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October 14, 2008 2:32 PM PDT

AVADirect simplifies its PC offerings

by Rich Brown
(Credit: AVADirect)

If you've read our desktop reviews over the past few years, you may have noticed write-ups of a few desktops from AVADirect. This lesser-known PC vendor has impressed us with both the value and the build-quality of its systems, but we've been reluctant to recommend them to average PC buyers because its Web site was so daunting. A typical power-supply drop-down menu, for example, would list 40 or 50 different options. Enthusiasts might love that sort of thing (those not building their own PCs, at least), but even average PC gamers don't always want to deal with that much granularity while shopping for a PC.

As it has long promised, AVADirect has finally made its PCs easier to buy for those unfamiliar with CAS latency or without a favorite thermal paste. Click from its homepage to the Desktop Systems tab and you'll find a Pre-Built Gaming Systems section, currently populated by five different base models. Each of those offers some degree of customization, but system-defining features such as the chassis and the motherboard are locked in. The memory and hard drive options have also been thoroughly purged to present customers with only a few reasonable choices.

We like choice, don't get us wrong, and AVADirect still has a section with the full range of customization it offered previously. We're just glad to see AVADirect make it easier for less confident buyers to order one of its competent, aggressively-priced desktops.

Rich Brown reviews desktops and various other components and peripherals for CNET. E-mail Rich.
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