Hardware 2.0 'Very Best Kit List' for Jan/Feb 2010
Welcome to the updated and revamped Hardware 2.0 "Very Best Kit List" for Jan/Feb 10. 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 buying, building or even upgrading a PC, this list is a must-read for you! This time around sees the addition of several new categories, such as netbooks, notebooks, and wireless routers. I've also added new products to some of the existing categories too.
Welcome to the updated and revamped Hardware 2.0 “Very Best Kit List” for Jan/Feb 2010. 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 buying, building or even upgrading a PC, this list is a must-read for you!
This time around sees the addition of several new categories, such as netbooks, notebooks, and wireless routers. I've also added new products to some of the existing categories too.
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: Each time I come out with a list of kit I always end up fielding a few emails and comments from people wondering if companies have "bought" space on the list. Let me tell you now that the only way for a product to get on this list is to be the best - period. Manufacturers, vendors and PR companies have zero influence over this or any other recommendation that I make.
Final note: All prices are approximate ... shop around for the best deals!
The Core i7 processors represents a new era in architecture for Intel. Gone is the LGA 775 socket, instead replaced by the larger Socket LGA 1366.
With the Core i7 Intel has also reintroduced Hyper-Threading, giving the desktop CPUs the power of eight virtual cores. You do need a motherboard that has X58 chipset support and DDR3 RAM, but if you're spending a thousand dollars on a processor, you need to be willing to spend elsewhere too!
Gone is the aging Q6600 from the list (one of the best CPUs Intel has ever made), replaced this time by the Q8400. This 45nm piece offers 2.66GHz of quad-core power for well under $200, making it an ideal part for those looking for good bang for the buck.
Note: AMD fans might like to take a look at the Phenom II X4 945, a 3.0GHz quad-core part that retails for under $170.
Price: $168
Note: You might also be interested in Intel's new Core i5 750 part, which retails for a shade under $200. This 2.66GHz part is a cut-down version of the Core i7 but still offers good value for money - but remember that this can't act as an upgrade CPU for LGA 775 motherboards.
Budget - Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 - Dual-core, 2.93GHz
The E7500 is an excellent CPU. It's a 2.93GHz part based on Intel's 45nm Wolfdale architecture. But that's not the reason I've chosen the E7500 for this package. I've chosen it because it is highly overclockable.
You can get this CPU up to 4GHz easily (Google is your friend) where it will run 100% stable. This puts an enormous amount of power at your disposal!
However, to get the most from the E7400, you'll need a motherboard that offers you plenty of overclocking potential. But don't worry, I've chosen one that's perfect for the job!
Price: $120
Honorable Mention: If you want to go quad-core on the cheap, AMD's Athlon II X4 630 2.8GHz could be for you. You should be able to pick one up for around $115.
Chances are that if you are putting down $1,000 for a CPU, you're after putting together a monster PC. Monster PCs need monster parts, and when it comes to motherboards, they don't get any more monster than this EVGA board.
The EVGA 170-BL-E762-A1 is the world's first 4-way SLI board which allows enthusiasts to configure multiple graphics cards in a variety of ways - 2-way SLI + PhysX, 3-way SLI + PhysX or 4-way SLI.
Excellent board! A dream board for high-end enthusiasts.
Price: $490
Honorable Mention: If you are looking for an Socket LGA 1156 for Core i7/i5 CPUs, an excellent choice is the EVGA P55 FTW 200 which retails for around $300.
Mid-range - ASUS P5Q Pro Turbo
Solid and reliable board. If you're not yet ready to jump aboard the Core i5/i7 wagon, this is an excellent choice.
Price: $130
Budget - BioStar TP45E
The TP45E a good all-round board that offers plenty of options in the way of USB, SATA, Ethernet and so on. It's also another example of a rock-solid board that shouldn't give you any problems in day to day usage.
Sure, it's not got the fancy bells and whistles of the other high-end boards, but it's still an excellent board.
8GB of high-performance DDR3 2200 RAM with loads of overclocking potential - what more could you ask for!
DDR3 rating - PC3-17600
Timing - 7-10-10-28-2N
Price: $380
Mid-range - OCZ Platinum PC2-8500 2x2GB
Fast, reliable RAM with plenty of over head. This replaces the Reaper HPC modules that were previously on the list which had weird heatspreaders on them that made them tricky to fit in some systems.
DDR2 rating - PC2-8500
Freq - 1,066MHz
Timing - 5-5-5-18
Price: $65
Budget - Corsair 2X2048-6400 2x2GB
Solid product with a decent backing. Also offers some overclocking potential. Great value for the price.
Finally, ATI/AMD has grabbed the top spot away from NVIDIA, first with the Radeon HD 5850 and now with the amazing Radeon HD 5870 series.
The new HD 5870 cards represent a new era for GPUs by not only being the pinnacle in terms of power and performance, but also in supporting Microaoft's latest DirectX 11.
Yes, these cards are way more powerful than most people probably need, and there's hardly a game that can push them into a sweat, but they're still fantastic cards.
Price: around $400
Mid-range - ATI/AMD Radeon HD 5670
Can't spring for a Radeon HD 5870, but still want a graphics card that can pump out the pixels at a rate to keep the current game lineup running smoothly? You need the Radeon HD 5670. This is a wonderful card which redefines the sweet spot when it comes to price.
What’s interesting about the HD 5670 is that it is, as far as most gamers are concerned, the highest-end graphics card they need. Why? Because if you are playing your favorite games (Crysis, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, Call of Duty 5 …) at screen resolutions of no more than 1600×1200 or 1920×1200 (or the equivalent in wide-screen) you can get all the gaming power you need for around $110!
There’s no doubt that solid-state SATA hard drives (SSDs) are the future. You get fast transfer speeds, improved battery life on notebooks, and quicker boot times. The only downsides - cost per gigabyte.
Also worth remembering is that these drives are 2.5? form-factor, so you need to take that into account if fitting them into desktop systems.
The Intel X-25E Extreme offers read speeds of up to 250MB/s and write speeds up to 170MB/s, making this one super-fast drive.
Price: 32GB, $360 | 64GB, $780
Extreme - High-speed - Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB
The Western Digital Raptor/RaptorX has given way to a new hard drive - the VelociRaptor.
I'll be honest with you that the Velociraptor isn't as thrilling as the Raptor was, and it's not so easy to actually see the performance gains you are getting, but they are there. If you want the fastest drive going in your PC, you need the VelociRaptor.
Price: $199
Extreme - High-capacity - Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EADS 2TB
Want the largest capacity SATA drive going? then you want the Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EADS 2TB drive. Yes, you read that right - 2.0TB!
Not only is this drive fast, it also sips power as opposed to gulping it. This means that you save money and have less heat to deal with in your system. Sweet!
Price: $170
Mid-range - Samsung Spinpoint HD502IJ 500GB
Good drive at a fantastic price. Ideal for those looking for a second drive.
Price: $50
Budget - Western Digital Caviar Blue WD1600AAJB 160GB
Great starting point. Can't go wrong with this drive at the price it's going for now.
An absolutely stunning card for the audio enthusiast. Lots of tweaking and customization options.
Price: $200
Mid-range - Creative X-FI Xtreme Gamer
Great mid-range sound card.
Price: $80
Budget - Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE
If you motherboard doesn't feature sound then this will rectify that. However, if your motherboard has onboard sound then you'll be just fine with that.
A high-end system is going to need a high-end PSU, and they don’t come much better than the Enermax Galaxy EGX1250EWT. This is capable of delivering 1.25KW of power in a stable way but without the noise associated with other PSUs. Sure, you need your own personal fusion generator but it’s worth it for the bragging rights.
The Galaxy EGX1250EWT has a whopping five 30A 12V power rails, which allow you to build a stable system. Oh, and the modular cabling system means less cable mess. Oh, and it’s also 80% efficient, so it doesn’t harm the sky … much.
Note: Do people really need a 1KW+ PSU? I doubt that many do, but there’s no doubt that these high-output PSUs are popular among performance enthusiasts, hence my reason for including one.
Price: $350
Mid-range - Antec EarthWatts 500W
Nice mid-range PSU. Efficient, reliable and provides ample power.
Look Out! Now that the new Intel Core i5 processors are out, you'll see plenty of Socket LGA 1156 compatible coolers hitting the shelves!
Extreme - Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme 1366
I just love this cooler.
It's highly efficient at cooling pretty much any CPU you can throw at it (including the monster Core i7 965), it's quiet, it's low-profile so it doesn't look like you've jammed a car radiator inside your PC, and it's also cheap enough that it won't break the bank (if you're spending $1,000 on a CPU, less than $100 on a cooler is peanuts).
One of the best liquid CPU coolers (best in terms of price, performance, ease of use, quietness and reliability) is the Cooler Master RL-EUL-GBU1-GP Aquagate S1.
This system’s not elaborate and you don’t get enough radiators to heat your house, but for approximately $80 you get everything you need to cool most CPUs down, even if you overclock them.
Price: $75
Budget - Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
What can I say about this cooler other than it’s quieter than the Intel stock cooler and a heck of a lot more efficient. It’s also easy to fit and remove and tends to fit well into cramped motherboards. No matter what other air cooler I look at, I always come back to this one. It’s also pretty cheap.
One of the best air cooler available ... certainly the best for the price!
Extreme - Cooler Master RC-1100 Cosmos S ATX Full-Tower Case
High-end cases don’t get any better than the Cooler Master RC-1100 Cosmos S. Externally, the beautiful yet robust aluminum construction offers rigidity without too much of a weight penalty. Internally, the case offers bags of room - 7 exposed 5.25-inch drive bays, 4 hidden 3.5-inch bays (converted from three 5.25-inch bays), and 7 expansion slots. All bays are tool-free (and the good quality sort of tool-free, not the cheap and nasty variety).
The I/O panel offers four USB ports, IEEE1394 FireWire, eSATA, microphone, and audio.
If you're a professional looking for a monitor that you can trust in then look no further than the 30" MultiSync LCD3090WQXi from NEC.
This is a pro bit of kit aimed at the photographic, print production, graphic design and CAD/CAM industries, so expect a premium price! However, you do get a panel capable of stunningly flawless output.
Price: £2,050
Extreme - 30" - Dell UltraSharp 3008WFP
Monitors don’t come much better (or more expensive) than the Dell UltraSharp 3008WFP.
2560 x 1600 Native Resolution
3000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
TrueHD 1080 with an integrated HDMI connection
Seven connection options: VGA, DVI-D with HDCP, HDMI, S-Video, Component, Composite and DisplayPort
If you don’t have the desk space for a dual-panel setup then this might be the solution for you (of you want to spend $2K on a panel).
Price: $1,699 (with instant savings on Dell.com I've seen this as low as $1,409)
Mid-range - 22" - Samsung T220
The Samsung T220 is a nice panel that not only displays a really sweet image, it also looks good in any setting.
Display Type: Widescreen LCD
Pixel Pitch: 0.258 mm
Input Video Signal: DVI-D/VGA
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 20000:1
Brightness: 300 cd/m²
Response Time: 2 ms
Horizontal Viewing Angle: 170 degrees
Vertical Viewing Angle: 160 degrees
Maximum Resolution: 1680 x 1050
Price: $229
Budget - Acer V173
A very nice budget screen that supports 1280 x 1024.
Price: $129
Touchscreen - GVISION P15BX-AB-459G
A great way to add touchscreen capability to your PC without having to buy a new PC is to add a touchscreen monitor. Here is a 15-inch 1024 x 768 panel offering that could make an idea second screen.
Probably the best keyboard and mouse setup that you can find. The wireless keyboard has a traditional look but packs state-of-the-art technology. The in-the-air mouse is also the very best you can buy.
Price: $285
Mid-range - Logitech MX5500
The MX5500 is probably one a great all-round keyboard and mouse combo. Ideal for a home/office/gaming system.
The Samsung N510 is an excellent example of how netbooks have moved on. While the processor is still no powerhouse (an Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz) and the RAM is nothing spectacular (1GB), the NVIDIA ION LE graphics processor that not only gives the graphics a boost, but also helps the battery last longer.
Price: $599
Notebook: Acer Aspire AS 8730G
There's a heck of a lot that I like about the Acer Aspire AS 8730G. First, there's the massive 18.4" screen. OK, it's big if you want a machine to carry around with you all day, but the AS 8730G is no netbook. Powering this beast is an Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 running at 2.10GHz, 4GB or RAM and a 250GB hard disk.
But that's not all! Powering that 18.4" panel is an NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT GPU paired up with 1GB of RAM.
Not everyone needs an all-singing, all-dancing in-car GPS receiver (most would be happy with something like the TomTom ONE) but if you want the best, the GO 740 Live is the way to go.
Not only do you get flawless navigation, but you also get access to a whole raft of Live service (such as traffic and fuel prices), great portable media player that you can load your music and audio books onto for in-car fun.
King of the road!
Price: $399
Wireless Router - D-Link Xtreme N Duo (DIR-855)
Basically everything you could want from a router - reliable, robust, fast, easy to set up. Offers 802.11a/g and supports the draft 2 standard of 802.11n.
Ideal router for those streaming high amounts of data (such as HD video) over the air.
Price: $299
Printer - Canon PIXMA MX7600
Who wants a separate printer, fax, scanner and copier cluttering their office? Save space (and money) with an all-in-one printer system.
The Canon PIXMA MX7600 combines a 600 x 600 dpi monochrome printer with a 4800 x 1200 dpi color printer, a 4800 x 9600 dpi optical resolution scanner and a fax all in one package. You also get a handy Ethernet port for hooking it up to your network!
The Core i7 processors represents a new era in architecture for Intel. Gone is the LGA 775 socket, instead replaced by the larger Socket LGA 1366.
The Western Digital Raptor/RaptorX has given way to a new hard drive - the VelociRaptor.