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Sharky Extreme : Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
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Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
July Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 4By Vince Freeman July 19, 2005
The AMD and Intel system prices continue to move closer together and this month these are at virtually equivalent levels. Even so, we're still looking at these two systems as distinct configurations, rather than using a "one size fits all" memory recommendation. Instead the two systems are evaluated separately, and the budget is allocated in the most logical way. Each platform has its own set of requirements, and we can use this to achieve the best overall DDR memory value. We believe that maximizing the $1K budget is what real-world buyers would do, which is even more important with fluctuating memory prices.
Current Cost: $93
Current Cost: $83 This time out, we still concentrated on getting the best deal for both systems, and as we switched platforms on the AMD side, we decided to go a different route on the memory as well. Corsair Value Select PC3200 DDR is the choice for both systems, but the configuration is where these differ. For the dual-channel Intel system, it's a no-brainer to grab 2x512-MB of PC3200 for only $83. Moving any higher on the DDR chart would be overkill, just as going with high-end PC4200 would be a waste of our budget.
The Intel 915PL platform supports dual-channel DDR, but also comes with the limit of a single DIMM per channel. By upgrading to 1-GB of PC3200, we are ensuring that really never becomes an issue, as a value system configuration with 1-GB of name brand DDR is not something you will need to upgrade anytime soon. The 2x512-MB format also ensures we utilize the dual-channel memory architecture to its fullest, keep up with the 800 MHz CPU bus. The integrated DDR controller of the Athlon 64 3400+ is very powerful, but it features a single-channel memory design, and a single 1-GB stick of PC3200 is just as good as 2x512-MB, and does not incur a performance penalty. This month we have the extra budget for a single 1-GB stick of Corsair Value PC3200, but there is also another factor. The MSI nForce4 motherboard only has 2 DIM sockets, so this way we are leaving one free for a potential upgrade. If money is tight, then going the 2x512-MB route is not a big deal, but we thought that for only a $10 premium, leaving a DIMM socket free was worth it. We've budgeted for Corsair Value PC3200, but there are other brands at the same range, such as Kingmax, Geil Value, Samsung, PDP, Rosewill, or Komusa DDR. Overall, the 1-GB of total memory capacity ensures that both of our value PCs will be able to handle current 3D games with ease, and have a lot of headroom for upcoming ones as well.
Current Cost: $59 Now that we have moved to current platforms for both the AMD and Intel systems, it's time we came together under the SATA banner. Both the Intel 915PL and NVIDIA nForce4 are designed with Serial ATA in mind, and have the SATA ports to prove it, so it's only natural we go in this direction. Price is definitely not a factor, as SATA drives continue to drop in relation to PATA models, and most are priced equivalently.
This is especially true with the Western Digital Special Edition 80-GB SATA drives, which are a very nice bargain, and have the lowest price in the class. These drives also offer excellent capacity, design and performance, and sport an 8-MB cache and 7200 RPM speed, making them well suited for a performance gaming system. The 80-GB capacity is one area we have attempted to upgrade from, and moving to a 120-GB model was one of our prime goals this month. Unfortunately, the price jump was too much for our budget to handle, but we'll be counting the pennies next time, and looking to move to the 120-GB to 160-GB range, where you get a better overall $/GB value.
Current Cost: $31
Even an entry-level gaming system should have the ability to write to CDR/RW and read DVD media, and there is no easier or more cost-effective method than using a combo drive. These drives are popular for both value and convenience, as these units can handle the gamut of CDR/RW writing, CD reading and DVD playback duties. This month we're moving to the Toshiba SD-R1612 combo drive, which costs only $31, performs at 52X CDR, 32X CDRW write speeds, and 52X CD and 16X DVD read speeds, and includes data underrun technology for smooth and stable data writes. The Toshiba drive also features a 2-MB data cache, and gives us a very inexpensive way of adding CDR/RW and DVD-read options to our value gaming systems.
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