June Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4

System Memory: 512-MB PC3200 DDR

The AMD and Intel platform prices may have come a bit closer together, but we still have some extra cash on the AMD side, and we intend to use it. In this case, we don't use the "one size fits all" memory recommendation, but instead evaluate the two systems separately, and allocate the budget appropriately. The Intel Pentium 4-2.8 GHz and Athlon XP 3000+ give us more than enough CPU power, but there is a differential in motherboard costs that we can use on the AMD system. We believe that maximizing the $1K budget is what real-world buyers would do, which is even more important with DDR price fluctuations.

AMD: 512-MB (2x256-MB) PC3200 Corsair Value Select

Current Cost: $97
Months on list: 4
Price Change: -$15

Intel: 512-MB (2x256-MB) Generic PC3200

Current Cost: $81
Months on list: 4
Price Change: -$3

DDR prices have started to come back down lately, and this also gives us a bit more leeway in terms of other component costs. We're still not free to buy high-end PC4200 by any stretch, and we're sticking with 2x256-MB of generic PC3200 for the Intel system. The price difference between generic PC2700 and PC3200 is virtually non-existent, so this is the most cost-effective route. PC3200 not only provides a better upgrade path to a faster 800 MHz Pentium 4, but also allows tighter timings at 333 MHz and some overclocking headroom as well. We've budgeted our the DDR selection for generic "house brand" PC3200 DDR, but there's enough money to ensure you can receive a mid-range name brand like standard Samsung, Apacer or Komusa DDR.

The lower AMD motherboard costs gives us some additional funds, and going with higher-quality DIMMs in one upgrade we explored. Thankfully, we do get a nice $15 price cut, so we're not paying quite as high a toll as in months past. Buying higher-quality Corsair Value Select PC3200 is a good buy, as it remains at only a slight premium over generic DDR. We really can't go any higher on the chart, as moving to 512-MB of high-end "low latency" DDR is simply too much for our budget to handle. We also recommend Corsair to ensure full compatibility and provide rock solid operation on our AMD platform.

The AMD and Intel systems are both feature dual-channel DDR capable, so two sticks of 256-MB matched pair DDR gives us the best price-performance, and covers the bandwidth requirements of each platform. There is a slight premium in going with dual 256-MB memory modules over a single 512-MB stick, but the performance 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:

AMD: 80 GB Western Digital SE (8MB)

Current Cost: $68
Months on list: 3
Price Change: +$1

Intel: 80 GB Western Digital (2MB)

Current Cost: $60
Months on list: 3
Price Change: +$5

Last time out, we had to split the Intel and AMD hard drive choices between two 80-GB Western Digital hard drives, with the differences being in the model and price. We're continuing to go this route this month, although the cost savings by going with a standard hard drive are starting to dry up fast.

The AMD value system receives the Western Digital Special Edition treatment, along with 80-GB of storage space. The Western Digital Special Edition parallel ATA drive is one serious piece of hardware, and is not something you'd expect to find in a value gaming system. The WD SE drives are extremely fast, and performance is accentuated by a 7200 RPM and a whopping 8-MB data cache, which places it in the same performance range as more expensive models. 80-GB is more than enough data capacity for an entry-level system, and the slight premium for the extra data cache is more than worth it.

The Intel value system still has some budgetary issues, and we're sticking with a standard Western Digital 80-GB drive, and while also featuring a 7200 RPM speed, the data cache is a more moderate 2-MB. We really have no choice on the Intel side, as making sure we nab the speedy CPU and 3D video card components is a bit more important than a slightly faster hard drive. The 80-GB storage space remains consistent, but we'll have to keep an eye on prices, as the standard 2-MB models are definitely closing the gap with the Special Edition drives.

CD/DVD-ROM:

AOpen 52x32x52x16 Combo Drive

Current Cost: $45
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

Any system deserves to have CDR/RW and DVD read capabilities, and there's no easier or more cost-effective method than a combo drive. Combo drives are the hot ticket for both value and convenience, as these units can handle CDR/RW writing, CD reading and DVD playback duties. The AOpen Combo Drive is an incredible deal, and this month we've upgraded to the new COM5232, which does 52X CDR, 32X CDRW write speeds, and 52X 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 $45 street price, AOpen gives us a very inexpensive way of adding CDR/RW and DVD-read options to our value gaming systems.