Does your New Year’s resolution involve buying a new computer? If not, it will by the time you finish reading this article. We called some of the biggest names in the computer-building biz (and a few lesser-known contenders) and asked them to show us how they plan to kick off 2006. All the computers on these pages will be available as you read this, so make your list and check it twice.
If you don’t devour computer news and reviews daily, you may not recognize a few builders in this lineup. We requested systems from mainstream vendors, such as Dell, Gateway, and HP, plus popular boutique shops, including Alienware, Falcon Northwest, and Voodoo PC. To top things off, we gave some smaller builders a chance to strut their stuff. As a result we happened across Overdrive PC, which proved every bit as talented as the established PC gurus.
 Shop Smart
Rather than ask builders to trot out their favorite review units, we set some ground rules that let us cover three types of PC buyers: those who don’t want an ounce more power than they need, middle-of-the-road buyers, and crazed enthusiasts looking for an excuse to blow their 401Ks. Keep in mind that we assign CPU ratings based on how well each system performs for its category. (For more on our ratings and benchmark testing, see the How We Tested section on page 65.)
Budget PCs. You don’t need graphics muscle to shop or pay bills online, nor do you need a particularly heavy-duty rig to perform basic word processing and spreadsheet tasks. That said, almost any PC will benefit from a newer dual-core processor that can handle multiple applications better than single-core counterparts. Dual-core CPUs are too new to be cheap yet, so we placed the upper price limit for our budget systems at $1,500 but insisted on dual-core CPUs. We focused on nongaming performance and features. The more creative builders cooked up some excellent home-office systems, while others created all-play-and-no-work rigs.
Midrange PCs. Building a home-use system that won’t blow a reasonable budget is difficult. When builders assemble review units, they often miss the mark. They sometimes ignore family-friendly components (such as modems) and instead pump up graphics and CPU components knowing the reviewer (and customer) might compare only benchmark scores. We looked beyond the numbers, and if you’ll use your computer for more than gaming, so should you. We asked manufacturers to build us a family computer that can also satisfy the family gamer for $1,501 to $3,000.
Dream PCs. If you weigh only a system’s price against its performance when shopping, you’re not looking for a dream PC. All the systems in this category are powerful, but most also have tons of extras that drive up the price without adding points to benchmark scores. Luxury system builders pay special attention to aesthetics and look beyond function. Rather than just tucking cables out of the system’s airflow, for example, many builders carefully hide extra wires and fold or tie them. Luxury systems often have anodized metal cases or sport automotive paint. We asked our contestants to send systems priced more than $3,000 and that will make a gamer’s knees weak.
Make Your List
Chances are your old system already has peripherals (monitor, keyboard, speakers, etc.) that will complement your new PC, so we reviewed only the computers. If you’re still using a CRT, however, now is as good a time to upgrade to a flat-panel monitor as any. If you’re buying a system that includes Windows XP Media Center Edition, you’ll probably want to invest in an LCD TV, which can handle computing and movies with ease. To that end, we highlighted a few interesting monitors on page 61.
by Joshua Gulick
DREAM PCs
Alienware Aurora ALX  Aurora ALX
$5,662
Alienware
www.alienware.com
CPUs: 4
Specs: 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 @ 2.94GHz, Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX (x2 SLI), 1GB Corsair XMS4400 DDR550 RAM, 250GB Hitachi DeskStar HDS722525VLSA80 7,200rpm SATA (x2; RAID-0), NEC ND-3540A DVD+RW Dual Layer, Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 4, integrated Gigabit LAN, WinXP Pro Pro: Watercooling gear doesn’t clutter the interior
Con: Noisy top-panel fans Watercooling isn’t an overclocker-only treat anymore. Alienware was among the first to brave the potential shipping catastrophes with its ALX liquid-cooled rigs, which have the same gargantuan alien-head case covers that Alienware’s aircooled systems wear. Well, almost the same. Instead of a flat top, the case sports a small temperature gauge, while a grille conceals and ventilates the large radiator’s two 120mm fans. That is, it conceals the fans until you power the system on; this isn’t a quiet rig.
The front panel boasts media and floppy readers and two NEC ND-3540A dual-layer DVD+RW drives. There are also four front USB 2.0 ports but no front-panel audio ports, thanks to a Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 4 add-on card. We liked the card’s performance, but we wouldn’t mind having some front audio ports.
Alienware opted for a 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 and clocked it to 2.94GHz, just under the 3GHz the Voodoo and Overdrive rigs produced. Alienware also tossed in the SLI-friendly Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, 1GB of Corsair XMS4400 DDR550 RAM (two 512MB DIMMs), and two 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video cards--not a bad lineup. We like the Asus SLI boards, as they separate the two SLI slots, so enthusiasts can add large cooling devices. Alienware used the space to attach its ALX Active Liquid Cooling System to both cards. Small aluminum heatsinks adorn the memory atop the backs of the video cards.
A half-terabyte of drive space (two 250GB Hitachi DeskStar HDS722525VLSA80 7,200rpm drives in a striped array) handles your data storage, and a 600W PSU provides plenty of power.
The Aurora ALX beat the Falcon Northwest, Axcelerate PC, and Monarch machines in 3DMark05 with a 12879 score, but it charted the lowest PCMark05 score in the Dream PC category with 5016. Even so, this is a solid gaming machine. The rig posted 101.7fps in Doom 3 and offered smooth, detailed graphics when we took it for a spin.
Axcelerate Computers X2 AMD SLI
 X2 AMD SLI
$5,999.99
Axcelerate Computers
www.axcelpc.com
CPUs: 3 Specs: 2.6GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 @ 3.19GHz, Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX (x2 SLI), 2GB Corsair PC4400 DDR RAM, 300GB Maxtor 6B300S0 7,200rpm (x2; RAID-0) Lite-On SOHW-1633S DVD+RW Dual Layer, Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS, integrated Gigabit LAN, WinXP Pro Pro: VapoChill unit keeps overclocked system frosty
Con: Same unit created condensation in our unit Don’t let the X2 fool you. Axcelerate’s new, super-cold rig has a 2.6GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 processor. We were a bit surprised Axcelerate didn’t opt for the newer, faster AMD Athlon 64 FX-57, but we’re not complaining. Thanks to a VapoChill LightSpeed unit, Axcelerate overclocked the CPU to a whopping 3.19GHz. If you absolutely must have the fastest AMD clock speed on your block, you may be looking at your next PC.
The X2 also includes an Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, 2GB of Corsair PC4400 memory (four 512MB DIMMs), and two 300GB Maxtor 6B300S0 7,200rpm hard drives. Oddly, although Axcelerate offers RAID-0 configurations for customers, it left our drives in a JBOD setup. Two Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX cards make up the system’s SLI offering, and a 500W Axcelerate PSU powers the rig. Customers with speakers will enjoy the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS, but gamers who rely on headsets will need to reach around to the back to plug in.
At $5,999.99 the X2 is certainly expensive, so we were disappointed when the tube that extends from the VapoChill unit to the CPU (through a hole in the system’s floor) created some condensation on the windowed side panel. Axcelerate, however, has a great technical support policy; if you find condensation in your system and Axcelerate deems it a threat to your system, it will send tech support to your home to immediately remedy the situation.
We were also surprised Axcelerate didn’t sheath most of the cables and tuck many out of site. The interior isn’t a rat’s nest, but the X2’s cable management doesn’t compare with other rigs in the category. Another rough edge: The circular Axcelerate case badge doesn’t quite cover the chassis’ square case badge indentation, which gives the badge a slapped-on look. The X2 scored 12725 in 3DMark05 and 5184 in PCMark05, both great scores for a system running an FX-55. But systems that carry such heavy price tags must deliver more than horsepower.
Falcon Northwest Mach V X2 4800+  Mach V X2 4800+
$5,495
Falcon Northwest
www.falcon-nw.com
CPUs: 4
Specs: 2.4GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ @ 2.7GHz, Asus A8N-SLI Premium, 256MB BFG Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX (x2 SLI) 1GB Corsair TwinX-10240PRO PC3200 RAM, 300GB Maxtor Diamond-Max 10 7,200rpm (x2; RAID-0), Lite-On DL-SHOW-1693S DVD-RW Dual Layer, Sony DDU1615 DVD-ROM, Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi, integrated Gigabit LAN, WinXP Pro Pro: Dual-core processors make for a flexible system
Con: Cable ties make the system tidy but upgrading a hassle Falcon prides itself for offering some of the most jaw-dropping chassis paint jobs around, so it was surprising to see an unpainted box breeze through our doors. But even without any Half-Life 2 scenes or automotive paint, the chrome chassis and its laser-cut Falcon logo (with a backlit eye) are impressive.
A small door at the bottom of the front panel covers four USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire port. The upper door reveals six 5.25-inch bays, three housing two optical drives and a media/floppy reader. Falcon’s custom light sitting inside the door includes a power switch. A third door opens for particularly intensive tasks.
If you appreciate great cable management, you’ll wish the Mach V had a side-panel window. Falcon used cable ties to bunch wires together and tucked excess lines out of sight. Many builders are turning to modular PSUs to remove unused cables, and Falcon is no exception; a 600W Silverstone SST-ST60F provides power.
Falcon opted for a 2.4GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ @ 2.7GHz. The overclocked dual-core proc isn’t a surprise, but we did a double-take when we saw the CPU’s cooling. Falcon finally traded in the old heatsink-fan combo for a Sanyo-Denke watercooling system; a radiator and 120mm fan sit just under the chassis’ roof. Falcon says the system won’t need a coolant refill for seven years.
The Mach V’s guts include two 256MB BFG Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video cards and 1GB of Corsair PC3200 CL2 Pro memory (two 512MB DIMMs) that plug into an Asus A8N-SLI Premium mobo. For storage Falcon chose two 300GB Maxtor DiamondMax 10 drives (RAID-0) that sit just behind a 120mm fan. The drive cage can store another four drives.
We didn’t expect the Mach V to take top honors in 3DMark05 (the dual-core processors couldn’t top the overclocked FX-57s in other rigs), but we weren’t disappointed with the system’s 12209 score. The 4800+ really showed its punch in PCMark05, beating out all other systems in the category with a 6471.
Monarch Nemesis Custom Gaming Desktop With SLI  Nemesis Custom Gaming Desktop With SLI
$4,845
Monarch
www.monarchcomputer.com
CPUs: 4 Specs: 2.4GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+, Asus A8N-SLI Premium, Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800GTX (x2 SLI), 2GB OCZ Dual Channel Platinum DDR400, 74GB Western Digital Raptor WD740GD 10,000rpm, 400GB Western Digital Caviar SE WD4000KD 7,200rpm (x2; RAID-0), Plextor PX-716AL DVD+RW Dual Layer (x2), Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum, integrated Gigabit, D-Link DWL-AG530, WinXP Pro Pro: More storage space than you can shake a stick at
Con: Side panel grille doesn’t protect from dust Monarch, creator of the screaming-fast SFF Hornet series, also makes a mean gaming desktop. Our review unit had a bright-red Fire Pearl custom paint job that turned heads as soon as we pulled it out of the box. The ultra-sturdy front door, which has a single (tasteful) blue light, opens to reveal five 5.25-inch bays and two 3.5-inch bays. A media/floppy reader fills one 3.5-inch bay, while two Plextor PX-716AL DVD+RW drives and a Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum front panel fill three of the larger bays.
The front panel lets you connect headphones, a mic, and a slew of other audio connections (including SPDIF) without reaching to the case’s back. The front panel also has a volume dial. The side panel has a massive, custom grille that doubles as a window.
Inside you’ll find a 2.4GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ dual-core CPU. This CPU isn’t as fast as the FX-57, but it can handle multiple tasks at once, which makes the system more flexible. Two 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800GTX cards and an Asus A8N-SLI Premium make for some great gaming. Monarch tossed two 400GB Western Digital Caviar SE WD4000KD hard drives in a striped array and topped the storage fest off with a 74GB Western Digital Raptor WD740GD that spins at a whopping 10,000rpm. Other components include a 510W PC Power & Cooling TC510 PSU and D-Link AirPremier DWL-AG530 card that provides 802.11a/b/g wireless connectivity.
Monarch sheathed most of the cables and used cable ties to keep them out of the way. Monarch also used cable ties to secure the hard drive sleds, which otherwise might pop out of the drive cage during transit. You can add two more hard drives to the cage for more storage.
The Nemesis doesn’t just look pretty; it provided a solid 12571 in 3DMark05 and ceded the top PCMark05 spot only to the Falcon Mach V with a score of 6237. The rig handled graphics-intensive games without trouble.
Overdrive PC Torque.SLI  Torque.SLI
$6,146
Overdrive PC
www.overdrivepc.com
CPUs: 4.5
Specs: 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 @ 3GHz, Asus A8N-SLI Premium, 256MB XFX Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX (x2; SLI), 2GB Custom DDR500 RAM, 74GB Western Digital Raptor WD740GD 10,000rpm (x2; RAID-0), 500GB Hitachi Deskstar HDS72505-0KLA360 7,200rpm, Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi, integrated Gigabit LAN, WinXP Pro
Pro: Powerful but nearly silent
Con: No handles for easy LAN-party traveling If we had an award for tasteful bling, the Torque.SLI would be a real contender. The black Lian-Li PC-6070 chassis side panel sports two chrome grilles that cover bright blue, lighted 120mm fans. The fans speak of the power inside the system, but they don’t scream it—in fact, they’re almost silent. You won’t hear the Torque.SLI unless you put your head next to the PC.
The front door opens to reveal an unusual but worthwhile feature: a removable hard drive cage. Just unlock the cage with the included keys, yank the handle, and you’re holding the rig’s 500GB Hitachi Deskstar SATA II hard drive. Overdrive says the handy cage lets users quickly swap out a bad drive without sending the entire system to the builder. We’ve seen more than our fair share of dead hard drives, so we were glad to see this feature. The front panel also boasts a Plextor PX-716A dual-layer DVD+RW and the Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty sound card’s audio panel, which lets gamers easily plug in headsets and other audio equipment.
Overdrive added some nice touches that make this a true luxury PC. You’ll like the flashlight that sits inside the case, but you’ll love the more subtle treats, such as rubber molding that protects you from the PC-6070’s sharp edges and the rubber grommets around each screw to dampen noise and protect the system from scratches. The rig also has some of the best cable management we’ve seen.
The Torque.SLI includes 2GB of custom DDR500 memory (two 1GB DIMMs) and an Asus A8N-SLI Premium motherboard. Two 74GB Western Digital Raptor 10,000rpm hard drives (RAID-0) sit in the removable drive cage. The striped array handles the OS, while the Hitachi handles storage. Two 256MB XFX Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX cards provide gaming muscle.
The system trounced the benchmarks, easily taking the category’s 3DMark05 title with a 13770 score. It also fared reasonably well in PCMark05 with 5455 and posted a frame rate of 114fps in Doom 3. Clearly, this is a gamer’s PC.
Voodoo PC OMEN  OMEN
$5,103
Voodoo PC
www.voodoopc.com
CPUs: 4.5 Specs: 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 @ 3GHz, Asus A8N-SLI Premium, 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX (x2 SLI), 1GB Ballistix PC3200 DDR RAM, 74GB Western Digital Raptor WD740GD (x2; RAID-0), Pioneer DVR-109 DVD+RW Dual Layer, Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS, integrated Gigabit, WinXP Pro Pro: Powerful components and gorgeous case
Con: Bulky, fragile, heavy case makes LAN-party travel difficult Voodoo PC’s luxury OMEN gaming machine features Voodoo’s custom chassis, watercooling, and some truly powerful components. The front panel has a built-in media reader, USB 2.0 and FireWire ports, a Pioneer DVR-109 dual layer DVD+RW, and two empty 5.25-inch bays. The side panel has a large glass window that lets you see every section of the complex interior, and a lighted Voodoo logo cutout at the top adds some extra ’tude.
Inside there’s a 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 running at a steaming 3GHz thanks to the OMEN Supercharged Intercooler, Voodoo’s watercooling system. The rig also sports 1GB of Ballistix PC3200 memory (two 512MB DIMMs) and two 74GB Western Digital WD740GB drives in a striped array spinning at 10,000rpm. Voodoo tops off the gaming muscle with two Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video cards (which have custom memory heatsinks) and a 600W Sintek WIN600XSPX-X PSU. A Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS handles audio needs but doesn’t provide any front-panel ports.
A large radiator and two SilenX 120mm fans sit directly behind the OMEN’s front panel. Voodoo cut a logo-shaped grille into the mirror-finished plate that separates the motherboard area from the hard drives. As a result the top fan sends cool air into the mobo area, while the lower blasts the drive cage. The cage, which can support two more hard drives, has small clips that lock the drives firmly into place. When you want to remove a drive, just flip the clips and slide it out. Voodoo attached watercooling blocks to the CPU, chip, and the dual graphics cards. Each cord has just enough slack. The PSU has its own compartment, complete with floor vents that let it breathe without greatly affecting the other system components.
The OMEN barreled into the benchmarks with guns blazing. It placed second in 3DMark05 with 13189 and third in PCMark05 with 5588. Even the PCMark05 score is remarkable; it was the highest score among single-core CPU systems. In short, the OMEN is as powerful as it looks.
MIDRANGE PCs Dell XPS 400  XPS 400
$2,138
Dell
www.dell.com
CPUs: 4
Specs: 3.2GHz Intel Pentium D 840, Dell 0YC523 motherboard, 256MB Nvidia GeForce 6800, 1GB Samsung DDR2 533 RAM, 250GB Western Digital Caviar WD2500 7,200rpm (x2; RAID-0), NEC ND-3530A DVD+RW, Sony DDU1615 DVD-ROM, integrated sound and Gigabit LAN, Dell TV Tuner, modem Pro: Solid entertainment features
Con: Consider boutique vendors for better expandability The XPS is a different beast than the standard Dell PC. In fact, the XPS line has its own tech support team. That said, you’ll notice the difference long before you make a tech call, thanks to the flashy, chrome-and-charcoal chassis. The front panel lacks a door but doesn’t need one; it’s plenty attractive on its own. There aren’t any free 5.25-inch bays (optical drives fill both), but an empty 3.5-inch bay sits just above the media card reader. The front panel also has a FireWire port, two USB 2.0 ports, and mic and headphone ports. A huge front vent lets a massive fan cool the 3.2GHz Intel Pentium D 840’s heatsink fins.
The tool-less interior was much more maintenance-friendly than we expected. You can unlock external drives with one sturdy lever and easily remove the two 250GB Western Digital Caviar WD2500 hard drives (RAID-0) thanks to drive sleds. Unfortunately, you can’t add drives, as the chassis lacks a drive cage. The plastic add-on card support doesn’t hold the video card in place as well as would a CardKeeper.
The Nvidia GeForce 6800 makes the XPS 400 the best gamer of the nonmainstream builders, but it can’t take on the boutique builders on the video-game front. The rig does have some great home-use features, including a Dell TV Tuner, modem, and WinXP MCE.
Gateway FX400 X  FX400 X
$2,544
Gateway
www.gateway.com
CPUs: 4 Specs: 3GHz Intel Pentium D 830, Gateway Intel 945G motherboard, 256MB Nvidia GeForce 6800, 2GB DDR2-533 RAM, 250GB Western Digital WD2500JS 7,200rpm (x2), LG GSA-4163B DVD+RW Dual Layer, LG GDR-8163B DVD-ROM, Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS, integrated Gigabit LAN, modem, WinXP Home Pro: Plenty of storage and decent video card
Con: No TV tuner in the mix If you’re looking for a system that can handle everything your family throws at it but you don’t want to venture into the world of boutique builders, you’ll love the FX400 X.
It isn’t perfect, however. Gateway sacrificed expandability when it loaded up the front panel; there isn’t a single empty bay. There is a dual-layer LG GSA-4163B DVD+RW and LG GDR-8163 DVD-ROM, plus a media/floppy reader filling the three 5.25-inch bays. Mic, headphone, USB 2.0, and FireWire ports make up (a little) for the lack of extra bays. Large vents on the front panel channel air through a plastic funnel that cools the CPU and the video card heatsink’s massive aluminum fins. The Nvidia GeForce 6800 posted decent frame rates in Doom 3 compared to other mainstream rigs. Oddly, it refused to complete 3DMark05, but when we fired up some games ourselves, including Doom 3, it handled intense graphics like a pro.
The FX400 X bested the mainstream builders in PCMark05, scoring 4952 thanks in part to its 3GHz Pentium D 830. Gateway stocked our unit with two 250GB Western Digital SATA hard drives, which give it plenty of room for photos, songs, videos, and games. The rig can game, but Gateway didn’t ignore other family members; audiophiles will love the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS’ sweet sounds.
HP Pavilion d4100e Desktop PC  Pavilion d4100e Desktop PC
$1,999.99
HP
www.hp.com
CPUs: 3 Specs: 2.2GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+, 256MB Asus Nvidia GeForce FX 6800, 1GB DDR400 RAM, 400GB Seagate Barracuda ST3400832AS, HP 640c DVD+RW; Samsung SD-616E DVD-ROM, integrated sound and LAN, modem, WinXP Home Pro: Very expandable chassis
Con: You’ll want to expand We were surprised the price of HP’s midrange offering was only $1,999.99 (after a $150 mail-in rebate), as this category’s limit was $3,000. Price doesn’t always equal performance, but it certainly limited the d4000. The rig didn’t have the lowest category scores in 3DMark05 or PCMark-05 (2926 and 4620, respectively), but only because the Maingear and Gateway rigs failed to run the benchmarks successfully.
Scores alone don’t make a system, and the d4000 has some noteworthy features. The front panel has four 5.25-inch bays, two free and two housing an HP 640c DVD+RW and Samsung SD-616E DVD-ROM. The panel also sports two 3.5-inch bays, one with a media card reader. The system has two front-panel USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, and audio ports.
Inside, there’s a 2.2GHz Athlon 64 X2 4200+ dual-core CPU, 1GB of DDR400 RAM (two 512MB DIMMs), and a whopping 400GB Seagate Barracuda, with room for two more drives in the tool-less drive cage. We liked the rig’s expandability; you can install a standard ATX mobo, for example. The modem also makes sense, as many midrange buyers still use dial-up. We were disappointed that HP relied on integrated sound, as an add-on card would have fit within our budget. A TV tuner and WinXP MCE wouldn’t have hurt, either.
Maingear Prelude  Prelude
$2,486
Maingear
www.maingear.com
CPUs: 3.5 Specs: 2.4GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ @ 2.73GHz, 256MB Maingear Viper Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX, 1GB Mushkin XP4400 DDR500 RAM, 250GB Western Digital WD250 (x2; RAID-0), NEC ND-3540A DVD+RW Dual Layer, Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi, integrated Gigabit LAN, WinXP Pro Pro: A solid gamer
Con: Lacks features to excite the entire family Maingear loves to overclock, so we weren’t surprised to see the Prelude’s 2.4GHz Athlon 64 X2 4000+ running at 2.73GHz. The company also introduced us to its 256MB Maingear Viper Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX card with custom cooling. The GPU’s heatsink is large but won’t interfere with an extra card if you take advantage of the Asus A8N-SLI Premium’s other PCI-E slot. Maingear installed a 120mm fan that sits parallel to the side door to cool the card.
The Prelude also has 1GB of Mushkin DDR500 RAM (two 512MB DIMMs), two 250GB Western Digital hard drives (RAID-0), and a 600W Seasonic SLI S12-600W PSU. We were glad Maingear chose Sound Blaster X-Fi, but we’re surprised the company didn’t opt for the X-Fi Platinum, which includes a front-panel console.
On the upside, the front panel has plenty of expansion room thanks to three empty 5.25-inch bays and two empty 3.5-inch bays; a media/floppy reader fills the third. Maingear used the same faux carbon fiber material that lines the case’s top and bottom to attach its logo to the front—nice touch.
The Prelude put up excellent frame rates in Doom 3 and handled gameplay well. It also posted an impressive 8763 in 3DMark-05 but had trouble with PCMark05, even when clocked back to default settings. Still, we can’t argue with its other scores.
Overdrive PC Gemini.SLI  Gemini.SLI
$3,000
Overdrive PC
www.overdrivepc.com
CPUs: 4.5 Specs: 2GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ @ 2.6GHz, Asus A8N-SLI Premium, 256MB XFX Nvidia GeForce 7800GT (x2 SLI), 80GB Seagate Barracuda 7,200rpm (x2; RAID-0), Sony DW-Q28A DVD+RW Dual Layer, integrated sound and Gigabit LAN, WinXP Pro Pro: Screaming fast and clean as a whistle
Con: Dial-up users are on their own
Now and again a system knocks our socks off. The Gemini.SLI didn’t stop with just us; it soundly pounded every system in its category, posting 11974 in 3DMark05 and 109.5fps in Doom 3. The Polywell was tops in PCMark05, but by only eight points.
Overdrive won’t ship a system without HyperClocking, its custom overclocking solution, and the builder’s warranty covers its overclocked systems. Our HyperClock-ing review unit included a 2GHz Athlon 64 X2 3800+ running at 2.6GHz--with aircooling, no less. The rig also included two 256MB XFX GeForce 7800GTs and two 80GB Seagate Barracudas in a striped array.
The front panel has four 5.25-inch bays (two filled) thanks to an optical drive and a removable hard drive cage. Overdrive says the drive cage lets users remove a bad hard drive and return it for a new drive without shipping the whole system. Although we love this feature in Overdrive’s Torque.SLI (which has a drive), we don’t see any reason to expect a customer to finish what the builder started. Use it or lose it, say we.
The front panel also includes two USB 2.0 ports and a media/floppy reader. Inside the chassis Overdrive lined almost all of the Lian-Li PC-6070’s edges with molded rubber, saving you from the time-honored tradition of feeding a little blood to your hungry rig during upgrades.
Polywell Poly 939N4SLI-4400  Poly 939N4SLI-4400
$2,650
Polywell
www.polywell.com
CPUs: 4.5 Specs: 2.2GHz Athlon 64 X2 4400+ @ 2.42GHz, Poly939n4 SLI, 256MB Evga GeForce 7800GT (x2 SLI), 1GB Super-Talent D32PB12C25 DDR400, 250GB Hitachi 14R9464SATA 7,200rpm, 74GB Western Digital Raptor 10,000rpm (x2; RAID-0), integrated sound and Gigabit LAN, WinFast TV Tuner, WinXP Pro Pro: Solid gamer, handles CPU-intensive tasks with ease
Con: Crowded interior The Poly 939N4SLI-4400’s chassis won’t stop you in your tracks; it’s a small, black case with a purple front panel. But what the rig lacks in style, it certainly makes up for in power and features. The system didn’t quite top the Gemini.SLI’s 3D-Mark05 score (the Polywell posted an 11490 there), and it barely topped the Gemini.SLI’s PCMark05 score with a 6189, but this is a more well-rounded family computer.
The 939N4SLI-4400’s front panel has a Sony DW-Q28A DVD+RW dual-layer drive and Sony CRX320E, plus two empty 5.25-inch drives. The media/floppy reader leaves one 3.5-inch bay free.
Polywell pumped up the family friendliness factor by installing a Win-Fast TV Tuner and adding gobs of hard drive space via a 250GB Hitachi drive and two 74GB Western Digital Raptors (10,000rpm in a striped array). The system also has two 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800GTs. Unfortunately, Poly-well opted for WinXP Pro; we were surprised it didn’t install WinXP MCE, however. We like the 600W Seasonic PSU, but Polywell didn’t sheath the PSU’s cables; it did use the occasional cable tie for a reasonably open airflow, but you’ll be glad the system doesn’t have a window.
SYS Gamepro 4600+  Gamepro 4600+
$1,995
SYS
www.sys.com
CPUs: 3.5
Specs: 2.47GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+, Gigabyte GA-K8N Pro-SLI, 256MB Gigabyte GVNX68T25DH Nvidia 6800GT, 1GB PC4000 DDR RAM, 250GB Western Digital WD2500JS 7,200rpm (x2; RAID-0), Gigabyte GOW1623A DVD+RW Dual Layer; Gigabyte GOB5232AB CD-RW, integrated sound and LAN, WinXP Pro Pro: A decent gamer
Con: Lacks many family-friendly features If you like tasteful bling, you’ll get a kick out the Gamepro 4600+’s chassis. The front door, which covers the entire front panel, sports a lighted display that provides system temps, fan speeds, and the date and time. Instead of a window, the side panel has a massive, circular vent that gives the case a subwoofer look. You’ll find a FireWire port, two USB 2.0 ports, and audio ports at the top. The front panel has five 5.25-inch bays, three housing two optical drives and a CPU fan-speed controller. A media/floppy reader fills one of the two 3.5-inch bays.
Inside is a 2.4GHz Athlon 64 X2 4600+ dual-core CPU, 256MB Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce GT video card, and two 250GB Western Digital hard drives (RAID-0).
The 4600+ scores points for expand-ability; the Gigabyte GA-K8N Pro-SLI mobo provides a second x16 PCI-E slot to let gamers add a second video card, and the hard drive cage supports a third hard drive. Unfortunately, you’ll need to slice some cable ties before you can slide the drive in. Speaking of cable ties, SYS used a couple to tie the unused PSU cords in a huge knot that hangs inside the case--resist the temptation to put a window in that side panel.
The system’s benchmarks put it squarely between the mainstream PCs and the other boutiques: 5053 in 3DMark05, 5536 in PCMark05, and a solid 66.2fps in Doom 3.
BUDGET PCs CyberPower Gamer Ultra 8900  Gamer Ultra 8900
$1,499
CyberPower
www.cyberpowersystem.com
CPUs: 3 Specs: 2.2GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+, Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe, 256MB XFX Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT (x2, SLI), 1GB Corsair TwinXP PC3200 RAM, 200GB Maxtor 6L200S0 7,200rpm, integrated sound and Gigabit LAN, 802.11g Foxconn Wi-Fi card, WinXP Home Pro: A great gamer
Con: Won’t impress most home-office users Our jaws dropped when we saw the flashy Gamer Ultra 8900, which boasts some serious muscle. CyberPower stuck to our dual-core requirement with a 2.2GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+, but instead of investing in other family-friendly components, it sank the rest of its $1,500 budget into powerful gaming gear. In particular, CyberPower added two 256MB XFX Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT video cards that plug into an Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe mobo (dual x16 video card slots included) in an SLI configuration.
CyberPower also selected a roomy 200GB Maxtor 6L200S0 drive, Pioneer DVR-110 dual-layer DVD+RW, and a whopping 535W Enermax Whisper II EG565P-VE PSU. The system includes an 802.11g wireless add-on card and integrated Gigabit LAN, but it doesn’t have a modem, so dial-up users will need to install one.
Not surprisingly, the 8900 slaughtered the competition in 3DMark05, scoring 10093--3549 points higher than iBuy-power’s second-place offering. The 8900 also placed first in PCMark05 with a 5468 score. The system is a solid budget gamer, but CyberPower completely missed the mark on the home-use front. Those looking for a living room computer will prefer the HP Pavilion m7260n.
Gateway DX300 X  DX300 X
$1,259
Gateway
www.gateway.com
CPUs: 4 Specs: 2.8GHz Intel Pentium D 820, Gateway Intel 945G motherboard, 128MB Nvidia GeForce 6200, 1GB 533MHz DDR2 RAM , 250GB Western Digital WD2500JS 7,200rpm, Integrated sound and LAN, modem, WinXP Home Pro: Plenty of storage
Con: Aside from the chassis, lacks “wow” components Gateway has always had a sense of style, but its new chassis are its most stylish boxes yet. The chrome-and-black case is squat and doesn’t offer much room for upgradeability, but Gateway milked the front panel for all it was worth. Thanks to the media reader, two USB 2.0 ports, two FireWire ports, and headphone and mic ports, you can handle all your media and peripheral needs without reaching around to the system’s back.
Upgrade options are slim, but you can add another hard drive to the 250GB Western Digital WD2500JS SATA and add additional memory to give the rig more muscle. We doubt you’ll need to beef it up anytime soon, though, as the capacious hard drive ought to handle even large families. We liked the DX300 X’s 2.8GHz Pentium D 820. The dual-core CPU will let you surf the Web without much trouble while you’re compressing files. The 128MB Nvidia GeForce 6200 handles light gaming duties, but it won’t wow hard-core gamers. But we’re after a system that’ll please the entire family, not just the gamer. The DX300 X also scores with its integrated 10/100 LAN port and a modem add-on card.
Gateway found a solid balance between work and play. You can manage your entertainment data, complete CPU-intensive tasks, and game without throwing the DX300 X for a loop.
HP Media Center m7260n Photosmart PC  Media Center m7260n Photosmart PC
$1,169.99 (after $50 mail-in rebate)
HP
www.hp.com
CPUs: 4.5 Specs: 3GHz Intel Pentium D 830, 128MB ATI Radeon X300 SE, 1GB PC2-3200 DDR2 RAM, 300GB Seagate Barracuda 7,200rpm, Asus DVD-E616P3H DVD-ROM, HP 840b DVD+RW With LightScribe, integrated sound and LAN, WinFast TV Tuner, modem, WinXP MCE Pro: TV Tuner makes for a true entertainment box
Con: One bay is empty unless you buy HP’s special drive The first thing we noticed about the m7260n was its TV tuner. The add-on card and WinXP MCE let you listen to radio shows and record TV directly to your computer. We didn’t expect this in a budget system that also features a dual-core processor (a 3GHz Intel Pentium D 830).
The front panel did check our enthusiasm a little, as one 5.25-inch bay was empty, supporting only HP’s Personal Media Drive. If you buy the optional drive, you can take your music and pictures with you and access them from other computers. But you can do that with other external drives, too. We don’t like when builders waste space on optional components available only through them. That said, the panel has other great features, including component video ports and a media reader.
The ATI Radeon X300 SE isn’t a heavy-duty card (it scored 1109 in 3DMark05), but it will handle kids’ games. We wouldn’t recommend the system to Doom 3 fans (the game was choppy), but if you upgrade to a better card down the road, you can reach the card easily. The video card is about the only component inside you can quickly access, though. To swap out the 300GB Seagate Barracuda hard drive, for example, you must squeeze it past the Personal Media Drive bay. The Pavilion also was last in PCMark05 with a still-respectable 3406.
iBuypower Dream 2006  Dream 2006
$1,495
iBuypower
www.ibuypower.com
CPUs: 3 Specs: 3.2GHz Intel Pentium D 840, MSI 945P Platinum, 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800GT, 1GB Corsair Value-Select PC5300 DDR2 RAM, 250GB Maxtor 6B250S0 7,200rpm, Sony DDU1615 DVD-ROM; Sony DW-Q28A DVD-RW, integrated sound and Gigabit LAN, WinXP Home Pro: A great budget gaming rig
Con: Only a budget gaming rig The Dream 2006 slid in just $5 under our $1,500 limit due to its gaming gear and speedy 3.2GHz Pentium D 840. iBuy-power passed on some of its more flashy cases in favor of a family-friendly black-and-chrome chassis sporting a crystal-clear side window. The front panel has a blue backlit temperature gauge and door covering the two optical drives. We were disappointed the 2006 had a floppy drive instead of a media card reader. With digicams and MP3 players floating around houses today, most families need a media reader more than a floppy drive. The front panel’s three free 5.25-inch bays give you ample room to add one, though, a luxury other systems in this category lacked.
Inside, the system boasts a 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 7800GT, which played a huge role in the system’s whopping 6544 3DMark05 score. If you have gamers in the family, keep this system in mind. The 250GB Maxtor hard drive offers plenty of space, and you can add up to three more hard drives via the roomy drive cage.
Despite the rig’s power, we suspect kids will like this system more than parents. iBuypower leaned so heavily toward gaming that it missed some opportunities (media reader, modem, WinXP MCE, and TV tuner) to round out the system.
WinBook PowerSpec 9130  PowerSpec 9130
$1,289.99
WinBook
www.winbook.com
CPUs: 4 Specs: 3GHz Intel Pentium D 830, Biostar I945G-M7, 256MB Evga Nvidia GeForce 6600, 1GB Spectek PD64M6416U26AD2F-37E DDR2-533 RAM, 200GB Western Digital Caviar 7,200rpm (x2), TSST TS-H552U DVD+RW Dual Layer, TSST SH-D162C DVD-ROM, integrated sound and LAN, modem, WinXP Pro Pro: Small size with home-office basics
Con: Not very expandable This squat system is solid home-office computer, but parents will probably enjoy it more than their kids will. The PowerSpec 9130’s front panel has TSST TS-H552U DVD+RW and TSST SH-D162C DVD-ROM drives, plus media card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, and mic and headphone ports. Unfortunately, the front panel doesn’t have any empty bays. (Don’t let the extra 3.5-inch bay panel fool you; a hard drive sits behind it.)
The PowerSpec 9130 has a 3GHz Intel Pentium D 830 processor, 1GB of Spec-tek DDR2-533 memory (two 512MB DIMMs), and two 200GB Western Dig-ital Caviar hard drives. There is also an Evga Nvidia GeForce 6600 video card that can handle some light gaming; it posted a solid 4079 in PCMark05. We like the modem and ample hard drive space.
The system isn’t very expandable. You can’t add additional drives, as the chassis lacks a hard drive cage. We were surprised to see one hard drive sits parallel to the front panel. A plastic funnel (which swings open when you need to perform system maintenance) lets the Cooler Master CPU heatsink fan suck air into the system, while a 92mm fan at the back expels warm air. Despite the fans the PowerSpec 9130 is a little noisy; you won’t want to place it near your TV.
Monitor Madness
Ready to toss out that clunky CRT? Flat panels are more than just technologically hip; they’re space-saving wonders that’ll change your perspective on computing. Today, they aren’t much more expensive than old-school CRTs. If you plan to put the computer in your living room, consider LCD TVs. A standard TV won’t have much trouble with the Media Center portion of WinXP MCE, but if you’ve never viewed the WinXP Desktop on a TV, spare yourself the misery. LCD TVs handle the WinXP Desktop and Media Center portion well, making them great companions for media center computers. Read on to learn more about two monitors we’ve previously reviewed (Dell and WinBook) and two we have our eyes on (BenQ and ViewSonic).  WinBook PowerSpec LC30D
www.winbook.com
This HDTV-ready LCD TV costs a mere $799 after a $100 mail-in rebate. The 30-inch wide-screen display has a fairly slow 25ms response time, but at less than $800 it’s a steal. If you want more screen real estate, check out the monitor’s big brother. The LC32 has a 32-inch display. Both monitors sport built-in speakers.
 ViewSonic VX922
www.viewsonic.com
Everyone appreciates monitors that have low response times, as the faster response times reduce ghosting and other problems when you view moving graphics. Serious gamers may want to check out ViewSonic’s brand-new $499 VX922, which features a 2ms response time on a 19-inch display, besting the $469 VX924’s response time by 1ms.
 Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW
www.dell.com
Sure, this monitor will set you back $1,199, but this 24-inch LCD offers plenty of display real estate, in a wide-screen format, no less. The monitor has a slew of inputs, including component, composite, and S-Video, and it also boasts a media reader. Then again, if you buy one of the systems from our roundup, you'll probably already have a media reader.
 BenQ FP202W
www.benq.us
We haven’t seen the FP202W up close and personal, but we’d certainly like to. The 20-inch wide-screen display looks like the sort of monitor that’ll handle movies and video games without any trouble. The display boasts an 8ms response time and supports the VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) wall-mounting standard.
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How We Tested
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Futuremark's PCMark05 runs individual tests that stress specific components. The HDD (hard disk drive) benchmark, for example, tests the system's ability to quickly write files, load applications, and start Windows XP. You can download a free, streamlined version at www.futuremark.com. |
We kicked off each system’s test by running several benchmarks, including Futuremark’s popular 3DMark05 and PCMark05 benchmark applications. The former ran graphics tests that let us compare the rig’s 3D performance with other systems. The PC’s video cards play a large role in this benchmark, but other components can help or hinder the system (particularly the CPU). PCMark05 tests a PC’s ability to handle basic office tasks and offers individual scores for the CPU, hard drive, memory, and video cards, as well as an overall score.
These benchmarks can only approximate the system’s real-world performance, so we also encoded a video with a real application (Dr. DivX) and compressed a folder with 500MB of assorted files in WinRAR. We also ran Doom 3’s built-in demo. Finally, we used the systems. If the PC installed programs particularly slowly or if games appeared choppy, we included our observations in the review. Each of our categories targets a different user type, so although we ran the same benchmarks on every system, we weighed the benchmarks (and the features) differently in each category. We focused on gaming benchmarks and features when we tested Dream PCs, for example, as the builders target these at gamers.
Midrange PCs handle a variety of tasks, including email, Web surfing, office applications, gaming, and (in some cases) movies and movie editing, so we pay particular attention to PCMark05 and our Dr. DivX and WinRAR tests. We wrapped up each review by assigning a CPU rating. Five CPUs indicate a perfect system, while 2.5 CPUs indicate an average PC. Zero CPUs indicate a worthless system. Few review units ever reach either end of the scale. | 
3DMark05 runs the system through several graphically intense demos that resemble games. (In fact, you'll probably wish that some demos were games.) If you haven't seen this benchmark before, download the free version from Futuremark, kick back, and enjoy the ride. |
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Doom 3 includes a spectacular graphics engine that makes the confines of Mars City truly creepy. The game includes a demo that lets users test their system's performance. |
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Tested & Benched
We rated each system according to its features and performance for its category, which means you’ll see some Budget PCs that have the same CPU rating as the more powerful Midrange PCs and Dream PCs. The following shows how each system performed in our benchmark tests.
View Charts that accompany article. |
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