MaximumPC 2004 10

Release

Notes

OCTOBER 2004 MAXIMUMPC 5

Contents 10.

I

just built a Doom 3 gaming PC with two 36GB

Western Digital Raptor drives set up in a RAID 0

array. Seven days ago, I would have sworn up and

down that because of RAID, the level load times for id

Software’s latest version of Doom were signifi cantly

faster than they were on a single-drive system of

similar confi guration. In fact, when I entered the very

fi rst level in the game, I found myself thinking, Man,

it’s amazing how big a difference a RAID array makes.

It turns out that I, like many, many other gamers

and PC manufacturers, was wrong. Level load times

in Doom 3 —along with scores of other modern PC

games—are no faster with RAID than with a single

drive. In fact, in some cases, level load times are

actually slower with RAID than with a single drive!

The way we discovered this shocking revelation

is a shining example of the rapidity with which

information travels and cultivates change in mod-

ern times. It’s also an industry-wide testament to

the scientific method Maximum PC has espoused

since its inception.

We ship Maximum PC to the printer in sections;

each day we submit a new chunk of pages to our

production department, and from there it goes on

to the printer. On the second day of shipping pages,

Associate Editor Josh Norem literally stumbled upon

an Internet story on a hardware site that detailed a

finding in direct contrast to our long-held belief that

RAID 0 provides faster read times, and therefore

faster level loading times. If you’re a hardcore PC

user, it’s quite likely you hold this belief yourself.

Norem and Senior Editor Gordon Mah Ung

immediately set out to verify the results in a frenetic

three-day period of testing, speculation, and bicker-

ing. Adhering to the principles of scientific method,

which dictates thorough and repeated experimenta-

tion until one has validated or proved wrong the

hypothesis—in this case, that RAID 0 is no faster

than a single drive—the editors tested multiple sys-

tem configurations with a slew of different games.

The results of their testing supported the reports we

originally read online. (For explicit details, turn to In

the Lab on page 72.)

Here’s where it gets interesting: as this finding

receives more attention, it could have industry-wide

ramifications, at least in terms of PC building for

gaming performance. For example, all six high-end

PCs in this month’s high-performance gaming PC

round-up use RAID 0. And while it’s important to

note that RAID 0 still delivers performance boosts in

certain non-gaming circumstances, this could force a

major rethinking of RAID philosophies. It makes me

wonder: Are there other commonly held misconcep-

tions around PC performance? Just like the RAID 0

issue—time will tell.

—GEORGE JONES

[email protected]

REGULARS

The Lab At Its Best

8 In/Out

You write, we respond

14 Quick Start

PC previews, news, and factoids

24 Head2Head

This month: Mobile gaming devices

26 WatchDog

Maximum PC takes a bite out of bad gear

66 Ask the Doctor

Symptom, diagnosis, cure

68 How To...

This month: Add RAID drivers and SP

to your original WinXP CD

72 In the Lab

A behind-the-scenes look at Maximum PC

product testing

120 Rig of the Month

It’s amazing what a person can

do with a PC!

REVIEWS

GAMES

74 Handtop PC: Sony VAIO-U

76 Videocard: Sapphire Toxic X800 Pro

76 Videocard: eVGA e-GeForce 6800 Ultra AGP

78 Pocket video recorder: Archos AV

80 Dual-layer DVD burner: Lite-On SOHW-832S

80 Media streaming box: Pinnacle Show Center

82 USB 2.0 external drive: Iomega REV 35GB/90GB

82 USB 2.0 external drive: Transcend StoreJet 20GB

84 2.1 speakers: Klipsch ProMedia GMX A-2.

84 2.1 speakers: Edifier S2.1D

85 Speaker headset: Altec Lansing AHS

86 Digicam: Canon EOS ID Mark II

88 USB 2.0/FireWire external drive: Lacie Bigger Disk

88 MP3 player: Apple iPod

90 Mouse: Microsoft S+ark

90 Mouse: Logitech MX1000 Laser

92 USB network hub: Keyspan USB Server

92 Audio encoding app: Magix Music on CD & DVD

95 Singles: Flirt Up Your Life

95 Missing: Since January

USB 2.0 external drive: Iomega REV 35GB/90GB

USB 2.0 external drive: Transcend StoreJet 20GB

USB 2.0/FireWire external drive: Lacie Bigger Disk

OCTOBER 2004 MAXIMUMPC

Audio encoding app: Magix Music on CD & DVD

USB 2.0/FireWire external drive: Lacie Bigger Disk

26

66

24

66

24

26

66

The way we discovered this shocking revelation

to the printer. On the second day of shipping pages,

Associate Editor Josh Norem literally stumbled upon

Symptom, diagnosis, cure

68

This month: Add RAID drivers and SP

to your original WinXP CD

72

A behind-the-scenes look at

product testing

120

do with a PC!

REVIEWS

68

72

product testing

120

Get your

game on!

Page 24

Pyramid PC.

Page 120

REGULARS

ContentsContents

Get your

Two words:

Hot Cubby.

Page 18

product testing

Rig of the Month

It’s amazing what a person can

do with a PC!

Videocard: Sapphire Toxic X800 Pro

Videocard: eVGA e-GeForce 6800 Ultra AGP

Pocket video recorder: Archos AV

Dual-layer DVD burner: Lite-On SOHW-832S