The Enthusiast's PC incorporates the perfect blend of both the Entry-Level Rig and Luxury System, making this our most harmonious build. Our intent is to keep this system within the grasp of the average computer enthusiast, essentially offering a fully loaded PC minus some of the unnecessary bells and whistles that could set you back another grand or two.

Motherboard, Processor, Memory

In our review, we found the second-generation Core processors (codenamed Sandy Bridge) to offer more performance and consume less power than their predecessors. The $225 quad-core Core i5-2500K absolutely smokes our previous pick, the quad-core Core i5-750. It's worth mentioning that the i5-2500K has an unlocked multiplier so it's easier to overclock, but if you don't plan to take advantage of that feature, the standard i5-2500 is a little cheaper at $210.

Although we were excited about Intel's Z68 chipset when it launched, we only recommended it if you required both the ability to overclock while simultaneously using Sandy Bridge's integrated graphics (the P67 can't access the on-die GPU). At the time, Intel's Smart Response Technology wasn't worthwhile because there was only a ~$25 difference between buying a Z68 board with a budget SSD cache drive or a P67 board with a mid-grade 60GB SSD.

That changed briefly when Gigabyte launched its new GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD, a $240 Z68 motherboard that ships with a 20GB Intel SRT cache drive. Although we stamped Gigabyte's offering with our "Outstanding!" award, prices have fluctuated again and it seems more logical to purchase a full-fledged SSD boot drive alongside a P67 motherboard unless you require support for Sandy Bridge's integrated graphics core (more details in our Z68 board reviews). As of writing, a PCIe 3.0-equipped version of ASRock's P67 Extreme4 is $150 while Crucial's 64GB M4 is only $105, once again putting a meager divide between Intel's SRT hybrid solution and the real deal.

Graphics, Sound

Although we found Nvidia's newly released GeForce GTX 560 Ti to be around 9% faster than AMD's Radeon HD 6870, it's $25 more expensive and consumes 24% more power. We currently favor the Radeon HD 6870 for the average build, but the GTX 560 Ti has more overclocking potential if you intend to go that route. If you're running low on funds, the GTX 460 is still perfectly viable and equally tempting at its new sub-$200 price point as is the Radeon HD 6850. Meanwhile, the GTX 570 and Radeon HD 6970 are equally worthy of your cash if you can stretch your budget by another $100.

Despite its grasp on the computer audio market, Creative's sound cards and drivers have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many. For that reason, we've selected HT Omega's Striker. Some people still prefer a card that's more mainstream or simply need support for the latest EAX titles, in which case the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer should be suitable. Asus' Xonar DX is also an attractive option with its emulated EAX effects.

Storage

**Recent flooding has dented hard drive production. Prices have skyrocketed and unless you're in desperate need of new storage, we recommend delaying your HDD purchase. Perhaps you can reuse an old device or treat yourself to a new SSD.

With the launch of Intel's LGA 1156/1155 platforms, there is now plenty of headroom for an SSD along with a hefty storage drive. Nonetheless, flash-based storage will still set you back more than conventional magnetic storage, so Seagate's hybrid drives might be more your speed. Not only will the Momentus XT offer performance on par with a 10k RPM VelociRaptor for far less cash, they scale up to 500GB so you can potentially ditch the dedicated storage drive and save a few bucks.

As we said above, we're inclined to spring for the complete package: a 64GB Crucial M4 with a secondary storage drive. The 64GB SSD offers ample storage for Windows 7, standard applications and a few games if you disable Windows features such as hibernation mode, while Western Digital's 750GB Caviar Black houses your media. Larger hard drives are constantly on sale, so keep an eye on the prices of 1TB, 1.5TB, 2TB and even 3TB models.

We've chosen to pair a standard DVD burner with LG's affordable Blu-ray burner to give your Enthusiast's PC that extra mile of functionality, but if you want to save a few bucks, feel free to drop the spare DVD drive. Likewise, if you have no use for a Blu-ray burner, exclude it from your purchase or downgrade to a Blu-ray reader (around $30 cheaper).

Power, Case

Although you could probably get by with a solid 500W PSU, that would cutting it close with some multi-GPU configurations, so spending a few bucks more now to have headroom later makes the most sense to us.

Having fallen head over heels for Cooler Master's previous full tower designs (namely the HAF 932 and HAF X), it should come as no surprise that we have a strong affinity for the company's latest creation. The CM Storm Trooper represents the culmination of the company's efforts, featuring a new chassis handle, revamped drive cages, an integrated fan controller, excellent stock cooling and the same mildly aggressive aesthetics.

If a full-tower chassis is too large for your taste, the CM M HAF 922,  Antec Nine Hundred are worthy purchases -- though they're a bit showy and that's a deal breaker for some folks. For something a bit tamer, see Antec's Three Hundred or Lian Li's cases.

Monitor, Speakers, Peripherals

It's our opinion that a 23" to 24" monitor should be the absolute minimum for the average enthusiast system. Although TN-based displays start at about $210, we strongly encourage you to splurge on an IPS panel for the added color depth and overall higher quality image, and if you're a graphics professional, this is a must. Both HP and Dell offer great products in this category (LP2475w and U2410), while ViewSonic and NEC each have solid 23" IPS screens for around $300.

Those are all fantastic monitors, but we're guessing you're accustomed to something just a tad larger. We've found the proverbial "sweet spot" to be in the 27" range and they're actually more affordable than you might think (at least the TN models, anyway). LG, HP, Asus, ViewSonic and many other brands currently offer 27" displays in the sub-$350 territory. Most have virtually identical features with a few minor differences (slightly varying response times, different warranty terms, and there's even some LED-backlit models in the mix).

We've opted for the Acer H274HLbmd as it's among the least expensive models available at $275 and it has the lowest power consumption among its rivals courtesy of LED backlighting. Our second choice would be the ViewSonic VX2739WM. It's an extra $50 and ViewSonic has a less forgiving warranty program, but the display supposedly has less input lag based on scattered reviews. That probably won't matter for the average user but it might affect your decision if you're relying on the display for hardcore gaming sessions.

Speakers are a tricky component to shop for because a higher price and wattage doesn't necessarily equal better sound accuracy. As long as you don't expect studio-quality reproduction or to rattle your neighbor's walls, the $40 CA-3602 should be fine (also recommended for the Entry-Level Rig). If your budget allows it, Logitech's Z623 200W 2.1 speakers should exceed your expectations in movies and games, especially when you consider the countless positive reviews received by their predecessor (the Z-2300). More of a headphone person? The Sony MDR-V66 and MDR-V7506 have stood the test of time and are a personal favorite.

Even if you're not a hardcore gamer, Logitech's G500 mouse is an excellent choice at $60, and the G15 keyboard is somewhat of a de facto among gamers. The G500 is in a sweet spot as far as price for performance goes, but if you need something less expensive take a look at our Entry-Level Rig or our recent round-up review of twelve popular gaming mice.

Other gaming-oriented keyboards include mechanical options from Razer, Corsair, Mionix, and Cooler Master, while Filco, Leopold and Das offer less flashy boards.. Non-mechanical options include Razer's Arctosa, Logitech's G110, SteelSeries Merc Stealth, and Microsoft's SideWinder X6. Those working long hours in front of a computer may want something more ergonomic. The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 has been used by some of the TechSpot staff for years and can be found for less than $40 these days, and the company recently launched its $20 Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000.