Utility Player alternatives
As with the Econobox, we have some alternative propositions for how to fill out the Utility Player.

You might notice we're not throwing in a processor alternative here. As we said earlier, the Core i5 outclasses all competitors in its price range. We mean that. You could go with a cheaper-but-still-capable quad-core CPU, like AMD's Phenom II X4 945, but why do that when the Core i5 and all of its perks (like better overall performance, Turbo Boost, and excellent power efficiency) are so few dollars away?

Graphics
You have two choices here. Either pay a little more for a previous-gen graphics card with better performance than the Radeon HD 5770 but no DirectX 11 support, or spend an extra $100 on the Radeon HD 5850, which outclasses any previous single-GPU card and has all of that yummy DX11 goodness.

Gigabyte's "factory-overclocked" GeForce GTX 260 fits the bill as a quicker-but-still-affordable alternative to the 5770. While it won't win any power efficiency contests, this card will nevertheless outrun the 5770 and 4870 1GB more often than not in current games. (Actually, this puppy's clock speeds aren't much different from those of the GeForce GTX 275, which lies in a class above the 4870 1GB.) We should probably mention that, being an Nvidia card, the GTX 260 also supports PhysX. So, you know, you'll get realistically simulated debris and fog and other neat little effects in the handful of games with hardware PhysX support.

The Radeon HD 5850 doesn't have PhysX, but it does bring DirectX 11 support and markedly higher performance than any of Nvidia's current GPUs (and any AMD GPU besides the $380 Radeon HD 5870, for that matter). Our review will tell you all you need to know about this product, except perhaps where to find it in stock. Yes, the Radeon HD 5850 isn't exactly flooding warehouse shelves right now—one or two models will occasionally pop up in stock at Newegg and other e-tailers, but never for long. We're provisionally recommending Asus' version of the card for its low price, great AMD stock cooler, and likely competent after-sales support. If it's not in stock, feel free to hit our price search engine to track down a model that is.

Storage
LG has apparently discontinued the Blu-ray combo drive we recommended for so many months. None of the other combo offerings we've come across really stand out, usually because of lackluster software bundles or high prices. In the end, we figure you're be better off pairing a standalone Blu-ray reader with the DVD burner from our primary parts list. Lite-On's iHOS104-08 should do a fine job as a standalone Blu-ray reader; it has great user reviews, relatively recent software (PowerDVD 8), and an affordable price.