12 Great Components for the Ultimate HD PC
Looking for the ultimate high-def experience? With these outstanding components, you can build the HD computer of your dreams.
Zack Stern, PC World
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 BE 2400
You could build a good system with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 or similar chip, but I decided to go with something less powerful and a lot cooler. The AMD Athlon X2 BE 2400 works well for home theaters because its peak draw of 45 watts helps minimize the cooling burden on the fans. This CPU's 2.3-GHz speed and dual-core architecture provide enough muscle for general media tasks; a dedicated HD video decoder on the graphics card will add more power.
CPU price: $110
System subtotal: $1180
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Radeon HD 4870 Video CardPrice: $260.00
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Radeon HD 4870 X2 Video CardPrice: $549.99
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