December 2002 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4

System Memory: 256-MB PC2700 DDR

Current Cost: $54
Months on list: 5
Price Change: +$1

With KT400 and SiS 648 motherboards under the hood, we'd love to get our hands on some DDR400 memory, but with a $1K budget, we need to be realistic. Instead we're sticking with standard PC2700/DDR333, since it offers high-end performance at a very rational 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. Both of our motherboard selections offer DDR voltage and speed selections, so those who want to test the waters can certainly see how high the DDR333 can go. At our current budget, 256-MB is the maximum allowable in the budget, though this should be more than sufficient for any games under a Windows operating system. Memory is also the easiest system upgrade, so spending more later on for another 256-MB is always an option.

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

Current Cost: $91
Months on list: 2
Price Change: $0

Maxtor has introduced their new DiamondMax Plus 9 line of hard drives, and it includes a few improvements over the older 740X models. The big news is the inclusion of a standard FDB (fluid dynamic bearing) mechanism that keeps the drive noise down, and a higher platter density for enhanced performance. Thankfully, these new DiamondMax Plus 9 drives are also priced at some very attractive levels, especially for the high-end Maxtor desktop line. After pricing out the various models, we are keeping the previous 60 GB model, as it fits perfectly into our budget. These Maxtor drives support ATA-133 and run at 7200 RPM, and make the 60GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 both a high-performance and value-priced choice. 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: $32
Months on list: 3
Price Change: -$3

When it comes to value-oriented DVD, CD or CDRW units, the LITE-ON brand name is one of the first that 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 once again the popular LITE-ON 16X DVD ROM, and its quiet operation, solid playback and high flexibility make it a great choice 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-$90, 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.