The thing about the dri core is that it does give you some air space between your sub floor and the concrete. It is quick and easy to install and yes, it is a little pricier than other methods but it is easy to handle and carry down into your basement. A lot easier than 4 x 8 sheets.
I did one room with nothing on top of the dri-core. I just stained and clear coated it. It was pretty funky when it was done.
The thing about putting a vapor barrier down directly over the concrete is you have no air space. That traps the moisture and let's it just sit there until it is either wicked back into the concrete or just puddles. That's a breeding ground for mold.
I personally could never figure out why people put a vapour barrier in, then poke holes in it with tapcons or ramset nails. When you put down the vapor barrier, you can glue the t and g ply together and make a floating floor. Even if you're raising your sub floor slightly once you put the whole structure together, it won't go anywhere. Make sure you tape all your seams with the correct overlap. The clear plastic over a 12" square is a good way to determine how bad the moisture problem is.
IMO the "best" solution is the dri core. It provides the simplest and easiest install with the best results. You do have to pay some attention to levelling if you want a perfectly level surface to apply a floor treatment on top.
If you want a cheap durable floor covering for the kids to beat up, then a laminate floor will do. But if you want to get the best bang for your buck in the wood line, go with a nice engineered floor or even solid hardwood floating with the correct underlayment. Just don't forget to leave the correct expansion gap around the perimieter or you'll have buckling/warping problems. Remember: tight in the summer, loose in the winter! (unless your humidity level is stable but I doubt that).
One more thing about the laminate underlay: it isn't just foam, it has a vapor barrier in it as well and must be taped together as well. The only thing about rob's method is you have to make sure your concrete slab is smooth. Any bumps or divits will have to be filled and smoothed down. The thinner/cheaper laminate floors won't support weight over a big divit for long. If you put something heavy on that spot with legs you can poke right through it. Same as high peaks: stand on both sides and it'll break through the flooring.
If you've got a real water seepage problem, dri core won't solve that. You'll have to fix the water problem before doing anything.
