Ready for some action? A power gamer today really needs video cards with PCI Express x16 interfaceCreated.   Cards in this category would normally range from $150 up to $800 or more and offer more powerful, cutting edge graphic processors but also extra software and game bundles that add value to the package.

Recommend in this range are NVIDIA 7900 and 8800 series, ATI X1950XTX/2900XT series video cards, all the way up to a single Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX (currently the fastest single card solution available for 3D gaming). With any of these cards you can blow away space aliens faster than you can click your mouse!

Top Power Performance Gamer picks:

SKU 55118 - EVGA GeForce 8800GTX PCI-Express 768MB DDR3 Dual DVI OUTPUT HDTV

SKU 61440 - XFX PVT80USHF9 GeForce 8800 Ultra 768MB GPU 612MHz  PCI-Express DDR3 Dual DVI+TV-Out  (HDTV Ready) Retail *Top Performance

SKU 55230 - Asus ATI X1950XTX PCI-E  16X 256MB DDR3 Dual DVI TV HDTV  (pictured below)

SKU 61379 - ATI 2900XT PCI-E 512MB DDR3 Dual DVI  HDTV  out

Both technologies require specialized motherboards with dual PCI-Express slots and chipsets that support the new technology. Both can improve performance dramatically over a single card by combining their graphics rendering capabilities. Like dual CPUs, two video cards can split the graphics rendering and then recombine the results for faster processing of intense 3D scenes. Between NVIDIA and ATI there are several different rendering options available, some that users can control and choose themselves, others that have been preset by the manufacturers into gaming profiles which have been lab-tested to insure the best quality gaming experience for the user.

Here is a list from NVIDIA of SLI compatible hardware: http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build.html 

Top Extreme Gamer SLI capable video card picks:
(SLI requires two SLI cards and SLI capable motherboard):

SKU 61440 - XFX PVT80USHF9 GeForce 8800 Ultra 768MB GPU 612MHz  PCI-Express DDR3 Dual DVI+TV-Out  (HDTV Ready) Retail

SKU 55118 - EVGA GeForce 8800GTX PCI-Express 768MB DDR3 Dual DVI OUTPUT HDTV.

SKU 61659 -  MSI GeForce 8800 ULTRA PCI-Express 768MB DDR3 PCI-E TV-out + Dual DVI Connectors Retail Retail Software Bundle includes Company of Heroes

AMD has recently introduced it's Athlon 64 X2  Dual Core series of processors, the X2 designating their new Dual Core Architecture. AMD's dual-core desktop processor has been turning heads in the PC world for it's remarkable benchmark scores and overall gaming goodness. Basically, the Athlon 64 X2 is the desktop version of the AMD dual-core Opteron Server / Workstation CPU which should work in many current motherboards with only a BIOS upgrade needed to make it work correctly. The difference between the Opterons and the new X2 processors being the hyper-transport links (the X2 only has one since it's designed for single socket systems while the Opteron has 3).

Core 2 Duo Quad Core Processor Extreme Edition or the AMD Athlon 64 X2  Dual Core are the recommend dual-core and Quad Core  processors that reign supreme over their single core counterparts. Both have extreme performance and top of the line benchmark numbers due to dual  and Quad cores, large cache sizes, and performance optimizations. Dual and Quad core CPUs will allow you greater overall multimedia and multitasking enjoyment out of the system.

Top Extreme Gamer Picks:

SKU 61297 - Core 2 DUO Quad Core QX6800 LGA775 2.93GHz 1066FSB L2=8MB 65nm,  this thing really rocks! SKU 47229 - AMD Socket AM2 Athlon 64 X2 Dual core 4800+ (2.4GHz) 2 x L1=128KB 2 x L2=1MB  90nm

Top Power Gamer Picks:

Also at the top end of the scale, the Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 or the AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ are the recommend processors.

SKU 50171 - Core 2 DUO Q6700 LGA775 2.66GHz 1066FSB L2=4MB 65nm - 8MB of L2 cache

SKU 47228 - AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core  (2.4GHz) L1=64KB L2=512MB 90nm

Top Extreme Gamer / Power Gamer picks:

SKU 61573 - 1GB Kingston Hyper-X 1066MHz. DDR2 (2x512MB) (KHX8500D2K2/1GN)

SKU 61583 - 1GB Kingston Hyper-X 1200MHz DDR2 (2x512MB) (KHX9600D2K2/1G)

SKU 50156 - 2GB Corsair XMS2 800MHz DDR2 (2x1MB) (TWIN2X2048-6400C4PRO) Active LEDs

SKU 53072 - 2GB Corsair PC2'8888 1111MHz DDR2 (2x1MB) (TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF)

As with most things you will find in computing, more is better. 1GB is the bare minimum that we recommend for anyone running Windows Vista, for gamers that should be bumped up to 2GB minimum. If you have the means, 4GB is probably what you should aim for in a serious gamer rig. This will provide generous amounts of RAM for your game to play with while allowing Windows overhead to use whatever it needs without getting in your way. 

While RAID arrays used to be the exclusive domain of servers and workstations, many high end desktop systems now take advantage of the speed and data protection offered by multi-drive systems. Using striping on your drives (RAID 5) offers high speed read and writes and fault tolerance for all of your data. While requiring 3 disks at a minimum might seem to be a bit costly, the cost of data recovery is much higher.

The phrase "speed costs" used to be used mainly in the automobile world, but in the past few years it's become a mainstay in the computer industry. Without the outlay to purchase the high end hard drives with large cache and as many as needed for your RAID array, you'll quickly find your storage system to be a pretty significant bottleneck in your gaming rig.

SKU 61213 - Hitachi SATA 3G 1TB 7200RPM 32MB Cache
SKU 55729 - Seagate SATA 3G 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache
SKU 44628 - Western Digital SATA 150GB 10,000RPM 16MB Cache

Top Extreme Gamer Picks:
 

On the High end of the chipset spectrum is the NVIDIA nForce 590i SLI chipset for use with AMD cpu´s  and the Intel 975X chipset.

The Intel 975X chipset also makes an impressive choice for gamers. The 975X chipset will support the new Core 2 Duo Quad core Extreme series CPU's.  With features such as PCI-Express X16, Matrix Storage Technology, and High Definition Audio (Intel HD Audio) support, this chipset is rich in features and saves the user money by not having to invest in a high end soundcard since it's already available onboard.

Intel's D975XBX2 mother board provides gamers or power users everything they will need for the ultimate experience (ASI SKU - 53844) and (ASI SKU - 58985).  The board supports the newest and most powerful processor Intel has released on the market for a desktop PC the Core 2 Duo Quad core Extreme QX6800.  The board supports ATI Crossfire Technology  that enables two ATI graphic cards to work together for the Ultimate gaming performance. There are two versions of the board (ASI SKU - 53844) supporting  (Sigmatel STAC9274D)  7.1 High Definition Audio  and   (ASI SKU - 58985) which supports (Sigmatel STAC9227) 5.1 High Definition Audio.  The 7.1 High Definition board has 2 digital audio  connectors 1 coaxial and 1 optical, 4 additional SATA connections and IEEE-1394 Fire wire ports.

     Asus has a AMD solution for serious gamers called the called the Crosshair (ASI SKU - 51866).  The board Supports AMD's  AM2 socketed CPU's from the Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX down to the Sempron.  The board supports 6 SATA connections which supports Raid 0,1,0+1,5 and JBOD cross span over the drives.  The board is also equipped with Dual Gigabit LAN controller, Supreme FX audio card which features the ADI 1988B 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC and IEEE-1394 Fire wire ports. The Ability to overclock this board gives gamers the option to increase their experience.

Top Power Gamer Picks:

For power gamer, the Intel DG965 chipset is still a great choice. While being a bit more friendly to the wallet, motherboards based on this chipset still include great features like Dual-Core 533MHz - 1066MHz FSB CPU support,  Dual-channel DDR2 800 support, PCI-Express x16 interface, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3000 with Clear Video Technology, Intel HD 7.1 Audio, improved Matrix Storage Technology, and SATA 3G support. You don't get SLI or Crossfire support with this chipset, but for the gamer who wants to play, but doesn't want to go broke doing it, this isn't the most important feature anyways.

Response times are critical for the gamer because without very quick response, there is a good chance that your games will experience ghosting. Ghosting is a phenomenon which strikes LCD users with less than optimal response rates. During game play the user will experience vertical lines, or a trail behind objects going across their screen when quick movements cause the action to change faster than the pixels are capable of changing colors. Lower response rates help to control, or eliminate this entirely. 16ms or less is recommend. The lower the response rate, the better for gaming.

Top Extreme Gamer Pick:

ASI SKU 60535 - Viewsonic 24"  VX2435WM LCD 24.0" Widescreen LCD Monitor 1920 x 1200 Slim bezel design with high-gloss piano black finish.
 

The most exciting monitor for gaming use would be this huge 24" Viewsonic model. Total immersion and high levels of realism are possible for this versatile monitor that is geared toward video professionals but perfect for any application.

Yes it is expensive but the experience will speak for itself when using a high-end widescreen 24" LCD with 1920x1200 native resolution (non-interlaced), 500 cd/m2 brightness, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and 8ms response time. While not the lowest response time it overwhelming makes up for this by sheer size and picture quality. On top of this it supports an ultra-wide 176º viewing angles (horizontally and vertically), multiple HDTV resolutions, analog RGB and digital DVI-I and HDMI inputs, and can reproduce rich images with vivid color and sharp text. The ultimate monitor for anyone!

Top Power Gamer Picks:

ASI SKU 55599 - Asus 20" MW201U LCD, and ASI SKU 58376 - Samsung 22" LS22MEWSFV/XAA LCD are the LCDs of choice for serious gamers.  HD Gaming is the wave of the future and these two monitors allow you to play games at resolutions of 1680x1050. .    

Another very good choice for the avid gamer is the ASI SKU 42973 - Viewsonic VX922 19" LCD, While the 8ms response time is slightly slower than it's new sibling, the VP930B still shines with it's 1000:1 contrast ratio and it's 250-nit brightness level. With an ultra thin edge bezel, this is the perfect monitor for those who intend to run multi-monitor set-ups. The same Amplified Impulse Technology that is in the new VX924 also is included with the VP930B which increases grayscale transition speed for superior motion video and gaming capabilities.

X-Fi stands for "eXtreme-Fidelity" and that's just what you'll get with the raw power behind the latest of Creative's audio processors. Professional quality 24-bit converters process your audio better and faster then any soundcards that have ever come before it. Their new 24-bit crystallizer processing technique boosts the quality of any digital audio source by boosting dynamic range, richness, and fidelity. 

Top Extreme Gamer Audio Card Picks:

SKU 40871 - Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-Fi Elite Pro (w/ X-Fi I/O Console)
SKU 40473 - Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS (w/ X-Fi Fatal1ty I/O Drive)
 

Top Power Performance Gamer Audio Picks:

The audio system and card for a power gaming system must be able to create real sonic impact without overly expensive setup. This is best achieved with a three speaker system (two power front speakers and a subwoofer). A four, five or six speaker surround sound system is also a higher end option for the power system.  

SKU 51302 - Diamond Soundcard XS71 XtremeSound 8 Channel  PCI Card 96k-24bit 7.1 Retail

SKU 51301 - Diamond Soundcard XS51 XtremeSound 6 Channel PCI Card 48k-16bit 5.1 Retail

For the gamer who wants to save a few bucks, but still get some of the best possible audio available, it's possible to kill two birds with one stone. For the customer who purchases one of the motherboards with Intel's 975X or 965 motherboards, they may include the new and improved Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio). Intel's built-in audio chip supports up to eight channels at 192 kHz/32-bit quality and is able to support all the Dolby technologies,  which makes it possible to enjoy older stereo content in 7.1 channel surround sound. Intel® HD Audio also enables high quality speech recognition and Voice Over IP for those who use their PC's for more than just music and gaming functions.

Speaker System

The minimum speaker system for a power gamer is two powered left/right front speakers and a subwoofer box. This might be upgraded to surround sound 5.1 speakers which are supported by many current games. Creative, Logitech, and Altec Lansing all offer high quality multimedia speaker systems

SKU 45714 - Creative Labs Speaker MF4080 Systems GigaWorks ProGamer G550W  5.1 310W Black Retail -  impressive package features excellent sound quality; 5.1 channel audio, separate Rear, Center, and Subwoofer volume control, a dedicated control module with headphone jack, and is THX certified.

D-Link offers the Industry's first dedicated gaming router. The wireless 108G Gaming Router, the DGL-4300 (ASI SKU # 37105), with "GameFuel" technology was released at the end of last year, and has been gaining steam ever since. Game Fuel? What initially sounds like a drink from SoBe is actually a proprietary technology which automatically prioritizes gaming packets over other network traffic and also fragments data packets into smaller chunks so it can be sent out quicker. Uninterrupted, latency-free gaming is what every online gamer dreams about, and now it is truly available.

Featuring four 1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports and wireless connectivity up to 108Mbps, this router helps you game at full speed, no matter how you're connected. In addition to being the ultimate PC gaming router, the DGL-4300 has also been optimized for use with both the XBOX and the PS2.

I also wouldn't bet against seeing some future improvements to insure that your XBOX360 and PS3 experiences are simple and lag free as well.

While it stands to reason that everyone who owns a computer must own a computer case, things have changed in the chassis business over the past several years. What once was just a necessary place to house your PC components is now a statement on your PC savvy and an integral part of the computers cooling system. It is very important to have a good case that will cool all the components, TAC 1.1 (thermally advantaged chassis) certified cases are the best, plus the combination of high quality third part heat sinks such as those from Thermaltake, Vantec, or Zalman.  Special "mod" cases may also be purchased or customized.

A few examples of the high quality cases that ASI carries for it's customers come from Thermaltake.

One of Thermaltake's newest additions is the "Tai-Chi series chassis. While being designed for ATX systems, Thermaltake also offers the BTX option for those opting to go to the BTX  form factor.  The Case supports 11 5.25" drive bays, 10 of which are front accessible including 1 3.5" bay.  There are also 3 internal 3.5" drive bays that have  a 120mm blue LED fan attached to it.  The Chassis also has wheels on the bottom that have a break to keep the unit steady.  There are some other neat features like handles and a built in 5.25" drive bay accessory box so you can store screwdrivers and such.  There is also a removable motherboard tray and hydraulic side door.  There are 2 versions of this case available at ASI, one of them is VB5001SNA and the VB5000SNA.  The difference between these two cases is that the VB5001SNA comes with a Liquid cooling.  The case is fairly good sized, sporting enough drive bays for any power user. Cooling is handled very efficiently by the use of the 2 included fans, a 120mm fan in front and back.

 Tai-Chi  VB5001SNA    ASI Sku- 42729                                   Tai-Chi   VB5000SNA   ASI Sku-40828

Thermaltake silver "Shark" case - ASI SKU 32813 (or black - ASI SKU 32812)
Another popular choice for a gaming case is the Thermaltake Shark case. Slightly smaller than the Armor chassis, the Shark sports a mere 12 drive bays, (5) 5.25" exposed, (2) 3.5" exposed, and another (5) 3.5" hidden. A very aggressive exterior is highlighted by some cool hidden blue LED's and the interior is built with the assembler in mind.

                                          Thermaltake Toughpower Cable Management Power Supply ASI Sku: 60457

Microsoft Flight Simulator - DX9

Microsoft Flight Simulator - DX10

   There are some that will be patched for DirectX 10 and they are the following:

Unreal Tournament 2007, Flight Simulator X, Eve Online, Company of Heroes

The Following Games will be DirectX 10 Only games:

Alan Wake (click for screenshots), Crysis, Hellgate, BioShock, Age of Conan, Halo 2, Shadowrun

   The above are just some of the titles that you can expect to play in the near Future.  The Future of Gaming looks very bright.