Weekend Hardware Sales - Full Tower for $80, AMD APUs, Mini-ITX Boards
Posted on January 24, 2014
It seems like this is the year of mini-ITX form factors -- between the obsession over small cases at CES and the impending Steam Machine launches (and Kaveri), small form factor systems are being driven hard by the industry. This hardware sales round-up includes deals on mini-ITX boards, a Kaveri bundle, an Intel SSD, and a cheap full-tower case.
Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini-ITX Board ($120): For anyone building an HTPC or similar system, this Gigabyte board will combo well with low-TDP Intel chips (and an adequate video card) for a powerful, upgradeable build. The board ships with wireless networking and ethernet networking, and if you're using the IGP, it has 2xHDMI outputs.
Intel 530 SSD 180GB ($170): SSDs have officially fallen below $1/GB. Intel's 530 Series SSD ships in at a mid-range 180GB -- a nice zone between 120GB and 240GB options -- making its asking price $170. For a reliable, high-endurance SSD that nearly maxes out the SATA interface (as nearly all SSDs do at this point), it's a good buy for a mid-range system.
AMD 7850K + BF4 + 8GB RAM ($290): You should pass on this one if you don't want Battlefield 4, since the coupon isn't entirely free. If you're hoping to play BF4 on an APU-powered PC, definitely look into this 7850K APU + 8GB RAM combo, as it includes BF4 and some misc. merch with it.
ASUS Xonar Sound Card ($80): If you want a dedicated sound card for a high-end speaker system setup, ASUS' Xonar card will get you started with all the essential outputs and audio cleaning qualities. The card supports up to 7.1 channel audio and is a low-profile PCI-e x1 expansion device, so it will fit in nearly all machines.
Pick of the Week
Azza Solano 1000 Gaming Case ($80): After a $10 instant promo code (EMCPWHG27) and rebate, Azza's full-tower enclosure ships at an affordable $80 for decent cable management options and cooling performance. If you like the look of this one -- it almost vaguely resembles the structure of the Antec 900 -- then it's a good buy for a budget or mid-range system.
- Steve "Lelldorianx" Burke.