Xbox 360
We've looked at components, input and output devices and now we polish off the hardware. But after you've spent all that money you don't want to be purchasing anything else so there's also a list of free and easy to use software.
Mouse
For gaming you have two choices, Optical or Lazer, Lazer is the technology of the future and can work on more surfaces than Optical but if you have a semi decent mouse mat the difference is only noticeable to very picky gamers. The DPI of a mouse indicates how accurate each movement of the mouse is, for most people 800-1200 is more than acceptable but it's all about trial and error and you'll need time to adjust to any new rodent. Stay away from TRUST mice as they're garbage, their headsets aren't great either.
£700 system
Having had a chance to try the LOGITECH Mx400 personally I can say that it's comfortable (right handed design), smooth moving and the software is easy to use. The middle mouse button can be flicked left and right, which can cause some issues when rushing to change weapons, but it's an adjustment thing and its primary intention is for work so gaming is just an added bonus.
£1400 system
So many choices here but the A4 TECH X-748K seems to be the fastest and cheapest quality gaming mouse around. It features sophisticated programming options and changes colour to indicate how sensitive the mouse is (the primary purpose is if you switch from sniping, where accuracy is needed, to twitch shooting, where speed is crucial, but only the best do it). Peripherals, especially mice are very much a personal preference matter though so if you can try before you buy.
Operating System
Like it or not, MICROSOFT has the market pretty much tied up here, and as far as games are concerned there's no contest. Despite Vista being a real memory hog (but sadly not clean like other pigs) it's not worth your while paying for the so called upgrade to Windows XP. For everyday gaming there are two versions to choose from, Home Basic and Home Premium with the difference being largely how many multimedia applications are included in each. With a new operating system just a few months away from launch, buying the business version of Windows would be a poor move. As a general rule, if you see OEM next to a product it means that the product comes without a box or manual, in the case of an operating system it means that you have to buy the software with a piece of hardware, it can be anything that needs to be connected to your motherboard, harddrive, graphics card, etc.
£700 system
Stick with Vista Home Basic 32 bit here, it's fairly reliable and you won't miss the premium features. 64 bit Windows typically has less support from game developers and with the amount of ram selected for the system the benefits are insignificant.
£1400 system
With a 64 bit version of Vista Home Premium your 6GB of ram can all be used, it's really a forward looking move here as most games don't gain anything from this amount of memory. But as more and more retailers include 4GB as standard, game developers will utilise more, meaning quicker loading games with less slowdown. Admittedly the shift to Windows 7 will make the extra few pounds paid for 64 bit sting but you can save on an upgrade license for Windows 7 with it.
Benchmarking
3DMark Vantage remains the industry standard with which to boast about your new system but to see how fast your actual games are running then the trial version of FRAPS can show you how many FPS (Frames Per Second) you're getting and record the results to a handy spreadsheet.
Video Playback
Nowadays the internet is more or less standardised when it comes to codecs (tools that compress video into smaller files) but there's still a multitude around; a combination of the Kazaa Lite Mega Codec Pack and Quick Time Alternative will mean you're not scouring the internet for an obscure format when you want to watch a classic video.
File Compression
With larger harddrives and storage media, compression programs are becoming less useful but nevertheless almost every game file repository uses compression and Winrar is your best bet. Yes Windows comes with a built-in extraction tool but it can't read the widespread .rar format.
Burning
When the harddrive is getting slow due to mounds of gaming data, offload to some blank DVDs, IMGBURN can burn discs, backup discs and do darn near everything but give them a spit and polish.
Image Editing
Some moments are too precious to waste, you've finally landed a headshot on that jammy American who claims he only plays once a month and you want to savour the memory again and again. Step in Paint.Net an image manipulation suite that can compete with the retail big boys, here less is more.
A Parting Gift
After all that building you've earned a rest, and you should probably get a shower too, and what better way than with a couple of free and legal games. F.E.A.R. Combat is basically the multiplayer mode from the brown trouser fest F.E.A.R, but if you're ungrateful or you don't like the FPS (First Person Shooters) genre then try a little arcade racing in Trackmania Nations, a highly addictive and competitive fun racer.