July Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4

System Memory: 512-MB PC2700 DDR

2 X 256-MB PC2700 Current Cost: $65
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

The question of which type of DDR to use with our value PCs is a tough one, as both motherboards support up to PC3200/DDR400. Unfortunately, the price of such high-end memory really doesn't work well with our budget, especially when considering the higher requirements for DDR400 usage and compatibility. Our configuratons don't actually need 400 MHz DDR, as the bandwidth requirements of both the Pentium 4 and Athlon XP are met by less expensive DDR333.

Since both systems are now dual-channel capable, two sticks of 256-MB PC2700 gives us the best return on our investment and more than covers the performance requirements. Of course, dual 256-MB PC2700 modules are more expensive than a single 512-MB module, but it is more than worth the cost, in return for higher memory performance. Installing a full 512-MB of system memory also ensures that our value gaming PC will be able to handle demanding 3D games now, and into the future.

Due to the rapidly shifting prices and availability of DDR memory at the value end, we don't specify a brand of DDR333 in this guide. The vendor selection may vary from week to week, but prices were confirmed for a few popular models, such as Corsair Value, Samsung and Micron, all of which are quality brands that exceed the specs of lower-cost "Generic DDR'.

Hard Drive: 80 GB Seagate Barracuda V

Current Cost: $78
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

There are a few interesting hard drive trends that really benefit our guide. The first is the rise of Serial ATA and the higher demand and prices that have resulted. The second is the lower prices we've been seeing on Parallel IDE drives, which fit nicely into our capacity and budget requirements. This month it has allowed us to upgrade from a 60-GB drive to an 80-GB model, all without losing any performance or reliability. Seagate produces some of the quietest, high-performance IDE drives on the market, and the 80-GB Seagate Barracuda V model is a top choice right now.

This drive is fast, stable, and uses FDB (fluid dynamic bearing) technology, thereby running virtually silent (Seagate quotes "the industry's best acoustics"). In addition to 7200 RPM speeds, the Seagate Barracuda V also includes 2 MB of cache and has an excellent reliability record. Seagate has also followed the other drive manufacturers and offers a 1-year warranty on their desktop models.

CD/DVD-ROM:

AMD: LITE-ON 48x24x48x16 Combo Drive

Current Cost: $65
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Each month we have a bit of play money left on the AMD side, which usually isn't enough for significant upgrades, but does allow one noted extra. It's especially true this month, as the Athlon XP 2500+ Barton is the current "sweet spot" for value systems, and any money spent potentially moving to the Athlon XP 2600+ would be wasted.

This time out we're using some ingenuity and selecting the LITE-ON 48x24x48x16 Combo Drive for our AMD value PC. This nifty drive serves multiple purposes, with 48X CDR, 24X CDRW specifications, 48X CD and 16X DVD read speeds, along with Smart-Burn technology for smooth and stable data writes. This drive also features a 2-MB data cache and is an extremely cost-effective way of adding CDR/RW and DVD-read options to an entry-level PC.

Intel: LITE-ON 16X DVD ROM

Current Cost: $30
Months on list: 6
Price Change: -$1

The Intel side of the equation would also benefit from the LITE-ON Combo Drive, and if the few extra bucks are available, it is a recommended upgrade. We're still working with a $1K budget, so to be realistic, we're sticking with the popular LITE-ON 16X DVD ROM. This is a very popular OEM unit, and for good reason; its quiet operation, solid playback and high flexibility make it a great choice for our value gaming system.