Written: 10/19/2000
Written by: UnkleŽ

Introduction: 

All those GHz machines out there making you drool? Want to be a member of the four digit MHz club? Strapped for cash? How about a very capable gaming system complete with monitor and *cough* speakers, for under a grand? That's right, a gig for a grand... interested?

Like the previous Ultimate Gaming Machine, this is pretty much a compilation of components that are available currently, at current market prices, and no one will completely agree with what I've chosen. That said, I've managed to spec a pretty sweet machine at 1 GHz for under a grand... so quit your whining and start saving already. Not that the firm barrier of $1,000 is really realistic, you might want to change or add things to this to push that grand envelope a bit, and you might have old components from previous systems you can reuse in a machine like this. 

This system was designed with gaming in mind, so it should haul pretty well for eye candy and frame rates. That said, if one were building a business system things could be quite a bit cheaper... especially since no one needs a 1GHz system for business apps (and no business could justify it to the accountants anyways.) Of course a business system really wouldn't need a the MX video card or Live! video card... but we'll save the business specs for another buyer's guide. 

So strap yourself in, with a 1GHz system being under a grand... you have no excuse not to buy. 

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