What is the PC Perspective HW Leaderboard? The PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard is going to become the first place you look to find the components that will make up your next computer. On this page you will find our editor's combined opinions on the best systems you can build based on three different budgets. You can expand each of the systems (High End, Mid-Range and Budget) to show you all the components that we believe represent the best products in their price ranges.

Why a Leaderboard? We like the idea of a Leaderboard because it presents a no non-sense way of looking at the best hardware available. On this page, you won't find paragraph after paragraph telling you why this processor is better than that processor. Instead you'll find the quick and dirty on our editor's choices for the best hardware you can get. No beating around the bush here. Of course, if you still want to get our full and detailed opinions on various hardware, you can look through our reviews page. But the HW Leaderboard is going to give you our final decisions in one quick look.

Updated Nov 15, 2008:

First, let me take this chance to point everyone to the new PCPer Hardware Leaderboard forum!  Use this area to discuss my selections here, offer you own suggestions or just about the new system build you are working on even if it's NOT based on anything here.

Big changes are afoot with the latest update to the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard!  Two systems, including the Dream system, migrate from Intel's Core 2 platform the newly released Core i7 processor and X58 chipset.  Though availability of the new processor is just beginning, the prices set themselves up in such a manner that we couldn't help but included them here today.  The Dream Leaderboard gets the Core i7-965 Extreme Edition processor selling for just over $1000 as it comes with fully unlocked overclocking support and the top speed of 3.2 GHz stock.  I chose the Gigabyte EX58-UD5 motherboard for this system mostly due to the fact that it was the ONLY board showing up when I made this update, though it is still a feature packed and competent solution.  The only other change here was to the memory system that gets a bump up from 4GB to 6GB thanks to the triple-channel memory controller integrated on the CPU. 

The High End Leaderboard is also upgraded to a Core i7 processor, the i7-940, which runs at 2.93 GHz and was able to outpace all the Core 2 parts in my initial CPU review.  This system also gets the same Gigabyte X58 motherboard and I chose a 3GB memory kit rather than the 6GB in order to save a little bit of money while still getting optimal memory performance.  The graphics also sees a slight boost to the 1GB model of the Radeon HD 4870 and we still include a PAIR of them in CrossFire mode in our pricing. 

The Mid-Range Leaderboard actually didn't see any changes to the components though the price did drop significantly from $1055 to $910.  That is quite a performance machine for that kind of cash!  I did debate including the Core i7-920 CPU but relented when the lowest priced motherboard that supports the CPU was $300 and nowhere near the price I tend to lean at for this kind of system build.

Finally, the budget system gets an upgrade from a Phenom X3 to a Phenom X4 of the same clock speed, the new AMD Radeon HD 4830 graphics card and a price drop courtesy of the move away from a dedicated sound card to simply using the on-board solution.  Even with a faster CPU and better GPU the price of the Budge Leaderboard went down to about $550.

That's it for this month readers!  Don't forget to drop by the Hardware Leaderboard forum to share your comments!

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Dream System Leaderboard

Estimated Cost: $3673

High End System Leaderboard

Estimated Cost: $2146

Mid Range System Leaderboard

Estimated Cost: $910

Budget System Leaderboard

Estimated Cost: $552