Holiday Buyers' Guide 2006, Part 1: PC Components

[pschmid]

Are you ready for the Christmas buying season? Don't worry if you aren't yet, because THG is, and we've compiled a nice list of product recommendations to make your shopping life easier!

 

[13thmonkey]

it is getting very tiring having links that we in the UK (and I imagine the rest of europe) cannot see until 6-8 hours after they are posted, sometimes even the next day...

Any chance you can resolve this, you appear to have fixed the .com.com thing though..

 

[rodney_ws]

it is getting very tiring having links that we in the UK (and I imagine the rest of europe) cannot see until 6-8 hours after they are posted, sometimes even the next day...

Any chance you can resolve this, you appear to have fixed the .com.com thing though..

Why couldn't you access that link?

 

[13thmonkey]

404 error.

It seems that it re-directs me to the UK version, but they have yet to post it. There's no URL that I can modify... so I can't read it, happens with about 60-70% of new stories, and most of the links posted in forumz by the staff.

They must update overnight or something, even now I still can't access it.

 

[torque79]

It would seem the staff at THG think our families all have unlimited Christmas shopping money. How about also mentioning budget products? I'm a gamer, and would NEVER spend the extra money for RAM with good timing. I have seen systems with similar specs, one with generic and the other with good Corsair RAM, and could not see a difference in how the game played in the slightest (HL2, BF2142).

how about a cheap motherboard too? I doubt most of us will use 8 SATA ports or need on-board digital audio ports (why would you buy a $200US motherboard and not buy a good sound card??). My current motherboard is an Asus, and cost $80 canadian.

The idea of buying a dual or quad core processor before software exists which really utilizes it is backwards. By the time the software is mainstream which supports it, you'll then have a SLOW dual-core processor, because there will be faster ones available. When all the games you want support multicores, THEN buy the hardware to take advantage of it. You'll pay less for the same processor, or buy a faster one for the same price, and are using its full potential immediately.

is it just me? am I the only gamer and enthusiast on a budget?

 

[RyanMicah]

We're American, it's just you. LOL!!! J/K man. I hear your healthcare is crap, but at least you get some. I'll be passing on my next 60 years of upgrades so I can afford to die of a cancer in a hospital. Right now I'm paying for all the smokers to die...

Yes, best DDR and DDR2 budget ram would be a GREAT article.

 

[pschmid]

We will have another article that deals with more affordable items as well as another one with more expensive stuff

So how did you like Sarah?

 

[torque79]

well, I am paying for my healthcare, it's just coming out of my taxes. Part of the problem is, a lot of people take advantage and visit hospitals for scraped knees and headcolds. Now that wait times in the emergency room are frequently 6hrs + though, that seems to be less of an issue, we're just having a hard time keeping doctors from moving south of the border for more salary.

How stupid of us not to mention Sarah yet. What a wonderful choice, she's doing a great job! Keep it up Sarah! I love that semi-sitting pose, very nice product display.

happy to hear about more articles coming with different focus considered. very good idea.

 

[BlueStone]

Nice timing, I was just shopping around for hardware....

BTW Sarah is super hot dude, any chance you will be posting her number soon?

 

[MadHacker]

Nice timing, I was just shopping around for hardware....

BTW Sarah is super hot dude, any chance you will be posting her number soon?

there was hardware too?
I just saw the chick...

 

[zarooch]

do u get the chick too if you buy all that stuff?

 

[Track]

This is guide is stupid.
How can they recommand the Athlon 64 X2 4200+ when u can get the E6300 and overclock it to an X6800??

Obviously Core 2 Duo is FAR more price/performance efficient.
Dont trust this guide.

 

[torque79]

take it easy. if they did not recommend a processor from each manufacturer, it might seem like faortism. Because they did, you are complaining? Although overclocking IS mentioned in the article, it should not be a consideration for recommending a product purchase, since many readers would not be overclockers.

If this was the "overclocker's holiday buyers' guide" I'd agree with you, but it's not.

At least the idea of overclocking WAS mentioned in the motherboard area. I cannot remember if it was elsewhere. I think the bases were covered rather well.

 

[Track]

take it easy. if they did not recommend a processor from each manufacturer, it might seem like faortism. Because they did, you are complaining? Although overclocking IS mentioned in the article, it should not be a consideration for recommending a product purchase, since many readers would not be overclockers.

If this was the "overclocker's holiday buyers' guide" I'd agree with you, but it's not.

At least the idea of overclocking WAS mentioned in the motherboard area. I cannot remember if it was elsewhere. I think the bases were covered rather well.

The E6300 is still better than any Athlon 64 X2, especially the 4200+.
And u cannot rule out overclocking, it is very important. It is what makes a 125$ CPU, an 800$ or more CPU, especially with the Core 2 Duo CPUs.

I doubt ppl would buy a dual-core CPU for gaming and not overclock.

And also, they are telling ppl to buy an X6800! That is crazy. The E6600 can overclock past 3.6Ghz and costs 1/3 of the X6800's price. The only reason to ever buy an X6800 is if u want a 4.0Ghz+ CPU wich wont get u much.

So yeh, that sucks. These "guides" seem to be just what these ppl read in the news.. they dont actually think or give an informed opinion from their personal experience.

 

[Coops07]

I'm not gunna lie, the parts I didn't really care about I just looked through to see the pics... The one where she's holding the MSI K9N... *drool* lol, i'm so mature 8)

 

[mforce2]

Sarah is so nice . If we start a fan club here on the forum will she join in ? :lol:
I don't know what you pay her for now and no offense to the guys but can't you get her in the Videos ? I saw Patrick Schmid in the latest and I'm sure he knows his hardware and all but Sarah should star in the next one.
I don't really have an opinion about the components , I was too distracted by the pics .
Keep that exploitation going .

 

[wiz83]

Seriously, that recommendation is a total nonsense.
Recommending Athlon X2 that is more expensive and being outperformed by E6300 which would overclock way more?
The C2Xtreme?

I don't know about whether those Abit and Foxconn mobo gonna do well, but Gigabyte and Asus have bene proven to be great motherboards for C2D, even better overclockers ... afterall it's 975 chipset ... the P965 express is an overall better overclocking ...

Meh, I recommend going through my guide, the link on my siggy, it's not the perfect/best around, but I personally think it's better.

 

[flasher702]

..but where do I buy elves?

Yeah, all those things were hella expensive. If I could afford to lay out that kind of $$$ I wouldn't wait until christmas to do it.

 

[jthorn]

I'm not gunna lie, the parts I didn't really care about I just looked through to see the pics... The one where she's holding the MSI K9N... *drool* lol, i'm so mature 8)

She is definately hot - i looked at every page ! Next week I will read the article Right now I am leaving work early to rush home to find the woman.

 

[Stevemeister]

Hardware Smardware - I forgot to even look at it with Sarah there - she is babalicious. Anyway keep it clean - this is a family forum

 

[SarahTGP]

HI EVERYONE. This is Sarah, the ....elf. I am also the Editorial Production Coordinator for all Tom's Hardware, Tom's Networking, MobilityGuru, DenGuru and TwitchGuru.

Thanks for all the compliments. I have to admit, this is the first time I've dressed up as an elf. I'm glad you're enjoying the Buyer's Guide (most of you, anyway). I'd be happy to comment back, and possibly make an appearance in a video sometime in the future.

 

[Aaron McKenna]

Tell them a little about yourself, Sarah. Like your pet pumpkin, Lady Di.

 

[SarahTGP]

Tell them a little about yourself, Sarah. Like your pet pumpkin, Lady Di.

Pft, as if. The only pets I have are my two cats. That's right, cats.
So, how about them spuds?

 

[BlueStone]

HI EVERYONE. This is Sarah, the ....elf. I am also the Editorial Production Coordinator for all Tom's Hardware, Tom's Networking, MobilityGuru, DenGuru and TwitchGuru.

Whaddaya know, a beauty with brains, just my type Now what was that number again?

Seriously though, you are very hot. Looking forward to that video soon.

 

[Aaron McKenna]

You leave my spuds alone, bully.