Nov 2012 - $300 Office

Description: The $300 office PC entry is an upgrade from the entry-level $200 nettop. You get an upgraded CPU, upgraded storage, and more expansion options. Unfortunately, the mini-ITX tower, while not huge, is still larger than the $200 nettop build, so you will have to take this into consideration. Otherwise, this is a respectable CPU capable of every mundane task you can think of for a computer, and then some. A Seagate hybrid SSD+HDD drive provides faster and plentiful storage for this machine.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$291	$15	$275

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU	Intel G540	$50	---	Newegg
Hard Drive	Seagate Momentus XT 750GB	$130	---	Newegg

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Case + Power Supply	HEC ITX200B	Integrated PSU	$50	---	Newegg
Motherboard + RAM	ECS H61H2-I3	Crucial 4GB DDR3 1600MHz	$61	$15	Newegg

Variations:

This build came in a little under budget. If you can spare it, it any of the upgrades below would be a good investment.

SSD: Replace the hybrid drive with a medium-capacity SSD.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Sandisk Extreme 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 180GB	$100	---	Newegg

CPU: Upgrade the CPU to a faster Pentium series.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Intel Pentium G630	$65	---	Newegg
Intel Pentium G860	$75	---	Newegg

ODD: Invest in an external USB optical disk drive.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
ASUS USB 2.0 DVD-Burner	$30	$5	Newegg

Nov 2012 - $200 HTPC

Description: This little machine is powered by an Intel Celeron G540. The lack of a low-priced AMD mini-ITX motherboard at any of the major retailers takes AMD out of the running, or else I would recommend the A4-3400 APU for the same price as the G540. However, do see the variations below if you want an AMD setup. HDMI output allows you to connect directly to an HDTV or projector. Intel HD Graphics is just sufficient enough for video playback and streaming, but certainly not for anything but the most casual gaming. 4GB of RAM is par for the course, and the mini-ITX case is small and compact.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$212	$15	$197

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU	Intel G540	$50	---	Newegg
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Blue 500GB	$50	---	Newegg
Optical Drive	LITE-ON DVD Burner	$16	---	Newegg

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Motherboard + RAM	ECS H61H2-I3	Crucial 4GB DDR3 1600MHz	$61	$15	Newegg
Case + Power Supply	Apex MI-008	Integrated PSU	$35	---	Newegg

Variations:
HDD: These refurbished RE2 drives from Newegg make a great alternative to the Caviar Blue. For just $5 more, you get 50% more capacity, and maybe even more speed. However, being refurbs, they won't be as well-stocked.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
WD RE2 750GB	$55	---	Newegg

SSD: If you have a file server from which you can stream all your movies and, thus, have no need for much local storage, then going with one of these SSDs can provide a nice speed boost for your setup.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Crucial M4 64GB	$66	---	Amazon
Samsung 830 64GB	$63	---	Amazon

AMD: If you have a preference towards AMD, this build will be equal, if not, better than the one above. The one caveat is that it will be in a substantially larger case due to there not being any decent AMD mini-ITX motherboards around. Also, the motherboard included does not have HDMI, so you will have to use an HDMI-to-DVI adapter to get video and audio to an HDTV.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$205	$15	$190

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Blue 500GB	$50	---	Newegg
Optical Drive	LITE-ON DVD Burner	$16	---	Newegg
HDMI-DVI Adapter	Generic Adapter	$4	---	Amazon

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Motherboard + CPU + RAM	MSI A55M-P33	AMD A4-3400	G.Skill 4GB 1600MHz	$95	$15	Newegg
Case + Power Supply	Apex DM-318	Integrated PSU	---	$40	---	Newegg

Nov 2012 - $1250 Gaming PC

Description: Still powered by a Core i5-2500k, this mid-sized desktop is only for the most serious gamer. With a pair of Crossfired 7950s, this machine is capable of resolutions still not yet amongst common consumers. It's pretty much as good as money can buy for current games. HD? Piece of cake. Anti-aliasing? Check. Anisotropic filtering? Got it. 3 Monitors? No problem. 2 games at the same time? Sure, why not? This machine has so much power you will find yourself throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it just to see if it will slow down.

Note: MicroCenter has these CPUs on sale at ridiculous prices. If you have a store nearby, I'd recommend you get your CPU and motherboard there for even more savings (easily $100 less than other retailers).

Expect excellent performance with multiple HD monitors at high settings.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$1240	---	$1240

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Motherboard	GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP4	$185	---	Newegg
RAM	G.Skill 8GB DDR3 1600MHz	$25	---	Newegg
Power Supply	Rosewill XTreme 850W	$100	---	Newegg
SSD	Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Case	NZXT GAMMA	$35	---	Amazon
Graphics	2 x Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950	$530	---	Amazon Warehouse

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU + Cooler	Intel Core i5-2500k	Corsair H60	$265	---	Newegg

Variations:
SSD: I'd recommend keeping the Kingston 3K drives since they are some of the top-rated and fastest around. But, if you absolutely want to substitue it, feel free.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Sandisk Extreme 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Crucial M4 128GB	$103	---	Amazon
Samsung 830 128GB	$99	---	Amazon
Intel 330 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 180GB	$100	---	Newegg

Nov 2012 - $1000 Gaming PC

Description: A little uneventful... this is the exact same thing as the $750 PC, but with an updated graphics card and an SSD instead of an HDD. Still, it's a monstrous machine, only for those who consider themselves hardcore gamers.

Note: MicroCenter has these CPUs on sale at ridiculous prices. If you have a store nearby, I'd recommend you get your CPU and motherboard there for even more savings (easily $100 less than other retailers).

Expect excellent 2560x1600 performance at high settings, and great performance with multiple HD monitors at med-high settings.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$1005	$30	$975

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Motherboard	BIOSTAR TZ77B	$90	$20	Newegg
RAM	G.Skill 8GB DDR3 1600MHz	$25	---	Newegg
Power Supply	OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W	$75	$10	Newegg
SSD	Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Case	NZXT GAMMA	$35	---	Amazon
Graphics	Sapphire HD 7970 3GB GHz ed	$470	---	Newegg

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU + Cooler	Intel Core i5-2500k	XIGMATEK Gaia SD1283	$210	---	Newegg

Variations:
SSD: Any of these SSDs will make a good substitute, but the Kingston 3K drives are some of the top-rated and fastest around.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Sandisk Extreme 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Crucial M4 128GB	$103	---	Amazon
Samsung 830 128GB	$99	---	Amazon
Intel 330 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 180GB	$100	---	Newegg

Nov 2012 - $750 Gaming PC

Description: Powered by a Core i5-2500k, this mid-sized desktop has officially entered enthusiast territory. Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back. Go ahead, no one will care if it looks weird... Of course, this powerhouse CPU means you get the best gaming performance avaiable out of a mid-priced CPU. Non-gaming performance is also excellent, thanks to the quad-core design of the chip. The K series CPUs from Intel are also overclockable, meaning that you get an automatic extension on the life of you machine. A year or two from now, if you decide you need more power, go in the BIOS, bump up the multiplier to 40 or so, and you get a nice 4.9 GHz quad core CPU in less than 30 seconds. RAM is 8GB, upgradable to more. A beefy 600W power supply provides plenty of clean efficient power for this machine. Since this PC is overclockable, a high-performance CPU cooler is included in the build. The 7950 is factory-overclocked a nice 100MHz to give an out-of-the-box boost to gaming performance.

Note: MicroCenter has these CPUs on sale at ridiculous prices. If you have a store nearby, I'd recommend you get your CPU and motherboard there for even more savings (easily $100 less than other retailers).

Expect excellent 2560x1600 performance out of most games at high settings and good performance with multiple HD monitors at medium settings.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$770	$30	$740

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Motherboard	BIOSTAR TZ77B	$90	$20	Newegg
RAM	G.Skill 8GB DDR3 1600MHz	$25	---	Newegg
Power Supply	OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W	$75	$10	Newegg
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Black 500GB	$70	---	Newegg
Case	NZXT GAMMA	$35	---	Amazon
Graphics	Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950	$265	---	Amazon Warehouse

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU + Cooler	Intel Core i5-2500k	XIGMATEK Gaia SD1283	$210	---	Newegg

Variations:
SSD: Budget-friendly SSD substitutions remain the same as from the $300 and $500 builds. 60GB should be able to hold your OS, basic applications, and 3 - 6 full games. If you're willing to go slightly over budget, $90-$100 will get you a 90GB or 120GB SSD.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Crucial M4 64GB	$66	---	Amazon
Samsung 830 64GB	$63	---	Amazon
Kingston HyperX 3K 90GB	$88	---	Amazon
Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Sandisk Extreme 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 180GB	$100	---	Newegg

Nov 2012 - $500 Gaming PC

Description: A mid-sized desktop. A core i3 powers this machine, meaning you get a dual core with quad core gaming power thanks to Intel's Hyper-Threading technology. Gaming performance is equivalent to an AMD Phenom II x4 900 series CPU. Non-gaming performance is about on par with other dual-cores. RAM is a standard 8GB, easily upgradable to more. Motherboard supports USB 3.0, as well as x16/x4 Crossfire (which you probably won't want to use anyways). A beefy 480W power supply provides clean power for this machine. You also get a nice bump in graphics performance with the HD 7850 and a nice boost from the Caviar Black hard drive.

Expect excellent 1080p performance out of most games at high settings, good performance at 2560x1600 at medium settings.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$525	$35	$490

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU	Intel Core i3-2100	$120	---	Newegg
RAM	G.Skill 8GB DDR3 1600MHz	$25	---	Newegg
Power Supply	Rosewill Stallion RD500-2DB	$40	---	Newegg
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Black 500GB	$70	---	Newegg
Graphics	XFX Radeon HD 7850	$170	$20	Newegg

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Motherboard + Case	MSI Z77A-G41	Rosewill Blackbone	$100	$15	Newegg

Variations:
SSD: With the lack of quality, > 64GB capacity SSDs at the $70 price point, the budget-friendly SSD substitutions remain the same as from the $300 build. Keep the same configuration above, but replace the WD Caviar Black HDD with a 60GB SSD. 60GB should be able to hold your OS, basic applications, and 3 - 6 full games. At the slightly-over-budget $90-$100 price point, 90GB and 120GB SSDs become available. There's even a crazy clearance deal for Intel 180GB SSDs. But be quick, they'll run out soon.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Crucial M4 64GB	$66	---	Amazon
Samsung 830 64GB	$63	---	Amazon
Kingston HyperX 3K 90GB	$88	---	Amazon
Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Sandisk Extreme 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 120GB	$100	---	Amazon
Intel 330 180GB	$100	---	Newegg

Nov 2012 - $300 Gaming PC

Description: A Micro-ATX desktop in a mid-sized case. A basic configuration, the motherboard supports newer CPUs as well, meaning you have room for a future upgrade. The dual-slot graphics means you'll always be able to upgrade to a more powerful card. This board also comes with gigE, which is an improvement over the standard 10/100. All the other features are pretty much par for the course. The case has plenty of room for expansion, and plenty of vents for air circulation. The CPU is plenty powerful for basic gaming and general purpose computing. The GPU is the center of this machine. Its a powerhouse of a card, considering the price.

Expect excellent 720P performance out of most games at high settings, good performance at 1600x900 resolution at medium-high settings, and playable quality at 1080P with low-medium settings.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$293	$20	$273

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU	Intel G540	$50	---	Newegg
Motherboard	ASRock H61M-DGS	$45	---	Newegg
RAM	AMD 2GB DDR3 1600MHz	$10	---	Newegg
Power Supply	Antec EA-380D	$28	---	Amazon Warehouse
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Blue 500GB	$50	---	Newegg
Case	NZXT GAMMA	$35	---	Amazon

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Graphics + RAM	XFX HD 6750	AMD 2GB DDR3 1333MHz	$75	$20	TigerDirect

Variations:
SSD: Same configuration, but replace the WD Caviar Blue HDD with a 60GB SSD for about $15 more. Less space, but more speed. 60GB should be able to hold your OS, basic applications, and 3 - 6 full games.

Substitutions
Part	Price	MIR	Link
Crucial M4 64GB	$66	---	Amazon
Samsung 830 64GB	$63	---	Amazon

Mini-ITX: Basically the same configuration in a much smaller case with a mini-ITX motherboard. Obviously, there is much less (oh... approximately zero) room for expansion, but the overall footprint is cut in half. Of course, you pay a small premium for the smaller footprint with an extra $20 out of pocket cost ($10 after rebates). Note that this configuration only has 4GB RAM vs 6GB, but that shouldn't make much of a difference. Consider the extra 2GB of RAM in the other configuration as an optional bonus.

Cost Breakdown
Subtotal	MIRs	Total
$313	$30	$283

Individual Parts
Type	Part	Price	MIR	Link
CPU	Intel G540	$50	---	Newegg
Motherboard	Foxconn H61S	$50	---	Newegg
RAM	AMD 2GB DDR3 1600MHz	$10	---	Newegg
Power Supply	Antec EA-380D	$28	---	Amazon Warehouse
Hard Drive	WD Caviar Blue 500GB	$50	---	Newegg
Case	CM Elite 120	$50	$10	Newegg

Combos
Type	Part	Part	Price	MIR	Link
Graphics + RAM	XFX HD 6750	AMD 2GB DDR3 1333MHz	$75	$20	TigerDirect