Release
Notes
SEPTEMBER 2004 MAXIMUMPC 3
Contents 09.
W
e see and build so many amazing PCs each
year that the self-applied pressure to con-
struct a better, faster, and more functional
Dream Machine can get pretty intense. Here’s a
month-by-month breakdown of this year’s tense deci-
sion-making process:EARLY APRIL, 2004: Yep, April. Three months
prior to our deadline of July 9, Senior Editor Gordon
Mah Ung first mentions the Dream Machine at our
regular Monday staff meeting. “I’m not saying we need
to finalize it now,” he says, “But you better start think-
ing about it.” After 60 minutes of heated discussion, the
only thing we can agree on is that DM 2004 will feature
a next-gen videocard. No problem—we have time.
EARLY MAY 2004: Panic grips the staff. The
cause of concern: Associate Editor Josh Norem’s high-
end PC upgrade in our July issue is faster than any-
thing our Lab has seen. Gordon begins lobbying for
his concept: a future-proof PC based on a PCI Express,
DDR2-based mobo. Can we get the parts in time?
LATE MAY 2004: Gordon’s future-proof theme
has garnered a majority of support. The harmony is dis-
rupted, however, when a heated internal debate erupts
over the CPU. The choice is between Intel’s 3.4GHz P
Extreme Edition and the more controversial 3.6GHz P
Prescott. We decide to let Lab tests determine the win-
ner. Surprisingly fast and more easily overclocked, the
Prescott wins. Lab tests also reveal that Intel’s onboard
HD Audio still doesn’t sound as good as Creative’s
Audigy 2 ZS Gamer soundcard.
EARLY JUNE 2004: It feels like we’re looking
down from the top of a 300-foot roller coaster drop.
We can’t agree on a look for our case, until Features
Editor Logan Decker takes matters into his own hands
and sketches an abstract, postmodern design. Smooth
Creations promises to deliver the finished case the
very last week of production. That’s close, but it works.
Simultaneously, Technical Editor Will Smith spies Earth
LCD’s LCD touch screen. When it arrives, he’ll have to
Dremel and jigsaw the case to properly install it.
LATE JUNE 2004: We catch wind of nVidia’s
dual-card solution (detailed on page 12). We beg the
company to give us one for the Dream Machine. Alas,
our hopes are dashed on the last day of June. It’s not
quite ready. Heartbreak ensues.
EARLY JULY 2004: With pressure mounting—
we have to start shipping the September issue to the
printer on July 14—Gordon and Will make a last-sec-
ond change. nVidia’s GeForce 6800 vidcard is out. In its
place: ATI’s Radeon X800 XT Platinum Edition, which
consumes only a single slot on our jam-packed mobo.
JULY 18, 2004: Benchmarks reveal that DM
is fast—freaky fast. A tired celebration ensues. DM
is seven months away.
—GEORGE JONES
[email protected]REGULARS
Building a Dream
8 In/Out
You write, we respond12 Quick Start
PC previews, news, and factoids18 Head2Head
This month: Guitar software22 WatchDog
Maximum PC takes a bite out of bad gear22 Ask the Doctor
Symptom, diagnosis, cure66 How To...
This month: Program a GUI72 In the Lab
A behind-the-scenes look at Maximum PC
product testing108 Rig of the Month
It’s amazing what a person can
do with a PC!REVIEWS
GAMES
REGULARS
e see and build so many amazing PCs eachmonth-by-month breakdown of this year’s tense deci-month-by-month breakdown of this year’s tense deci-
Page 16
A handheld
desktop PC?Page 108
Rock out!Page 18
PlayPro Interactive Guitar74 Desktop PC: Falcon Northwest
FragBox II76 Pocket PC PDA: Dell Axim X78 Network Attached Storage :
Buffalo LinkStation78 Network Attached Storage: Linksys Network Storage Link80 Videocard: Leadtek Winfast A400 Ultra TDH80 Videocard: Visiontek X800 XT Platinum Edition81 Videocard: ATI Radeon X800 Pro81 Videocard: BFGTech GeForce 6800 GT82 CRT monitor: Dell P82 CRT monitor: Viewsonic P225F84 Hard drive: Maxtor DiamondMax 1084 TV tuner: ATI HD Wonder86 Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising
86 True Crime: Streets of L.A.