The market is filled with bargains.
James looks at what it’s possible to buy if you can’t bring yourself to stretch
past the $160 barrier
If you have Christmas money burning a hole
in your pocket, one of the best ways to spend it is to buy a present for
yourself to combat the drudgery of the New Year. The January sales are a good
time to go searching for bargains, but obviously you don’t want to spend too
much. So what can you buy for $159?
We’ve had a look for the best sub-$160 gift
ideas to see if there’s anything you might want to treat yourself to, whatever
piece of hardware you’re after.
Blu-ray Writer: Asus SBW-06D2X-U - External
Blu-ray Writer
Price: $144
Asus
SBW-06D2X-U
Writable Blu-ray hardware is finally
reaching reasonable levels of affordability, and with up to 128GB of data
storage on a single disc, it’s not hard to see why you might want one. Although
there are a few on the market right now, Asus’s external Blu-ray writer stands
out from the pack as one that’s impressive on every level. Features such as
Auto Tuning Power technology and double-strength disc encryption with password
controls give the user added control and confidence over the recording process,
while the portable design lets you easily deploy it on any desktop or laptop
with a USB port. Even its appearance sets it apart from other Blu-ray drives,
with a slim and glossy exterior mounted, optionally, on a rakishly angled
stand. We can’t think of any finer Blu-ray writer to buy.
Mouse: Logitech G400 Optical - Gaming
Mouse
Price: $64
Logitech
G400 Optical
Specialist peripherals are this year’s must
have accessories for the dedicated gamer in your family, and the Logitech G400
gaming mouse is utterly packed with game friendly features. With eight buttons
and a high-resolution 3600dpi sensor that can be tweaked on the fly for easy
switching between precise and super-fast inputs, it’s guaranteed to impress.
The construction is tested for durability too, with buttons that are stress
tested to survive one million clicks.
What makes this mouse special is that
unlike most gaming mice, it doesn’t look like it’s been through the car crusher
twice in an attempt to give it some street cred, so you’ll still feel normal
while using it for your browsing or office work. You might even get some use
out of its extra buttons yourself!
Keyboard: Steel Series 6G v2 Mechanical
- Gaming Keyboard
Price: $121
Steel
Series 6G v2 Mechanical
If you’ve never used a mechanical keyboard,
then we’re sad to inform you that you’ve never really experienced typing. With
individually micro switched keys that react faster and more sensitively than a
regular keyboard, a mechanical keyboard gives gamers the edge they need to get
the jump on their opponents, be they real or virtual. And let’s face it, even
if you’re just typing out an email, they’re so much nicer to type on than
anything else - the computerized equivalent of a biro on banana skins.
We won’t pretend $120 isn’t steep for a
keyboard, but with a durable metal case and sturdy design, you should at least
get your money’s worth out of it. Don’t talk yourself out of owning the Rolls
Royce of keyboards just because you’re only used to driving a Morris Minor.
Wireless Adaptor: Asus EA-N66 Pyramid - Adaptor
Price: $144
Asus
EA-N66 Pyramid
USB wireless adapters are virtually
synonymous with low-price, low-quality purchases, but with the Asus EA-N66
wireless pyramid, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
With frankly awe-inspiring design
sensibilities, this 450Mbps wireless adapter has multiple orthogonally arranged
antennas to lessen interference and boost signal coverage. It supports
dual-band communication for full wireless N support, and it has a 3-in-1 design
that lets it switch instantly between acting as a wireless adaptor, repeater or
access point. You may not need it, but you’re lying if you say you don’t want
it.
Case: Antec 902 V3 Midi Gaming Case
Price: $139
Antec
902 V3 Midi Gaming Case
The Antec 902 v3 is a fantastic mid-priced
gaming case with a variety of desirable features, including a huge side-panel
window, internal LEDs and 2.5” drive bays specifically designed for SSDs
mounted at the base of the case. It’s quite possibly the perfect home for a
modern PC particularly if you want to build a rig that’s going to impress your
friends at a LAN party.
What’s more, the perforated frontage gives
it extra cooling capabilities, while a CPU cut-out and the three included fans
(there’s space for even more) mean it’s capable of keeping even the most
powerful PC chilly. If you’re not overclocking or running a high-end graphics
card, then it’s arguably overkill, but when it looks this good, who cares how
necessary it is?
Media Streamer: SumVision Cyclone - Micro
2+ MKV Player
Price: $48
SumVision
Cyclone
If you want to make it easier than ever to
get digital video playing on your TV, this pocket-sized media streaming device
allows you to pipe a huge variety of digital formats straight onto the big
screen, including, as the name suggests, the oft-neglected MKV file. With HDMI
and 5.1 digital coax support, this small box still allows you to get home
cinema-style sound and visuals.
And why’s it so cheap? Well, its maker has
scrimped a little on storage (which is to say, there isn’t any) but the USB
port allows you to connect almost any type of device, so if you have a USB key
hanging around, you can hook it up for simple file storage and transfer. That’s
convenience we can live with.
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3 - Memory
Kit
Price: $58
Crucial
Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3
In case you hadn’t noticed, Windows 8
claims to need a minimum of 2GB of RAM to run but, let’s face it, giving your
64-bit operating system anything less than 4GB is a waste of time. Rather than
try to scrape by at the bare minimum, why not splash out on this 8GB Crucial
Ballistix kit? Not only will you be well ahead of the curve for the next couple
of years, but you can take advantage of this year’s famously cheap RAM prices.
This is a 2 x 4GB kit, which means it offers the best balance of access times
and physical space constraints, and because it’s the ‘Sport’ version, it’s
rated at 1600MHz better than average speeds, which are fast enough for all but
the most hardened over clocker.
TV Card: Hauppauge WinTV Nova HD S2
Price: $112
Hauppauge
WinTV Nova HD S2
Watching TV on your computer is as easy as
it’s ever been, but it can get just that little bit easier if you install a TV
card. Manufacturer Hauppauge Computer Works has been the leading manufacturer
of TV cards for virtually as long as they’ve existed, and the Nova HD S2
features a satellite-capable DVB-S/DVB-S2 tuner that you can use in conjunction
with any digital dish to receive free HD satellite channels from across Europe.
However, although it’s worth noting you can’t use it to directly receive
encrypted signals, such as Sky, even if you have a subscription. Still, with
extras like built-in PVR recording and multiple input and output ports, anyone
who wants a TV card that means business should start here.
