MaximumPC 2004 11

34

Build It!

MA XIMUMPC NOVEMBER 2004

Maximum PC Approved: 3 Computers for Any Budget

The first step in building your own PC is choosing the right

components. To help you, we spec’d three different machines—

suitable for three different budgets—to help you eliminate any

guesswork. Each of these three PC configurations is Maximum

PC tested. That means we guarantee the components will work

together upon assembly! Feel free to mix and match hardware

to suit your needs. After all, if you’re not a gamer, there’s no rea-

son to pay good money for an expensive gaming videocard.

MOTHERBOARD: Asus A8V Deluxe

$

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3800+ $

MEMORY: Kingston 1GB PC

DDR DIMM $

VIDEOCARD: EVGA GeForce 6800 Ultra

$

HARD DRIVE: Seagate 7200.S7 100GB

Serial ATA $

OPTICAL DRIVE: Plextor PX-712A

DVD±RW Writer $

SOUNDCARD: Creative Labs Sound

Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer $

CASE: Cooler Master Centurion 5 $

MOUSE: IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0 $

KEYBOARD: Logitech Elite Keyboard

$

MONITOR: Samsung SyncMaster 172X

LCD $

SPEAKERS: Klipsch GMX A-2.1 $

OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows XP

Professional OEM $

TOTAL = $2,

Not only is the

3.6GHz P4 Prescott fast, it has

incredible overclocking potential!

MOTHERBOARD: Asus P5AD2 Premium

$

CPU: Intel Pentium 4 w/ HT – 3.6GHz $

MEMORY: Crucial DDR2/533 1GB DIMM

$

VIDEOCARD: Radeon X800 XT Platinum

256MB PCI Express $

1ST HARD DRIVE: Western Digital

Raptor WD740GD $

2ND HARD DRIVE: Maxtor

DiamondMax Plus10 300GB $

OPTICAL DRIVE: Sony DRU-700A Dual-

Layer DVD±RW Writer $

SOUNDCARD: Creative Labs Audigy

2 ZS Gamer $

CASE: Silverstone Nimiz $

PSU: PC Power and Cooling Turbo Cool 510

Deluxe Express $

MOUSE: Logitech MX1000 $

KEYBOARD: Logitech Elite Keyboard $

MONITOR: NEC MultiSync FE211SB $

SPEAKERS: Logitech Z-5500 Digital $

OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows XP

Professional OEM $

TOTAL = $4,

Midrange System

The Plextor PX-712A doesn’t include

dual-layer DVD-burning support, but

it is one of the fastest single layer

DVD burners you can buy.

You can afford a kick ass CRT

monitor with even the cheapest rig.

The NEC Multisync FE911SB looks

great and is a bargain at $250.

MOTHERBOARD: Asus A8V Deluxe

$

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3400+ $ 290

MEMORY: Kingston 512MB PC3200 DDR

DIMM $

VIDEOCARD: Radeon 9600 XT $

HARD DRIVE: Western Digital Caviar

WD2000JD 200GB $

OPTICAL DRIVE: Plextor PX-708A

DVD±RW Writer $

SOUNDCARD: Creative Labs

Audigy 2 ZS $

CASE: Antec Super Lanboy w/350 PSU

$

MOUSE: IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0 $

KEYBOARD: Logitech Elite Keyboard

$

MONITOR: NEC MultiSync FE991SB

$

SPEAKERS: Logitech Z-2200 $

OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows XP

Professional OEM $

TOTAL = $1,

High-end System Low-end System