November 3rd, 2009

Hardware 2.0 'Very Best Kit List' for Nov/Dec 09

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 3:48 am

Categories: Components, Cutting Edge, DIY PC, Gadgets, Gaming, Graphics, Hardware

Tags: Card, Board, Western Digital Corp., Overclocking, Motherboard, Price, CPU, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Corp., Radeon

Welcome to the updated and revamped Hardware 2.0 “Very Best Kit List” for Nov/Dec 09, the last such list for 2009. Here I’ve put together a list of the best high-end and mid-range and budget components currently available. So if you’re thinking of buying, building or even upgrading a PC, this list is a must-read for you!

See also my Holiday Gift Guide 2009 for even more cool kit! 

This time around sees the addition of several new categories, such as netbooks, notebooks, all-in-one PCs, and wireless routers. I’ve also added new products to some of the existing categories too.

These components are on this list because I firmly believe them to be the best either in terms of performance or price - although I’m ready to admit, as always, that there’s room for debate and some choices “go with the gut” more than others.

NOTE: Each time I come out with a list of kit I always end up fielding a few emails and comments from people wondering if companies have “bought” space on the list. Let me tell you now that the only way for a product to get on this list is to be the best - period. Manufacturers, vendors and PR companies have zero influence over this or any other recommendation that I make.

Final note: All prices are approximate … shop around for the best deals!

• CPUs
• Motherboards
• RAM
• Graphics Cards
• Hard Disks
• Sound Cards
• PSUs
• Coolers
• Cases
• Monitors
• Keyboards/Mice
• Netbook
• Notebook
• All-in-One PC
• All-in-One Printer
• In-Car GPS
• Wireless Router 

Next –>

September 24th, 2009

Build a high-performance gaming PC for under $650!

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 8:03 am

Categories: Components, DIY PC, Gaming, Hardware

Tags: Performance, PC, High-performance, Gaming PC, Games, Performance Management, Personal Technology, Human Resources, Workforce Management, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

While hardcore gamers will always find a way to pay for that uber component for their gaming rig, I know that many of you out there want to get your hands on a great gaming system, but don’t have the dough to blow on your “dream” system. Well, if you’re one of those people, this post if for you!

The trick with building a high-performance gaming system on a budget is two-fold:

• First, you have to spot the fine line between “value for money” and “insanity” - it can be tricky!
• Secondly, you need to know where you can make compromises that have a marginal effect on performance.

OK, with that in mind, let’s start building a high-performance gaming PC for under $650!

Note: The price of this build includes only the hardware (no OS, no games) and doesn’t include the cost of peripherals such as keyboard, mouse and screen.

Next –>

April 15th, 2009

Building a "High Performance" Windows 7 PC

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 9:39 am

Categories: Components, DIY PC, Windows 7

Tags: Card, Microsoft Windows 7, Performance, PC, High-performance, Microsoft Windows, Power Supply, CPU, Core, Leadership

With Windows 7 release candidate just around the corner, the other day I was asked to spec out a high performance PC suitable for Windows 7 64-bit, This system would also be a great Vista system.

Note: Just to clarify that this is a “high performance” PC, and not a “sky’s the limit, money no object” system. I am therefore choosing parts that offer the best bang for the buck at the high end, and not the very best, bleeding edge components.

Here’s the spec I came up with:

CPU

Choosing an Intel CPU is a no-brainer when it comes to high performance PCs. Intel’s current Core i7 silicon offer the very best performance going. However, if you go for the top of the line 965 Extreme Edition then you are going to be spending a thousand dollars on the CPU alone. While some people are happy to spend such sums on just the CPU, I feel that the cost outweighs the performance gains and that the cheapest Core i7, the2.66GHz 920, which retails at a more reasonable $290 is a better option.

The 920 still offers plenty of performance and if combined with the right parts you can always overclock the system to get even more horsepower.

Price: $290

Motherboard

With the Core i7 processor in the bag, we now need a compatible motherboard. A Core i7 CPU needs a socket LGA 1366 motherboard sporting an X58 chipset, and fortunately there are plenty to choose from.

For this build I went for the ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 board. There are three reasons to like this board:

• Support for 24GB of DDR3 RAM
• Triple PCIe 2.0 x16 slots
• Excellent overclocker

Price: $290

RAM

While the ASUS P6T can support up to 24GB of RAM, that much memory is overkill and a waste of money. A good compromise for a Core i7 system is 12GB.

For this build I went for 12GB (in the form of 6 x 2GB modules) of OCZ DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) high performance RAM.

Price: $220

Next –>

March 9th, 2009

Extreme PCs and homebrew systems are here to stay

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 3:06 pm

Categories: DIY PC

Tags: PC, Jason, Desktops, Hardware, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Jason Perlow believes that the days of the extreme PC and homebrew systems are over. I disagree.

First, let’s consider extreme PCs. Jason seems to think that extreme PCs are all $16,000 systems. These aren’t extreme PCs, these are super extreme monster PCs. The market for these systems is (and always has been) tiny and the companies that build them normally use them as little more than Wow-packed PR tools. Sure, there are a small number of people who have more money than sense and will pay stupid money for something, but what’s new about that.

Do people actually buy these systems? Sure they do. I wouldn’t, but that’s not the point. To some folks spending ten thousand on a PC (or something completely left field) is peanuts. It’s like you or I going out to buy Read the rest of this entry »

February 18th, 2009

Monster PC upgrades - Without the monster price tag!

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:36 am

Categories: Components, DIY PC, Upgrading

Tags: Video Card, Monster, PC, Board, Nvidia GeForce, NVidia Corp., Motherboard, CPU, Graphics, 4850e

Upgrading your PC need not be a $1,000+ activity - with a few well-placed upgrades you can give your PC a new lease of life while not hammering your wallet!

Here I’m going to look at two different upgrades packages - one a basic package of components that when put together will offer excellent all-round performance, and a second package that is ideally suited to those who want a super overclocker package, but without a super price tag!

Each package will consist of a CPU, motherboard and graphics card. Depending on your current system configuration (in particular, age) you many need to upgrade other items such as RAM and PSU.

Note: As far as gaming goes, unless you’ve got a really powerful graphics card you’re going to have to make some compromises. The best place to get information on the settings you should and shouldn’t mess about with is TweakGuides. This is an excellent resource that all gamers should add to their list of favorites.

UPDATE: Several of you have asked about what RAM to get. For a budget system like this (even a system that you’re going to overclock) you need stable RAM rather than fast RAM. I’d go for Crucial or Corsair DDR2 800 RAM for therse systems.

All-rounder –>

November 11th, 2008

$350 barebones Vista/7 PC

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 8:54 am

Categories: DIY PC

Tags: PC, Microsoft Windows, Desktops, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating Systems, Software, Hardware, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Card, CPU

Prices of PC components are falling weekly, and $350 will buy you a lot more horsepower today that it would a few months ago.

Let’s look at what sort of all-purpose barebones PC system you can put together for around $350 - we want a system that’ll be tough enough to handle Windows Vista and Windows 7 yet not cost the earth.

Component gallery

CPU

Let’s start with the CPU. The trick with budget builds is to get a good, solid CPU without overspending. The ideal price range is somewhere around a quarter to a third of the overall budget you have planned.

Here I’ve gone for Intel’s 2.5GHz E5200 (Wolfdale) dual-core CPU. If you’re into overclocking then you should be able to get this CPU to 3.0GHz and beyond, but even if you keep it at stock speeds you have a good performer for well under $100.

Price: $83

Motherboard

For this build I’ve chose the ASUS P5N-EM HDMI board. This is a good quality board which features the NVIDIA GeForce 7100/nForce 630i, supports 4GB of RAM, PATA/SATA and SATA RAID hard drive connectors, HDMI, 4x USB and on-board audio.

To top off the features, this board comes in micro-ATX form-factor so it’ll fit into a small case, making it suited to home theater use.

Price: $70

Next –>

September 19th, 2008

Hardware 2.0 "Best Kit List" for Oct/Nov 08

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:37 am

Categories: Components, Cutting Edge, DIY PC, Gaming, Graphics, Hardware, Industry, Performance

Tags: ASUS, Card, Video Card, Performance, Board, Motherboard, Price, CPU, List, RAM

OK, it’s time once again for The Hardware 2.0 “Best Kit List” for Oct/Nov 08. Here I’ve put together a list of the best high-end and mid-range components currently available, with some decent budget parts listed too, along with a few honorable mentions. So if you’re thinking of buying, building or even upgrading a PC, this list is a must-read for you!

Check out the gallery for this post here

These components are on this list because I firmly believe them to be the best either in terms of performance or price - although I’m ready to admit, as always, that there’s room for debate and some choices “go with the gut” more than others.

NOTE: Each time I come out with a list of kit I always end up fielding a few emails and comments from people wondering if companies have “bought” space on the list. Let me tell you now that the only way for a product to get on this list is to be the best - period. Manufacturers, vendors and PR companies have zero influence over this or any other recommendation that I make.

Also note: I’m looking to expand this list by adding more categories and components. If you’d like to see anything added, let me know!

Quick menu

• CPUs
• Motherboards
• Graphics cards
• Hard drives
• RAM
• Sound card/Speakers
• Coolers
• PSUs
• Cases
• Monitors

Let’s get started!

CPUs –>

September 16th, 2008

The "As close to $150 as you can get it" PC

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 8:52 am

Categories: Components, DIY PC

Tags: PC, Motherboard, CPU, RAM, Desktops, Processors, Hardware, Semiconductors, Components, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

As usual, my mailbox is brimming with great comments and questions from Hardware 2.0 readers. Here’s one that caught my eye:

I notice that you talk about building PCs regularly. If you wanted to build a PC but spend as close to $150 as possible, what components would you buy for a PC to run XP/Vista?

Good question! Let’s see what we can come up with!

Note: As always I start these builds with a disclaimer. The prices I list here do not take into account the ups (discounts, offers, rebates, bundles …) or downs (taxes, shipping …) of life. I’m also not including a monitor, peripherals or OS in the price list.

Also, I’ve chosen Newegg.com as the price benchmark, but that should not be taken as meaning that I endorse any one outlet over another. You should shop around and find the best deals you can yourself.

 Loading ...

CPU

When it comes to picking a cheap CPU, plumping for the AMD Sempron LE-1100 is a no-brainer.

This is a single core piece that runs at 1.9GHz, and while it’s not going to win any performance awards, it’s still a great CPU if you are looking to build a cheap system.

Price: $22.99 Read the rest of this entry »

September 12th, 2008

The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 3:27 am

Categories: Components, DIY PC

Tags: Game, PC, Video, Power Supply, Price, CPU, RAM, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

OK, so what kind of PC can you build yourself for a budget of $2,000 (plus change)? Well, as it turns out, you can get yourself one heck of a system!

This PC will be ideally suited to high end gaming, but if you’re not into gaming then this system will also be able to chew through any photo of video editing jobs that you might have, as well as effortlessly convert your CD and DVD library into a digital library.

Check out the full parts gallery here!

Note: As always I start these builds with a disclaimer. The prices I list here do not take into account the ups (discounts, offers, rebates, bundles …) or downs (taxes, shipping …) of life. I’m also not including a monitor, peripherals or OS in the price list.

Also, I’ve chosen Newegg.com as the price benchmark, but that should not be taken as meaning that I endorse any one outlet over another. You should shop around and find the best deals you can yourself.

Let’s get going!

Next –>

August 6th, 2008

Cheap and cheerful Vista-capable PC for $260 plus change

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:35 am

Categories: Components, DIY PC

Tags: PC, Board, Microsoft Windows Vista, Motherboard, CPU, MASSCOOL 5T568S1H3, Processors, Corporate Governance, Semiconductors, Hardware

The other day I received a challenge from a reader. Put together the parts list for a cheap and cheerful PC. The criteria were pretty straightforward:

• Cheap
• Good quality
• Be able to run Vista

Here’s what I came up with …

Parts gallery here

Note: As always I start these builds with a disclaimer. The prices I list here do not take into account the ups (discounts, offers, rebates, bundles …) or downs (taxes, shipping …) of life. I’m also not including a monitor, peripherals or OS in the price list.

Also, I’ve chosen Newegg.com as the price benchmark, but that should not be taken as meaning that I endorse any one outlet over another. You should shop around and find the best deals you can yourself.

CPU

I wanted to build this system around a decent but low-priced CPU. For around $70 you can pick up an Intel Pentium E2180 “Allendale” 2.0GHz dual-core part, which is a very nice piece of silicon. However, I wanted the CPU in this build to be under $50. There aren’t that many Intel processors at this price point, but there are some good AMD CPUs that you can pick up.

I chose the AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ 2.3GHz Socket AM2 dual-core CPU for this build. Sure, it’s going to get thrashed by pretty much every other processor available when it comes to benchmark tests, but it is nonetheless a reliable piece and perfectly capable of delivering excellent results.

Price: $46.99

Motherboard

Because I’d chosen the 4400+ AM2 CPU, I now needed a cheap and cheerful AM2 motherboard.

I had a few requirements for the motherboard:

• Good quality.
• It needed to be Vista-capable - when buying at the low end it’s easy to buy something that’s too cheap, which means that you have to buy twice. Not smart!
• I wanted a semi-decent on-board graphics solution.

The board I finally picked was the ASUS M2A-VM. This is a Micro ATX board equipped with the AMD 690G chipset. In addition to all the features that you’d expect a motherboard to have (gigabit LAN, stacks of USB ports, decent audio), this board is also HDCP compliant and the Radeon X1250 graphics chip will let you play HD-DVD or Blu-ray (if you fit the right drive in the system). This board also features a VGA and DVI-D ports, so supports dual screens out of the box!

Price: $64.99

Alternate reality: A few of you have asked me what motherboard would I have chosen if I’d gone with the E2180 “Allendale” 2.0GHz instead of the AMD CPU. Well, it probably would have to be the ASUS P5N-EM - This board features on-board NVIDIA GeForce 7100, nForce 630i chipset and HDMI output. However, it is $75, so with the CPU this adds some $35 to the final price. You can find cheaper boards but I like this one.

Next –>