Our first High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide for 2009 will be looking to revamp a significant percentage of our system configuration. There have been very important product debuts recently, like the Phenom II and Core i7 processors, along with some hot new graphics cards and platforms. With all this new hardware out there, it also represents a great time to buy a new system and rest easy that it won't become obsolete and underpowered in only a few months.
With its $2500 budget, the High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide represents the median between our Value Buyer's Guide with only a $1000 limit, and our Extreme Buyer's Guide with its massive $4000 ceiling. Our basic goal is to select optimal AMD and Intel gaming PC configurations, while still adhering to our budget. We certainly do choose high-end, brand name equipment, while also keeping an eye on the bottom line, and not spending madly in one area, while leaving another component with a non-existent budget.
This guide also offers recommendations for both Intel and AMD systems, as well as providing a secondary ATI or NVIDIA graphics option. After all, we're here to deliver kick-ass gaming systems, not promote one platform or company over the other.
Through late-2008 and into early-2009, the new product announcements have been coming on fast, which gives buyers a great opportunity to make use of these volatile market conditions. It also makes selecting our high-end gaming configurations that much easier, as we can either snag some new, hot hardware or take advantage of the price drops on existing models. As usual, we are looking at upgrade the graphics card, CPU and motherboard, in that order, as well as making some potential upgrades in other areas.
Current Cost: $298
Consecutive Guides: New
Price Change: N/A
The foundation of any gaming system begins with a high quality case and power supply, and this is doubly important with a $2500 budget. We list this hardware selection first, across all three of our buyer's guides, to help stress the relative importance of system enclosures and that these provide the base for the other components. Aesthetics certainly count for something, but usability, features, craftsmanship, and real estate also figure into the overall ranking. It is very likely that the system case will outlast just about any other component in your PC, so it makes sense to give it special attention.
The Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Full Tower is a slight upgrade to our previous pick, the VA8000BWS, and is one very well-appointed high-end enclosure. Like all Thermaltake Armor cases, this is a massive unit, checking in at 20.9 x 8.7 x 22.0 inches and almost 35 lbs, which will probably negate its use as a LAN party system. But it's a great match for enthusiast-level gaming systems, with an astounding selection of features, performance, cooling, and internal real estate. This ThermalTake Armor series is available in two different flavors, the VA8003BWS (black) and VA8003SWA (silver) to match individual requirements.
The ThermalTake Armor VA8003BWS includes eleven 5.25" and seven 3.5" bays, and supports mATX, BTX, ATX, and Extended ATX motherboards. This makes it big enough to handle any desktop platform on the market, even a multi-CPU/dual socket system if you feel the need. The case if very flexible and offers relocate-able HDD & FDD drive bays, top-mounted USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 Firewire, audio and speaker ports, potential fanless operation, and ThermalTake has even included the retaining holes necessary if you want to add a water-cooling system.
System cooling is also very good; the slightly updated ThermalTake Armor VA8003BWS features the standard dual 120mm silent fans in front and rear, and 90mm fans in rear and top, but adds a massive 250mm side fan, which handles the motherboard and graphics cooling. ThermalTake has validated this case for fanless operation, with a ventilation opening on top, and it supports fanless CPU/VGA cooler, fanless PSU and fanless chassis. The ThermalTake Armor series hits all the marks except one, portability, but is an excellent stay-at-home chassis for any gaming system.
Another high-end case we really like is the Antec Twelve Hundred. This case is not quite as flexible as the ThermalTake Armor, as it's an ATX design, but Antec has added many features into their Twelve Hundred. These include six 120mm to 200mm cooling fans standard (+2 more optional), twelve drive bays, seven expansion slots, liquid-cooling support, and expansive 22.9 x 8.4 x 20.2 inch dimensions. We still like the overall package of the ThermalTake Armor VA8003BWS, but the Antec Twelve Hundred is a very nice alternative.
High-end cases usually do not ship with a default power supply, and instead let the buyer have some flexibility in choosing a specific model. This is a perfect solution for a top-end gaming system, as there are very few one-size-fits-all power supplies. Due to a combination of budgetary restraint and seeing no real need to hit the 850W-900W level, we're sticking with the same model as last time.
We keep hoping that name brand 850W power supplies will start to drop in price, but these have remained very consistent for almost a year. Still, a high quality 750W unit is not bad and it's more than enough to power to handle our AMD and Intel systems. The Cooler Master 750W Real Power Pro RS-750 makes a return engagement to our guide, and it has everything we need, including 80-plus certification and is SLI certified and CrossFire-ready.
It is ATX12V/EPS12V compliant and supports any AMD or Intel desktop platform, while featuring native support for PCI Express (PCI-E 8 Pin x 2, PCI-E 6 Pin x 2), Serial ATA, a 24-pin motherboard power connector, as well as both 4-pin and 8-pin CPU power connectors. It even ships with a 5-year warranty.
For those who feel the need for 850W of power, but don't want to stray very far from our budget, the Corsair 850TX is a very nice option. Corsair has really impressed us with their power supplies, and this unit provides 850W of power with 80-plus certification and a 5-year warranty. All the connectors are there, including 8-pin EPS and PCI Express 6-pin/8-pin power cables, and at $150, it won't cost much for the wattage upgrade.
Current Cost: $230
Consecutive Guides: New
Price Change: N/A
When it came to selecting our AMD CPU-motherboard combination, we had a tough decision to make. The new AM3 platform is available, with DDR3 memory support, but the highest clocked AM3 X4 processor is a cache-stunted, multiplier-locked 2.6 GHz model. The AM2+ Phenom II X4 940 BE is a much better choice, as it spanks the Phenom II X4 810 AM3 model in terms of both clock speed and L3 cache size. This is also a Black Edition with a fully unlocked multiplier that's just waiting to be overclocked. We do like the upgrade potential of AM3, but not at this type of cost to performance and overclocking.
The Phenom II X4 940 is the very cream of the crop where AMD performance is concerned, and at 3.0 GHz, it is the highest clocked model in their stable. The 45nm Phenom II core not only runs cooler than the 65nm Phenom, and at a higher clock speed, but it is slightly faster due to the larger 6MB of shared L3 cache, up from 2MB on the original Phenom. The rest of the Phenom II architecture remains consistent, with 512K of L2 cache per core (2MB per CPU) and an onboard dual 64-bit (128-bit dual channel) memory controller that supports up to DDR2-1066. Even the 125W TDP is more than manageable, and puts it on par with the 2.4 GHz Phenom X4 9750.
Current Cost: $288
Consecutive Guides: New
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Our last guide saw an upgrade within the Core 2 family, but with the low cost of an entry-level Core i7 and consistently decreasing X58 motherboard prices, it was time to make the change. The 45nm Core i7-920 is a true quad core design that runs at 2.66 GHz and sports an on-die, triple-channel DDR3 memory controller. Each of the four cores includes 256K of dedicated L2 cache (1MB per CPU) and share a whopping 8MB of L3 cache.
There have been other changes in moving to the Core i7, such as a new LGA1366 CPU package, which also necessitates a platform change. The old Intel FSB is gone, replaced by the QuickPath interface, which offers a bi-directional link with 4.8 to 6.4 GT/s of available bandwidth. HyperThreading also makes a comeback with the Core i7, allowing the processor to handle up to 8 threads simultaneously, as well as supporting Turbo Mode for higher core clocks when less than 4 cores are active. There are many reasons for the Core i7 shift, but the low $288 price tag is the most obvious.
Current Cost: $60
Consecutive Guides: New
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Although the Phenom II X4 940 has a revamped core design, it shares the same AM2+ form factor as the Phenom X4, and runs noticeably cooler. Since this is a "Black Edition", we still want to overclock as high as possible, so we're tossing the retail cooler and going with a higher-end 3rd-party model. There are several high-end options at this price level, including the Noctua NH-C12P (left) and Zalman CNPS9700 NT (right), both of which have proven very popular with Phenom II system builders and enthusiasts alike. Feel free to select a cooling solution that fits your own requirements, but these two models are widely available at most online stores.
Current Cost: $60
Consecutive Guides: New
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Many vendors, like Zalman, Scythe and Noctua, have introduced LGA1366 mounting clips for their various CPU coolers, and this creates a much wider compatibility base for our Core i7-920. The Zalman CNPS9500 or CNPS9700 coolers are both great choices, but if you really want to get serious, then spend a bit more and snag a Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme 1366RT. Just remember to confirm that the cooler ships with LGA1366 mounting hardware, or spend the extra $5 or so to buy the add-on bracket. Also, feel free to go with a 3rd-party heatsink-fan of your choice, as this can be something you may need to tailor to individual tastes and requirements.
Current Cost: $200
Consecutive Guides: New
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Although the upgrade to the Phenom II X4 940 doesn't require a new platform, we are looking to change to a newer model just to ensure the highest performance and stability. Both the 790FX and 790GX are great matches for this processor, but due to the higher-end features and motherboard configurations found on 790FX models, that's our target this month. The ASUS M3A79-T Deluxe is a very popular model for new AM2+ Phenom II systems, and one that offers everything our high-end configuration demands.
The ASUS M3A79-T Deluxe is powered by the AMD 790FX chipset, and includes four PCI Express graphics slots (PCIe 2.0/1.0), supporting dual and triple-PCI Express 2.0 modes, and four memory sockets with support for up to 16GB of DDR2-1066. Other features include an 8+2 phase power design, full Phenom II AM2+/AM3 support up to 140W TDP, SATA 3.0 Gb/s with RAID, Gigabit LAN, 8-channel audio, IEEE 1394, and CrossFireX multi-GPU technology.
Another potential AMD 790X platform is the ASUS M4A79 Deluxe, which offers a very similar motherboard base, and is a nice AMD 790FX alternative if the M3A79-T Deluxe is unavailable.
The only potential caveat to this, or any other AMD board intended for Phenom II usage, is the BIOS revision, and we'd recommend confirming with the vendor that the motherboard ships with a Phenom II-compliant BIOS.
Current Cost: $225
Consecutive Guides: New
Price Change: N/A
Unlike the Phenom II, the upgrade to a Core i7 processor does require a motherboard upgrade, specifically one using the Intel X58 chipset. Initially, these were extremely high priced, but as more boards hit the market, prices have dropped noticeably. This has allowed us to purchase a high-end MSI X58 Platinum SLI motherboard with all the performance and features that our readers demand.
The MSI X58 Platinum SLI supports all LGA1366 Core i7 processors, and offers a full QuickPath interface at 6.4GT/second. It is powered by the popular Intel X58/ ICH10R chipset combo, and includes six DDR3 sockets capable of handling up to 24GB of triple-channel DDR3-1066/1333, or even DDR3-1600 (overclocked), memory. The board includes dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 graphics, along with SATA 3.0 Gb/s with RAID, Gigabit LAN, 8-channel audio, and IEEE 1394.
MSI has not only packed a ton of features into their X58 Platinum SLI motherboard, but has even included a nice bonus - along with CrossFireX support, the latest revision has added NVIDIA SLI to the mix. This makes the MSI X58 Platinum SLI a serious challenger in the X58 market, and its $225 price tag creates an excellent value for high-end Intel buyers.
Current Cost: $120
Consecutive Guides: New
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Due to the platform changes, we need to split the AMD and Intel memory recommendations. AMD gets a dual-channel 2x2GB Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 kit, running at a DDR2-1066 clock speed, while Intel makes use of a triple channel, 3x1GB Corsair XMS3 PC3-12800 (DDR3-1600) configuration. Moving to a high-end DDR3-1600 3x2GB kit would have been a bit too expensive for our Intel budget, as well as being overkill on the default 32-bit Vista operating system.
The 2x2GB Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 kit uses standard 5-5-5-15 timings at 1066 MHz, along with support for lower 667 and 800 MHz speeds. Like other DDR2-1066 modules, these do require a bit more voltage to run at 1066 MHz, and the default is 2.1V. But the Dominator PC2-8500 modules are set to initialize at JEDEC standard 5-5-5-18 values at 800MHz. The Dominator DDR2 modules feature a DHX (Dual-path Heat Xchange) system for increased cooling, and Corsair includes an optional Air Flow fan.
The 3x1GB Corsair XMS3 PC3-12800 triple-channel kit uses default 9-9-9-24 memory timings at its full 1600 MHz clock speed, while upping the voltage a bit to 1.65V. Corsair has tuned this memory specifically for use with Intel X58 motherboards, and it even supports Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP) for overclocking. Like other Corsair memory, this kit will automatically boot at JEDEC standard 9-9-9-24 values at the default DDR3-1333 speed, and then the end user can tweak this further.
For those looking at a 64-bit operating system, spending a bit more and upgrading to 6GB for the Intel system is certainly an option. Our AMD guide already has the budget leeway for an upgrade to a full 8GB of system memory, but as this extra cash can be spent in a number of ways (like another 1TB hard drive), we prefer to leave that decision up to the buyer.
Current Cost: $129
Consecutive Guides: New
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A couple of trends have started to emerge in the hard drive market, as vendors like Western Digital and Samsung are looking to differentiate from the rest of the market. These include the move towards hard drive models that are either eco-friendly or higher-performance, and for our high-end guide, we're concentrating on the latter trend. The most impressive of these is the Western Digital Caviar Black line, which supplies the highest performance in a standard 7200-RPM drive, while offering top-end capacities.
The Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB (WD1001FALS) drive includes a 32MB data cache and runs at 7200-RPM, while supporting the SATA 3.0 Gb/sec. interface. The key to the Caviar Black performance is its dual-processor architecture, providing theoretically twice the processing power of a standard SATA hard drive. This extreme performance is matched with features like StableTrac and NoTouch ramp load technology, and Western Digital covers these drives with a full 5-year warranty, all for only $129 a pop.
Cost: $30
Consecutive Guides: New
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Although we'd like to go with a new Blu-ray/DVD-R+/- combo drive, it still doesn't fit with our budget, so we're sticking with a basic DVD+/-R/RW drive. For around $30, you can snag a name brand 22X drive, and for our money, the Samsung SH-S223Q is a great bet. This an SATA-based drive that supplies 22X write speeds for DVD-R, and is a very popular for new system builds.
The Samsung SH-S223Q is a low-cost DVD writer that combines the Samsung brand name with fast write speeds for CD and DVD media. The Samsung SH-S203B offers writing speeds of 22X DVD+/-R, 16X DVD+R DL, 12X DVD-R DL, 8X DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, 48X CD-R, and 32X CD-RW.
Current Cost: $440
Consecutive Guides: New
Price Change: N/A
There is no question that the graphics component is the most important part of any PC gaming system, and that along with the LCD, the video card should be the largest expenditure in your system budget. We took that to heart this month, and moved right to the top of the ATI chart and selected the dual-GPU Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB powerhouse. This is a serious performer, and at $440, it surprisingly managed to stay within budget.
The Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB features dual 55nm R700 cores with 800 Stream processors, 40 texture units and 16 ROPs each. Clock speeds are set at 750 MHz for both of the R700 cores, driving the fillrate to double that of a standard Radeon HD 4870 GPU. The card includes 2x1GB of GDDR5, running on dual 256-bit bus links, and clocked at an effective speed of 3600 MHz. This provides over 230 GB/sec. of memory bandwidth, and the Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB is still the champ in this area.
NVIDIA has recently introduced a true challenger to the Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB, but although it is actually a bit faster, the dual-GPU GeForce GTX 295 1792MB is priced too high to make our budget on the Intel side. Featuring a core clock of 576 MHz and a 1998 MHz memory speed, this is a very fast video card and easily qualifies in terms of overall performance. Along with its higher price, another consideration is availability, and with low supplies, it's becoming very difficult to locate a GeForce GTX 295 card right now.
The gaming LCD market has been in flux lately, with proponents of the various technologies arguing over terms like "input lag", "response times" and "viewing angle", while fans of both TN and S-PVA/MVA formats offering very compelling arguments. It's getting tougher to find true gaming monitors, with nonexistent lag and lightning fast response times, outside of the TN panels, so we moved to the BenQ G2400WD 24" LCD in our previous guide.
Response times and input lag are two features that hammer PVA/MVA panels hard, and are becoming increasingly important to gamers. A TN panel does have slightly lower viewing angles, but this isn't a big issue with a single-user home PC, especially when gaming. The BenQ G2400WD is one of the better sub-$400 gaming 24" panels, as it features a 2ms GTG (gray to gray) response time, a 4000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and a plethora of inputs, including HDMI/ DVI/ D-sub and a headphone jack. The standard resolution is 1920x1200 with a 0.27 mm pixel pitch, although the 160°/160° viewing angle is a bit lower than the 178°/178° commonly found on S-PVA panels.
If you can still find it, the Westinghouse L2410NM is a great deal and offers an 8-bit MVA panel with a fast 8ms response times and a 176° horizontal and vertical viewing angle. The latest A01 revision of the Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP has improved greatly on the previous models in terms of ghosting and input lag, and has its fair share of gaming adherents. The color depth and clarity of this panel is amazing, but only fits in our budget when on sale.
Please keep in mind that when buying any type or brand of monitor, there is always the chance of receiving a defective unit, so be certain to purchase only from a vendor that offers liberal return and replacement options, especially in their "dead/stuck pixel replacement policy" for new LCDs.
Creative's X-Fi line of soundcards is a real update to previous technologies, and is definitely not an "upgrade" in name only. Creative packages the X-Fi sound chip in several different versions, but the entry-level X-Fi XtremeGamer edition is well suited to our guide. The X-Fi XtremeGamer offers several improvements such as a 109dB signal-to-noise ratio, 7.1-channel surround sound, DTS ES and Dolby Digital decoding, 24-bit, 192 kHz audio support, EAX HD support, as well as the new 24-bit Crystalizer engine, which up samples and enhances all sound to 24-bit.
In addition, the X-Fi provides for gaming, audio creation, and entertainment modes that can be switched on the fly. The price is the real key, as the X-Fi XtremeGamer accommodates all of our audio requirements while remaining within budget, something the other Creative Labs X-Fi cards cannot do.
The X-Fi Fatal1ty series is an attractive option, but it's still a bit pricey, but for those with some extra cash, it might be a worthwhile upgrade. The Fatal1ty Champion/Pro offers all the base features of the XtremeGamer, but also includes 64MB of built-in memory and a front connector port. This onboard X-RAM serves as a sound/FX buffer, and if it is implemented at the software level, may well increase game performance. Some limited support exists in some games, but nothing even approaches an industry standard like EAX. At approximately $150-$175, it is still a very expensive card, and with our budget, remains a luxury.
With a high-end gaming soundcard, a good set of surround sound speakers is a great way to fully immerse yourself in games, movies and music. Choosing the right set of speakers is an important long-term investment, as these will likely stay with you a very long time.
In our last guide we moved to the Logitech G51 5.1 speaker set, which features a total 155 watts RMS power output (4 x 20W satellites, 1 x 19W center, 1 x 56W sub), and a precision control pod (master volume, sub, center and surround level controls, audio/microphone mute, and a headset jack). Two 2-inch laser-tuned drivers power the satellites, while the subwoofer features a down-firing 5.25-inch high-excursion driver. These even feature speaker skins and a mod system for personal customization.
Of course, if you can locate a set for a similar price, the Logitech THX Z-5300e 5.1 speakers offer an exceptional price-performance ratio, and with a total of 280 watts RMS power, these redefine the meaning of "bang for your buck".
Although it has a limited effect on the actual budget, the mouse and keyboard hardware have the potential to make or break an otherwise killer gaming system. This represents the primary user interface (mouse, keyboard, and other controllers), and should always be as transparent as possible and not be a hindrance to performing desktop or gaming tasks. Logitech has us covered again this month, and we're sticking with the Logitech G9 Laser Mouse and MX Revolution Laser Cordless Mouse recommendations.
The wireless vs. wired debate is a long and storied one, and although we feel it's a more important distinction for the keyboard, we're sticking with a wired mouse as our primary option. The Logitech G9 Laser Mouse offers a nice combination of high-end features and precise control. It provides a 3200 dpi laser engine, interchangeable grips, a weight tuning system, adjustable sensitivity, and a MicroGear scroll wheel. This is a serious gaming mouse, and possibly the top wired controller Logitech has ever produced.
For those looking at a wireless fix, the Logitech MX Revolution Laser Cordless Mouse certainly qualifies. Logitech bills this as the "World's Most Advanced Mouse", and there is some definite truth in that statement. The MX Revolution features a heavily-contoured design that molds right around the hand. It has an innovative SmartShift scroll wheel and document quick-flip thumb knob, both of which can be very useful in both gaming and office work. The battery design on the MX Revolution goes back to a sealed internal li-ion battery with a 4-stage power meter and recharge base.
Also, make sure you have a proper mousing surface, even with a laser mouse. Although the sensor improves tracking and the laser engines makes it more seamless, you will still have the best luck on darker non-solid color surfaces, especially checkered or rough patterns, and specialized mouse pads from fUnc, Ratpadz, or Everglide are still a good bet.
The Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard is a departure from conventional designs, but manages to retain the look and feel of a standard unit, while adding a ton of new features to the mix. The GamePanel LCD display is the most visible change, and it allows for adjustable tilt and is backlit for easy viewing. Depending on the software loaded, this can display the time, multimedia settings, and even information about your processor or system. There is also GamePanel support for displaying stats or settings in certain games, like Prey, UT 2004, WoW and others.
In terms of layout and features, the Logitech G15 offers a few extras as well. It includes multimedia keys underneath the LCD panel, and a set of 6 programmable G keys (with 3 Modes each) that allow users to assign keystrokes or even macros. This keyboard can be a real geek-fest if you so choose, but one of its coolest feature is rather pedestrian by comparison. The G15 features backlit keys, and it has been so long since we've seen that feature on a high-end keyboard, that it was real awakening. Gaming with the lights turned low and the volume cranked allowed the keyboard to really stand out, and definitely increased the immersion level.
We realize that not everyone will need the features of the Logitech G15, and a great alternative is the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. This is a very stylish unit, with its black keys and hand rests accented by grey outer shell. It is also very functional, and offers an excellent combination of performance and durability. Microsoft has also gone back to the black enamel keys with this model, which is a welcome change from the see-through jobbies on other MS keyboards. Overall, this is a great keyboard from Microsoft, and at $35-$45, is less expensive than the G15.
Our AMD and Intel motherboards both feature onboard Gigabit LAN, so there is no reason to purchase a separate PCI LAN controller. The money we save by going the integrated route can be much better spent on other components. However, it is understandable that some may prefer to use a non-integrated card; in that case, the Intel PRO/1000MT Gigabit adaptor is a fully featured NIC from one of the best names in networking.
Although the NIC will work perfectly for those with standard DSL or cable Internet access, many gamers are still using dial-up Internet accounts. For this, we recommend the US Robotics USB 2.0 USR5633 Faxmodem, a USB 2.0 modem running at 56K v.92 speeds.
Our initial transition to Windows Vista is now just a fond memory, and although there are some niggling issues and Windows 7 is coming up fast on the horizon, Vista is the present and future of PC gaming. We chose to go with Windows Vista Home Premium, as it offers everything that an enthusiast will need, and in some ways, is actually preferable to the more expensive Business version. The next logical step would be the Ultimate Edition, but it remains well out of our budget right now.
The only real question is whether to buy the 32-bit or 64-bit edition, as each has its own set of pros and cons. The Vista 32-bit implementation is a solid base for office and gaming purposes and has excellent hardware and software compatibility, but enacts a 4GB practical limitation on installed memory. The Vista 64-bit OS clears up the memory issue, with Home Premium upping the maximum to 16GB, but bringing with it potential snafus on the hardware and software compatibility side.
The $100 price quoted on Windows Vista Home Premium is for an OEM DVD, as opposed to the full retail version. We assume that this will be purchased this alongside hardware, thereby qualifying for the lower OEM price. As a base configuration, we recommend the 32-bit version, but the more robust 64-bit edition is priced the same and is a compelling alternative, especially since DDR2 memory is so inexpensive.
We have not used floppies in years, but some people still feel a need for them. Any name brand floppy drive will do for those emergency BIOS updates and data recovery, and anything more would be just a waste of money.
While not part of our budget for a standard high-end gaming system, we still recommend you buy adequate surge protection for your new PC, or better yet, spend a bit extra (or wait for a sale) and nab a UPS for the added security and peace of mind.
Our latest AMD and Intel system configurations include almost a complete overhaul of the performance components, along with upgrades in a few other key areas. The addition of Phenom II X4 and Core i7 processors certainly increases the CPU performance, and the Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB graphics card takes gaming speeds to the next level. The new Intel X58 chipset does offer improved memory performance, while the AMD motherboard is simply a more updated platform base.
We also like the Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB SATA hard drive, as a dual processor architecture makes it the fastest 7200-RPM model that money can buy. The upgraded Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS is not that big a shift, and is similar to the 22X write speed increase of the Samsung SH-S223Q drive. In terms of overall performance, we'd have to give the nod to the Core i7-powered Intel system, but this guide still represents a major upgrade to both systems, as the three main components (video card, CPU and motherboard) have been updated.
Please note that the prices in our guide do not include shipping costs or taxes. The final system price also reflects a "best case" scenario of finding an online vendor that stocks the majority of internal components, or having access to a number of local computer retailers for system quotes and comparison shopping. Also, throughout the compilation of this guide, we have made every attempt to ensure availability and realistic street pricing of the included components.
