Vito Cassisi – Tech Blog Delving into technology

PC Design Guide: $2000

Build a computing powerhouse for only $2000AUD!

Building a new system can become tedious very quickly. Choosing suitable parts requires a fair amount of research, or there’s the option of buying a pre-built OEM machine. Building a PC yourself can save a fair bit of money whilst ensuring maximum performance per dollar. Below is a build for $2000AUD which is suitable for a wide range of tasks. Why not under $2000? Because the slight extra allows for a second GPU! Games play silky smooth, video encodes quickly, and everything feels lightning fast. Prices are from StaticICE, where the first 10 results (minus outliers) are averaged for the final price. The build does not include external peripherals or an OS.

CPU: Core i7 920 D0 - $383
Motherboard: Gigabtyte GA-EX58-UD4P - $331
RAM: 3 x 2GB G.Skill 1333MHz Kit - $129
GPU: 2 x HIS 1GB HD4890 - $580
HDD: Western Digital Black Caviar 1TB - $156
DVD-RW: Pioneer DVR-217BK 20x - $42
PSU: Corsair HX 620 – $171
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 – $171
Cooler: Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme 1366 RT - $96

Total: $2059

This system utilises the most powerful platform on the market - Core i7. This platform, created by Intel, has been implemented by selecting the i920 (D0 stepping) CPU for the build list, along with the EX58-UD4P motherboard from Gigabyte. The speed of this system is sure to impress, even at stock clock speed. Despite this, the D0 stepping allows the i920 to overclock to 4GHz with minimal tweaking! Not bad from a mere 2.6GHz stock!

6GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM will cater for all your memory needs, whilst the speedy Black Caviar 1TB HDD will store all your permanent data.

But the real power comes down to the dual GPU setup. Two, yes TWO HD4890 cards! This setup will blitz through all your gaming needs, as you'd expect with two of the latest cards from ATI!

The optical drive is the enthusiast favourite Pioneer DVR-217, powered with the 80PLUS certified Corsair HX-620. Cooler Master's HAF 922 contains all this kit in its slick, cool and quiet structure.

Last but not least, the 1366 model of the ThermalRight Ultra eXtreme is included to take the system to 4GHz without it overheating. It includes a high airflow fan to help dissipate the heat.

Now you can enjoy extreme power without having to pay exuberant prices. A must have for those who need performance for work and play. :)