Budget PC : (Last updated : January 21, 2010)
| Hardware | Component | Price | |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 750 | $199.99 | check prices |
| Motherboard | ASRock P55 Extreme | $139.99 | check prices |
| Memory | G.SKILL Ripjaws 4GB DDR3 1600 | $94.99 | check prices |
| Video Card | SAPPHIRE 100282SR Radeon HD 5850 | $259.99 | check prices |
| Hard Drive | SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB | $79.99 | check prices |
| Optical Drive | LG CH08LS10 Blu-ray/DVD combo drive | $99.99 | check prices |
| Case | Antec Nine Hundred two | $119.95 | check prices |
| Power Supply | Thermaltake Toughpower XT W0229RU | $99.99 | check prices |
| Monitor | Acer H243Hbmid 24" Widescreen LCD | $199.99 | check prices |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Logitech MX 3200 Cordless Desktop | $65.00 | check prices |
Component Info and Reviews :
Intel Core i5 750
Intel Core i5 750 quad core processor has a frequency of 2.66GHz and 8MB of L3 Cache. This processor features Intel Turbo Boost and has a TDP of 95W.
A suggested aftermarket cooler for this processor is ZALMAN CNPS10X Extreme 120mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler and this is a review of it.
Reviews : XSReviews, Benchmark Reviews, Anandtech
ASRock P55 Extreme
ASRock p55 extreme is equipped with 4 slot DDR-3 memory, there are three slots PCI express x16, which ensure compatibility with crossFireX and SLI technologies.
This board features complex smart switch design, which includes the power switch, Reset switch and Clear CMOS switch buttons , and also LCD- screen (Dr. Debug), which will help to operationally conduct system diagnostics
ASRock p55 extreme meets the euP 2.0 Ready requirements, which guarantees the energy consumption of less than 0,5 W in the turned-off regime.
With the aid of OC DNA utility , user can preserve its profiles and share them with its friends. The technology intelligent energy saver will help to decrease the energy computer consumption , changing the quantity of active phases in the dependence on the load level , and the unique aSRock development - Instant boot, will ensure Windows load in a few seconds.
Reviews : PCShopTalk
G.SKILL Ripjaws 4GB DDR3 1600
G.Skill Ripjaw Gaming Series Memory is designed to optimised the high performance DIMMs for reliability in order to get gamers consistently fantastic FPS, while maintaining a solid overclock to prevent a mid-game PC failure from memory errors.
G.Skill Ripjaws Gaming Series Memory features the latest heatspreader design for the ultimate in extreme aesthetics and sleek aluminium cooling.
SAPPHIRE 100282SR Radeon HD 5850
ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 Series graphics processors support Microsoft DirectX® 11 and ATI Eyefinity Technology which maximizes field of view across up to three displays. The ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a core clock of 725MHz, 1440 Stream Processing Units, and 1GB of GDDR5 memory that operates at 1000MHz (4.0Gbps).
Reviews : TweakTown
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB
The Samsung Spinpoint F3 operates at 7200RPM and with this offering being 1TB of data storage capacity using just two 500GB per platter disks it offers suberb speeds. As well as meeting datacentre requirements for addition storage to meet rising demand and increasing performance needs, the new drives also deliver high-performance with lower power for desktop computers and servers.
This Samsung Spinpoint drive offers a superior combination of density, recording quality and reliability. It also features Samsung's industry-leading NoiseGuard and SilentSeek‚ technologies to eliminate acoustic noise. Servers, high-end desktops, RAID systems and DVRs are among the applications well suited to the Spinpoint drive.
Reviews: bit-tech.net
LG CH08LS10 Blu-ray/DVD combo drive
The LG CH08LS10 Blu-ray/DVD combo drive gives you single and dual-layer Blu-ray Disc playback, along with DVD and CD writing. Dual-layer DVD burning allows you to store 8.5 GB of data on a single DVD. You get 40X CD-R and 24X CD-RW recording too.
The included LG software will help you get started and burn all the media you need. LG thought of everything you'll need to make the most out of your disc-based media and enjoy high definition Blu-ray Disc playback!
Antec Nine Hundred two
Antec’s popular and award-winning Nine Hundred gaming case became an instant favorite among gamers, delivering versatility, style and performance to establish itself as “The Ultimate Gaming Case.” Now, Antec introduces the Nine Hundred Two, the next generation in premier gaming enclosures. Building on the tried-and-true designs of both the Nine Hundred and the powerful Twelve Hundred gaming cases, the Nine Hundred Two maintains popular features such as a perforated front panel, up to six variable-speed fans for maximum cooling, and a sleek, aggressive aesthetic. The Nine Hundred Two adds exciting improvements such as a top 200mm Big Boy TriCool™ fan now with blue LED, fan control knobs plus built-in washable air filters right in the front panel, and eight expansion slots for even greater versatility.
Reviews : AnandTech, Overclockers Club
Thermaltake Toughpower XT W0229RU
Toughpower XT's Premium features such as FanDelayCool and S.P.T. Status Indicator give the users all-round control and visibility into the power supply’s performance and reliability.
Proper airflow within computer system plays an extremely important role in making sure CPU, Graphic Card(s), Hard Drives and other critical components are getting adequate cooling. Thermaltake Cable Management Technology allows users to only use the cables needed from the power supply that reduces amount of cable clutter within the computer to improve cooling and reduce system noise.
Reviews : Tweak News
Acer H243Hbmid 24" Widescreen LCD
With a stylish black bezel, Acer H243Hbmid stands out for its slim design highlighted by a stylish black glossy body and blue powered rounded base. It is equipped with a tilt adjustable functionality to provide an optimal viewing experience.
This monitor has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080, it supports 1080p Full HD gaming and multimedia applications and features 2ms response time.
The advanced digital HDMI port with HDCP support permits outstanding high-definition viewing and gives the highest quality videos, as well as providing instant connectivity to the most popular digital devices such as DVDs, set-top boxes and HD games consoles. The Acer H243Hbmid is also equipped with integrated speakers.
The superior 40,000:1 contrast ratio and high 300 cd/m2 brightness ensure you the best picture you can get. The wide viewing angle of 176° left/right delivers a comfortable and quality view with precision even from wide angles.
Featuring the innovative Acer SensorTouch™ technology touch-sensitive controls, the Acer H243Hbmid does away with the control buttons on the front for easy use and convenient navigation of the display settings. Integrated into a neatly curved area below the panel, the discrete button-less controls feature superior sensitivity and are highly responsive even to the lightest tap of a finger. The SensorTouch Technology gives a smooth and streamlined look to the display for an overall sleek and polished look and feel, while sequential LED illumination when the monitor is turned on adds an appealing visual effect.
Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200
The Cordless Desktop MX3200 works with Windows Vista to make it easy to access advanced features such as Dynamic Search and DocFlip. The high resolution laser mouse enables ultra-precise navigation. Convenient one-touch controls allows for easy Internet call management. An integrated soft-touch palm rest provides extra support for your wrists and can help reduce fatigue. Additionally, the straight-keyboard layout, featuring Zero-Degree Tilt, offers an extremely comfortable and natural typing experience, the sculpted design of the mouse fits comfortably in your hand. The keyboard also features programmable hot-keys so you can instantly open applications, games, folders, or web pages. Dedicated search buttons help you find files faster. Both the keyboard and mouse incorporate AgION antimicrobial compound, thus providing protection against and preventing the growth of a broad range of bacteria, mold, and mildew. Finally, with Logitech SecureConnect technology, your keyboard and mouse are pre-connected to the receiver to ensure hassle-free set-up and secure keyboard encryption right out of the box. The plug-and-play USB mini receiver provides added convenience for notebook computers.
Reviews :










