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• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 146 reviews

The Bottom Line: This external sound card works great for watching DVDs, listening to tunes, or recording audio on your computer. Read review

Specs: USB, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition / Windows ME, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP, Pentium II 350 MHz, 5.1 channel surround

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: If you thought dual cores were over the top, get ready. Intel presents the Core 2 Extreme QX6700, a single CPU with four distinct processing cores. At $999, the first quad-core CPU will remain an enthusiast part for a while, but as a glimpse of the future, it's clear that clock speed is out and core counts are in. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 3 reviews

Specs: ATI Radeon X300 SE, 2048 x 1536, 128 MB, PCI Express x16, PC, DDR SDRAM 64-bit

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: NVIDIA Quadro 600, 2560 x 1600, 1 GB, PCI Express 2.0 x16, PC, GDDR3 SDRAM 128-bit

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 56 reviews

The Bottom Line: Thanks to Nvidia's second fastest graphics chip, the eVGA e-GeForce 6800 GT represents the current price-vs.-performance sweet spot for 3D gaming. Read review

Specs: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT, 2048 x 1536 / 60 Hz, 256 MB / 256 MB (max), AGP 8x, PC, GDDR3 SDRAM, 2

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 16 reviews

The Bottom Line: LaCie's IamaKey USB flash drive is slim, sturdy, and, most importantly, will stay on your key ring. Read review

Specs: 8 GB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.7 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: AMD's new Phenom X4 9850 is overpriced and outclassed compared with its Intel-based quad-core competition. If PC vendors can use this chip to make cheap systems (as they did with older Phenoms), we might have nicer things to say, but as a DIY part at this price, we can't recommend AMD's latest quad-core CPU. Read review

Specs: AMD Phenom X4 9850

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Motherboard, ATX, Intel Z77 Express, 12 in x 8.8 in

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.5 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 33 reviews

The Bottom Line: If you can live a few frames per second behind those with the highest-end graphics cards, the ATI Radeon X800 Pro saves you $100 and still smokes most of the competition. Read review

Specs: ATI Radeon X800 Pro, 2048 x 1536 / 85 Hz, 256 MB, AGP 8x, PC, GDDR3 SDRAM, 2

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.6 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 23 reviews

The Bottom Line: Laptop owners looking to boost their audio and increase their home entertainment capabilities should check out the new Creative USB Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX. Read review

Specs: Hi-Speed USB, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition / Windows ME, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3, Microsoft Windows XP SP1, 7.1 channel surround

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Notebook battery, Lithium ion

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The CPU market is due for a lot of upheaval over the next 12 months, so you might be wise to wait for a clearer picture before plunking down $1,000 or so on Intel's new Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad-core desktop processor. But if you want to claim ownership of the fastest multicore CPU around today, look no further. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 1 review

Specs: PCI Express x1, Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition, 7.1 channel surround

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 4 reviews

Specs: Intel Core i7 i7-920

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD Athlon 64 3500+

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Motherboard, ATX, Intel X79 Express, 11.6 in x 9.6 in

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 6 reviews

The Bottom Line: Creative's Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro is the must-have sound card for hard-core gamers, PC-theater aficionados, and audiophiles. Read review

Specs: PCI, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP2, Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows XP SP1, 7.1 channel surround

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.0 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: AMD's new Phenom quad-core CPU has little to recommend it over competing chips from Intel. The Phenom is marginally less-expensive, but not enough to make up for its subpar performance. Unless AMD drops prices more aggressively, it looks like Intel will maintain its grasp on the CPU market for the foreseeable future. Read review

Specs: AMD Phenom X4 9600

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Motherboard, Micro ATX, Intel Q965 Express / Intel ICH8, 1066 MHz, 9.6 in x 9.6 in

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Motherboard, Micro ATX, Intel B75 Express, 9.6 in x 9.6 in

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: We don't think most gamers shopping for a midrange 3D card are looking for power efficiency, but for those conscientious few, the EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked is the card for you. Otherwise, you can get noticeably more performance and capability from an only slightly more expensive ATI card. Read review

Specs: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260, 2560 x 1600, 896 MB, PCI Express 2.0 x16, PC, GDDR3 SDRAM 448-bit 1 ns

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD Sempron 145

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 1 review

Specs: Motherboard, ATX, Intel 3450, 12 in x 9.6 in

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 6 reviews

Specs: ATI Radeon X1600 Pro, 2048 x 1536, 512 MB (max), 512 MB, PCI Express x16, PC, DDR2 SDRAM 128-bit, 2