LIVE BUILDS (THE BEST PC YOU CAN BUILD TODAY)

PC core system configurations updated daily by APC staff with the best new components.


BUDGET GAMING PC (around $1,200) Bang-for-the-buck gaming. [Updated: May 18, 2011]	GAMING PC Plays them at full detail [Updated: May 13, 2011]	MEDIA PC Movies & Music [BEING UPDATED]


ALL-ROUNDER PC Good balance of price/performance. [Updated July 15, 2011]	EXTREME PC Smash through any task [Updated May 15, 2011]	BUDGET PC Does the basics [BEING UPDATED]

NEW MASTER BUILDER COMPETITION 2010-11

Enter the Master Builder competition and have our expert judges assess the PC you've built or upgraded. We'll also publish submitted builds online and select some for the magazine. Entrants with the best entries win a ticket to the semi-finals, or can walk away with one of several new awards. And the very best (like Darren Gatt, one of the previous competition's finalists, pictured above) can make it to the Final.

JUNIOR MASTER BUILDER AWARD

We want to showcase the best of Australia's young geek talent. If you're 14 this year or younger, you qualify for Junior Master Builder. The rules and the entry form are the same as senior Master Builder, but the judges will also make a special "Junior Master Builder of the Year" award at the end of the competition rounds. Each month, we'll also publish the Junior Master Builder of the month in each issue of APC. Pictured is Justin Goldsworthy, 12, one of the young entrants in the 2009-10 competition.

> Master Builder Entry details
> or go straight to the entry form

FEATURED BUILDS PCs created by people who make a living building systems
	4th Core Unlocking PC Pacstar Computers have built for us a PC designed to unlock the inactive fourth core in AMD’s Phenom II X3 CPU. The Black Edition AMD Phenom II X3 720 is not only a good overclocking CPU becuse of its unlocked clock ratio, but if you’re lucky you may be able to transform it in to a quad-core using a special motherboard. (Jan 2010)

	Extreme Budget PC This is the PC for those who really can't afford a PC. You'd amazed what Bennett Ring was able to cobble together for a few bucks. (Jan 2010)

	Multimedia PC You don’t need powerful components to make a Media Centre PC. Yet, it will be quiet enough to leave in your lounge room and will play all your music and movies. Melbourne system builders, Centre Com, show us how they build one. (Dec 09)

	Build a notebook - if you really must! Although notebooks now outsell PCs, virtually all are sold as complete systems. Unlike PCs, notebooks aren't endlessly configurable and are put together with fewer parts, each based on a bare-bones system which already provides a set configuration. We asked Aussie notebook maker Pioneer Computers Australia to build a DIY notebook. The price was higher than we expected, but they did choose to make a high-end notebook. (Nov 09)

	All-rounder PC based on Intel's mainstream Core i5 CPU When Intel released its Core i5 mainstream PCU mid-year, we asked master builder extraordinaire David Kong, of Enspire Digital, to put together a good all-round system that would take advantage of the new processor. This is what he came up with. (Oct 09)

	AMD Triple Core for affordable performance Excel Computers’ Master Builders create an amazing value/performance PCusing AMD's new triple-core Phenom II X3. The processor has one core disabled, but when it comes to single-threated applications it's virtually the equal of its more expensive quad-core siblings. (Sept 09)

	The ideal Windows 7 PC When the release of Windows 7 was imminent, we asked the professionalbuilders at Altech Computers Australia to put together an ideal PC forMicrosoft's new OS. (Aug 09)

	Best Gaming PC under $2,000 We all want an affordable gaming PC so we asked a professional masterbuilder to come up with one for under AUD $2,000. This was in July2009, so this PC should be even cheaper now.