The Econobox
Because speed doesn't have to cost a fortune

Instead of being the cheapest possible combination of parts, the Econobox is an affordable gaming and general-use system. You won't find too many fancy extras here, but we've tried to select a balanced mix of peppy, reliable components with headroom for future upgrades.

Processor
Yep. Our entry-level build now has three CPU cores. We were pretty excited about being able to include the Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition in our mid-range Utility Player config seven months ago, but prices have dropped enough to make it a reasonable choice for the Econobox. Sure, we're going a little over-budget this time, but put it this way: sticking with our previous recommendation, the dual-core Phenom II X2 550, would only save around 20 bucks. An el-cheapo dual-core with a locked multiplier would shave off maybe another $20-30. For a relatively reasonable premium, the X3 720 gets you both an unlocked multiplier and a third core that can make all the difference in heavily multithreaded apps.

We continue to shun Intel in this category. The rival chipmaker only offers dual-core processors below $150, and the LGA775 platform those parts use is an evolutionary dead-end. Mainstream Intel parts will use LGA1156 going forward, while AMD will hold on to Socket AM3 through next year. You might even be able to upgrade that triple-core Phenom II to a six-core behemoth in a year or so.

Incidentally, the Phenom II X3 720 is based on the same silicon as quad-core Phenom IIs, but it has one core disabled. Our recommended motherboard includes a feature that lets you re-enable that core, in case it happens to be fully functional.

Motherboard
We picked Gigabyte's MA770T-UD3P for four reasons: it's very cheap, it has a robust assortment of ports and connectors, it has positive user reviews on Newegg so far, and it's one of the boards with that nifty core unlocking feature we just talked about.

This board only takes DDR3 memory, which would certainly have been a deal-breaker a few months ago, when DDR3 RAM still carried a hefty price premium compared to DDR2. Today, though, that premium is only around $10-20 for a four-gig kit. DDR3 is slowly taking over the market, and DDR2 will likely become more expensive as DDR3 demand increases and DDR2 production wanes. That makes the UD3P's DDR3 exclusivity an advantage looking forward.

Memory
We hunted for the cheapest 4GB DDR3 dual-channel kit from a big name-brand company with lifetime warranty coverage, and we ended up with this Crucial DDR3-1333 offering. Again, stepping down to (good) DDR2 would only save us around $10-20, and DDR3 has a brighter future ahead of it.

By the way, you'll need a 64-bit operating system to take full advantage of all this memory. 32-bit OS's do have enough address space for 4GB of RAM, but that figure is an upper limit for all memory in a system, including video RAM. In practice, that means 32-bit versions of Windows will only let you use 3 to 3.5GB of actual system memory—and they'll normally restrict each application's RAM budget to 2GB.

Workarounds do exist for 32-bit Windows, but Microsoft says they can hurt compatibility; it advises that folks run a 64-bit version of Windows instead. Considering how mature Vista and Win7 x64 are these days, we'd be inclined to echo that recommendation. Check out our OS section on the second-to-last page of the guide for more details.

Graphics
A Radeon HD 4850 with lifetime warranty coverage was unheard of last year, but now, you can get one for just over $100. Heck, this XFX model has a double-lifetime warranty (provided you register online within 30 days) plus a nice dual-slot cooler that exhausts hot air out the back of a case.

Our latest round of mainstream GPU benchmarks shows the 4850 has enough brawn to run games like Far Cry 2 at 1680x1050 with antialiasing enabled. Certain titles, like Left 4 Dead, are even playable at 2560x1600 with 4X AA.

Storage
Western Digital has three 640GB hard drives priced around $70, and we think the Caviar Black model is the one best suited for a system drive. Not only does it have a 32MB cache, a full 7,200-RPM spindle speed, and the same noise level ratings as the slower SE16 model, but WD also covers the Black with a five-year warranty. We haven't seen another 640GB hard drive with specifications quite as good or warranty coverage quite as long. (Seagate no longer covers bare drives with a five-year warranty.)

For our optical storage option, Samsung's SH-S223B has supplanted the apparently discontinued SH-S223Q from our last guide. As far as we can tell, the B has the exact same specs minus LightScribe support—no great loss. We like the combination of positive user reviews and low pricing, in any case, and the Serial ATA interface is reasonably future-proof.

Enclosure and power
Antec looks to have retired the original NSK 4480 we used to recommend for the Econobox. Thankfully, Newegg now stocks the NSK 4480B II. This newer enclosure has a slightly different look, but it includes a 380W, 80%-efficient power supply and delivers the same features.

You might find cheaper cases out there, but we don't think you'll be able to save a whole lot by going with lower-quality components. Besides, bargain-bin power supplies generally have inflated specifications. A cheap PSU can also jeopardize system stability, damage sensitive components over time, and potentially even flame out in spectacular fashion, taking system components with it in the process.