This is the step takes the most time and consideration. Which parts do I buy? Which are best?
There are many good places to buy computer parts. You can go to a computer retail store in your area. Although they often provide good warranties, you will pay a little more than you would in other places. Sometimes, a lot more.
Case - There are two types of cases, Desktop and Tower. Desktop cases are short and fat (Which can fit under your monitor nicely.) And towers are tall and slim which are usually placed under the desk. Decided which one will fit in to your environment best.
There are two different forms of computer cases. AT and ATX. you need to find out which one you need. AT form cases are used for older computers, Pentium 1 and before. And ATX form cases are used for newer systems such as Pentium 2, 3, 4 and AMD Athlon etc.
Motherboard - The motherboard is the central component in the system. If you want to upgrade your processor / Memory / Video card, you can only upgrade if your motherboard supports it. It is always worth planning a head, So buy the best motherboard you can afford.
Before you select a motherboard consider the following. What processor you want to use with it. What memory does it support. Has it got an AGP slot?? An AGP slot is used for special 3DFX graphic cards. What other expansion slots does it have?? You will need a minimum of 3 PCI slots.
Hard drives run at special speeds. 33mhz, 66mhz, 100mhz and 133mhz, Check if the motherboard supports the speed of your hard disk. If your hard drive runs at 100mhz and your motherboard only goes up to 66mhz, then your hard disk will still run but not at its fastest speed.
Motherboards come in two different forms. AT and ATX, Make sure this form matches the form of your case. Make sure you get a manual with your motherboard, This manual will tell you how to configure your motherboard.
Processor - There are many different processors out but these are the main ones.
Pentium 4 / AMD-Athlon- This processor is the most expensive but the fastest around. This processor is used in systems which need performance such as performance gaming / servers / Web designing. Current fastest processor speed is 3200mhz 3.2ghz
Celeron / AMD-Duron - These processors are a lot cheaper than the Pentium 4 and AMD Athlon. Usually used in mid user systems, such as word processing / surfing the net / e-mail / gaming.
Cirix - Cheapest processors on the market. But are miles behind in performance of Pentiums and AMDs.
You will need to decide on what processor you need, Also make sure your motherboard supports it. Always make sure you buy a heatsink and fan to keep the processor cool. Warning, If your fan is not good enough for your processor, then your processor is very likely to overheat and crash your computer. And in the long run damage your processor.
Memory - Memory is a big part of your machine, Check what your motherboard can take. Buy the fastest memory your motherboard will take. Buy at least 128mb, this is the bear minimum for these days. I would recommend 256mb.
CD-ROM/DVD : Every computer needs a CD-ROM to load software. There are a few different types of CD-ROM. You can buy one that can write data to a CD-ROM. You can also buy a CD-ROM which supports DVD. Check what speed the CD-ROM is. Usual speed is 52x.
Hard Drive- When selecting a hard drive there are two things to consider, how big is the capacity of the disk and how fast does it run. A 20gig drive will be more than enough for most users. Make sure the speed of the hard drive is supported on your motherboard, If it is not supported then the hard drive will not run at its fastest speed, Consider a motherboard upgrade.
Video Card - There are loads of different video cards on the market, when selecting consider these points. Does it fix into an AGP or a PCI slot in your motherboard?? AGP is a special video slot, so buy a video card with an AGP form, Also check your motherboard has an AGP slot. How much memory does the card have? And how fast does it run?? I would recommend getting a video card with at least 32mb of memory.
Sound Card - Just about every computer has sound, I would not recommend spending a lot of money on a sound unless you want your computer to support sur-round sound. Check what slot the card plugs into and if your motherboard has one free.
Keyboard & Mouse - There is no need for much info here. But beware there are two types of connections for a keyboard and mice they are PS/2 and USB, Make sure your motherboard has available connections.
Article http://www.computing-fo rums.com/computer/buying-the-components-21.htm
Jason Barrett www.computing-forums.com
Laptops are lovely. They are convenient, mobile, powerful and prestigious.... Read More
There are many different names for these drives, just so... Read More
The average home computer user definitely does not need a... Read More
The power coming into a computer is the most critical... Read More
You are working and trying to print out important documents... Read More
Should you buy an extended warranty with your laptop? You... Read More
The other day my son said to me, what else... Read More
In electronic repair, most of the time i came across... Read More
Our corporate intranet is a non-framed environment with both Lotus... Read More
When you work in an office, it's important to lock... Read More
OverviewAs "generic", "remanufactured", and "new compatible" inkjet printer cartridges and... Read More
Blu ray is a next generation optical media format developed... Read More
Many people simply go to the retail store and get... Read More
Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you... Read More
The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron is a... Read More
The data on your hard drive is the most critical... Read More
Thinking about getting a new computer, but with all the... Read More
Now you can more easily access the Internet wherever mobile... Read More
If you're a bargain shopper looking to get the most... Read More
Other then keeping your HDD free of viruses, spyware, and... Read More
When it comes to sales of technology products over the... Read More
What is so important about cables anyway?One of the most... Read More
What to do once your PC is infected with spyware,... Read More
As the proud owner of a laptop computer, you'll want... Read More
We all know that we should back up our system... Read More
It is true. You can save a lot of time... Read More
This article focuses on frequently asked questions by buyers of... Read More
Many technicians are confused on how to really read a... Read More
You are working at your computer and trying to print... Read More
Rear Projection Television - An Affordable OptionA great deal of... Read More
So many people have small USB drives today, but what... Read More
Toshiba offers a few of their refurbished laptops in the... Read More
Nowadays, more and more monitor comes in with flyback transformers... Read More
Bar code readers have proven themselves to be essential tools... Read More
The proliferation of portable DVD players has dramatically changed the... Read More
Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's... Read More
Years ago computers were huge and their accompanying printers were... Read More
Computing freedom, independence, and mobility don't have to come with... Read More
MMC and SDFlash memory is available in so many formats... Read More
The first installment in this two-part series of Tech Tips... Read More
Samsung laser toner is just as popular as its Hewlett-Packard... Read More
Are you tired of laying wires through your house, creeping... Read More
A cheap ink cartridge is sometimes the only way that... Read More
My mother always told me to dust, but I never... Read More
The notebook computer is coming of age. For the first... Read More
Dell offers a full line of refurbished laptops on their... Read More
A couple of the recent Tech Tips from www.geeks.com have... Read More
What is Video Encryption?Video Encryption is an extremely useful method... Read More
The Inkjet printer industry is booming. Office supply companies report... Read More
For Video cards - Most PC video cards these days... Read More
RFID technology is used frequently today and has been around... Read More
ROUTING PROTOCOLSA generic term that refers to a formula, or... Read More
TiVo will change your life... for the better. Plain and... Read More
Are you sick of all the high priced notebooks out... Read More
One of the bigger challenges facing display manufacturers is to... Read More
We all know what it is like when that message... Read More
Bluetooth BasicsBluetooth technology is nothing new, but in many respects... Read More
Someone recently asked me "I teach senior citizens in a... Read More
Have you ever felt like throwing the fax machine out... Read More
Blu ray is a next generation optical media format developed... Read More
To Wire or Not to Wire Wireless networks... Read More
RAID is short for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive)... Read More
We all know that we should back up our system... Read More
Laptops or Notebook computers are an expensive personal and business... Read More
How To Choose the Best Student Laptop?Merchants are singing those... Read More
Brother is right up there with HP and Samsung as... Read More
Computer Hardware |