Find out how you, a gamer of limited resources, can recreate the next-generation feel with a PC that will deliver next-generation performance at a fraction of the price you might be expecting to pay.
Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 stand at the forefront of what console manufacturers are calling next-generation gaming but is there a PC out there that can match either of these beasts in gaming performance? MegaGames recommends some PC setups that promise frame rates at a price that will keep you fragging for years to come.
It's next-generation time again and as is customary when new consoles launch, PC gamers are pushed into a corner, bullied and intimidated by the over the top claims of the giant PR machines of the console manufacturers. Suddenly the trusty, reliable gaming PC you had so lovingly set-up is no longer adequate for any game worthy of the description of next-generation entertainment.
For most seasoned gamers, the idea that a console can take parts manufactured by the same companies that produce PC components and claim to produce a superior end result, defies all logic. Console manufacturers rely on dedication since their machines claim to be designed in such a way as to harness every last drop of gaming power that can be provided by their systems. As console makers have become addicted to the smell of sweet consumer cash however, their projects have grown more ambitious and consoles are fast becoming black box computers offering many functions that are controlled by the content provider. The moment consoles are turned into a cable box they lose any advantage they hold over personal computers and that's when a good PC can match a brand new console.
The current next-gen systems have emphasized the importance of multiple processors not because Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo R&D departments have spent years examining the effects of multiple processors on gaming but because that is the general direction that the industry is taking. These processors are already surfacing for consumer PCs and the graphics parts that feature in consoles, or their performance equivalent, will soon be available for PC gamers. No, believe it or not the main difference between a brand new console and a gaming PC, come holiday season, will not be performance in games but pricing. Buying a PC that can perform as well as an Xbox 360 in gaming can quickly turn into a nightmarish and very expensive experience for the uninitiated and the end result may not perform quite as well as expected.
So what are PC gamers to do? Should they admit defeat and be lured by the subscription infested promises of the dark side? Should we simply lay our WSAD left hands by our side and rest our repetitively strained mouse shoulders? Fear not hapless PC gamer, MegaGames is on your side and together we can take on the might of the dark forces of gaming that are trying to use the promise of exclusive titles, multi-million dollar budgets and wireless controllers to lure you in.
Have you ever wondered if there exists, out there, a PC setup that can match the expected performance of a next-generation console but still not require the sale of a kidney? In an unprecedented effort, MegaGames has used its numerous resources to sift through the vast range of gaming PCs and has put together a list of the five best options available to gamers. This list has been compiled for gamers wishing to recreate that next-generation feel without having to pawn their least favorite sibling in order to do so. The systems have been chosen based on five basic criteria which, in order of importance, are: gaming performance, value-for-money, longevity, stability and availability. So no crying if you don't see your favorite graphics company or processor manufacturer featured. We have skipped the X1800 XT, for example, since it is still not available and if it was its performance, when a NASA cooling engineer is not readily available, is still not better than 2x 7800 GTXs in an SLI setup.
Another example is the way we have avoided most overclocked, super-cooled systems since these contradict two of our five criteria by being more expensive and having decreased longevity. On the other hand we have accepted custom enhancements on standard PC parts if they are covered by a warranty of decent duration.
These systems represent the best alternative for gamers happy with the content and flexibility offered by a PC who do not wish to become what one developer has so elegantly termed …console bitches. MegaGames has rated each system based on a value-for-bang delivered formula and the more value-4-bang stars each system gets the better the performance-per-dollar that you get.
We have also taken care of our European readers and systems available in Europe are rated differently since PCs tend to be more expensive there.
All systems listed in this feature are available to U.S. or European gamers while all prices are listed in U.S. dollars and are valid today and exclude delivery fees. The countries where the systems are available and the price for each country will be clearly stated for each PC.
If any of you own one of the systems mentioned in this feature or a system by one of the manufacturers listed, please use the comments section to let other MegaGames users know of how your PC is performing.
As with the purchase of any PC the best advice we can give is: caveat emptor.
To most PC gamers Alienware computers require no introduction. One of the first companies to attempt the creation of a mainstream gaming PC, Alienware has helped the gaming cause by making high-performance rigs better known to the general public. Many complain that you also pay for the extensive advertising and the Alienware name but the company does manage to keep fairly competitive prices. The rating and comments below concern Alienware's Aurora 7500 range.
Alienware offers the cheapest system in this comparison feature in both continents but loses out over some complaints mentioned below…
Another common complaint is that some of the PCs components may not be up to the quality of the rest of the setup, issues with RAM, inefficient cooling, case light bulbs etc. are often discussed in various forums. Recently a great number of users have also complained about customer services but the company seems to have reacted well to these complaints and it is claimed that it has addressed these issues, including the pricing.
The hardware listed below suggests that the Alienware Aurora 7500 can deliver exceptional gaming performance at a reasonable price. Alienware is available in the U.S. and Europe and the differences in specifications and pricing are available from the table below.
Dell's entry into the performance market for PCs has been delayed by a series of deals which saw the company stuck with certain products. Free from most of these hung-ups, the company has produced a rather decent effort aimed at gamers which is still however, hampered by the lack of flexibility of corporate deals.
Dell offers a decent option which ultimately pays the price for the lack of an AMD processor version
Dell's XPS 600 offering comes with a few and exciting extras including a bundled 19" TFT screen. Initially gamers had issues with the 24" screens bundled with the XPS 600 since they failed to perform well with the SLI setup.
One of the main concerns with the XPS 600 is the lack of an AMD option since the Athlon 64 family is considered the most gamer-friendly processor range currently available. The Dell setup is the only one currently offering DDR 2 RAM as standard (it is using an Intel processor) which adds to the value for money, longevity and performance factors but the price remains a good deal greater than most other setups. The XPS 600 receives
We did not include a European version of the XPS 600 as the SLI dual graphics card option is not currently enabled.
Falcon is one of the few PC manufacturers that can claim they make a truly patriotic product. The MachV is advertised with the flag waving in all sorts of places and as we all know well; if it's American it must be a power hungry beast. The MachV comes with all the necessary components to be eligible for some form of a performance crown but the MegaGames crew is not that easily impressed, especially when the price of the PC is inexplicably high.
A good system at a bad price, the cases look sweet though
We enjoy our Corsair memory as much as the next guy and we appreciate the effort taken by the company to have the U.S. promoted in such a positive way but the price is way beyond any similar system. Performance however, is excellent and the MachV is guaranteed to compete well with any next-gen console.
MESH computers is a U.K. based company that has been around for almost 20 years and when they set up a flagship system they hold nothing back. The X-treme R8 comes with all the latest bells and whistles, including the latest in processor and, of course, SLI graphics.
The most expensive system (it is U.K. based though) the lack of customization is an issue for many gamers.
The specifications of the system are set by MESH and there is no customization option, although the company does offer a wide range of systems. This, in fact, means that the only gaming system suitable for this particular review of next-gen worthy computers, is the X-treme R8. The price of the R8 however, is not very competitive and offers little hope for U.K. and European gamers who always pay a higher price for PC hardware than their U.S. counterparts.
The MESH rig does have some redeeming qualities; it is the only system with 2GB of RAM and the available extras are gaming related and include some decent speakers and a games bundle with SC Pandora Tomorrow, Far Cry and CMR 04. The bundle also includes a Logitech vibrating feedback wheel and a Saitek Flight Control System (Joystick).
Even if the extras are enticing, the point of this review is to cut down on the unnecessary extras and to produce a worthwhile but decently priced PC and on those counts X-treme R8 does not perform as well as the other systems.
NXS is a U.K. based, recently formed, computer hardware company that promises to bring about change. The system chosen for the purposes of this review is the NX-5000 Jaguar. The Jaguar is a nimble cat and includes the latest and greatest in graphics (SLI), RAM (Corsair) and of course an Athlon 64 FX57 processor.
As with most U.K. systems the price may seem slightly excessive for U.S. buyers but the NX-5000 remains one of the better value-for-money options for European gamers.
A very good performer at a decent price (U.K. based). We like the fact that the warranty remains valid even if the case is opened.
The company offers a games bundle with the PC and the setup includes the high-quality JBL Creature II speakers. This is a computer that has been created with the gamer in mind and the hardware guarantees next-generation performance. NXS also offers valid warranty even if the case is opened which is a feature which should interest most gamers since upgrading is made safer.
Overdrive PC is a U.S. based company setup in 1999 with the intention to offer customized high-end gaming PCs. The company's flagship product is the Torque.SLI which is made up of the finest components, just like all the PCs in this feature.
Excellent performance at an extravagant price. The difference in performance with the other PCs does not justify the price difference. Still the only choice if money is no object.
The main difference of the Torque.SLI is the fact that Overdrive PC is offering the system with its HyperClocking technology. Hyperclocking means that the PCs real specs are: an AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 CPU running at 3GHz instead of the advertised 2.8GHz, the dual GeForce 7800 GTX GPUs up from a standard 430MHz to 505MHz, with the graphics memory clocked-up from 1.2GHz to 1.39GHz; and 1GB of DDR SDRAM running at 500MHz instead of the customary 400MHz.
Overclocking components poses a problem with any system since it usually means that liquid cooling needs to be utilized. Overdrive PC claims to be offering the Torque.SLI with conventional air cooling but there is nothing conventional about the sound generated by the multitude of fans used in the system. The manufacturers have made sure cables are placed neatly and out-of-the-way so as to allow for optimal air-flow within the case while the case is coated with insulating foam in order to minimize the noise that escapes the confines of the PCs case. The efforts of Overdrive PC to make overclocking commercial may be commendable but the result remains that the system is fairly noisy, while the basic one-year warranty is unacceptable for a system that is meant to work on the red line and one which comes at a premium price. Extending the warranty to 3 years will set you back USD 300.
Although Overdrive PCs Torque.SLI is the top performer of the systems mentioned, its huge price and the fact that the other systems are also provide high-end performance, means that the Torque.SLI loses out on value-for-performance to most of the other systems.
