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Cast Your Vote on the Best System Config Summer 2011

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Hit the polls to select the best config champion!

Tom's Hardware readers know that we quite often specially select computer components to put together the best rig possible. Those efforts are typically found in our System Builder Marathon series, which pits three of our writers against each other as they seek the best value at any given price point.

Not only do our system building guides provide guidance to those looking to make their own computers, but also they're teaching tools and case studies for those who are looking to customize their own builds to their individual needs and budget.

Of course, you guys have your own ideas of what you'd do in the shoes of Thomas, Don, or Paul, so we want to give you the opportunity to share the spotlight. Over the past month or so, we've collected popular builds from our Systems Forum, posted by our fabulous community. Our editors picked their three favorites in each category, and now you get to choose the setup you'd recommend to friends and family in each category.

Click through to the links below to hit the polls!


Voting closes on August 10, 2011. Thanks for participating!

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Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
12 Comments Comment from the forums
  • wolfram23
    Awesomesauce! Mine's in the Intel High End PC build!
    Reply
  • mw__happycamper
    I can't understand why we need separate categories for Intel and AMD rigs. Just list the single best system.
    Reply
  • maxiim
    mw__happycamperI can't understand why we need separate categories for Intel and AMD rigs. Just list the single best system.
    Because of fan bois
    Reply
  • oh noes! I'm losing! ;(
    Oh well :P.
    I forgot about this... should've changed the graphics card. IMO my build would've been great if it hadn't been the graphics card. :P.
    Reply
  • slabbo
    is it just me or is the high end builds kinda pointless. If you put a price limit on it, it's not high end. Also just get the most expensive parts and voila high end system!
    Reply
  • slabbo
    I just looked at the Home Theater PC's what a joke! if you're doing home theater you better get huge HDD IMO to store as many Movies as you can directly on the HDD and for DVR purposes. 3 terabytes at least, but aim for 5TB. and where's llano?
    Reply
  • schmich
    maxiimBecause of fan boisDoesn't have to be fanboys. I love Intel and AMD but go AMD since it doesn't make a difference which brand I go as a consumer.* Going both route is pretty much the same for me BUT it makes a huge difference to the market if a lot more people chose the underdog.

    *Actually often cheaper with AMD since you often don't have to rebuy a new motherboard and/or new ram
    Reply
  • clonazepam
    internet fart... double post...
    Reply
  • clonazepam
    AMD should lease the term "It Just Works" from... not going to say lol ;-)
    Reply
  • palladin9479
    slabboI just looked at the Home Theater PC's what a joke! if you're doing home theater you better get huge HDD IMO to store as many Movies as you can directly on the HDD and for DVR purposes. 3 terabytes at least, but aim for 5TB. and where's llano?
    Umm no. If your doing a HTPC then you should have a file server / NAS solution as a central file storage. The HTPC will just access and stream the files over your local network, 100Mbps is enough but 1Gbps will allow for more headroom for other tasks while watching a movie.

    I'm personally using a WDTV live which streams off my home server and I can stream HD movies to my home theater system. Now if your using your HTPC as a DVR then you should have some form of large local storage for holding the recordings until you can transfer them to the central storage.
    Reply