PC Buying Guide The Entry-Level Rig

The Entry-Level Rig

• Good performance • Fast for everyday computing • Casual gaming

Having an extra $300 to spend opens many avenues unavailable to the Budget Box. This computer would be an excellent companion for running general applications and should make quick work of most games, including the more demanding titles.

Chances are, the components you choose will be from this system or our Enthusiast's PC.

Component	Product	Price
Motherboard	ASRock H67M	$95
Processor	Intel Core i5 2400	$195
Memory	2x2GB G.Skill DDR3 1333MHz	$40
Graphics	AMD Radeon HD 5770	$120
Sound	Integrated	$0
Storage	Western Digital Caviar Black 750GB	$70
Optical	Lite-On iHAS124-04	$20
Power	Antec Neo Eco 520C	$60
Case	Cooler Master HAF 912	$60
Monitor	Acer G235HAbd 23"	$150
Speakers	Cyber Acoustics CA-3602	$40
Peripherals	Logitech MX518 + Lite-On Standard Wired	$35 + $7
	Core System Total	$660
	Core System + Monitor and Peripherals	$892

Motherboard, Processor, Memory

At $195, the quad-core Core i5 2400 is a little pricier than we'd usually pick for our Entry Level Rig, but given the impressive performance of Intel's latest processor architecture, it's hard to recommend investing in anything else. The quad-core Core i5 2400 is placed just below the $225 Core i5 2500K (it runs 200MHz slower and loses the unlocked multiplier), but it offers superior performance to the Core i5 750 ($200) and makes for a respectable entry-level enthusiast processor.

If you intend to overclock heavily, we would strongly suggest upgrading to the i5 2500K and the P67-based motherboard suggested in our Enthusiast's PC.

Cougar Point-based motherboards are readily available again after Intel's chipset recall, and ASRock seems to be driving a hard bargain with its $95 H67M. The mATX board features one PCIe 2.0 x16 slot, two PCIe x1 slots, SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 ports, as well as D-Sub, DVI and HDMI outputs in case you decide to use the Core i5- 2400's graphics core -- something that isn't possible with P67 boards.

Graphics, Sound

It's a great time to build a new gaming rig. With heavyweights like the GeForce GTX 460 now crowding the sub-$200 market, AMD's Radeon HD 5770 is more affordable than ever at $120 (or as low as $100 with a rebate). In fact, the GTX 460 (768MB) itself is readily available in the $130-$140 range if you're willing to gamble on a MIR. Both cards are fully capable of delivering solid frames with high quality game settings.

Opinions vary when it comes to the necessity of a dedicated sound card. While integrated solutions were less viable for serious computing setups a decade ago, in our opinion they're absolutely fine for entry-level or even mid-range usage these days. If you're of the opposing mindset, by all means buy an add-on card if you have $100 to burn. If you're going to invest in a sound card, you might as well go the full mile and get a Creative SB X-Fi XtremeGamer, Asus Xonar DX, orHT Omega Striker.

Storage

Building a new rig in the $800 range is a bit of a bummer because there's simply no wiggle room for a solid-state drive. However, if you have about $130 to spend on storage you'll be within the range of Seagate's 500GB Momentus XT hybrid drive. Granted, it's not as quick as a full-fledged flash drive, but it performs like a quieter, less power-hungry VelociRaptor (Western Digital's 10,000RPM drives). At only $50 more expensive than our chosen 750GB drive, it's a luxury well within reach of the average user and we recommend you make the jump if at all feasible.

Power, Case

You're probably thinking Atec's Neo Eco 520W power supply isn't up to snuff for a new gaming rig. If that's the case, we invite you to take a look at some of our recent GPU reviews which show system power consumption rates. Our X58-based Core i7 965 Extreme Edition and Radeon HD 5670-packing test system pulled about 154W at idle and 243W at maximum load. If you need a little more proof, electricity load meters start at about $20. The Neo Eco 500C offers solid Seasonic internals, 40A on the +12V rail, long, flexible cables and a three-year warranty.

The Cooler Master HAF 912 comes with two 120mm fans, one for intake and another for exhaust, and supports up to three additional blowers. Like its pricier siblings, the HAF 912 has plenty of room for high-end components and touts many of the same quality features. Highlights include a top-notch cable routing, a CPU retaining hole, removable dust filters, and liquid cooling outlets -- not to mention the same aggressive design, which we happen to be rather fond of.

Monitor, Speakers, Peripherals

There are tons of monitors on the market suitable for the Entry-Level Rig, but making the right choice simply boils down to your budget and taste. We firmly believe that a 24" display is worth the money and will provide a better experience than something in the 20 to 22" range, especially if you're considering high resolutions. At $150 it's easy to understand why 21.5" 1080p displays are so appealing, but the fact is, unless you're sitting right on top of the screen or have spectacular vision, the small text is just too difficult to read. That said, we understand the value of such displays, and if you know it's going to suit your needs, don't let us scare you off.

If you're super strapped for cash, Acer's 21.5" G215HAbd is about the best you're going to do for $130 considering that it has built-in speakers. Another $40 will bump you up to the 23" range, which includes various products by Asus and Acer. Unless you're going to make the jump to an IPS panel, most of the budget-oriented 24" TN screens are of a similar quality. In other words, it's safe to buy one of the cheaper options, which also happen to be from Asus and Acer.

As convenient as it may seem to have speakers built into your monitor, it's one of those things that is just too good to be true. In most instances, integrated speakers are barely a step above not having any sound at all. Budget 2.1 setups from reputable companies such as Logitech, Altec Lansing and Cyber Acoustics can be found at $20 to $40 and some of the more popular models include the S120, VS2621, and our recommendation, the CA-3602.

If this system will be used for any serious gaming, a mouse that ships with cheaper combo sets won't cut it. The Logitech MX518 is a solid gaming mouse that has been around for a while and at less than $40 it's among the cheapest options. If you need a more affordable alternative, Gigabyte offers a basic gaming mouse for about half the cost and Microsoft hasone in the $30 range, too.

We recently published a round-up review of 12 popular gaming mice if you're looking for a more in-depth look at what's available. The keyboard is a less crucial element for some and a no-frills model from Lite-On that goes for a mere $7 seems to be keeping a lot of people happy. If you are more picky about keyboards (and some of us TS staffers definitely are) check out the Enthusiast PC for other choices.