Our version of the ultimate gaming PC this year will differ from the mammoth models usually thrown about. Oh it will be powerful, but what it won't be is garish. Power and performance came first and foremost in our quest to build the ultimate frame rate cruncher, but form factor had to be taken into consideration as well. What we had hoped to achieve was to build a gaming PC that would make both the hardcore gamer and enthusiast proud, all the while keeping it quiet and keeping it light. The modern gamer is no longer the socially dead, sunlight deprived nerd permanently holed up in the basement. He is a socialite, frequently attending LAN parties and getting involved in the burgeoning gaming scene.
As with any PC that bears the words 'Ultimate' and 'Gaming' in its title, you can be sure that it involves some of the most high-end components to be found today. What we call the recipe for awesomeness is a pinch of Pentium D, a dash of Intel 975X Express, a large spoonful of ATI Radeon X1800 XT, two slices of DDR2-1000 and a dollop of Creative X-Fi. Of course, it doesn't end there, but we think you get the idea. Be warned that this is not a PC for the average Joe as it comes fast, powerful and expensive. If you aren't as hardcore as you claim yourself to be, you might never find your jaw again.


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Sony DRU-810A SRP: US$61
When released, the Sony DRU-810A boasted some of the fastest read and write specifications available for a dual-layer DVD writer. The DRU-810A is still a highly regarded recorder in its own right, but the most distinctive feature that won it a spot in our gaming rig was Sony's excellent design.
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