5 hardware upgrades under R600

Want to upgrade? Only have a limited budget?

Being short of cash for an upgrade does suck, but if the upgrade is relatively minor you can get away with a surprisingly long list of quality items for not much money at all. We’ve listed 5 of the best deals under R600 below for your consideration.

D-Link DAP1360 + IPtime Wireless N dongle

These two devices go hand in hand, and will allow you to transform your wireless network at home to make use of the Wireless N standard. Capable of streaming full HD content, playing resource intensive RTS games and copying at speeds over 3 times faster than conventional wireless G (802.11g) speeds, wireless N is a welcome feature, and this budget setup will allow you to do just that. Cables be gone!

D-Link DAP 1360 Wireless-N

Price +/- R450 and +/- R90 respectively

Coolermaster V6

One of the most efficient, powerful coolers in this price range, the Coolermaster V6 is a popular choice amount gamers. Did I mention it looks like megatrons left testis? Great looks, great cooling, and none of the issues higher-end coolers suffer from, such as size and weight restrictions. The V6 sounds like a winner.

Coolermaster V6 CPU cooler

Price: =+/- R500

Corsair Vengeance 2x2GB

Do you need more RAM? A common upgrade path for most gamers is building a system with 2x2GB modules of RAM and budgeting for more at a later date. If that date is nigh upon you, give the Corsair Vengeance modules a go. The 2x2GB running at 1600MHz with latencies of CL9-9-9-24 at 1.5v is fast enough for most gamers who will see a performance increase from moving to 8GB of RAM.

Corsair Vengeance RAM

Price: +/- R450

Logitech MX518

I realise I might be coming across as a bit of a fanboy with this mouse cropping up in quite a few of my articles, but I can’t seem to extol its virtues enough. Half the price of modern competition, the MX518 is a firm favourite among gamers who want a precise, comfortable, reliable mouse that won’t break the bank. [James: I agree; best mouse ever.]

Logitech MX518

Price: +/- R290

Zalman Z9 gaming chassis

The Zalman Z9 is truly a budget case with high-end features for those who don’t feel like paying over R1,000 for some Perspex and slightly different looks. Black anodised interior, side mesh panel, support for up to 7 fans, tool free installation, support for graphics cards up to 290mm long, bundled dust filers, spots for two 2.5 inch SSD drives, and a convenient, easy to navigate layout that makes installations a breeze; all for the price of a good night out. The Z9 is a gem on the market.

Zalman Z9 chassis

Price: +/- R570

If you’re looking at upgrading your (or someone else’s) PC on a budget, consider the above components as they are some of the best deals you’ll find for the money.