VALUE Doom 3: System Summary
| Hardware | Component | Price |
| CPU & Cooling | AMD Sempron 3100+ Socket 754 OR AMD Athlon 64 2800+ Socket 754 Retail |
$120 ($147) |
| Motherboard | Chaintech VNF3-250(nForce3 250) Socket 754 | $83 |
| Memory | Kingmax SuperRam 512MB DDR433 (CAS 2.5) Model MPWC22D-38 (1x512MB) |
$84 |
| Video Card | 128MB NVidia 6800 | $278 |
| Monitor | Samsung 955DF (19") DynaFlat CRT | $206 |
| Computer Case | ENERMAX Silver Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Case with 400W PSU, Model CS-EN5171LBFS-S ($56 Plus $16 Shipping) |
$72 |
| Sound Card | On-Board | $0 |
| Speakers | Logitech Z640 5.1 | $55 |
| Networking | Onboard 10/100 Ethernet | $0 |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital SE 80GB IDE 7200RPM (8MB Cache) OR WD 120GB IDE 7200RPM 8MB |
$60 ($83) |
| DVD/CD-RW | Aopen Chameleon (COM5232) 52X32X52X16 Combo OR NuTech DDW-081 8X DVD+/-R/RW |
$40 ($65) |
| Bottom Line | $998 ($1073) | |
Yes, you can put together a complete new system for playing Doom 3 for $1000. Please keep in mind that you will need to add a keyboard, mouse, Operating System, and a copy of Doom 3. Everything else you need is here, though, including a decent set of entry level Logitech 5.1 surround sound powered speakers.
While the system tab is just $998, there is nothing cheap about our Value Doom 3 system. It is based on the Doom 3 top-performing Athlon 64 chipset and includes the top Doom 3 6800 video card. Admittedly, we are using entry-level A64 processors, and the lowest member of the 6 series video cards, but neither of these choices will have to apologize. As it stands here, our entry Doom 3 system, with the $27 upgrade to the 2800+, will perform at about the level of a Pentium 4 3.4E or a 3.2EE when playing Doom 3. The 6800 will significantly outperform the 9800 PRO or 5900, and will perform at near the level of an ATI X800 XT Platinum during Doom 3 play. The 6800 also outperforms the more expensive 9800 XT and the nVidia 5950 by more than 75% in Doom 3.
All in all, that's pretty heady performance for a $1000 value system playing the hottest new game to appear in a very long time. We even included a new value RAM find in Kingmax DDR433 CAS 2.5 SuperRAM. This single 512MB module should allow you to do some experimenting with overclocking. At $84 for a 512MB DIMM, it is certainly a great value that also performs very well. The new Enermax case features an Aluminum front panel to provide a bit of style in a Value box and a 400-watt power supply to provide a little extra leeway for pushing the system or overclocking the 6800 video card.
We've had a lot of fun putting together Doom 3 week for you. We hope that you enjoyed what we found, and also had fun learning about what it takes to make Doom 3 roar. We also hope that you find something in the three Doom 3 systems that we've assembled to make your decisions about what to buy for Doom 3 a little easier.
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Wesley Fink - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
#11 - I've corrected the quote to the 9800 XT which is what was intended on page 10. The same information was correct in the summary on page 11. Sorry for the confusion. The 9800 PRO is around $200 these days but the 9800 XT is still priced at around $380-$390 for some strange reason.Mermaidman - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
[q]a plain, old 1024X768, the 6800 is 75% faster in Doom 3 than either the ATI 9800 PRO or the nVidia 5950, both of which cost about $50-$100 more than the 6800.[/q]I doubt that a 9800Pro costs $50-$100 more than a 6800.
Illissius - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
It's ok for the most part... some things are odd though. You measured that D3 uses up to 1.5GB of memory, if available. Why, then, did you put only 1GB in the Performance system? Should've been 2. Also, why, oh why did you not use an uber LCD? Dell 2001FP, or the Viewsonic VP201 if buying from Dell is a nono. Third, the mainstream system should've used value RAM - it costs almost half as much, and really isn't much slower than the fastest omg uber hyper enthusiast XMS turbo alpha street fighter platinum EXTREME stuff*, at all.Other than those, I agree with all of the choices, even the 6800 for the value system. I was about to suggest an even lower category, for the $500 guys, until I realized that you really can't fit anything half decent in if you have to include monitors and speakers.
* In the interest of full disclosure, this was Inspired by the following quote from bash.org:
* ArSa is not a scsi expert :
* slurpee was a scsi expert until they came out with 134533109 flavors of it
slurpee: like ULTRA 2 WIDE MEGA XL ALPHA STREET FIGHTER SCSI
jediknight - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
All I have to say is *damn*.A 6800 in the value system? Yikes! My poor 9800 Pro that'll be arriving whenever ATI gets around to it seems inadequate :-<
Godsend1 - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
I have never seen a value video card priced at $300.kherman - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
PERFORMANCE Doom 3 monior.OK it's nto a bad monitor, but I can think of better.
kherman - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
#2:640x480 low quality.
The categaory you complained about was value, not crap.
kherman - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
Ggiabyte 6800? NO! The BFG 6800 is the best. Damn complementary copy. Even the internet is doomed these daysRapsven - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
Considering that many Americans usually buy systems ranging from 1400-2000 on Dell, I'd think that's pretty 'mainstream'.You've been reading too many "i need a systemzorz for 500 bux plz" threads.
Regs - Saturday, August 7, 2004 - link
Please note that the listed hardware was for mainstream Doom 3 and not mainstream in general. A 1000 dollars for a computer that can run a game like D3 at 1280x1240 @ high quality is awesome. Dell would charge you well over 2 Grand if not more. Not only will you be able to play D3 at high settings, but Far Cry, Hl2 (if it ever comes out), and next generation games. I'd say that's great value.