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Video Cards: ATI HD 4850 or two HD 4850 in CrossfireX mode
Your video card (GPU) solution is even more important than the CPU when it comes to directly affecting game performance (except perhaps when you game at lower resolutions, like 1024x768). The Ion is designed specifically to handle high-quality gaming at under 1680x1050.
ATI/AMD fights a never-ending war against nVidia for dominance of the video card market, and was losing the battle until the release of the Radeon HD 4000 series. While these next-gen cards run a bit hotter than their current competition from nVidia, they do deliver significantly more performance per dollar.
The HD 4850 can easily handle high-quality, smooth gaming at 1680x1050, normally found on 20"-22" monitors. To enable maximum game quality settings on the more demanding games, a second HD 4850 in CrossfireX mode might be advisable.
Not all games respond well to CrossfireX, so a little research might be a good idea (just try some Google searches like "Age of Conan" and "Crossfire" to see what people are saying about that game's Crossfire support). At resolutions below 1680x1050, like 1280x1024 or 1440x900, a single HD 4850 is sufficient for even the most graphic-intensive games.
The standard power supply on the Ion (the Corsair 550-Watt) will let you upgrade your PC later to a second HD 4850 without having to upgrade your power supply. If you prefer a beefier power supply, an 850-Watt model is available as an option on our configuration page.
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