I think the chipset award was a total joke. I mean everyone knows Intel makes the best chipsets and have done so ever since I can remember but the award still go to NVIDIA cause they support AMD procs. How obviously biased can one be? You can tell this site is pro AMD and anti Intel by the awards they gave out.

Only time will tell, but in the meantime, we'd like to extend a meaty middle digit toward this, our least favorite trend of 2004: the rise of graphics reviewerware, the almost-fake product intended to capture the performance flag though it may never be widely available to the public. In this year of soaring highs and solid progress on so many fronts, this is one development we could have done without.

Well said.

This is the third site I've noticed that realizes the 915/925 are better chipsets but give it to Nvidia because Prescott sucks.

It pains me to see a Creative product in a "Best Of..." list.

Can someone please refresh me on why exactly their cards are so clearly superior to all of their competitors in terms of hardware-accelerated positional audio and EAX?

The 6800 ultra oc is available to order....It's just really expensive

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=6800+ultra+oc&btnG=Search+Froogle

The middle finger should have been given strictly to ATI for the 3 paper launches (and crappy linux drivers)

Exellent wrap-up for 2004. Thanks Scott, Geoff and all at Techreport.
It was fun, lets hope 2005 is even better.

I totally agree on that "middle-finger" award.

Very nice article. I hope that the Middle Digit Moniker has impact with ATI & Nvidia. Nothing sours me faster or leaves a longer impression than an undeserved bone job.

i have my 3200+ 90nm running @ 2.4ghz on stock amd retail processor cooling :D.

Lowered my HTT multi to 4 to make it happen though.

As great as being able to play with the rails is OCZ in best of anything is sad......they just screwed to many people in the past.... Everyone should get a second (and sometimes 3rd) chance but not a 100th to be good.

I love it. Especially the "middle finger" award. You guys need a real damn trophy for that.

Good choices. I can't find any fault with them, even the sound card as much as I hate to admit it.

Just building a system with each component in this list would build a great system at a great price.

Is there a performance benefit from using the nForce2 mobo sound to going to ths Audigy2 ZS?

X850 XT PE is already available in Dell boxes with no delay, and was the case before the end of December, which means that they probably have reasonable quanitities (for Dell, at least) and isn't "reviewware". That may not be standalone retail availability, but this is PCI Express we're talking about and there aren't that many retail customers at the moment so, from a business point of view, its pretty easy to see why ATI focused on Dell as they'll be able to shift them pretty quickly.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=19&oc=DXPS4MC...11=WMCEP&m_1=MP348MH&m_29=S222OS&c=us&l=en&s=dhs...[om]

I would say the Dell 2005FPW WS LCD monitor deserves a mention. It needs better QA(I had some issues with dead pixels on mine), but it has the best value in its class and the pixel refresh rate (12ms) can't be beat.

You got a nice shout out from the chaps at inquirer:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20514

The Prescott has "incredibly poor gaming performance?" Wow, exaggerate much? You make it sound like you can't play games at all on a Prescott. At resolutions that actually matter, i.e. not super-low resolutions like 640x480 that exaggerate AMD's lead, the A64 is only marginally ahead of the Prescott. The Prescott provides MORE than reasonable frame rates in EVERY game.

We can pay the manufacturers back quite nicely by pre-ordering their products and then just as they become available we cancel the order. Geek, revolt, and stuff.

Middle finger award wins the day, especially as a firm supporter of ATi.

I am still waiting for the x850, and ATi's phantom AGP-PCIE bridge chip. If there's no X800XL then that's pretty much curtains for the AGP platform in my mind.

2004- year of software, not hardware.

Middle finger indeed! I wonder if ATI and/or Nvidia will make Wired's Vaporware Awards...

Looks like I didn't do too bad. I've got an Athlon 64 (though not a 3500+), on an Nforce3 250Gb board, a 6800GT and an Audigy 2 ZS. I've actually been frustrated lately because (believe it or not) I've had nothing to buy for my computer!

Awesome. I agree with nearly every single choice -- nearly, because I would've chosen a different model of A64, 3000+ or 3200+, whether 754 or 939. The 754 versions offered great bang for your back very early on in the year, while the 939 versions do likewise and are 90nm to boot. The 3500+ is just over the 'sweet spot' range for CPUs, in my opinion.
But asides from that minor niggle, excellent choices. Too bad the nForce4 wasn't available in any sort of volume for a definitive win on the chipset front...

right on the money, no wonder I hold TR so dear to my heart ;)

ps. Thanks Scott, Geoff, Ronald and Andy for a great year of hardware reviews and artciles, looking forward to more of the best in 2005!

:lol: at the middle finger award. I'm hoping for an x800xl, there aren't any cards between a 6600GT @ $180 and a 6800NU @$350

Good read, guys. One note about the X850XTPE (and the X800XL): they're starting to show up at online stores, albeit in pre-order form. But the middle finger is a must for ATi's and nV's shennanigans.

About the OCZ Powerstream:
Ideally, we'll see a PSU combine adjustable rails with a modular design in 2005.

Ideally, we'll see a PSU combine adjustable rails with a modular design AND fan-less totally silent design in 2005.

I have no problems with the awards given out. I liked the extra touch with The middle finger award.

I'd like to see more awards for the best AND the worst hardware. Every website has their best choices but what about the worst?

How about the worst hardware of 2004 awards for processors, chipsets, graphics cards, motherboards, sound cards, and etc?

Great article. I hope this is a sign of things to come in 2005! :D