January Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4

System Memory: 512-MB DDR

A few months ago, the differential in CPU prices caused us to move away from the "one size fits all" type of memory recommendations, and really look for the best use of the AMD and Intel budgets. The upgrade to the Athlon XP 2800+ has shrunk that down a bit, but when combined with the motherboard prices, we're still looking at a nice chunk of change on the AMD side. As with last month, we're taking the DDR400 highway for the AMD system, while sticking to the standard DDR333 road for the Intel PC. We believe that maximizing the $1K budget is what real-world buyers would do, so we're really looking to get the best bang for our gaming buck.

AMD: 512-MB (2x256-MB) PC3200 Kingston ValueRAM

Current Cost: $80
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Intel: 512-MB (2x256-MB) PC2700

Current Cost: $62
Months on list: 5
Price Change: -$4

The gap between AMD and Intel in CPU and motherboard prices brings two very different answers to the memory question. The Intel side requires a more budget-oriented selection, so we're sticking with standard 333 MHz PC2700 (Micron, Samsung, Apacer, Geil, etc.). Although the Intel motherboard does support PC3200 at 400 MHz, our processor is 533 MHz (bandwidth is satisfied by dual-channel 333 MHz DDR), and the budget just isn't there to go any higher on the DDR scale.

Our AMD system really benefits from the lower CPU and motherboard costs, so we're sticking with 400 MHz DDR, while changing our brand to Kingston PC3200 ValueRAM. Our previous Corsair recommendation is still a good one, but lately prices have been increasing, while some other very good DDR value RAM has been dropping. The 512-MB of PC3200 translates into a 400 MHz DDR clock speed, additional memory bandwidth, and the option of a nice performance payoff when overclocking.

Both the AMD and Intel systems are dual-channel DDR capable, so two sticks of 256-MB DDR give us the best price-performance returns, and easily covers the bandwidth requirements of each platform. There is a slight premium in going with dual 256-MB memory modules, but the performance and bandwidth benefits far outweigh the slightly higher cost. The 512-MB memory capacity also ensures that our value PCs will be able to handle current 3D games with ease, and have some headroom for upcoming ones as well.

Hard Drive: 80 GB Western Digital SE

Current Cost: $70
Months on list: 3
Price Change: $0

Our $1K value system budget means we have max out every single dollar, in the search that near-perfect mix of components. This works both on the high and low-end of the scale, and if the opportunity to get a high-end piece of hardware for a value price comes up, we grab it and run. The Western Digital 80 GB Special Edition parallel ATA drive is one mean piece of hardware, and is not something you'd expect to find in a value gaming system. The WD Special Edition line is definitely top-end in terms of physical specs, and still leads the parallel ATA performance race.

The Western Digital SE drives are extremely fast, and performance is accentuated by a whopping 8-MB data cache, which places it in the same range as more expensive, higher-capacity models. It also features a 7200 RPM speed, and aided by the large 8-MB cache, Western Digital SE drives excel when transferring large files, while the 80-GB of disk space should be more than enough for a value gaming PC.

CD/DVD-ROM:

AOpen 48x24x48x16 Combo Drive

Current Cost: $47
Months on list: 3
Price Change: +$1

This month we finally had enough money on both the AMD and Intel sides to add a combo drive to each system. A CDRW drive is a perfect match for any system, but the added price and need for DVD playback can be a tough nut to crack. Combo drive units are a hot ticket right now, as these can handle multiple duties, such as CD writing, CD reading and DVD playback. The AOpen Combo Drive is an incredible deal, and features 48X CDR, 24X CDRW write speeds, and 48X CD and 16X DVD read speeds, along with data underrun technology for smooth and stable data writes. This drive also features a 2-MB data cache and at only a $47 street price, is a very cost-effective way of adding CDR/RW and DVD-read options to an entry-level PC.