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Sometimes, you just have to keep things real. Last year, our Dream Machine was a paean to excess, a chrome-plated $17,000 wünder-rig. While we’re still quite fond of that machine, this year we decided to take a different tack and see if we could build a more reasonably priced, but still lust-worthy Dream Machine. Well, actually, we built three of them. While the combined cost of these three machines is about half the price of last year’s rig, we packed a lot of awesome into our relatively tight budgets. The lesson is simple: Dream Machine isn’t about spending a ludicrous amount of cash on a PC, it’s about getting the best rig you can for the money you spend. I think you’ll agree that these three machines pack a ton of power and are all great values.
Without further ado, we give you this year’s crop of Dream Machines.
The number-one complaint console weenies have about PC gaming is the cost. We’re here to tell you that you can build an entry-level gaming rig that still kicks ass for less than $700. So, while we advocate saving your ducats when the economy is in the toilet, you needn’t suffer a slow PC.
Our goal with the Recession Special was to build a machine designed for one thing and one thing only—gaming. There’s no terabyte hard drive or fancy quad-core CPU in here, just a honking videocard and enough memory and CPU to support the GPU. That’s it. What we built is a machine that shreds at most games, from World of Warcraft to Team Fortress 2.
So, there you go. Take your severance, put together our $700 wonder, and subscribe to WoW. After all, where else can you get hundreds of hours of entertainment for $15 a month?
A good low-cost alternative to the high-flying 790FX chipset, boards such as MSI’s DKA790GX use ATI’s integrated graphics chipset. We just switched the onboard GPU off and still got access to the advanced chipset special sauce that ATI and AMD have developed for the Phenom II. And made before DDR3, it’ll run well on regular DDR2.
Scoffed at initially, AMD’s tri-core procs will still whip the snot out of any dual-core. Even better, the 45nm Phenom II overclocks like hell. We took our 2.8GHz Phenom II X3 720 to 3.6GHz without breaking a sweat.
This is actually a stock AVC heatsink that AMD includes with its retail processor in box. For what it’s worth, we were able to get our 2.8GHz proc up to 3.7GHz with stability, so there’s something to be said for stock heatsinks.
Yeah, DDR3 is cheaper today but it still ain’t as cheap as DDR2, which you’re practically paid to use. OK, not really, but it’s wickedly affordable. We paired our 64-bit OS with 4GB of Kingston HyperX DDR2/800.
Dayum, it feels good to be a gamer. Especially when you can get an HIS Radeon HD 4870 for such a good price. Just a couple years ago, a hunred and fiddy bucks would get you a pathetic single-slot graphics card that didn’t even need power. And now we have a $700 PC with a truly stupendous card.
One of the tricks to getting a sub-$700 machine to work with a good GPU is to find a low-cost power supply that will actually give you two six-pin graphic connectors. The Rosewill RP550V2-S-SL did that for us and it’s quiet, to boot. It helps that our graphics card is actually pretty lean on power consumption despite its dual six-pin connectors.
Take Samsung’s burnalicious SH-S223 and add LightScribe capabilities and you have one the best burners available for next to nothing. Really. At $25 each, we were tempted to put three in the box just because we could.
Antec’s 900 may be dated but it’s no less effective. You get awesome air flow and a sharp design that doesn’t belie the low budget of the machine. Even better, the case’s vintage status means many stores will have it marked down to a very reasonable price. When you consider that you’re getting a case that revolutionized the category, it’s yet another plus.
The SSD in our Stimulus machine costs almost as much as this whole PC, so an HDD was clearly called for. Western Digital’s 500GB Caviar Black features a 32MB buffer, 7,200rpm, and dual processors for high performance at a pretty low price. Sure, we could have gained a few hundred more megabytes by going with a slower drive, but we opted for as much drive performance as we could get on a budget.
With that OS X-ass-stomping Windows 7 just around corner, it would be pretty hard to load Windows Vista on our Dream Machines. Instead, we went with the Release Candidate version of Win 7 Ultimate in 64-bit flavor. Stuff that in your hat and eat it, Justin Long.
| Category | Name | Price | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Phenom II X3 720 | $139 | amd.com |
| Motherboard | MSI DKA790GX | $122 |
msicomputer.com |
| RAM | Kingston HyperX 4GB | $55 | kingston.com |
| Videocard | HIS Radeon 4870 512MB | $153 | hisdigital.com |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital Caviar 500 Black | $69 |
westerndigital.com |
|
Optical Drive |
Samsung SH-S223F | $25 | samsungodd.com |
| PSU | Rosewill RP550V2-S-SL | $52 |
rosewill.com |
|
Case |
Antec 900 | $77 | antec.com |
|
OS |
Windows 7 Ultimate RC1 | $0 | microsoft.com |
|
Total |
$692 |
Comments are closed on this article
Mr_Armageddon
August 03, 2009 at 3:35pm
I understand the reason behind the budget builds, but those types of builds
are not why I have been subscribing to this magazine for over 5 years
now. I first saw the Magazine in September 2004 and read in awe about the
"Dream Machine". I then became a subscriber, and every year my
favorite issue by far is the Dream Machine edition.I have not yet received my print issue, and have been anxiously waiting to
see what was built for the Uber rig this year. Then my friend sent a link
to the online article. My excitement quickly diminished as I read through
the online article.Budget Rigs are great, and I think you should have them in your Magazine...
BUT NOT AS THE DREAM MACHINE!The crazy paint jobs are a bit excessive (albeit very fun to gawk at), but I
see no reason to skimp on the hardware for the Dream Machine. I for one
am appalled that the highest level Dream Machine doesn't even include Liquid
Cooling! They didn't even take the time to provide respectable cable management. It looks like a bowl of spaghetti noodles at the bottom of the case. They didn't even care to use the routing holes in the motherboard tray! Was someone in hurry to build this thing?The ATCS 840 has so much potential and could make an amazing Dream Machine, but it was wasted on this “Economy Build”. Check out the following thread of what can be done with an 840 with just a bit of ingenuity and dedication.
http://www.coolercases.co.uk/atcs_840/atc_142.jpg
and here is an 840 build that one of my friends did. This case makes it easy to route cables.
http://www.myzander.net/ATCS840/Project_ATCS_840/VII.html
What's done is done. It has gone to print and (hopefully) I will get
my issue soon. But for those of us who have been loyal subscribers, could
you please make a REAL Dream Machine and maybe include it in a future issue
before the end of the year? That is really the only way to amend what has
happened. Please consider building a real MaximumPC Dream Machine; oh and
maybe consider the Corsair Obsidian 800D for the case.
AlaskaDrew
August 02, 2009 at 10:57pm
I am not seeing Maximum or dreamy rigs here. I think that is what the frustration is about. To make a budget option in a slow economy makes sense. To effectively cancel DM09 and make 3 budget machines is excessively unexcessive IMHO.
tkid124
August 02, 2009 at 11:24am
There is a lot of confusion as to where some of the prices came from, Why not creat a list of where those cost come from?
I am wondering where the RAM & Cooling from the Budget surpluss prices are
Thanks
txboston
August 01, 2009 at 5:50pm
Why is there no dedicated soundcard in any of the rigs? As long as I can remember, Dream Machines always included a dedicated soundcard.
bingojubes
August 01, 2009 at 11:23am
i enjoyed reading about the mid-range PC this month. I am using the same Gigiabyte board as that one! i feel good about my PC now, since it compares closely to the Budget Surplus PC, even if more than half of it is different. now i know if max pc uses it, it's good for me!
squarebab
August 01, 2009 at 9:52am
Come on, guys, you can do better. No multiple SSDs in RAID 0? No liquid or phase change cooling? No dual CPUs? No multi-monitor display? No hulking enclosure to house it all? What a disappointment. Calling your "stimulus package" a Dream Machine is like building a Ford Mustang and calling it a Ferrari (...any Ferrari!).
0VerC10ck3r
August 01, 2009 at 9:51am
Behold, the REAL Dream Machine of 09
All Prices are taken from Newegg as of July 31st 09, unless otherwise
specified, rebates not included in final price, discounts however are
Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition Bloomfield 3.33GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601975 - Retail
$999.99
EVGA 141-BL-E769-A1 LGA 1366 Intel X58 Extended ATX SLI Classified Hydro Copper Intel Motherboard - Retail
$569.99
http://www.nordichardware.com/Reviews/?page=2&skrivelse=554
(Asus Mars GTX 295 Card, not currently available to the public, my estimate price $1400) X2
EVGA 01G-P3-1182-AR GeForce GTX 285 FTW Edition 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
$379.99 (For Physix Acceleration)
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional 70SB088600002 Sound Card - Retail
$127.49EVGA Killer Xeno Pro
$129.99 (Taken from EVGA’s site, newegg didn’t have the PCI-E version)
PC Power & Cooling PPCT1200ESA 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
$579.99
G.SKILL Perfect Storm 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model F3-16000CL7T-6GBPS - Retail
$399.99 (Newegg didn’t have the dominator GT’s so these were the 2nd best)
LIAN LI PC-P80 Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
$379.99Corsair CMFSSD-256GBG2D 2.5" 256GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail
$1318.00 X2 for raid 0Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
$179.98 X2 for raid 1 to store your precious photosPioneer BDR-2203 Blu-ray burner in Best of the Best at the back of this months mag
$250
Swiftech Apogee GTZ Ci7 Extreme Duty CPU Water-block for Intel Core i7 processors - Retail
$59.99Rest of the water cooling setup (don’t know much about water cooling so I used last years DM’s pumps, radiators etc)
Danger Den Total for:
Black Ice Pro2 Xflow Radiator $40
Danger Den Reservoir $30
DD12V-D5 Pump $90
Feser One UV-Reactive Coolant $20So now that I think I have everything, if not please feel free to add to my list the total comes to…Drum roll please…$5555.39
Now Im sorry I am a little under budget (OMG!!!!), however I truly
believe that THIS is a drool worthy Dream Machine, for less than what
it cost MPC to build those other 3 things
pcfxer
August 01, 2009 at 8:31am
I would change the HSFs. CPU: OCZ Vendetta 2 (the best price to performance of ANY air cooler), Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 8800 (the best air cooling HSF for noise/performance, period). All fans that are replaceable would have to be Nexus Real Silents as per (www.silentpcreview.com). No HDD is quieter and since the case you've chosen doesn't isolate vibration from drives very well add in another SSD or two. If you want gamuts of storage us a NAS in another room.
Power supply would have to be a Corsair, 750 is perfect for your build but it seems most people are just STUCK on MORE rather than better efficiency - I still don't get it. Good stuff otherwise.
lb_felipe
August 01, 2009 at 8:33am
Hello, how are you?
Here's a proposal that I believe is a real "Quiet" Dream Machine:
CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition
Motherboard: ASUS P6T7 WS SuperComputer
Memory: Kingston KHX12800D3K3/12GX
VGA: EVGA GeForce GTX 285 2GB FTW w/ EVGA Backplate 02G-P3-1187-AR
VGA: EVGA GeForce GTX 285 2GB FTW w/ EVGA Backplate 02G-P3-1187-AR
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar Essence STX
SSD: OCZ Vertex EX Series SATA II 2.5" SSD OCZSSD2-1VTXEX120G
SSD: OCZ Vertex EX Series SATA II 2.5" SSD OCZSSD2-1VTXEX120G
HDD: Western Digital WD RE4-GP WD2002FYPS
HDD: Western Digital WD RE4-GP WD2002FYPS
ODD: Pioneer BDR-2203
Monitor: Dell 3007WFP-HC
Keyboard: Filco Majestouch Tactile Touch NKRO FKBN104M/EB
Mouse: ROCCAT Kone
Mousepad: QPAD XT-R
Speaker System: Dynaudio MC 15
Subwoofer: Dynaudio Sub 250MC
Headphone: Phiaton PS 300 NC
Webcam: Blue Microphones Eyeball
Gamepad: Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows
Joystick: CH Products Fighterstick
Wheel: Logitech G25 Racing Wheel
Case: SilverStone RAVEN RV01 SST-RV01B-W (black + window)
SSD Bracket: SilverStone SST-SDP08
PSU: Enermax GALAXY EVO 1250W SLI EGX1250EWT-00
Surge Protector: Monster MP PC 800 HP
CPU Heatsink: Prolimatech Megahalems
VGA Heatsink: Thermalright T-Rad2 GTX
VGA Heatsink: Thermalright T-Rad2 GTX
CPU Fan: Noiseblocker NB-Multiframe S-Series MF12-P
VGA Fan: Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilentFan XE1 Rev. 3.00
VGA Fan: Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilentFan XE1 Rev. 3.00
Rear Fan: Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120 mm Fan D1225C12B3AP-13 (1,150 rpm)
Thermal Compound: Shin-Etsu MicroSi G-751
Cleaner: Arctic Silver ArctiCleanPlease, comment.
jjw4theworld
July 31, 2009 at 6:09pm
John
I went to www.diamondmm.com to check out the Radeon HD 4870 X2. On the card's page they gave me a link to the suppliers, but the lowest price was over $500. Where did Maximum PC get $389? Am I looking at the wrong card?
xRadeon
September 23, 2009 at 1:35pm
They most likely found it at newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129114
That is the link to one of the 4870 X2, it is 330 bucks, not to bad.
arkweld
July 31, 2009 at 3:55pm
"I BET IF THEY BUILT A 10K MACHINE EVERYONE WOULD START BITCHING THAT ITS TOO EXPENSIVE! :)"
You mean like MPC has been doing every single year, with every single build for years?
Until now.
Regular readers expect it to be too expensive and cutting edge. That's what sets it apart from every other build they do all year round.
Again, the cost is irrelevant. That's why the only bitching that came out of every other build was about the choice of hardware. Not the amount of money it took to build it.
schmitty6633
July 31, 2009 at 11:35am
Stop yo bitchin people. How many of you would spend 10k on a computer in times like these? I like how they played it down a little this year so that the price point is within reach of many of ours. You can actually have that Dream Machine. Or would you rather stare at a 10k machine and never get it. Please just appreciate what they did and stop yo bitchin!
I BET IF THEY BUILT A 10K MACHINE EVERYONE WOULD START BITCHING THAT ITS TOO EXPENSIVE! :)
SpazzAttack
July 31, 2009 at 2:06pm
"I BET IF THEY BUILT A 10K MACHINE EVERYONE WOULD START BITCHING THAT ITS TOO EXPENSIVE! :)"
Oh silly boy! You haven't been around these here parts much, have ya? Anything under $10K is considered a budget build for the Dream Machine. ;)
hentaiboi
July 31, 2009 at 7:48am
hmmm... questionable choices there huh.
here are some..
gtx 285 sli >>>> gtx 295 sli
corsair ssd >>>> raid 0
seagate 1.5 tb >>>> raid 1
psu 910 >>>> 1200 watts
no creative x-fi fatality titanium pro
asus p6t >>>> rampage 2 extreme
i am not saying that this year is a bad build just my personal changes/additions
but this baby destroys everything http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-overclock-i7,2145.html
gadstech
July 31, 2009 at 12:25am
After all the raucous comments and feelings of disbelief/shock/disatisfaction ... our dear beloved MPC staff... why not build a dream machine we all are eager to dream and oogle at? I completely understand your purpose and of course people have different views on them... still we cannot make everyone happy. BUT you can make us happier if you actually build one due to A VERY POPULAR DEMAND. To tell you honestly I am very happy that you gave us something to build/budget on to (us who are poor and are builders for other people) but then we also would want something to dream on to... and you guys have that power to do that... build a dream that we all look up to...
SO MY DEAR FELLOW SUBSCRIBERS AND FOLLOWERS... INSTEAD OF BITCHING ABOUT IT... WHY NOT JUST SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THE STAFF OF MPC TO BUILD THE 2009 DREAM MACHINE WE LOOK FORWARD TO!
Wouldnt that be a better choice? Well all be happy and the MPC staff will undoubtly have a happy time assembling and building our dream machine. Its not just for the readers right? its for you - the MPC staff too.
joeyjr
July 31, 2009 at 2:19pm
joeyjr
At the end of last year, I stated my belief that Future was in the best shape it could be to deal with whatever challenge lay ahead in 2009. Since then the macroeconomic environment has continued to deteriorate – the general advertising market has declined steeply, consumer confidence has weakened and we’ve seen exceptional challenges at newsstand. These factors have without doubt tested our mettle, most notably in the US.
For the second half, we expect to offset the significant revenue shortfall in our US business through cost savings already implemented. This shortfall resulted from the double whammy of a steep decline in general advertising and an unexpected disruption to distribution of US newsstand magazines following a dispute among wholesalers and distributors in the North American magazine market which had a significant impact during February and March but which is now largely behind us.
The above two paragraphs are clipped from parts of Furture's Corp. Portfolio pdf. Time's are really tuff, from what I can see, but stagged for a better future. Maybe there is more to the story and that there was a limit put on spending for the DM, but the powers to be are not allowed to say. I suggest that all us (the readers) send 1 dollar to the guys to build us a Dream Machine, because we live for it!!! thanks!! I will send 10 Bucks, any body with me. Maybe the extra cash could go for prizes or something. I am saying this to make a point, which is Maximum PC is the best magizine and website I read, and I like it to stay that way, no matter what and show our support to all the staff that brings it too us.
Evasive
July 30, 2009 at 6:08pm
For the post below, just write it out so we can actually read the post...put the links in the text of names of the stuff...I read the first line then gave up....
domih2009
July 30, 2009 at 7:43pm
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=720335208&email=a857d45c130798eb40a6133422750942
For the next 14 days.
domih2009
July 30, 2009 at 3:53pm
...you should not stop dreaming for better days, so here is my stargazing esoteric dream-like PC for 2009 :-)
Because it is a stargazing esoteric dream-like machine, I decided to not be constrained by a $10K limit.
WARNING: It is an imaginary exercise so there is no guaranty that all the pieces fit together (even though I tried to achieve that).
Description Unit Price Qty Sub-Total
ASUS Z8PE-D18(ASMB4-IKVM) Dual LGA 1366 Intel 5520 SSI EEB 3.61 Dual Intel Xeon 5500 series 529.99 1 529.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131379
WINTEC 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) ECC Registered Server Memory Model 3SR34550K-13 379.99 6 2279.94 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161337
Intel Xeon W5580 Nehalem 3.2GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Server Processor Model BX80602W5580 1,659.99 2 3319.98 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117179
LG Blu-ray Burner Model BH08LS20 249.99 1 249.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136164
PLEXTOR 24X DVD/CD Writer Black SATA Model PX-880SA LightScribe Support 54.99 1 54.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827249051
LIAN LI PC-P80R Red Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case 599.99 1 599.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112174
ZALMAN CNPS10X Extreme 120mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler 79.99 2 159.98 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118051
PC Power & Cooling PPCT1200ESA 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply 579.99 1 579.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703020
SIIG JU-91RW12-S4 9-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader/Write + Floppy 54.99 1 54.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815150058
ASUS Xonar Essence STX Virtual 7.1 Channels PCI Express Interface 124 dB SNR / Headphone AMP Card 199.99 1 199.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132010
PNY VCQFX5500-PCIE-PB Quadro FX5500 1GB 256-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Workstation Video Card 2,349.99 2 4699.98 SLI http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133189
3ware 9650SE-16ML SGL PCI-Express x8 SATA II Controller Card RAID 0,1,5,6,10,50,Single Disk,JBOD 799.99 1 799.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816116045
Patriot Torqx PFZ256GS25SSDR 2.5" 256GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk (SSD) 729 2 1458 RAID0 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220388
Western Digital RE3 WD1002FBYS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM 159.99 12 1919.88 RAID10 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136313
Logitech G19 Black USB Wired Standard Gaming Keyboard 205.99 1 205.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126053
Logitech G9 Black 5 Buttons Tilt Wheel USB Wired Laser Gaming Mouse 89.99 1 89.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104079
QNAP TS-639 Pro Network Storage 1,099.99 1 1099.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822107019
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EADS 2TB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive 209.99 6 1259.94 JBOD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136344
CyberPower PR2200LCDRTXL2U 2150 VA 1650 Watts UPS 729.99 1 729.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102112
Apple Cinema HD Display (30" flat panel) 1,799.00 2 3598 http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9179LL/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjE0NTg4OA
Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF 2.0 MP Effective Pixels 1600 x 1200 30 fps USB WebCam 106.99 1 106.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104087
Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speaker 302.99 1 302.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121120
TRITTON AX Pro Dolby Digital 5.1 True Surround Sound Headset With 8 Precision Speakers – XBOX/PS3/PC 154.99 1 154.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826235005
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional w/MSDN Premium 2,159.99 1 2159.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116413
Sorenson Squeeze 5 pro 599 1 599 http://www.sorensonmedia.com/squeeze-pricing/
Pinnacle Studio Ultimate version 12 111.99 1 111.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832126051
Other Software & Games 2,500.00 1 2500
Linux & OSS software 0 1 0
Accessories & Cables 300 1 300
Total 30127.53
nekollx
July 30, 2009 at 4:08pm
welll since yer pimpin'
The Real Dream Machine thread
http://www.maximumpc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=96293
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
willsmith
July 30, 2009 at 2:13pm
Hey guys,
I love that you're passionate enough about the magazine to complain when it's late, or that we post stories too soon on the website. And everyone at Maximum PC appreciates your loyalty to the magazine and the website. However, the cost of your subscription, whether it's $12-15 or $30 (if you get the CD), barely covers the cost of printing and distributing the magazine every month. When you subscribe to a magazine that puts content online as well, you're paying for the convenience and portability of a print magazine, not exclusive access to that content. If you'd rather not pay, and don't mind having to sit in front of your computer to read the mag, that's totally cool. If you want to read Maximum PC on the toilet, I don't think a buck an issue is too much to spend for the convenience of print. Either way, we're happy to have you reading what we write.
We typically release stories online promptly after issues hit the newsstand so that they remain relevant. The types of stories we write tend to have a definite sell-by date, and if they sit too long, they're no longer interesting to the online crowd. You're welcome to continue complaining about this policy. You should know that since we started publishing content simultaneously online and in print, our traffic on the site has gone up and both newsstand sales and subscriptions have increased, so we're not likely to change anything.
As for the recessional nature of this year's Dream Machines, I think the article speaks for itself. On a personal note, I felt it would be gaudy to build an over-the-top, blinged-out, traditional Dream Machine, when national trends imply that more than 10% of our audience is unemployed right now. It just didn't seem like a good time for a traditional Dream Machine when a large number of our readers are struggling to keep their families afloat. I'm not positive that it was the right decision, but I don't have trouble sleeping at night.
Hope this helps clear things up,
///Will
sreesesr
July 31, 2009 at 5:00pm
Will,
Thank you much for posting here, that is totally cool! I will always have a subscription as long as there is one to be had. When I can't get one, I go looking for it on the shelves. So far, MaximumPC is all over Iraq and Afghanistan so I have no problem finding issues. My main reason for print are the CD's. I have found the most useful apps and utilities on your CD's. I have all of this years copied to a hard drive by month of the issue they came in. I read them front to back every month and as I go along, I highlight links and articles that I can use and then re-read the mag when I get back to my hooch.
I for one understand where you are coming from on this year's Dream Machine's. I thought it was a good idea considering the financial situation of millions of Americans. I am guessing that this means that next year's Dream Machine will outshine all others!
U.S. Army Sergeant
DePat
August 03, 2009 at 7:58am
US Army Sergeant,
During the last few days, I have thought about how I can show my support and appreciation for the troops. It is very easy to just say thank you and not follow up with concrete actions. As a token of my appreciation, I would like to pay for your subscription to MaxPc. I am on facebook. I you are, look for Patrice Sienche and send me a friend notification. If that is not possible, let's talk to maximum pc to see how we can make it happen without having you send your address and other required information for the subscrition.
Thank you for your service. I am expecting to hear from you.
DePat
sreesesr
August 05, 2009 at 2:50pm
DePat,
Thank you very much for your support!! We are now at the end of our tour out here so it will not be too much longer before we will be back in the states. I'm not sure that it would be worth your trouble to make all the arraingments and I only receive 2 issues :) For me, you saying thank you is enough!
U.S. Army Sergeant
DePat
July 31, 2009 at 8:29am
for making my decision not to renew my subscription an easy one. I also don't have trouble sleeping at night
DePat
skirge01
July 30, 2009 at 4:25pm
Will,
Thank you for taking the time to respond here. That alone means a lot. You are correct that the portability is a big reason we subscribe, but it still hurts to have the month's feature online before we get our magazine. I understand the time crunch for your articles and if a new piece of hardware came out or something like Windows 7 was released, I would understand you wanting to get your review out at the same time other, non-commercial, sites did. Personally, I don't feel that there is any such time limit on the Dream Machine requiring it to be published ASAP.
As far as our subscription cost goes, I've been begging you guys to raise the price for a while now. I would love more content in the magazine, more guest columns, more reviews, and more Q&A, and I would happily pay 2 to 3 times what I do now for that. I would also gladly pay more in order to get the magazine right around the time it hits newstands. I thoroughly appreciate the ultra-low, $12 annual price I pay, but I'd prefer more magazine to go along with a higher price.
arkweld
July 30, 2009 at 3:48pm
"It just didn't seem like a good time for a traditional Dream Machine
when a large number of our readers are struggling to keep their
families afloat."If readers are unemployed and having trouble paying the bills then they shouldn't even be thinking about building a new PC anyway, and $3500 would be just as unobtainable as $30000.
The vast majority of MPC readers can't afford ANY of the Dream Machines ANY YEAR so what difference does it make this year? Those people who could afford last year's DM are still probably the only people who could have afforded this year's. For everyone else it's a chance to imagine something awesome, instead of being hammered over the head by more financial bleakness and brought back to morale crushing reality. Again.
domih2009
July 30, 2009 at 4:07pm
...difficult to make everyone happy ;-)
I never subscribed to Maximum PC but I bought each issue for more than 5 years now.
On a personal note, what you are doing on the web site does not push me to stop buying the printed issue. Reasons:
(1) there are things that you can read in the printed issue which you do not find in the web site and vice-versa.
(2) One can call me old-hide but I care about the pleasure of reading the printed copy (laid down on my sofa...)
(3) IMHO, there is an important difference between reading on the web and reading a magazine or a newspaper. On the web, one mostly read about what he or she's looking for. With a printed copy, you read things that you were not looking for because it gets in front of your eyes without having to click on a link.
Keep up getting better and better!
nekollx
July 30, 2009 at 3:35pm
soooooooooooooooooooooo
Basicly i na recession your saying your readers dream of a pc that will be outdated and beat by a laptop in 6 months?
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
SpazzAttack
July 30, 2009 at 3:26pm
...I would hope you wouldn't have trouble sleeping at night. It's just a magazine article after all. ;-)
We'll just have to agree to disagree.
Bender2000
July 31, 2009 at 6:02am
You can sleep well, Will, but you have thrown the Dream out the window because... you feel guilty that your unobtainable build is 10% even more unobtainable to your audience. You just don't get it. History shows that in times of stress and loss people want a distraction, which is why movies and PC games are selling big. So you reward us with PCs that bore. Screw that, give us a real Dream Machine!
votre
July 30, 2009 at 1:09pm
I couldn't help but notice the $0 price tag on a copy of Windows. Talk about dreaming :-)
I know you used the free RC (and yes, Windows 7 isn't officially out yet) but that doesn't excuse you for quoting a build cost minus the price of the operatings system - unless you were specifying Linux or BSD.
So I guess we should just add about $300 or so to the final price of each of the above, right?
Mr_Armageddon
August 03, 2009 at 2:45pm
If you are really paying $300 for a retail version of any OS, you need to hand in your Internet User badge ASAP.
Most readers of this Magazine know that OEM versions of Windows can be had for as low as $99. Even Vista Ultimate with the extra "useful" features is only $174, not even close to $300.
whatsinaname
July 30, 2009 at 12:37pm
I have been reading since BOOT and It makes me sad that the "Dream Machine" is less than 10K dollars. A dream machine should be cooled with something amazing, OC'd to beat all heck, and take a small Nuclear Reactor to power it and its 100" screen. Also I received this issue via the Electronic copy (I do appreciat that) yesterday, and now the biggest thing of the year (It used to be like X-mas for me) is already on the web.
tell us again why we subscribe? I also miss the rig of the month. I would slowly read the magazine waiting on purpose to see that last page. Oh well change happens and it dosn't always have to be good.
I still love the mag, and keep up the awesome podcasts!
DePat
July 30, 2009 at 12:12pm
Where is the dream machine? Forget the price point and build a "F" the cost machine. For me, and again I am speaking just for me, spending $3,500 on a pc is not a dream. It will be a little bit painful if that, even by this time (recession! what recession) but I can afford it. It seems to me that you did not build a dream machine because one of the following reasons (1) MaximumPC was hit by the recession. if that the case, just let us know and retitle the article by replacing the world "Dream" with ordinary, the ones we can afford, I guess you see what I mean. (2) you are asking your reader to have "cheaper" dreams. They could not afford the previous Dream Machines why lower expectation knowing that they would not be able to have the current machine ($3,500). I would not even mention the earlier 2 machines. If one cannot afford a $700 machine, they should spent more of their time findings (legal) ways of making more money than reading magazines. I know some people are going to be offended by this but the truth is sometime painful. So before you start the "hate" examine your own conscience before you start typing.
Although I always read article on the site before I get the mag I did not cancel my subscription because it was a way for me to support you. After reading the current Dream Marchine Article on line (I have not yet received the magazine), and seeing how "plain", "ordinary" and "un-inspiring" they are, I have decided not to renew my subscription (I thought you will want to know why I will not renew)
DePat
sreesesr
July 30, 2009 at 1:12pm
DePat,
Did you notice the title of the article? These are Dream Machines for lower income people who where hit by the recession......just like it says. There is nothing here that says that MaximumPC is going to continue to do "budget" Dream Machines forever. Besides, there is absolutly nothing wrong with a little bit of variety.
U.S. Army Sergeant
DePat
July 31, 2009 at 8:07am
First let me thank you for your service to the country and the sacrifice your family is enduring on our behalf. THANK YOU!!
Yes, I did notice the title of the article. I have no issue with the article itselft. My issue is with what the article is supposed to be about: "DREAM MACHINES". All year round, we have example of various "budget" machines in the magazine and on the web. Once a year we are supposed to get an article about dream machines. Let me make something clear: a dream machine for me is not about the paint and lights and that kind of things. I am talking about the inside, the guts. I am talking about the kind of hardware that will make you salivate, that will make you well... "DREAM". This article does not achieve that for me.
I understand the reason to have budget machines. All the machines I built so far were built using MaxPC recommendations in their various budget machines. However, I have to point out that we have 11 issues of the magazine for that. All I am asking is the 12th issue of the magazine to be about "A DREAM MACHINE". I can even settle for 1 article in the year to be about "A DREAM MACHINE". Really, is that asking for much?
Before I stop typing, let me say that I appreciated the tone of your article. It very nice to have a pleasant discussion and respectful exchange of opinions
My regards to your family and unit
Stay safe
DePat
sreesesr
July 31, 2009 at 4:48pm
DePat,
We would like to thank you and your family and everyone else that posts here for supporting the troops. These forums give me a place to get away to and get back to realality while being deployed and it helps a ton to know that we are supported by great people like you. Thank you all!
I understand where you are coming from DePat, waiting all year looking forward to seeing what over the top kick ass machine they come out with this year. But I really doubt that this will be the norm. I really do believe that MaxPC is testing the waters with this one. I thought it was a good idea, but like you, I would not want the "Dream Machine(s)" to be done like this every year.
On that note, there are way too many good things about MaxPC to just toss my subscription because of this. Unfortunately, we can not get subscriptions in Afghanistan, they had problems with people stealing them on the way. But we are lucky to have AAFES out here and they are sure to stock the shelves with MaximumPC every month:)
U.S. Army Sergeant
Caramoore
August 15, 2009 at 10:36pm
Hooah Sergeant, I remember I couldn't wait to get the box from my wife with
my magazine in it every month back in '04 in Iraq. Of course mail was so slow I
got them about a month or so after the magazine came out. Hurry home and be
safe.Just wanted to add that I've been getting this magazine since issue 2
and only once a few years ago did I not get an issue and they added it to my
subscription when I let them know. Plus I got the issue before this was posted.
My only complaint with the whole article is they didn't comment on the ram in
the high budget machine only listing it in the price cost.SSG Kenneth Word
mikeart03a
July 30, 2009 at 12:37pm
DePat,
Your arguments are pretty pointless, while the word 'dream' usually does denote drool-worthy, uber expensive hardware and performance in MPC's context. It's nice to see a change of pace to something where it's still great hardware, but something that a number of us can actually afford to budget for and pull off in a month or two. Furthermore, not all of us need shiny paint jobs or flashy lights or super-fast procs that we don't quite need, most of us need a machine that can perform it's task with little to no headaches. Whether it's gaming, video encoding, etc. I just want a machine that's capable and won't leave me having to take out a second mortgage on my house to get it.
As for your remarks about them being 'how "plain", "ordinary" and "un-inspiring"', while those PCs are more generic looking than the average $5G boutique PC, I prefer the industrial look over the god awful looks and light shows that are in those PCs...
- mike_art03a
Owner, Network Admin
Michael Artelle Online Solutions
http://www.michaelartelleonline.com
michael.paiement@sympatico.ca
DePat
July 31, 2009 at 8:14am
Mike,
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my comments. I would appreciate if you can read the response I sent to U.S Army Sergeant above. I tried to clarify what I was saying.
Thanks
DePat
Bender2000
July 30, 2009 at 2:10pm
mike_art03a misses the point. It is DREAM machine, and as such it has to push the boundaries and be exceptional in all facets. These builds are all rooted too deeply in reality, not in dreamland. You can't say a more ordinary PC is truly a dream machine. The fact, as he points out, that it is attainable for a lot of people and has none of the superflous bling we expect pretty much rules out it being dream worthy. This article is a disappointment and these builds all fail to inspire. Who dreamed these builds up, Dell? Your CPA? WHere is the DREAM part! There is no dream part, just a price point. Balls to you, Max PC. You promise Megan FOx but deliver Ugly Betty.
farlo
July 30, 2009 at 11:06am
i absolutely hate rosewill power supplies, ive had nothing but trouble from them.
ordered on a couple years ago from newegg, and it arrived DOA, rma'd and got a new one powered up the pc for about half a second large pop and smoke, and another dead psu, rma'd one more time and the new one was DOA. i'll stick with my coolermaster or antec psu's.
SpazzAttack
July 30, 2009 at 11:32am
"Why describe a build no one can afford?" Because it's a Dream Machine! To all of you lamers who want "reality" builds: We get plenty of the budget "reality" builds presented all year round. The Dream Machine's of years past also showcased many parts that I never knew were available. Yeesh...I could have built a faster Dream Machine my self just by surfing NewEgg.com.
This was the one issue of MPC I always looked forward to every year. Disappointed! :(
skirge01
July 30, 2009 at 10:52am
of people who haven't received their copy of the magazine yet. In all my years of subscribing (since the boot days), this is only the second time it's happened. But, the last time was only a few months ago. I also agree with others who have said that it's ridiculous to have a cover story posted for the world to see at NO COST prior to paid subscribers even receiving their copy.
I've been reading about the SageTV HD200 review from this month's issue over at the Sage forums since July 17th.
** MaximumPC, this isn't the way to treat your faithful subscribers **
