memory speed ratios, including a few choice ones between 333 and 400 MHz. At our current budget, 256-MB is the maximum we can afford, though this should be more than sufficient for any games under a Windows operating system.

Hard Drive: 60GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 ATA-133 7200 RPM

Current Cost: $91
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Maxtor has introduced the new DiamondMax Plus 9 line of hard drives, and it includes a few improvements over the older 740X models. These include a standard FDB (fluid dynamic bearing) mechanism that keeps the drive noise down, and a higher platter density for enhanced performance. These new DiamondMax Plus 9 drives are also priced at some very attractive levels, especially for the high-end Maxtor desktop line, and we were able to fit a 60GB model into our value budget. These drives support ATA-133 and run at 7200 RPM, making the 60GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 an excellent addition to our component list. Maxtor uses a no-quibble replacement system for the 1-year warranty, but keep in mind that all drive manufacturers are lowering their warranty periods quite significantly.

CD/DVD-ROM Player: LITE-ON 16X DVD ROM

Current Cost: $35
Months on list: 2
Price Change: $0

When it comes to value DVD, CD or CDRW units, the LITE-ON brand name definitely comes to mind, as the company packs a lot of performance and quality into their products, while offering them at some incredibly low prices. With DVD-ROM units selling for very low prices, our choice this month is the LITE-ON 16X DVD ROM, and its quiet operation, solid playback and high flexibility make it a perfect fit for our value gaming system.

On a side note, LG, Samsung, Toshiba and many other vendors and also produce DVD/CDRW combo units that make a great fit for value-priced computers. For around $70-$80, each provides CDR and CDRW support, as well as basic DVD and CD playback. Although these are still a bit too expensive for our particular configuration, many will no doubt spend the extra cash a get a more fully-featured value system.