April 2004 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide

Introduction

April showers bring May flowers, and give us plenty of time to get caught up on the new PC game selection. That is, if you have the system capable of handling these power-hungry games, not to mention getting ready for upcoming system-killers like DOOM 3 and Half-Life 2. This doesn't necessarily mean laying out thousands of dollars, and we're squeezing every dollar and pinching every penny in search of a high-performance system for gamers on a budget. In a nutshell, our Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide delivers the performance you want at a price that won't break the bank. The overall scenario is bit different than some of the other buyer's guides on Sharky Extreme, as we limit the budget to $1,000 in cold, hard cash while the goal remains the same: to assemble a kick-ass gaming system that will play today's hottest games and have some power in reserve for tomorrow.

To do this, we pay special attention to the price-performance of each component, making sure to match them according to their value from an overall system performance standpoint. While not as fast or flashy as the Extreme or High-End Gaming Systems, our Value configuration may actually be the best deal of them all. If you're the type of gamer who counts your pennies before buying any new system, then get ready for an article right up your alley.

Finding the best system components for a value gaming system is more difficult than simply picking the very best hardware money can buy, and it entails a great deal of concession on the part of the buyer. The $1,000 budget gets eaten up pretty quick, and slapping down the cash for a 21" LCD or 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition would take care of it in very short order. When compiling our Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide, we try and find that happy medium between spending a fortune on a new PC, and being "penny wise/pound stupid", and getting stuck with obsolete hardware. Our value gaming PCs will still allow high-end gameplay, contains the CPU and 3D video power necessary to really push the framerates, and keeps a close eye on quality and features to boot. Rest assured we don't scour the bargain bins for out-of-date or low-end hardware, and instead stick to a name brand component mix that offers the best overall value.

The first step is to determine the exact mix of components that delivers the best bang for the buck, and this time we've had to contend with DDR price spikes, and the impact these have had on our budget. This is doubly important due to our Radeon 9700 Pro 128-MB upgrade last month, and the last thing we wanted was to see that powerhouse drop off the chart. We worked the numbers, made use of some small price breaks, and hopefully came out on par with last month.

As with all of our buyer's guides, we have made every attempt to confirm that the selected hardware is available at one or more of the largest and most popular (with Sharky readers) online retailers. Although the price stated in the guide may not be exactly match that of a specific online dealer, you can bet on finding a significant percentage of our component list in their catalogues and at similar price levels. The availability factor did not limit our choices, but we do sleep easier with the knowledge that interested buyers can find the same hardware selection at most of the large online vendors.

Value Gaming PC Budget: $1000

Case: Aspire X-Dreamer II (with 350W PSU)

Current Cost: $50
Months on list: 5
Price Change: $0

The case is the first ingredient in the system design, and is a very important component in the overall configuration. This is also true no matter the budget, and although we do get a bit more leeway with our High-end and Extreme Buyer's Guides, even an entry-level system shouldn't settle for a bargain basement case. For an entry-level enclosure, we're still looking to balance the cost with aesthetics, expansion space and features, and our current selection is a great combination of the above requirements. The Aspire X-Dreamer II provides the best of all worlds, and its high-end look will turn some heads, while the features, expandability and design are definitely top-end in the entry-level market.

The Aspire X-Dreamer II looks a whole lot more expensive than it is, and features a metallic outer housing that is sure to please. But this case is more than just another pretty face and the internal features and real estate are also excellent for this price range. It includes 4x5.25", 2x3.5" (external), and 4x3.5"(internal) expansion bays, which is quite a lot for an entry-level mid-tower case and leaves a ton of room for future upgrades. The X-Dreamer II's outer housing is certainly eye-catching, but Aspire has also added in a few onboard options. These include USB and audio jacks, automatic drop-down doors, a see-through side window, blue LED case fans, 6 LED indicator lights, and for the hardcore cooling crowd, a temperature display LCD.

Aspire certainly gives you a lot of system bang for the buck, and the $50 price tag is a gift horse you don't want to look in the mouth. The package also features an Intel Pentium 4/AMD compatible 350W power supply, which is on par with competitive entry-level units and a great value for our system. The Aspire X-Dreamer II is also available in a wide range of colors, so you have more options than just the standard silver and black.