The phrase 'future proof' is often used to describe PCs and PC components, and you only need to Google the words 'future-proof PC' to see how much content there is on the Web about this subject.
However, as I'm sure you all know, there's no such thing as a future-proof PC or component. If there were, it would mean that either the PC industry had stopped innovating completely, or you'd somehow managed to buy a component made out of the same 'mimetic poly-alloy' used to construct the T1000 that was able to reshape itself into a new product at will.
Sadly, mimetic poly-alloys, like future-proof PCs, are total fiction. However, you can still stave off the march of technological progress by making smart choices about what you buy, enabling you to build some upgradability into your rig.
The difficulty is in knowing which components will offer that added flexibility. This is where it becomes tricky - if you make the wrong choice, you could quickly end up with a brand-new, yet technologically dated PC. For example, anyone who bought a 975X motherboard just before Intel revamped the VRM specification to support Core 2 CPUs would probably have reacted by making a Voodoo doll in the shape of an Intel bunny man and then cooking it on top of their hot-running Pentium 4.
Nobody wants to buy a product that's quickly rendered obsolete by a new release, which is why we decided to focus this month's motherboard Labs test on products that promise a certain level of staying power - specifically, support for Intel's next-gen Penryn-architecture Core 2 CPUs.
The new Penryn-architecture CPUs improve on the current crop in a number of ways, including 12MB of Level 2 cache and SSE4 support. Since they're built on a 45nm process, they also run cooler, consume less power and are more overclockable than their 65nm predecessors. For full details on Penyrn - including a performance comparison between the Core 2 Extreme QX9650, the first of the new Penryn-core chips, and the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 - turn to p39.
As Penyrn-architecture CPUs have so many advantages, it would be crazy to buy a motherboard that doesn't support them, which is why all the motherboards in our Labs test are stamped as being 'Penryn-compatible'. The good news is that buying a board that supports these excellent new CPUs doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. One of the boards costs less than £50 and is able to overclock our test CPU to its maximum frequency. If you're looking for a great board, but can't afford to become a member of Asus' Republic of Gamers, then this has to be the bargain of the year.
Speaking of Asus and ROG, we've also included a number of boards for those of you who won't settle for anything less than the very latest high-end products. Both the Asus Maximus Extreme and DFI Lanparty LP UT P35-T2R boards are designed for extreme overclockers and are packed with features.
It may not be possible to build a future-proof PC, but by making smart choices you can build a system that performs superbly now and can accept upcoming CPUs. They may not have the upgradability and flexibility of a metamorphosising T1000, but some support for future technology is better than none.
Speaking of the future, I should also mention that this is my last column as editor of Custom PC as I'm leaving for pastures new. Launching and developing Custom PC over the past four years has been an incredible experience, and I'm very proud of the magazine and its community. Thank you for all your support, and I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy the magazine (as will I) in the future.
Customised