Presenting The BestConfigs Poll Results
Every quarter, three of our editors (Paul Henningssen, Thomas Soderstrom, and Don Woligroski) build systems at certain price points in our System Builder Marathon. But what about the systems you configure?
Enter BestConfigs.
Over the past several years, we’ve periodically asked the community of readers on Tom's Hardware's forums to submit their own favorite builds for various intended usages. The ten current BestConfigs are:
- AMD-Based Office PC @ $500
- Intel-Based Office PC @ $500
- Home Theatre PC @ $700
- NAS PC @ $1000
- Budget AMD-Based Gaming PC @ $1000
- Budget Intel-Based Gaming PC @ $1000
- Micro ATX Gaming PC @ $1200
- High-End AMD-Based Gaming PC @ $2000
- High-End Intel-Based Gaming PC @ $2000
- High-End Workstation @ $4000
Each build must include every component needed for a complete system (processor, motherboard, memory, storage, power supply, and enclosure). Optional components like coolers, discrete graphics, SSDs, and optical drives are also included in a number of setups, though peripherals like monitors, keyboards, and mice are not.
Builds are submitted for consideration by our forum members. The community then votes on their favorites and narrows the field to configurations showcased here. From start to finish, these setups are the product of our readers, and we’re happy to shine a spotlight on your favorite picks.
Note that prices and availability may have changed since these builds were originally configured. Current prices can be found on the BestConfigs shopping pages.
With that out of the way, let’s check out this quarter’s winners. First we’ll take care of business with a couple of low-cost office PCs. Then we’ll kick back in the living room with an HTPC and NAS-oriented PC. Then it’s time to game with a duo of budget-minded gaming builds, a well-equipped mATX rig, and a pair of high-end gaming PCs. Topping it all off is the most exorbitant build of all, a professional workstation with a price ceiling of four grand!
