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All-round Deluxe PC - September 2008

hwi-h  PC Advice » All-round Deluxe PC - September 2008

Author: Koen Crijns 09/26/2008

All-round Deluxe PC

Configuration

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 Processors
With more and more software being multithreaded, multiple cores make only more sense. Dual core CPU's are the rule by now and quad core is the next logical step. Until not that long ago these processors were too expensive for most. However that time is past: the Core 2 Quad Q9300, our choice for the all-round deluxe system, is available for less than two hundred euros. This processor is one of the 45 nm Yorkfield models which means it is fast but also energy efficient.
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Corsair Twin2X 4GB DDR2-800 CL5 kit Corsair Twin2X 4GB DDR2-800 CL5 kit Memory modules
With memory prices continuing to drop along with newer software demanding ever more of the stuff, it makes sense to pick 4 GB if you can afford it. So for our all round deluxe system we recommend Corsair TwinX XMS2 6400 modules. These DDR2-800 sticks have proven to be extremely durable in our tests while offering a fine price/performance ratio.
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OCZ Vanquisher OCZ Vanquisher CPU coolers
In our most recent CPU cooler test the OCZ Vanquisher surprised as the affordable option with significantly better performance than a standard boxed model. Both in cooling capacity and noise production this model is superior to the one that comes standard with the Q9300, and as such an ideal choice for a top of the line all round system.
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Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R Mainboards
Best choice for Intel CPU's at the moment is Intel's own P45 chipset, so it makes sense to advice a mainboard that has this at its core. You could find worse than the Gigabyte EP45-DS3R, which will form a solid, fast and stable basis for the upscale all-round PC. This mainboard has pretty much any feature you could desire onboard, without superfluous extras. The Dynamic Energy Saver functionality ensures lowered energy consumption.
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Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 512MB Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 512MB Graphics cards
ATI's Radeon HD 4870 has a mid-range price, but high end performance. Unless you are extremely serious about your games, this card will do whatever you want it to do. All modern games work a treat on the 4870. The video image quality is similarly excellent, this model is simply the best choice for an all-round deluxe system.
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Samsung Spinpoint F1 640GB SATA2 Samsung Spinpoint F1 640GB SATA2 Hard disks/SSD's
Thanks to its 320GB platters, the Samsung Spinpoint F1 series offers better performance than any other 7200rpm disk. We suggest two for this system, and leave up to you whether you configure them in RAID for higher throughput or reliability, or just leave them as is. Matrix RAID offers a potential best of both worlds option, where you can configure part of the array in a striping configuration (RAID-0) and part of it in a mirrorring one (RAID-1).
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Lite-On DH-4O1S-06C Lite-On DH-4O1S-06C Optical drives
With ever lower prices, the inclusion of a Blu-ray ROM drive in the Allround Deluxe PC only makes sense. Whether you attach the PC to a Full HD television or just watch on your screen, Blu-ray offers the best possible movie quality - now affordably so, too.
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Samsung SH-S203D Black OEM Samsung SH-S203D Black OEM Optical drives
With all DVD-burners being similarly inexpensive, it makes sense to just take the best on the market. In our most recent test, Samsung's 20-speed SD-S203D won best of the field with superior burning speed, quality and price. This model features a modern SATA interface, reducing airflow impairing cabling inside the case.
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LanCool Metal Boned K7 LanCool Metal Boned K7 Cases
These days high end case manufacturer Lian-Li has a second brand called LanCool. Using this name the famous producer of aluminium cases offers a selection of enclosures that carry a somewhat friendlier price but still look quite impressive and feature the trademark aluminium exterior. The low weight is a nice additional benefit. The Metal Boned K7 model has a logical internal layout and looks rather stylish, an excellent choice for our Allround Deluxe PC.
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Antec NeoPower 650 Antec NeoPower 650 Power supplies
Our most recent power supply test revealed the Antec NeoPower 650 to be the ideal power supply for mid range systems. Combining extremely stable voltages with very high efficiency, its lowest noise production in the test provides the proverbial cherry on top. The modular cabling ensures no more wires inside the PC than are actually needed.
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Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer OEM Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer OEM Sound cards
Whether you want better sound quality watching films or listening to music, or a better 3D soundstage in your games: in a good all-round PC a separate soundcard is still an essential component. Creative's X-Fi Xtreme Gamer is affordable, offers excellent quality in all areas and as opposed to the Xtreme Audio actually has its own onboard DSP for hardware accelerated sound in a lot of games.
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Logitech Cordless Desktop MX3200 Laser Logitech Cordless Desktop MX3200 Laser Keyboards
A quality PC should come with matching keyboard and mouse. We choose Logitech's Cordless Desktop MX3200, a wireless set combining shapely keyboard with wireless optical mouse. The MX3200 keyboard is very comfortable in use as well as esthetically pleasing. The matching mouse is very precise thanks to the integrated laser sensor.
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Creative Inspire T3100 Creative Inspire T3100 Speaker sets
Unless you game a lot or watch films regularly on your PC, a 2.1 speaker set is likely to be sufficient for your audio needs. You could do worse than Creative's Inspire T3100, which our tests show to offer quite good audio quality and performance, while being available for a reasonable price.
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Viewsonic VX2255wmb Viewsonic VX2255wmb Monitors
At this moment 22 inch screens offer the sweet spot between "big is beautiful" and "a screen shouldn't break the bank". Twenty-two inches offer a large screen with 1680x1050 resolution in widescreen. Windows Vista is made for widescreens. By now we have tested a lot of them in our lab and this Viewsonic VX2255wmb is currently one of the best choices while still being eminently affordable.
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