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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Hardware 2.0 'Very Best Kit List' for September 2011

By | September 7, 2011, 7:52am PDT

Summary: Welcome to the Hardware 2.0 “Very Best Kit List” for September 2011. 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 building or even upgrading a PC, this list is a must-read for you!

Welcome to the Hardware 2.0 “Very Best Kit List” for September 2011. 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 building or even upgrading a PC, this list is a must-read for you!

Updated monthly, 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: All prices are approximate … shop around for the best deals!

Also, because these are the components I feel are the best available, don’t expect the entire list to change every month! This is honest, real-world stuff, and isn’t based on what’s new or what was in the latest press release!

Jumplist:

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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Hardware 2.0 'Very Best Kit List' for September 2011
opcom 8th Sep
@Aerowind no reason, just make sure it has the "native resolution" of the graphics mode you intend to run. (i.e. 1920x1080 or whatever)
So...question: Is there any reason why I shouldn't just go out and buy an HD Television instead of a monitor? I use my big screen at home when I want to play certain games or watch videos, but what are the downsides for getting one as a dedicated monitor?

On another note...did anything actually change on this list? I realize hardware doesn't exactly change monthly, but I was just wondering.
@Aerowind Looks like he finally did away with OCZ ram. Sucks too because they were kings in the RAM game and they had to stop. Still with the 3000$ SSDs though?
@Bates_ I'd opt for his second choice on the high end to be honest. That Kingston HyperX looks really sexy.
@Aerowind no reason, just make sure it has the "native resolution" of the graphics mode you intend to run. (i.e. 1920x1080 or whatever)
Still no mention of the i5-2500k? Far better value than the 2600k unless you actually need hyperthreading.
Pure Awesomeness!!

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