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Hardware Suggestions for Your Gift List
By Ryan Parsons | None
Some suggestions to put you on the right track for the holidays..
Having problems figuring out how to setup your holiday
list for 2004? This is the fourth part in a series to help our readers create
a Christmas list worthy of respect. Our first part of the series covered
new movies that can be purchased in time for Christmas [READ
IT HERE], the second part included additional movies that weren't necessarily
new, but still a MUST OWN [READ IT HERE], the
third part dealt with must own video games for your console and computer
[READ IT HERE]. The fourth part will deal exclusively
with computer and console hardware. The hardware listed are not listed in
any particular order and are either for PC or console.
You can purchase any of the items from Amazon just by clicking on their
retail image. All of these items have been released, or will be out before
Christmas.
*Some of the Video Card descriptions taken from CompReviews
Show Off Your Hardware
P4 Processor LGA 550 3.4Ghz
The price on this powerful puppy just dropped.
However, to run LGA pentium processors you need a motherboard that
can support it.
With 3.4 solid Ghz of power, you can never go wrong.
Price: as low as $275.00
CanMag Rating:  
Hardware Type: PC Processor |
Intel D925XCVLK LGA P4 925CHIPSET DDR2 PCI-EXPRESS SND LAN
If you are going to have a sweet ass processor,
you got to have the board to run it on. While Intel may not offer
the fastest board on the market, its stability and ease of use really
causes this board to shine.
Be warned, this motherboard comes with the PCI-Express video slot.
This may mean you upgrade your video cards as well.
Price: as low as $198.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Motherboard |
NVIDIA GeForceFX 6800 Ultra
We got a few suggested video cards with the
6800 Ultra the first to be mentioned.
NVIDIA hard some hard times with the 5900 series graphics cards. Performance
wasn't what many expected and it had some techincal issues with its
size and heat. The new GeForce 6800 Ultra solves most of these problems.
It provides a huge leap in performance over the 5900 cards but at
a very high cost. Support for Pixel Shader 3.0 is built in for futre
support. It is available in AGP and PCI-Express versions. Finding
the Ultra based cards is very difficult due to their limited availability.
NVIDIA is known for having stable drivers and solid gameplay making
this card a great buy. The only thing that hurts the card is the price.
Price: as low as $560.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Video Card |
ATI Radeon X800 XT Platinum Edition
ATI has had a major boon in product sales
thanks to its Radeon 9700/9800 line of cards. The architecture was
reaching its limits so the new X800 series was released. The XT Platinum
Edition is the fastest of the line and offers superb performance for
DirectX and OpenGL games. The performance is on par with the GeForce
6800 and it jumps back and forth in most benchmarks. The card is available
in either AGP or PCI-Express versions.
This card is probably the fastest card on the market today. While it is on par with the 6800 Ultra, this can be expected to change
once ATI comes out with some better drivers for the card. ATI drivers are always the one issue that hurts ATI cards.
Price: as low as $530.00 and $490.00 for non-Platinum
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Video Card |
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT
While not as fast as the Ultra version
of the GeForce 6800, the GT version is much more affordable for the
consumer. It has all the same features as the 6800 including pixel
shader 3.0. Availability of the card is also much better. It comes
in both AGP and PCI-Express version. In fact, NVIDIA has announced
SLI support for the PCI-Express version which means that future systems
that have two 16x PCI-E slots could double the performance with two
of these cards.
SLI can also be used on the 6800 Ultra. You have to purchase two cards
to enable it to work. So, twice the power for twice the price.
Price: as low as $380.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Video Card |
ATI Radeon X800 Pro
While not as fast as the Ultra version
of the GeForce 6800, the GT version is much more affordable for the
consumer. It has all the same features as the 6800 including pixel
shader 3.0. Availability of the card is also much better. It comes
in both AGP and PCI-Express version. In fact, NVIDIA has announced
SLI support for the PCI-Express version which means that future systems
that have two 16x PCI-E slots could double the performance with two
of these cards.
SLI can also be used on the 6800 Ultra. You have to purchase two cards
to enable it to work. So, twice the power for twice the price.
Price: as low as $450.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Video Card |
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Internal Sound Card
One of the last multimedia steps to up the
grade of your computer, quality sound.
Sound Blaster® Audigy 2 ZS delivers 24-bit ADVANCED HD™
audio quality playback with incredible 108dB SNR. It delivers the
highest resolution audio playback with support for DVD-Audio at 24-bit/192kHz
in stereo or 24-bit/96kHz in 5.1 surround in addition to industry
leading standards, like THX®-certification and Windows Media 9:
24-bit multi-channel audio format. The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS also
provides encompassing 7.1 surround sound for Dolby Digital® EX
as well as DTS-ES supported DVD movies, any DirectSound 3D games,
an improved Creative MediaSource Player and CMSS 3D virtualized 7.1
stereo music. Musicians will also enjoy true 24-bit recording and
low latency ASIO support for the ultimate audio recording platform.
Users have the most connectivity ever offered on a Sound Blaster®
card. Connect one or more guitars, a microphone or MIDI keyboard.
Record to or from a MiniDisc or DAT via the SPDIF or Optical connectors
or even connect to external AV amps or decoders. The dual high-speed
FireWire® connectors allow super-fast audio, video or data transfer
to external devices like digital audio Jukeboxes, DV camcorders, external
hard disks/CD-RWs and are located front and rear for maximum flexibility
when either permanently or temporarily connecting devices. The remote
control feature allows easy control of music and movie playback from
your armchair!
Price: as low as $80.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Sound Card |
ViewSonic P95F+B 19" CRT Monitor (P95F+B-2, Black)
You'll need a good monitor for playing your
favorite games. While it is nice to have a flat panel monitor, unless
you pay the high dollars, you will not get a screen that can refresh
at the rate required for positive gaming. However, there are great
CRT monitors for less than half the price of comparable LCD. The ViewSonic
P95F+B is no exception. I actually own this monitor and have never
had a problem with it. If you would rather have it in white, it is
the P95F+.
Price: as low as $240.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Sound Card |
Samsung SyncMaster 173P 17" LCD Monitor (Silver)
Now, I know there are those of you out there
that have to have a flat panel monitor. Well, the Samsung SyncMaster
173P offers a 700:1 contrast ratio that rivals most other LCD monitors.
This flat panel can support some solid game play. Of course, for a
price.
Price: as low as $570.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: PC Sound Card |
Microsoft XBox Console
If you do not have this console, go out and
buy it. Halo 2 alone should make this console worth any purchase.
Also, with the improvements in XBox Live, you will have to be pulled
away from your television set.
Price: as low as $130
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: Console System |
XBox Live Headset
A requirement for any true game. If you want
to be able to compete effectively online, and talk shit to fellow
players, you need to have a headset. The Xbox Live headset plugs directly
into your controller.
Price: as low as $15.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: Console Accessories |
MICROSOFT XBOX High Definition AV Pack
If you have a television that supports 1080i,
720p, 480p, you need this setup. It is amazing how much better the
DVD quality and game quality is through your xbox when you have it
output on progressive.
Price: as low as $20.00
CanMag Rating:
Hardwar Type: Console Accessories |
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