Introduction

As shown in System Buyers Guide: PCs for Under $800 you can now build a decent entry level PC for around $500 - including a true 1080p LCD monitor and the Vista Home Premium OS. If you already have a monitor and OS, or use one of the free operating systems like Ubuntu or another Linux variant, you can get your desktop system cost down to a bit over $300. We don't recall a time when so much power was available in the computer industry for so little money. Of course that $500 machine, while surprisingly capable for basic computer tasks, is certainly not the paragon for gaming, graphics, or raw computing power.

As you move up the price scale you gain in all of those parameters. We started to beef up those areas with systems costing closer to $800 in the last Entry System Buyers Guide. The next ladder rung is broadly defined as the midrange. Most of our readers are looking to buy in the midrange, which generally provides the most performance for the dollar, and computing solutions with some staying power in the market. We were ready to post our midrange recommendations early last week, but with significant new video card introductions scheduled for late last week the guide was delayed a few days. This made it possible to include the latest video offerings in our performance midrange systems.

The slow worldwide economy and fierce competition has had their impact on even the definition of midrange. Today we define our midrange guide as starting as low as $800 and extending up to around $1800, which gives a lot of flexibility in terms of choosing components. With generally declining prices and increasing value, the midrange also covers a wider area than in the past - just as we saw in the under $800 Entry segment.

New architectures have been introduced in the past few months, so the definition of high, mid, and entry have been shifting as the Intel Core i7 and Phenom II settle into our computing space. Several Core i7 X58 boards are now selling for around $200 or less, which allows a decent Core i7 build with the cheapest Core i7 CPU at around $1800. That represents the very top of the midrange price spectrum, and some would argue we should limit Core i7 to the high-end and limit midrange to perhaps a $1600 cap. That argument has merits; however, it is hard to ignore the Core i7 920 with a cost of less than $300 for an upper midrange recommendation. Similarly, Phenom II processors are priced from $125 to $225. Since Phenom II, built on 45nm, is faster and much more overclockable than other recent AMD processors, we how consider the Phenom II the CPU of choice for any midrange AMD system. Anything less is an entry AMD PC.

For today's midrange guide, we will put together two Intel systems and two AMD systems. The first value pair are targeted at a base system price of around $800, with a complete system price of around $1150. This means our complete system recommendations in the midrange are now some $350 less than the value systems detailed in our last midrange guide published just 3 months ago. These $1150 systems represent the best-bang-for-the buck in the midrange. The speed at which even the best value component prices are dropping is remarkable right now. Price drops are a given in the computer industry, but there are the first signs that "bad economy" reductions may be slowing or stopping, as a few of the component prices actually increased since the last guide.

The second pair of systems target midrange performance. At about $500 to $650 more than value midrange, these $1650 to $1800 complete systems invest that extra cost in performance improvements and upgraded peripherals. The midrange performance segment is built around a powerful Intel Core i7 CPU or the fastest Phenom II you can currently buy. Both are very high performance for the money - and high performance by almost any other measure.

Without the 26" monitors and OS, the performance midrange systems would cost around $1100 to $1250. This price spread is a result of the firm pricing for the Intel Core i7 and the release of greater value components in the last three months for Phenom II. It is not the result of DDR2 versus DDR3 as memory prices for 2 and 3 are getting closer. In fact, DDR3 memory prices have dropped significantly across the board since our last midrange guide.

These new midrange system recommendations also include the most recent introductions in the GPU or video card market. For performance midrange you will find AMD 4890 video cards. We would also include the NVIDIA GTX 275 as an equal recommendation, but you cannot yet buy a GTX 275. In the coming weeks, once those parts begin to show up, those who prefer NVIDIA over AMD can make such substitutions. For more details on our video card recommendations, you should take a closer look at our Video Card Buyer's Guide - Spring 2009 and the follow-up HD 4890/GTX 275 review.

Intel Value Midrange

Intel owns the very top in CPU performance with their Core i7, but the Phenom II has made AMD competitive through the upper midrange. That means that midrange is an area where you can now choose Intel or AMD based on the unique features of each platform or expansion capabilities, rather than one brand dominating performance. Since Phenom II is built on a 45nm process, even overclocking capabilities are now competitive with Intel with Phenom II.

The Intel value midrange system builds around a fast Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. For most applications and gaming a faster dual-core CPU is normally a better performance choice that a slower quad-core. CPU intensive applications like video manipulation do benefit from a quad-core CPU, which should be your choice if those applications are important to you. A few recent games are finally taking advantage of quad-core as well, but those are the exception rather than the rule.

The CPU choice is one of the fastest Core 2 Duo chips with 6MB of L2 cache on the market. The E8400 at 3.00GHz is just two steps below the fastest Core 2 E8600, which clocks at 3.33GHz. It also overclocks exceptionally well, reaching 4GHz and even higher with relative ease. Because of this OC ability, and the value goal of this system build, The E8400 has been matched with components that are also excellent choices for overclocking. The E8400 is plenty fast on its own, but if overclocking interests you this Intel setup will be ready for action - and ready to overclock to wherever your particular E8400 can go.

The big brother to the UD3R selected in our under $800 guide is the $135 Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P that has a similar feature set but adds a second x16 slot (in place of a PCI slot) for dual x8 CrossFire operation. You can currently save a few bucks with a $20 mail-in rebate. The board provides an excellent overclocking platform along with great stability. If the second x16 slot is not important to you, we suggest sticking with the UD3R. This P45 chipset motherboard has earned its reputation as a sterling overclocker, while also maintaining excellent stability. It is a good match to the selected Core 2 Duo E8400 or an alternate quad-core Q8200 (2.33GHz 2x3MB L2).

The stock Intel cooler is adequate for modestly overclocking a Core 2 Duo. Better cooling is needed to push the CPU to its capabilities, or if your CPU choice is an Intel quad-core you plan to overclock. The Xigmatek HDT-D1283 120mm Rifle Cooler did very well in our cooling tests and it is a good match to the E8500. OCZ also markets a similar 120 Rifle cooler and either should work well in this system.

For this value midrange system, faster memory with more overclocking head-room was chosen. With the current Corsair rebates some of their best memory is available at truly bargain prices. The choice for the Intel system is a Corsair 4GB DDR2-1066 (PC2-8500) kit. The Corsair Twin X kit specifies fast 5-5-5 timings at DDR2-1066, which is an impressive spec even if you never overclock. Value is good at the normal $59, but with the current $20 rebate the price is a very easy-on-the-budget $39.

Value Midrange Common Components

While AMD and Intel architectures differ in sockets and sometimes memory configurations, more is the same in the two systems than different. For that reason the Intel and AMD value midrange systems share a number of common components.

For video card best value we have paired the PowerColor AX4850 Radeon HD 4850 512MB with both the Intel and AMD systems. Our recent Video Card Buyer's Guide recommended the 4850 512MB as the best value in the $130 to $150 price range. With many vendors now offering rebates that yield a final price of $120, the 4850 is an excellent value. Architecturally the 4850 and 4870 are the same card, with the 4870 clocked higher. At lower resolutions the 4850 and 4870 perform about the same, making the 4850 a great match to our value midrange system, where price is a large concern. You will certainly be happy with the gaming capabilities of the 4850, especially when you consider bang-for-the-buck.

On the Intel system, the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P motherboard provides a second PCI x16 slot. Video performance can be improved even further by adding a second Radeon HD 4850 512MB in CrossFire mode. You can also start with the 4850X2, which combines two 4850s in a single slot for about $260. This is actually a bit higher than just buying two 4850 cards for CrossFire, but there are board real estate savings with both cards on a board in a single slot. You could also upgrade to the 4870 1GB for more power at higher resolutions with "eye candy" turned on. The 4870 1GB upgrade adds about $40, and the added memory can be useful for resolutions of 1920x1080 or higher. The motherboard choice for AMD is the Biostar TForce TA790GX3 A2+, which also provides multiple x16 slots for CrossFire, so the same video options apply to the AMD value system.

1TB hard drives are now a routine hard drive capacity. The 1TB drives are large, fast, and stable, so it was easy to recommend the Seagate Barracuda 1TB drive (1000GB) at $90. While the Seagate 1.5TB and early 1TB Seagate drive were plagued with problems upon release, the performance and reliability of this 1TB Seagate model has been excellent in our testing so far. For the price of around $90 the value is incredible. While there are differences between hard drives, outside of running benchmarks most people aren't likely to notice the difference in performance between Western Digital, Seagate, Samsung, Hitachi and other major brands. All are worthy of consideration if the price per gigabyte (or terabyte) is right.

We wanted the optical drive for our value system to have the ability to play Blu-ray disks. The flexible LG GGC-H20LK has the ability to read both Blu-ray and HD-DVD format disks. It also can burn DVDs at 16x speed in single or dual-layer formats. It cannot, however, burn 25GB/50GB Blu-ray disks. Adding the ability to burn BDs increases the cost to around $200 to $250. BD burners like the $200 LITE-ON SATA burner or the $230 LG GGW-H20LK 6X Blu-ray burner are good alternatives.

Cases are often very personal choices when it comes to features, and you may already have a favorite. If you don't you should look at the recommended Antec Three Hundred. The Three Hundred is a bottom-mount power supply design. Some love this configuration, others hate it, but it works well in the Three Hundred. It is definitely reasonable at the current $55 cost, but that does not mean it is a "cheap" case. It comes standard with a 120mm rear exhaust fan and a 140mm top fan, which both feature a 3-speed switch. There is also room to mount two additional front 120mm fans behind a washable dust filter, so you can effectively cool anything from a single hard drive to a large RAID array. Inside are a total of nine drive bays - six internal 3.5" drive bays and three 5.25" external. Front USB, headphone, and microphone jacks are also standard, and they are conveniently located at the top of the front panel. That makes them usable in the common "on the floor" setup. If you prefer a more traditional case configuration the Cooler Master Mystique, selling for $80, mounts the PSU on top, provides font panel jacks, and is also loaded with expansion ports and two 120mm fans.

The power supply for the value midrange systems is the winner of the recent 500W to 550W PSU roundup. The BFG Tech LS-550 grabbed our Gold Editors' Choice in the roundup for its great balance of performance and value. The BFG delivered good performance in every aspect, with tight voltage regulation and ripple well within specifications. Efficiency was through the roof, with 86% efficiency at 20% load. It also generated the highest maximum efficiency of 88% on 230VAC and 86% on 120VAC. With a good selection of connectors and reasonable cable lengths, the LS-550 is a great PSU for a value-oriented midrange system.

The last major component to discuss is the display, and here the tilt was toward best value at full 1080p HD (1920x1080) resolution. In our last guide we chose a "new class" of 16:9 21.5" LCD monitors that provide true 1080p resolution at the then break-through price of just $199. Three months later we can choose a larger Acer 23" (nominal 24") monitor for even less at $190. With the 21.5" now $180 and the same resolution available as a 23" for just $10 more the larger monitor is the better value. It is also worth mentioning that the Acer 23" is one of the few monitors in its class that comes with all three video cables. Yes, an HDMI cable is included in the Acer box.

The Logitech X-540 has been a perennial favorite of users as a reasonably priced, good-performing, powered 5.1 computer speaker system. At $80 it will certainly not challenge the performance of a separate Dolby amplifier powering audiophile speakers, but it will provide surprisingly good sound for the price. The Creative Inspire T6100 76W 5.1 Speaker system is a similar powered speaker system that is selling at about the same price as the X-540. The Creative speaker system is our choice in the AMD value midrange system, but either speaker system is a good choice for these value midrange builds.

These are clearly desktop systems, so the keyboard and optical mouse are the basic Microsoft OEM kit. If you have more specific needs or a favorite gaming mouse you likely know more exactly what you prefer. The Microsoft pair is very capable for most. For greatest compatibility we have chosen Microsoft Vista Home Premium OEM as the operating system. Unless you have specific networking and special enterprise security needs there is no real reason to pay extra for Vista Ultimate. One thing to note is that if you buy a full retail Ultimate DVD, you can get a discounted price on a second copy of Vista. We have selected the OEM "single install" version of Vista, in order to reduce costs.

AMD Value Midrange

The AMD value midrange system is built around the new Phenom II 720BE 2.8GHz triple-core CPU. The 720BE is a Black Edition processor, which means it has an unlocked multiplier and can be easily overclocked if you choose. The Phenom II offers better raw performance than the older AMD processors and much better overclocking. In fact, with prices as low as $125 for a Phenom II we can no longer recommend anything less than a Phenom II for a midrange AMD system. As has been stated many times at AnandTech, the Phenom II performance matches Intel performance through the midrange. Unless you are looking for a top-performing and top-priced Core i7 system, you can choose Intel or AMD based on price and features.

The Phenom II 720BE is one step up from the lowest priced Phenom II 710 CPU. The 710 is also an option at just $125, but the extra $20 for the 720BE buys you lot. For just $145 you get an unlocked multiplier, three cores each with 512KB of L2 cache, and the same 6MB L3 cache used in the X4 Phenom II processors. Rated speed is 2.8GHz, which basically makes this an unlocked 920 with a disabled core. In bench testing we easily reached 3.8GHz, about the same as the most expensive 940BE Phenom II, and you will only miss that fourth core in the few applications that actually take advantage of parallel processing. All in all the 720BE is a value buyers dream CPU.

To continue the value theme we have used the AMD stock retail HSF with the Phenom II 720BE. It is perfectly adequate for stock operation and modest overclocking, but if you plan to heavily overclock you should choose a heavy duty cooler like the Tuniq Tower 120. The Tuniq can move a lot of air and it is superb at dropping temperatures in ambitious overclocks. It has been on sale recently for as little as $45, but the best price we could find today was $54.

The Biostar TForce TA790GX A2+ motherboard is a perfect match for the Phenom II 720BE. Those looking to squeeze as much performance out of their money as possible will be very pleased with the Biostar. The board is loaded with overclocking features and it even features integrated AMD HD 3300 graphics with an HDMI/DVI interface and 1080P support. This means very decent performance using the onboard graphics if you need to save the cost of a video card, or upgrade to a video card at a later date. Biostar offers both AM2+ and AM3 CPU support for processors like the Phenom II 720BE when used with cheaper DDR2 memory. Biostar includes 128MB DDR2 sideport memory for improved GPU performance, Realtek ALC 888 HD Audio codec, Gigabit LAN, 16GB memory support, six 3Gb/s ports capable of RAID 0/1/10/5, 10 USB ports, two PCI-E x16 slots (dual x8 CF), two PCI-E x1 slots, and two PCI slots. The BIOS caters to the casual overclocker and this board performs very well in a variety of tests. Performance is similar to the 790FX, though our motherboard editor still recommends the older FX chipset when you are trying to squeeze the very last bit of performance from your Phenom II.

Memory could be the same Corsair choice as the Intel value midrange, but another potential 4GB kit is featured in the AMD system build. The 4GB Patriot Viper PVS24G8500ELKN provides solid DDR2-1066 performance at 5-5-5-15 timings at DDR2-1066. With the current $25 rebate the final price is just $39.

The rest of the component selections are shared between the Intel and AMD value midrange systems. You can find more information on these component choices on page 3, which details the common system components.

Comparing our $1150 systems, we find that performance is a tossup between the AMD and Intel systems. It has been a long time since we could say this about a midrange system, and it is very good for all of us that Phenom II is competitive with Intel midrange. However, just as AMD finally competes in 45nm midrange space Intel is ready to soon move to an even smaller die size. Still, no matter how long or short the parity, the Phenom II competition is good for all buyers.

With the prices of computer components generally trending down, both our AMD and Intel value midrange system builds give you room to grow. This gives you some room to customize some of the components to your liking - such as a keyboard or laser gaming mouse, updated graphics or an even larger monitor.

Intel Performance Midrange

In recent months we have said in CPU recommendations that Intel and AMD enjoyed parity in the price ranges and processor speeds where they compete. Of course, AMD did not compete at the top speeds. We normally added that Intel still enjoyed a significant overclocking advantage if that was an important feature for you. Things were shaken up quite a bit with the introduction of the new Intel Core i7 CPUs. Phenom did not compete nearly as well against the Core i7, but Phenom II is now leveling that playing field - in the low to upper midrange where Phenom II now has competing performance. In addition, the Phenom II 45nm finally removes the last real impediment to choosing AMD in the midrange as it overclocks very well indeed and gives Intel a run for the money - clock for clock.

All that said, for high-end performance the Intel Core i7 is still king. For that reason we stretched midrange a bit to build a system around the lowest priced Core i7 processor - the Intel 920 at $289. The reasoning was very simple. It was difficult to recommend another Intel system at anywhere close to the price point of the 920, and socket 1366 components have been dropping in price over the past three months. If you plan to spend over $1000 on a base Intel box, you should definitely consider a Core i7 920 system.

The i7 920 is the lowest priced Intel Core i7 you can currently buy. The other two choices are in the $600 to $1000 price range. Don't assume, however, that the 920 is not a powerful processor. The i7 920 is capable of reaching the performance levels of the top i7 CPUs, because it has also proven to be a dynamite overclocker for those who care about that, and that are also willing to provide decent cooling to the i7 920. You start with a processor that is 30% faster in some parameters than a Core 2 Quad, and then you find you can also overclock this 2.66GHz CPU to 3.8GHz to 4GHz with careful tweaking and better cooling. As shown in our Phenom II Launch review, the 920 reached as high as 3.8GHz at stock voltage and 4.0 GHz when overvolted to 1.35V. That is a 50% overclock. You will certainly be very happy with Core i7 base performance, but if you are interested in overclocking you will be ecstatic with this new CPU.

The Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R has the distinction of being one of the lowest priced X58 chipset motherboards you can currently buy. Others have joined that $200 +/- X58 club in recent months, but the Gigabyte still provides excellent value and is now selling with a rebate that reduces the price to $185. User reports and test results for the Gigabyte EX58-UD3R are very favorable, including great reports on overclocking. That is why this Gigabyte remains the motherboard choice for the performance midrange Intel system. Other good choices are the MSI X58 Pro LGA 1366 and the ASRock X58 Deluxe LGA 1366.

Unfortunately, the Core i7 CPU runs hot and eats lots of power. In fact, the stock Intel HSF is barely adequate for the CPU, which is a change in philosophy from lower Intel processors. For those reasons, we almost always recommend a third party CPU cooler for an i7 system - particularly if you plan to overclock at all. The cooler choice to mate with the Gigabyte X58 board is the Vigor Monsoon III LT at $56. This Monsoon is a standard vertical heat-pipe air cooler, with effective and quiet push-pull cooling. The Monsoon appears a good match to the OC capabilities of the i7 920. Another excellent option is the Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme with the 1366 mounting kit. You pay a bit more for the Thermalright cooler, but this top Core 2 cooler also works very well when paired with a Core i7.

If you refer to the recent ATI 4890/NVIDIA GTX 275 article, you will find these two cards are the new choices for the $250 price point. Since the ATI 4890 is actually for sale today (with a $20 rebate to boot) the ATI 4890 1GB is our video card choice at $230. As soon as the GTX 275 becomes available you could also choose that card if you prefer NVIDIA cards and/or drivers. Either card will do the job well at this price point, with the edge to the 4890 in the resolutions you will likely run paired to a monitor with 1920x1200 resolution or lower. If you have a 30" monitor, the GTX 275 will likely perform a bit better at those super high resolutions.

The OCZ triple-channel DDR3-1333 6GB memory kit provides excellent value in a 6GB kit. To be blunt, most of the 1333 6GB triple-channel kits use the same memory chips, although there are sometimes differences in the SPD chip on the DIMM. We chose the OCZ kit since it has the best price for a 6GB triple channel DDR3 kit from a known brand and the OCZ reputation for excellent warranty protection and technical support for your memory. In our last midrange guide a 6GB kit set you back $145, and the OCZ kit is now $91. DDR3 prices just continue to drop. You can select from a number of quality memory suppliers, but make sure to include their warranty and customer service reputation in your decision process.

The case receives a significant upgrade with the selection of the unique Thermaltake Spedo V190001N2Z full tower case. The Spedo impressed us in a recent build with tons of well-organized room for building and expansion. If you're building a Core i7 system that will likely be very important to you, as it was to us. The Thermaltake Spedo bottom mounts the power supply and provides plenty of internal storage. Cooling is provided by two rear 120mm fans and a top 140mm exhaust fan. You can add additional side, front, and under-board fans to meet the cooling needs of even the most complex installations. I/O jacks are on the top of the case toward the front, which is a convenient and easy-to-use location. There are even pre-drilled ports for water-cooling tubing. At $110 after rebate the Spedo is a terrific case value.

The power supply is the well-regarded Silverstone ST70F 700W PSU. It's SLI/CrossFire ready, 80 PLUS certified, with modular cables and active PFC. The Silverstone 700W has made almost everyone's top performance list for a PSU and it is a good buy at its regular selling price. At the current selling price of $100 it is an outstanding value. We also like the flexibility the modular cables provide, allowing custom cable selection and arrangement.

Most of our editors consider the onboard audio of most motherboards to be adequate for even gaming these days. That is why we have not chosen a sound card for the performance midrange system. If you want more than that offered by onboard surround sound, the ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 is one of the top-performing audio cards on the market today. It is a great upgrade to the onboard sound if you want better sound quality. Game compatibility is excellent, but most game creators assume everyone has a Creative Labs sound card. If your main reason for having a powerful i7 computer is gaming, you may prefer the Creative 7.1 Sound Blaster X-FI Titanium at the same price. In our opinion the sound quality is batter on the ASUS or an HT sound card, but compatibility will never be a question with a Creative Labs sound card. We also upgraded to the Logitech G51 155W RMS 5.1 surround sound speakers. The Logitech rebate has ended, so the price is now $135 or so. They are still a decent value at that price.

The LCD display resolution is still the 1920 horizontal of the 1080p HD midrange value system, but the 26" displays run at a 16:10 aspect ratio and WUXGA (1920x1200). Regardless of the minor resolution differences, the size of the monitor is now 26", so everything on the screen is a little larger - great if your vision isn't the best. The ASUS VW266H Black 25.5" HDMI Widescreen provides the preferred HDMI input, as well as DVI and an analog VGA port. Panel speed is rated at an incredible 2ms, but we have found most current LCD panels perform similarly and the speed rating does not really guarantee very much. The ASUS monitor provides a large sharp image, good colors, and fast panel speed at a very good price of $320 after rebate. It comes with DVI and VGA cables, but if you plan to connect with HDMI you will need to buy a separate HDMI cable. The ASUS is also available with a rotatable 2MB webcam attached for just $20 more.

The remaining components are the same as our value systems. The hard drive remains a 1TB Seagate and the optical drive is the LG BD-ROM. The Microsoft OEM keyboard and optical mouse provide input and Vista Home Premium OEM runs the system. For more information on these components, you can refer to the descriptions on page three.

In response to those who have asked for SSD recommendations, it is possible to finally make SSD recommendations based on the months of research and testing performed on SSD drives at AnandTech. For more information on SSD test results please see our SSD Anthology and the SSD Update. In keeping with the midrange pricing, we have listed an SSD option of the 120GB OCZ Vertex for the Intel Core i7 performance midrange system and a 60GB OCZ Vertex for the Phenom II performance midrange detailed on the next page - though you could use either drive size with either system.

AMD Performance Midrange

The introduction of Phenom II has made putting together an AMD performance midrange a joy again. While the Phenom was an honest competitor at the price points where AMD chose to compete, the poor overclocking of the AMD Phenom compared to Intel Core 2 Quad processors was always a nagging reality. Phenom II changes all that, and AMD in 45nm clothes is once again a screaming overclocker. We reached 3.9GHz in our testing for the Phenom II launch with a Phenom II 940 CPU. That same CPU is the starting point for our AMD performance midrange PC.

For detailed information on the Phenom II, please read our AMD Phenom II launch article and the follow-up Phenom II X4 810 and X3 720. The Phenom II 940 at 3.0GHz is the fastest of the currently shipping AMD Phenom II processors, but that will likely change in a few weeks. The Phenom II is very similar in L2/L3 cache configuration to the Intel Core i7. Performance is also similar to comparably priced Intel midrange chips. As the first 45nm AMD processors the Phenom II also overclocks very well, finally approaching the overclocking levels enjoyed by Intel since the introduction of the Core 2 Duo.

The Phenom II is not the hot CPU you find in the Core i7, but it still benefits from third party cooling - particularly if you plan to overclock. We paired the Phenom II 940 with the Xigmatek Dark Knight, which performed well in the lab. At $40 the Xigmatek is also an excellent cooling value.

Since the Phenom II 940 does not support DDR3, our DDR2+ motherboard was populated with a 4GB kit of OCZ Reaper HPC DDR2-1066. This memory is rated at a fast 5-5-5 at DDR2-1066 and it performs at faster timings and lower voltages at slower speeds. Whether you use it as a stock DDR2-1066 memory or overclock it to its limits, this OCZ memory should provide the headroom you need to bring out the best in this system.

The case for the Phenom II performance midrange system is the well-regarded Lian Li black all aluminum case. This Lian Li case has a reputation for exceptional quiet with its four 80mm fans with a fan speed controller and the excellent heat dissipation you expect from an all aluminum case. What is unique is the $40 savings on this case through the month of April, which reduces the cost to $100. There is even a side window for those who like a view of their working system.

Other components in the AMD performance midrange system are the same used in the Intel performance midrange. You can find descriptions and thumbnail images of those components on the previous page.

Final Words

Most users that email questions about building a computer system are planning to build a midrange computer system. With a broad price range of $800 to $1800 this covers a huge number of potential choices. With the launch of Phenom II all of our thinking about systems from Intel and AMD got rearranged. Further changes came with price cuts from both sides. The end result is that Intel and AMD are now competitive in the midrange segment of the computer market. This parity created by Phenom II has had a dramatic impact in lowering midrange CPU prices. The result is that midrange computers are an exceptional value in today's computer market.

The best evidence of the value you will find in today's midrange systems is to compare prices to systems in our guide published in January. Our price range then was $1000 to $2000 - stretched to include a Phenom II and Intel Core i7 systems at the top of midrange. This guide is $800 to $1800 and includes all Phenom II systems for AMD and a Core i7 system at the top of the Intel midrange. Generally components are either the same or have been upgraded. The result is comparable complete systems that cost $1150 today that were $1500 just three months ago. That is a price drop of over 20% in a very short time frame.

Certainly, processors and DDR3 memory represent the biggest price drops in the last three months. The always competitive GPU or video card market has also brought us lower prices compared to 3 months ago. Monitors are also getting cheaper, higher resolution, and larger to the point that you will be truly surprised at the low prices if you haven't shopped for monitors in a while. Hard drives also seem to be caught in competitive pricing squeezes and seem to drop a little every time we prepare a new system buyers guide. However, cases, power supplies, optical drives, and I/O devices have changed little over that time frame. Not surprisingly, the OS cost always seems the same if you choose Microsoft.  That could change a little when Windows 7 launches in the future but we could end up with an even more expensive Windows 7 in the future. There is the option to go to Linux, Ubuntu, or some other OS instead, but many will not seriously consider this option. Perhaps they should as the no-cost operating systems do continue to get better and easier to use with each new incarnation.

The current world economic woes are having their impact on the computer industry as well as most other industries. As often happens in difficult economic times price competition often becomes fierce, and the large and strong are more able to play in that environment It is likely that the bad economy will take its toll and some players will cease to exist. That is simple economics, and it is being played very hard right now. That doesn't mean everything is doom and gloom because great values for you are the silver lining to this story. The computer industry has always been about increasing value and bang for your buck. Moore's "Law" may not be exactly in force any more, but there is little doubt that today you can get more for your money than ever in a computer system. Smart buyers who still have a job (or a rich grandmother) will buy now for the value and be rewarded with terrific performance for their investment.

The point of all these buyers guides and component selections should be very clear. Now is a great time to build a value midrange or performance midrange system, with either an Intel or AMD processor. The value for your dollar is as good as we have ever seen. Those are great reasons to take a close look at replacing or updating your computer system.