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Sharky Extreme : Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
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Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
April 2004 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2By Vince Freeman April 26, 2004
Current Cost: $121 Last month we maintained the Athlon XP 2800+ selection, while moving to the retail model for a couple of reasons. The first was to shave a few dollars off the system price, but we also receive the side benefit of a standard heatsink-fan and extended warranty included in the deal. AMD prices have been pretty stable over the last month, so the Athlon XP 2800+ is really as high as we can go at this time, and our budget simply can't handle the higher price of the Athlon XP 3000+ Retail. The Athlon XP 2800+ is more than fast enough for our purposes, and we're not prepared to tone down some other components, simply to get an extra 80 MHz in core speed. The Athlon XP 2800+ may also be the last entry-level stop for a little while, and it looks like an Athlon 64 might be the next value CPU of choice. The Athlon XP 2800+ is also a pretty fair overclocking option, as the core still has a lot of headroom. Then again, at over 2 GHz, you don't need to rely on overclocking for high performance right out of the box. The Athlon XP 2800+ is a super performer at default speeds, and it should be no problem to hit Athlon XP 3000+ or higher clock speeds when overclocked. The Athlon XP 2800+ also has an exceptional price-to-performance ratio, and could be the best overall value in the entire AMD line. The choice of going with the Retail model is a judgment call based on our budget, but if you have a killer 3rd-party HSF unit in mind, then hitting the OEM route is always an option.
The Athlon 64 2800+ is a great entry into the mid-range CPU market, and we looked long and hard at the numbers to see if we could slide it in this month. Compared to the cutbacks we'd need to make in terms of other performance components, this processor just doesn't make sense for a $1K budget, but rest assured that we'll be keeping a close eye on it in the months to come.
Current Cost: $163
Intel still has a logjam at the Pentium 4-2.4 to 2.8 GHz (533 MHz) range, with prices nearly equivalent through the various speeds. There is also a noticeable premium associated with the 800 MHz variants, which actually means that the higher-clocked 533 MHz models are a better overall value. This makes the 533 MHz side the best buy for a value system, as we can get a 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 for approximately the same price as a Pentium 4-2.4C/E GHz (800). There's no question the extra 400 MHz in core speed is worth it, as the 800 MHz versions only compete anywhere from 150 to 200 MHz higher than the comparable 533 MHz Pentium 4 processors. We'd still like to make use of the 800 MHz FSB, but Intel will need to lower prices before that happens. The retail price also dropped again this month, but it's still pretty tight throughout the 2.8 GHz and lower Pentium 4 speeds, and there's really not a lot of room to save any significant money. There is a dark horse in the form of the Pentium 4-2.4E GHz Prescott, which actually undercuts the price of the Pentium 4-2.4C GHz Northwood. Too bad there is no similarly-priced 2.6 GHz Prescott available, as that might have been a good alternative. In terms of the Retail vs. OEM models, the Retail package makes the most sense, as not only do you get a nearly-free heatsink-fan and full 3-year Intel warranty, but also a sealed, totally untested CPU. The entry-level Pentium 4 models are priced higher than corresponding AMD CPUs, so any related cost savings are definitely a good thing.
Current Cost: $0 The Retail Athlon XP 2800+ includes a bundled heatsink-fan, and for both budgetary and ease-of-use considerations, this is the best way to go. The retail model also gives us a few extra dollars to play with, and ensures that we have a standard, user-friendly heatsink-fan option. Of course, this is simply a recommendation, and those with a particular 3rd-party HSF unit in mind should certainly go that route, even though it may go a bit over our $1K budget.
Current Cost: $0 The street price of the Pentium 4-2.4 to 2.8 GHz processors means that choosing a Retail model is a requirement. The price difference between the Pentium 4 OEM and Retail CPU models is almost nonexistent, and with the included Intel heatsink-fan, this amounts to a cost savings compared to a P4 OEM + 3rd-party heatsink-fan combo. The bundled HSF provides excellent cooling for our Pentium 2.8 GHz, and the retail package allows us to stay within budget. The retail Pentium 4 coolers have passed our tests even at 3.4 GHz, and we have no problem at all recommending these for our value gaming system. These retail coolers provide rock solid stability at base clock speeds, and even have a bit extra left over for moderate overclocking.
Overall value is the best reason to spend a bit more for an Intel retail processor, but a nice side-benefit to the Intel retail cooler is its incredibly quiet operation, and inside a sealed case, the ambient noise levels of the Intel cooling fan can be close to unnoticeable. These Intel heatsink-fan units are also very easy to install and do not require any motherboard modifications or CPU socket adjustments.
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