Editorial Review
Get exceptional gaming performance at an affordable price with the uniquely styled and intelligently designed iBuyPower Gamer 536AE desktop PC. The clear side panel with neon light accents helps you show off the system's internal workings, and it comes with iBuyPower's standard silent cooling solution. Crafted for gaming enthusiasts looking for a bump in graphics and processing power that won't break the bank, this desktop is powered by AMD's 2.3 GHz AMD Phenom 9600 quad-core processor, which delivers the ultimate megatasking experience by providing direct and rapid information flow between four processor cores, main memory, and graphics and video accelerators.
You'll enjoy enhanced video performance thanks to the 8800 GTS with 512 MB of dedicated video RAM. Other features include a 500 GB hard drive, 3 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), dual-layer DVD±RW burner (that also writes CDs), and included optical mouse and keyboard.
This PC also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.
The Basics
- Processor: This desktop is powered by AMD's 2.3 GHz AMD Phenom 9600 quad-core processor, which can speed through advanced multitasking, processor-intensive visual design and modeling, serious gaming, and stunning digital media and entertainment. With an integrated memory controller and shared L3 cache, AMD Phenom 9000 Series processors have low-latency access to main memory for amazingly rapid system response and phenomenal system performance. The 9500 has 2 MB of L2 cache in addition to 2 MB of L3 cache.
All AMD Phenom 9000 series processors feature AMD64 with Direct Connect Architecture to blast through performance bottlenecks, and AMD's HyperTransport 3.0 technology now provides support for full 1080p high-definition video. And with the next generation Cool‘n’Quiet 2.0 technology reducing heat and noise, the AMD Phenom 9000 Series quad-core processor delivers seamless multitasking and optimum energy efficiency.
- Hard Drive: The ginormous 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM) provides more than enough capacity for storing a large audio and video library, as well as extra space required for video editing. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.
- Memory: The 3 GB of installed RAM (PC5300, 1 x 2 GB, 2 x 1 GB) helps boost the amount of available video RAM that's shared with this notebook's video card. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. This desktop has a 4 GB maximum RAM capacity (2 x 2 GB). To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.
- DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents.
Screen, Video & Audio Video is powered by the integrated, SLI-ready NVidia GeForce 8800 GTS graphics/video card with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 graphics memory. (GDDR3, short for Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3, is a graphics card-specific memory technology that's better able to deliver fluid frame rates for even the most advanced games and applications.) The 8800 GTS has a 650 MHz core clock and 1625 MHz shader clock, as well as a 64 GB/second memory bandwidth.
With support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), it lets you rip through all of today's most advanced and cutting-edge games and applications. Power through games at record speeds with vividly realistic, sun-up to sun-down HDR lighting effects, and crank up 16x full-screen anti-aliasing without missing a beat. The fully unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering up to 2x the gaming performance of prior generation GPUs. And NVidia's SLI technology delivers up to 2x the performance of a single graphics card configuration for unequaled gaming experiences by allowing two graphics cards to run in parallel.
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
This desktop PC comes with the following external connectors:
- 6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players (2 front, 4 rear)
- 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
- Digital video output: 2 DVI
- Analog video output: none
- Audio: headphone and microphone (front), 6-channel audio ports (rear)
- 2 PS/2 for connecting mouse and keyboard
- 1 RJ45 for connecting to an Ethernet network
- 1 parallel printer port
Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software
Microsoft Office 2007 Trial Edition (60 days)
What's in the Box
This package contains the iBuypower 536AE desktop PC, power cord, mouse and keyboard, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.
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Customer Reviews
Great system 
2008-07-09
This is one of the best system I've ever own. If you are looking for a mid/high range system then this is the one for you. I've always been a fan of AMD and i know lately they been off the sack but they still producing.
No Quality Assurance with IBUYPOWER 
2008-06-02
1. It seems like a good deal when you look at the specs but when I got mine the motherboard was tilted a bit. This made the sound and video card shift in and out of the PCI slot with any movement. I contaced a customer service person and they put me on hold over and over. Finally I got frustrated and took it to Best Buy and they build it in a new box. This cost me an extra $200 but at lease the item works.
2. My mother bought one at the same time and it came with a glitch in the operating system. We had to reload the OS.
0/2 in my family...
Unless you really know what you are doing and are willing to gamble that you got a "good one off the line".
I would not recommend this manufacturer.
Very Disappointing. 2008-05-18
This is not what is advertised. For one, the product page told me that I was getting an NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT 512 MB video card. It's not. On the order page, it changed to an NVIDIA 8600GT 512 MB, and that's what I received. I did not notice the change from the product page to the order page until I received the product, and had gone back to look at everything. The Amazon product description somewhat gets this right calling the video card a "8600M GT".
Also, the product description showed that the computer would have this:
6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players (2 front, 4 rear).
There are only 4 USB 2.0 ports. There are no front USB 2.0 ports.
1 eSATA for connecting an external hard drive. No eSATA.
Digital video output: 1 DVI. Yes.
Analog video output: 1 VGA. Yes.
Audio: headphone and microphone (front), 6-channel audio ports (rear).
Also deceptive. There are no headphone and microphone jacks in the front, and there are only line in, microphone, and speaker jacks in the back. There are no 6-channel audio ports in the rear.
2 PS/2 for connecting mouse and keyboard. Yes.
1 RJ45 for connecting to an Ethernet network. Yes.
1 parallel printer port. Yes.
Although, I am happy with the product as it is an upgrade over my 6 year old, 1.6 Ghz, 40 GB Harddrive, 128 MB video card dinosaur, the product page was deceptive and the computer does not contain all that is advertised.
If I had had a more modern computer than the above mentioned, I would have probably been irate and would have only given 1 star. I'm still a little bit peeved, and will contact Amazon.com in the near future about this.
