System Builder Marathon: Sub-$4000 PC : Setting the High Mark?
Source: Tom's Hardware – Keywords: computer, price, performance
Setting the High Mark?
This System Builder Marathon marks the first time in the series that we’ve felt significantly restricted by a $4,000 budget. Though lots of top parts can be had for less, it’s the combination that got us. It’s certainly a shame that, for example, our budget forced us to forgo any of the new “lower-cost” Blu-Ray optical drives. Keeping our focus on total system performance will pay off in the benchmarks, in spite of the fact that we feel just a little let down in the area of features.
Carrying over many of the components from our March System Builder Marathon allowed us to also carry over the finished photo, though the lighted audio module seen above has been replaced with a sound card. As we consider our updates, we’ll also detail why some of our previous choices simply couldn’t be improved upon.
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 | 1050 |
| CPU Cooler | Swiftech H20-120 Compact Cooler Kit | 140 |
| Swiftech MCR220 2x120mm Radiator | 36 | |
| Silverstone RADSUPPORT09 | 13 | |
| Swiftech Chrome 3/8-Inch Fittings, 2-pack | 5 | |
| Swiftech Plastic Hose Clamps, 4-pack | 6 | |
| 2x Swiftech 3/8-Inch Neoprene Tubing Packs | 26 | |
| 2x Scythe S-Flex SFF21E 120mm Fan | 30 | |
| Motherboard | Asus Striker II Extreme | 450 |
| RAM | Patriot Extreme Performance DDR3-1333 - 4GB | 315 |
| Graphics | 2x Gigabyte GeForce 9800 GX2 GV-NX98X1GHI-B | 1040 |
| Hard Drive | Samsung Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ (750GB) x2 | 240 |
| Sound | ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 | 90 |
| Case | Silverstone Temjin TJ09BW | 250 |
| Power | Coolermaster RS850-EMBA 850W | 180 |
| DVD-RW | Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology SH-203B | 30 |
| Auxiliary Fan | Antec SpotCool Motherboard Cooling Fan | 15 |
| Floppy Drive | NEC 1.44MB Floppy Drive | 9 |
| Total Price | $3925 |
While the system we built in March was several hundred dollars under budget, this month’s highest-end configuration is dangerously close to our budget limit. We added a sound card this time, but the substitution of higher-cost parts remains by far the largest contributor to our overall expense. The big question is whether or not the new configuration will outperform the former system by a similar amount, so lets take a closer look at the components.
- Next page Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650
- Flash memory in Hybrid hard drives *save* power
- Does this sound like a decent Gaming computer? (for the price)
- Dell's XPS 720 H2C Hot and Cool
- Looking for new PC suggestions
- benchmark?
- Dell's Slide
- Another "Which monitor to buy" Thread
- Need help buying gaming monitor!
- Samsung 22" question
- Gateway - 24" FHD2400 Widescreen, were art thou review?
And I think this shows perfectly the problem with the "must have the biggest and best" mentality of today's consumer - just because it's out doesn't mean it's ready.
If I were building a system right now I'd probably go for a pair of 8800GTXs knowing that when I needed to upgrade my graphics again I can stick a 3rd in.
Of course, without the endlessly-pocketed show-off consumer, we'd never get refinement and improvement of such products so we sensible types can benefit 6 months down the line.