If I would have won the lottery today one of my goals would be to create a kick-ass PC that would be able to play ALL the current games at its maximum graphic settings.
My Version of the Dream Gaming Machine
Motherboard: Gigabyte G1 Sniper
Memory: Corsair Vengeance — 12GB Triple Channel DDR3
Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6990 / Nvidia GTX 590
Processor: Intel Core i7 - 970 Processor
HDD: Seagate 1.5TB SATA & Intel X25-M SATA SSD
Casing: Antec DF-85 / Cooler Master HAF X
Cooling: Cooler Master V8
Monitor: Samsung 2693HM Syncmaster
PSU: Corsair Professional Series Gold 1200Watts
Accessories:
Gamepad: Logitech Wireless Gamepad F710
Steering Wheel: Logitech G27 Wheel
Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech G510 & Logitech G700
Speaker: Logitech Z906
(Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a tech expert on computer parts and the parts I picked are mostly based on research and personal experience.)
Motherboard
The Gigabyte brand is by far the toughest motherboards I have used and that is why I selected this manufacturer for my rig. The model would be the G1 Sniper, one of the latest in the G1 series.
The G1 Sniper is an LGA1366 socket motherboard, can support 3-way CrossFireX and 3-way SLi, has 6 DDR3 sockets, audio is by Creative with support for X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity® and EAX®, 6 SATA connectors, and to top it off up to 12 USB 2.0 and 4 USB 3.0.
The design is also what got me to choose this board. The north and south bridge heat sink resembles the gun muzzle of an M16 and a cartridge of AK-47 respectively.
Memory
Corsair is the leading manufacturers of memory so it just fitting that I choose them for my rig. Also, I have been using corsair ever since I learned how to customize my gear thus its my trusted brand.
The model would be Corsair Vengeance since its design compliments the look of the G1 Sniper. I would also be picking a 12GB memory kit so that my programs would run smoothly.
Video Card
Picking the video card for this rig took the most time; both the AMD and Nvidia card looks great. The GTX 590 and HD 6990 were not far from each other making the competition for the best video card in the market a stalemate. On that note, the choice for the right video card is still pending but it’s definitely between HD 6990 and GTX 590.
Processor
Intel Core i7 - 970 is my choice, hands down. The i7 - 970 has 6 cores and has a clock speed of 3.2 GHz with a 12M cache, need I say more.
HDD
I have always been a Seagate fan, my first hard disk is a Seagate 40GB, so its only logical that I choose Seagate for my hard disk. The storage capacity for this rig is 1.5TB for virtually unlimited space. UPDATE: I was informed that the SSD is the next big thing, better yet already the big thing, so I would add an Intel X25-M SATA SSD to my rig.
Casing
Like the video card, I am split between Antec's DF-85 and Cooler Master's HAF X. Both casings are full tower, has a cool look, water-cooling ready, and air circulation is easy. In fact the only difference is the internal and the sizes of fans.
The Cooler Master has a support for long video cards therefore alleviating the pressure on the motherboard. On the other hand, Antec has lots of 120mm fans.
Cooling
The processor cooling solution would be coming from Cooler Master. The Cooler Master V8 has 8 heat pipes and has a car engine look. Design wise, it does not compliment the military look of the G1 Sniper but it does fit well with the design of the casing whether it is HAF X or DF-85. I did not opt yet for the water cooling, still trying to find out which is the best but I'm guessing I would go for the Cooler Master brand also.
Monitor
I opted for a Samsung monitor simply because I'm currently using one of their monitor's. The model I picked is a Syncmaster 2693HM; a 25.5" monitor, with a 5ms response time, and DVI and HDMI connector. The 2693HM is, in my opinion, a good partner with my dream machine.
PSU
I'm not really picky when it comes to PSU so long as it supplies the enough power needed to power up my machine. However; I figure "Hey, it’s my dream PC so why not choose a good PSU" so i did some research and found out that Corsair is also a good brand when it comes to power supplies. The power needed to feed my machine is 1200 watts.
Accessories
When it comes to gaming accessories, nothing beats what Logitech can offer. Logitech has a huge array of products aimed at giving the best gaming experience for any type of gamer.
- Keyboard (Logitech G510): Has a lot of customizable keys and an LCD GamePanel that displays game information, server information, notifications, and other useful information that a gamer needs.
- Mouse (Logitech G700): Wireless and has 13 customizable and conveniently placed buttons which makes reloading, unleashing energy powers while shooting, and scrolling weapons can now be a breeze.
- Speaker (Logitech Z906): 5.1 surround and THX-certified. What more do you want?
- Gamepad (Wireless Gamepad F710): The wireless features makes it an invaluable tool when it comes to gaming, it’s the main reason why I choose this. The second is the vibration feedback.
- Wheel (Logitech G27 Wheel): With six speed and dual-motor force feedback makes every racing game feel real. Since I'm a fan of racing games, I figured that I want to have one of these toys.
I think that this offer is for anyone who still doesn't have Mass Effect 2 and having trouble on getting Dragon Age 2. Then it would be like buying the PC version of Mass Effect 2 to get Dragon Age 2 for free. Great job, Bioware! Anyway, it is still a great offer to anyone knowing that Mass Effect 2 is 2010's Game of the Year. So grab it before the promo ends on April 30.
