UPDATED - MAY 6, 2010: We’ve put together a system that will churn through the latest game titles without breaking the bank.
CORE SYSTEM
CPU: Intel Core i7 930 - $375
If you’re serious about gaming, with an eye toward SLI or CrossfireX, then you’ll need to be running a Core i7 900 series chip. The extra PCI Express lanes available on the compatible X58 chipset means you won’t need to compromise on your graphics performance at all. It is more expensive, however.
COOLER: Thermolab BARAM Cooler - $80
Though the stock Core i7 cooler is just fine, we like to bump it up to something with a bit more cooling power in case we feel like doing some overclocking. The Thermolab BARAM isn’t the newest model on the block, but it has proved itself beyond doubt as a solid, reliable and high performance air cooler.
MOBO: ASUS P6X58D-E - $429
This is a new motherboard from the ASUS stable, and with the refreshed X58 series thanks to new high end i7 processors, it’s packed full of new features. At this end of the market, boards aren’t cheap, so don’t settle for second best. This board supports SATA 6G and USB 3.0 devices, and offers a redesigned power voltage regulation circuit for additional stability when overclocking.
RAM: OCZ 3G1600LV6GK 6GB $200
Speed, price and capacity are what you weigh up when you buy RAM, and you can only choose two. Often, it’s a case of compromise, but this kit from OCZ is the goods as far as a decent speed for some minor overclocking, 6GB capacity for our RAM hungry games and a price tag that doesn’t mirror the GDP of a small country.
GRAPHICS: Galaxy NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 - $529
When the 400 series cards will end up on store shelves is still up in the air, but at this price we can’t recommend it any more highly. Though the GTX 470 isn’t the fastest card available, putting two of them together we would see some truly excellent frame rates in even the most demanding games. Since the bigger brands have not had much time to bring out unique models, most of the cards on the market are pretty much exactly the same; so this is one time when buying purely on price is advised.
HARD DRIVE 1: Western Digital Velociraptor 300GB - - $299
While we wait for the SATA 6GB Velociraptors to make their way to Australia, the older SATA2 version is still the best choice around for non SSD hard disk drives in performance systems. Be aware that they run very hot, and are a little noisy, but you’ll forgive it when your game loads faster than ever before. Why no SSD? This drive’s capacity and performance, compared to its price tag is still good enough to get a look in. When we can get a 250GB+ SSD for $300, we’ll be there in a flash.
OPTICAL DRIVE: Samsung SH-S223 - $35
The Samsung SH-S223 is pretty much no frills, but fast enough for everyone. This DVD-RW drive can read and write at 22x. Its SATA connectivity means no messing around with big flat ATA cables, and the drive will even write DVD-RAM and DL discs.
PSU: Cougar GX 1050 1050 Watts
This PSU took out a Design and Innovation award at this year's Computex show because it earned the hard-to-attain 80 PLUS Gold badge from the 80 PLUS industry group. What this means is that the power supply runs at a minimum of 80% efficiency no matter what its load (which means it meets the Bronze accreditation) but actually stays well above that, reaching an efficiency of 93% at 50% load, earning it the Gold. What it all really means is lower power bills, less system heat and a greener footprint.
CASE: Lian-Li Lancool PC-K60 - $140
Cases can be about flash or functionality. And this one is all about usable space. Though the Lancool PC-K60 isn’t the prettiest case around, it’s not bad to look at. On the inside is what matters, with this case offering some of the best cooling around, plenty of space for full length and multiple graphics cards plus a sturdy construction that should last you through some upgrade cycles.
CORE SYSTEM COST - AUD $2,307