The Asus ENGTX280 TOP (HTDP/1G/A) is the fastest and most powerful graphics card we've ever had the pleasure of testing. However, at its current price point, some users may be better off with a multi-GPU solution, via Crossfire or SLI.

When it comes to gaming performance for your dollar, the ATI Radeon HD 4870 is currently unmatched. If that's not enough reason to snap this card up, we don't know what is.

Sapphire's Radeon HD4870 offers an impressive amount of graphics power at a modest price, and while it won't appeal to the power gamer, it's more than enough for most users.

When it comes to bang for your buck, the Radeon HD 4850 is currently the best graphics card on the market. This Force3D version is just as good as the ATI reference board. If you're a stickler for value, you won't be disappointed.

If you have a graphics enthusiast’s heart, but lack the wallet size to match, then ATI's Radeon HD 4850 is the kind of bargain you’ve been waiting for. It offers a solid performance in all but the most power-hungry applications, at a price that even a pauper could afford.

A very good board for a mid- to high-end system. It will consume a conservative amount of power while running at full speed.

The Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 is a portable, well-rounded external sound card with all the advantages of Creative’s internal sound card range. Some won't notice its benefits, but its support for EAX and X-Fi technology will be an advantage for most people.