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Hi there, I know I should probably put this into the "web design, pc" forum but this little "guide" could help you create a monster of a machine which could handle the future games (and the past and present as well!)
After having just built my own machine I wanted to share my knowledge to prehaps inspire people to build their own machine which could save them some money (perhaps cost them their sanity though). The machine I built is an AMD T/Bird 1.4Ghz, gigabyte 7ZXE motherboard, 256mb ram and Geforce 4 ti4400. Luckily I had some spare parts, ie monitor, hard-drive, mouse, keyboard spare. The total cost of my system was roughly about £400 - £450 which is a bargain considering the 3d card cost £240!
Well anyway here is my guide to building a PC:
I don't know if it is just me or are people more inclined to build their own PC's rather than buy branded machines nowadays? However the majority of the home user market still use branded PC systems. The only comment I'm going to make about big name PC systems, or the shops that sell them, is that (here's a plug) Special Reserve pc's are pretty good for selling you good machines. What I hope to do with this guide is to, hopefully, make you start thinking about having a go at building your PC, and maybe starting you off in a new obsession.
Here's a few questions. How much did you pay for your PC? Was it more than £1000? It probably was right? It was top of the range at the time of purchase wasn't it? If its more than 6 months old its not going to be right up there with the 2.2Ghz Pentium 4’s. Finally the last and most important question – Do you really care about any of the above? If the answer is YES then why not put your own PC together?
Why Do It Yourself?
PC building is not for the weak hearted as the process could leave you with an unreliable machine. This that feeling that you should have bought that branded PC after all. However, if done correctly, it can be extremely rewarding and interesting too. Building your own machine helps you learn quite a bit about the guts of your machine and any little problem which you conquer is sooo satisfying.
I’ve not exactly made PC building out to be the bee's knees have I? However I don't want you to believe that it is easy yet it is not too difficult if you follow the stages and don't get impatient if, for example, your heatsink and fan won't clip onto your motherboard. Hopefully at this stage you have not been put off, and are still reading!
The first and most obvious area you’ll make gains in is cost. Custom built machines by yourself offer you much more bang for your buck. The simplest way to save cash overall is to put together a simple (by simple I mean not fitting watercoolers, etc.) PC using reasonably good components. This can be a useful learning exercise for future projects. Building a basic machine allows you to gain an understanding of what the inside of the machine looks like, what goes where and how it all fits together. You’ll get the opportunity to select the parts you use, allowing you to make decisions on what graphics card you have, how big the hard disk will be, what case it all goes into and what operating system you run etc.
As you put the machine together you will find that your technical skills and confidence get huge boosts. Of course it is wise to find a friendly techie (perhaps you can ask at IT tutor for guidance?) to oversee your first project, and I would strongly advise you to re-think the whole idea if you don’t know one. Under the watchful gaze of the expert eye, try to do as much of the construction and configuration yourself.
The final area where building a PC of your own has the a distinct advantage over buying from a shop is future proofing. The world of PC's work this way, after about a year to 18 months with your top of the range machine, you notice that it is perhaps half as powerful as the now top of the range machine. Not all but some big manufacturers that sell PC's make them very hard to upgrade. These manufacturers tend to use custom parts that will only be supplied by the machines maker. However you can be sure that your cutom built PC has been built using the standard bits and bobs you can find on the classified pages of any computer mag or web site. Once you have it up and running, you will be able to turn your basic system into a turbo charged, customised beast with relative ease, if you really want to.
You want to build your own PC then, read on :)
First find your self that friendly techie mate/person. It really is important to take things slowly, NEVER set yourself a time limit and make sure you have a helping hand with any of the things you are not sure of. As I said above, if you don’t feel 100% happy, and don’t have a helper on hand, proceed at your own risk.
Next get an idea of what you want in your PC. If you have a machine already what don’t you like about it? Are there any parts of it you could re-use? The most expensive individual part of the system will be the monitor in most cases. Providing you have a PS2 mouse and keyboard (easily identifiable by the small, round, connector –identical on both) you can keep those too. Any other parts you can salvage will of course bring the cost down, but that’s up to you.
Once you have your reusable parts, get an idea of what you want to buy for your new machine. Here’s a guide to what you’ll need – if I’ve missed out anything shout at me in this topic.
Case –
There are so many cases available you’ll go crazy looking for one. The main style of case is the Tower case (majority of home users pick midi towers). Go for a case with detachable side panels, rather than a lift off cover. Detachable panels make it much easier to work on the PC, and offer better room for future upgrades and tweaks (see the section on overclocking and customising for more on this). The case you choose will dictate your motherboard, as they are designed to fit different shapes. However, the older style AT board is more or less phased out now, and you should be looking for an ATX form factor. You should get all the screws, fixings etc but may need to buy a PSU (Power Supply Unit) as an extra. If you do need a PSU, try to get a 300W AMD/Intel approved unit with twin fans. Oh, one last thought, perhaps get a customised case with blowholes, a window in the side of your case with a neon light. However cutomising case would need a topic of it's own.
**Note: make sure there is enough room in the case, mini midi towers might be cheaper but PSU is almost on top of the CPU**
CPU –
The core of your system is of course the CPU (Central Processing Unit). You have two main choices – AMD or Intel. I favour AMD (I hate Intel’s grip on the PC market) but you need to make up your own mind here, as chip choice dictates motherboard choice. AMD have the edge over Intel in performance and cost, but the P4 chips are getting cheaper. Once you decide which manufacturer you want you have to choose between the chip type. AMD produce two processor types – Athlon XP and Duron (you could also get a T/bird although these seem to be harder to get now). Intel offers the choice of Pentium or Celeron.
The Duron and Celeron models are aimed at the value conscious buyer, while the Athlon XP and Pentium chips are for the high performance market. If you read between the lines of the marketing blurb you’ll see that the Duron and Celeron chips are based on a similar design to their higher speed siblings, but have less cache (on board memory) and are offered at lower speeds (however they still clock at over 1Ghz!). Research your choice before you look at the motherboard options. Remember – you should ideally go for the fastest CPU in the range you choose. Current CPU speeds are up to 2.2Ghz+. Make sure you purchase a cooling fan and heat sink suitable for your CPU’s power and size. Never ever run the machine without this part - CPUs get HOT! AMD's in particular will cook in minutes. Not having a heatsink will lead to serious damage. Check out the web sites (www.amd.com & www.intel.com for more details). Note that if you choose an ABIT motherboard you will need to be very careful when selecting your heat sink. Certain models will not fit over the chip socket due to surrounding componants.
Motherboard –
The motherboard is the backbone for your system. Every component you choose will be connected to this board. The motherboard has a special attachment for the CPU which comes in two styles. Opt for a “Socket” model rather than a slot, as the current ranges of chips from both manufacturers are socket style. Also check the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) of the motherboard and the FSB of the CPU. (Athlon T/Birds come in both 200mhz and 266mhz, that equates to 100mhz and 133mhz FSB respectively) Make sure the jumpers are set correctly for the FSB, see the manual of motherboard.
Be sure to select a board that suits your CPU. Each board has a “chipset” designed to work with a specific processor. The socket itself will only take the chip it is designed for; attempting to insert the wrong chip will only damage it. Think about what you want from your machine and select a board based on those criteria. Check what type of Memory the board takes – DDR SDRAM has probably surpassed SDRAM however both are widely available – make sure you know which you board will take, and how much you can install.
What extra features does the board have? Generally a board which offers on board sound and graphics will be cheaper and will save you buying a sound and 3d card however I would suggest you rethink your choice. Generally the built in components are inferior to a specific card. Rather than opting for built in features check for what goodies the BIOS offers, such as CPU voltage settings and RAID, which will be useful to you as you progress to more advanced building. Try to opt for a board with an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), as you will have a wider choice of graphics cards available to you. A good sound choice would be any of the ABIT range. These all come with a tool called SoftmenuII or III. This is basically a BIOS setup system that will llow you configure your system down to the smallest detail. Chaintech and Asus also get good reviews.
A word of warning. Choose a motherboard that is supplied with an english manual. Many a poor soul has been stuck with a cheaper motherboard complete with Korean instructions.
**Note: be aware of what you are given with your motherboard, ie cables, driver and manual. Read the manual, it is very handy.**
RAM –
Random Access Memory is available in a huge range of types and ratings. Check your board to see what you are permitted to use. Memory comes in various speeds. Most boards will run P133 RAM, while older boards only allow PC100. DDR RAM is available in 1400 and 2100 speeds – opt for the fastest speed you motherboard supports.
**Note: when mixing ram ie PC133 and PC100 the RAM will run at the slowest speed, in this case 100mhz**
Hard disk –
Hard disks are available in two forms – SCSI and IDE. SCSI drives are generally faster, bigger and more expensive. Using SCSI drives requires a special adapter card or motherboard support. IDE drives will suit most home users. Opt for the biggest drive with the highest RPM (best is 7200rpm for IDE and 10000rpm for SCSI) you can afford. Choose a drive from a reputable maker, such as IBM or Seagate. You should have been supplied with the correct cables by the motherboard to connect the drive to the main board.
**Note: check the UDMA of the hard-drive and what your motherboard accepts. UDMA 100 is standard however UDAM 133 is becoming more common.**
Floppy Drive –
Essential for setting up the PC. Correct cable supplied with the motherboard.
DVD drive or CDROM drive –
Most software vendors are shipping DVD’s nowadays. You will be able to run advanced games off your DVD drive, DVD movies (with software and graphics card), as well as standard CDs. A CDROM drive will be faster but will only read CDs. CD-ROMs are cheaper, but I would opt for the DVD to future proof your system.
Graphics card –
There are so many cards available you will be boggled. Your board will more than likely have an AGP port, so go for an AGP card. If you select a motherboard without AGP you’ll have to plump for a PCI graphics card (these are few and far between now, and cost more). The card you choose will decide what you can expect from your PC’s graphics. Go for a good 3D card, preferably a GeForce 3 or higher. Look for one with TV out and DVD capability and you’ve got yourself a DVD player for your TV.
**Note: pay attention to what you get with your 3d card, some do not come with tv out cables**
Sound Card –
There are quite a number of sound card options. You would be best to choose a Sound Blaster model for ease of use, but again, research your choice and opt for one that has the features you feel you’ll need.
**Note: don't purchase say an Audigy card if you are going to be using 2 stereo speakers, pick a card to complement your speakers. Likewise in that don't buy a soundblaster 128 when your speakers are dolby 5.1!**
Modem -
Prehaps this should be the most important part of the system? Without one you'll not be able to keep uptodate on the SR forums!!
Choose your weapons carefully, as modems are often the hardest piece of hardware to configure. I would recommend you avoid any internal modem (PCI modem) and instead opt for a Serial or USB model. These generally offer better performance and are much easier to set up in my exeperience. If you really must have it all inside make sure you go for a hardware modem instead of a software model. Opt for a reasonable brand such as a US Robotics/3Com.
That’s about it. Order your bits and have fun putting it all together. Be careful when handling parts. Always use an anti-static wrist strap as this can save your chips from your electric personality. Never ever force a component in. If you feel resistance you are probably fitting the part wrong. Read all manuals carefully, if you are unsure of anything check out the manufacturers website for further advise.
One final note. You may buy the leading edge parts today, and your PC wil run well on them, but PCs move on so fast. Please dont be disheartend when the next chip line comes out and you are left behind again. Just order a new part, fit it and sell the old one - thats the beauty of Building It Yourself.
Doing this as a hobby?
Once you’ve got your machine up and running what next? Well, now you’ve proved your technical skills, why not have a go at customising your PC? The most common way to customise your PC is to overclock it. This is quite a serious step down the DIY PC highway. IT basically revolves around squeezing more and more speed out of your CPU and hardware, using various methods such as changing the CPU voltage and speed. Be warned – This is tricky stuff, and should be handled carefully, You will need to know the limits of your hardware, how much cooling your case needs and how to fix things when they go wrong! It becomes an obsession, with users squeezing 2ghz processors up to 3Ghz and beyond. Why not see what your machine can do?
I hope you find this informative, actually I hope that someone actually reads this, sorry about it being so long.
After having just built my own machine I wanted to share my knowledge to prehaps inspire people to build their own machine which could save them some money (perhaps cost them their sanity though). The machine I built is an AMD T/Bird 1.4Ghz, gigabyte 7ZXE motherboard, 256mb ram and Geforce 4 ti4400. Luckily I had some spare parts, ie monitor, hard-drive, mouse, keyboard spare. The total cost of my system was roughly about £400 - £450 which is a bargain considering the 3d card cost £240!
Well anyway here is my guide to building a PC:
I don't know if it is just me or are people more inclined to build their own PC's rather than buy branded machines nowadays? However the majority of the home user market still use branded PC systems. The only comment I'm going to make about big name PC systems, or the shops that sell them, is that (here's a plug) Special Reserve pc's are pretty good for selling you good machines. What I hope to do with this guide is to, hopefully, make you start thinking about having a go at building your PC, and maybe starting you off in a new obsession.
Here's a few questions. How much did you pay for your PC? Was it more than £1000? It probably was right? It was top of the range at the time of purchase wasn't it? If its more than 6 months old its not going to be right up there with the 2.2Ghz Pentium 4’s. Finally the last and most important question – Do you really care about any of the above? If the answer is YES then why not put your own PC together?
Why Do It Yourself?
PC building is not for the weak hearted as the process could leave you with an unreliable machine. This that feeling that you should have bought that branded PC after all. However, if done correctly, it can be extremely rewarding and interesting too. Building your own machine helps you learn quite a bit about the guts of your machine and any little problem which you conquer is sooo satisfying.
I’ve not exactly made PC building out to be the bee's knees have I? However I don't want you to believe that it is easy yet it is not too difficult if you follow the stages and don't get impatient if, for example, your heatsink and fan won't clip onto your motherboard. Hopefully at this stage you have not been put off, and are still reading!
The first and most obvious area you’ll make gains in is cost. Custom built machines by yourself offer you much more bang for your buck. The simplest way to save cash overall is to put together a simple (by simple I mean not fitting watercoolers, etc.) PC using reasonably good components. This can be a useful learning exercise for future projects. Building a basic machine allows you to gain an understanding of what the inside of the machine looks like, what goes where and how it all fits together. You’ll get the opportunity to select the parts you use, allowing you to make decisions on what graphics card you have, how big the hard disk will be, what case it all goes into and what operating system you run etc.
As you put the machine together you will find that your technical skills and confidence get huge boosts. Of course it is wise to find a friendly techie (perhaps you can ask at IT tutor for guidance?) to oversee your first project, and I would strongly advise you to re-think the whole idea if you don’t know one. Under the watchful gaze of the expert eye, try to do as much of the construction and configuration yourself.
The final area where building a PC of your own has the a distinct advantage over buying from a shop is future proofing. The world of PC's work this way, after about a year to 18 months with your top of the range machine, you notice that it is perhaps half as powerful as the now top of the range machine. Not all but some big manufacturers that sell PC's make them very hard to upgrade. These manufacturers tend to use custom parts that will only be supplied by the machines maker. However you can be sure that your cutom built PC has been built using the standard bits and bobs you can find on the classified pages of any computer mag or web site. Once you have it up and running, you will be able to turn your basic system into a turbo charged, customised beast with relative ease, if you really want to.
You want to build your own PC then, read on :)
First find your self that friendly techie mate/person. It really is important to take things slowly, NEVER set yourself a time limit and make sure you have a helping hand with any of the things you are not sure of. As I said above, if you don’t feel 100% happy, and don’t have a helper on hand, proceed at your own risk.
Next get an idea of what you want in your PC. If you have a machine already what don’t you like about it? Are there any parts of it you could re-use? The most expensive individual part of the system will be the monitor in most cases. Providing you have a PS2 mouse and keyboard (easily identifiable by the small, round, connector –identical on both) you can keep those too. Any other parts you can salvage will of course bring the cost down, but that’s up to you.
Once you have your reusable parts, get an idea of what you want to buy for your new machine. Here’s a guide to what you’ll need – if I’ve missed out anything shout at me in this topic.
Case –
There are so many cases available you’ll go crazy looking for one. The main style of case is the Tower case (majority of home users pick midi towers). Go for a case with detachable side panels, rather than a lift off cover. Detachable panels make it much easier to work on the PC, and offer better room for future upgrades and tweaks (see the section on overclocking and customising for more on this). The case you choose will dictate your motherboard, as they are designed to fit different shapes. However, the older style AT board is more or less phased out now, and you should be looking for an ATX form factor. You should get all the screws, fixings etc but may need to buy a PSU (Power Supply Unit) as an extra. If you do need a PSU, try to get a 300W AMD/Intel approved unit with twin fans. Oh, one last thought, perhaps get a customised case with blowholes, a window in the side of your case with a neon light. However cutomising case would need a topic of it's own.
**Note: make sure there is enough room in the case, mini midi towers might be cheaper but PSU is almost on top of the CPU**
CPU –
The core of your system is of course the CPU (Central Processing Unit). You have two main choices – AMD or Intel. I favour AMD (I hate Intel’s grip on the PC market) but you need to make up your own mind here, as chip choice dictates motherboard choice. AMD have the edge over Intel in performance and cost, but the P4 chips are getting cheaper. Once you decide which manufacturer you want you have to choose between the chip type. AMD produce two processor types – Athlon XP and Duron (you could also get a T/bird although these seem to be harder to get now). Intel offers the choice of Pentium or Celeron.
The Duron and Celeron models are aimed at the value conscious buyer, while the Athlon XP and Pentium chips are for the high performance market. If you read between the lines of the marketing blurb you’ll see that the Duron and Celeron chips are based on a similar design to their higher speed siblings, but have less cache (on board memory) and are offered at lower speeds (however they still clock at over 1Ghz!). Research your choice before you look at the motherboard options. Remember – you should ideally go for the fastest CPU in the range you choose. Current CPU speeds are up to 2.2Ghz+. Make sure you purchase a cooling fan and heat sink suitable for your CPU’s power and size. Never ever run the machine without this part - CPUs get HOT! AMD's in particular will cook in minutes. Not having a heatsink will lead to serious damage. Check out the web sites (www.amd.com & www.intel.com for more details). Note that if you choose an ABIT motherboard you will need to be very careful when selecting your heat sink. Certain models will not fit over the chip socket due to surrounding componants.
Motherboard –
The motherboard is the backbone for your system. Every component you choose will be connected to this board. The motherboard has a special attachment for the CPU which comes in two styles. Opt for a “Socket” model rather than a slot, as the current ranges of chips from both manufacturers are socket style. Also check the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) of the motherboard and the FSB of the CPU. (Athlon T/Birds come in both 200mhz and 266mhz, that equates to 100mhz and 133mhz FSB respectively) Make sure the jumpers are set correctly for the FSB, see the manual of motherboard.
Be sure to select a board that suits your CPU. Each board has a “chipset” designed to work with a specific processor. The socket itself will only take the chip it is designed for; attempting to insert the wrong chip will only damage it. Think about what you want from your machine and select a board based on those criteria. Check what type of Memory the board takes – DDR SDRAM has probably surpassed SDRAM however both are widely available – make sure you know which you board will take, and how much you can install.
What extra features does the board have? Generally a board which offers on board sound and graphics will be cheaper and will save you buying a sound and 3d card however I would suggest you rethink your choice. Generally the built in components are inferior to a specific card. Rather than opting for built in features check for what goodies the BIOS offers, such as CPU voltage settings and RAID, which will be useful to you as you progress to more advanced building. Try to opt for a board with an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), as you will have a wider choice of graphics cards available to you. A good sound choice would be any of the ABIT range. These all come with a tool called SoftmenuII or III. This is basically a BIOS setup system that will llow you configure your system down to the smallest detail. Chaintech and Asus also get good reviews.
A word of warning. Choose a motherboard that is supplied with an english manual. Many a poor soul has been stuck with a cheaper motherboard complete with Korean instructions.
**Note: be aware of what you are given with your motherboard, ie cables, driver and manual. Read the manual, it is very handy.**
RAM –
Random Access Memory is available in a huge range of types and ratings. Check your board to see what you are permitted to use. Memory comes in various speeds. Most boards will run P133 RAM, while older boards only allow PC100. DDR RAM is available in 1400 and 2100 speeds – opt for the fastest speed you motherboard supports.
**Note: when mixing ram ie PC133 and PC100 the RAM will run at the slowest speed, in this case 100mhz**
Hard disk –
Hard disks are available in two forms – SCSI and IDE. SCSI drives are generally faster, bigger and more expensive. Using SCSI drives requires a special adapter card or motherboard support. IDE drives will suit most home users. Opt for the biggest drive with the highest RPM (best is 7200rpm for IDE and 10000rpm for SCSI) you can afford. Choose a drive from a reputable maker, such as IBM or Seagate. You should have been supplied with the correct cables by the motherboard to connect the drive to the main board.
**Note: check the UDMA of the hard-drive and what your motherboard accepts. UDMA 100 is standard however UDAM 133 is becoming more common.**
Floppy Drive –
Essential for setting up the PC. Correct cable supplied with the motherboard.
DVD drive or CDROM drive –
Most software vendors are shipping DVD’s nowadays. You will be able to run advanced games off your DVD drive, DVD movies (with software and graphics card), as well as standard CDs. A CDROM drive will be faster but will only read CDs. CD-ROMs are cheaper, but I would opt for the DVD to future proof your system.
Graphics card –
There are so many cards available you will be boggled. Your board will more than likely have an AGP port, so go for an AGP card. If you select a motherboard without AGP you’ll have to plump for a PCI graphics card (these are few and far between now, and cost more). The card you choose will decide what you can expect from your PC’s graphics. Go for a good 3D card, preferably a GeForce 3 or higher. Look for one with TV out and DVD capability and you’ve got yourself a DVD player for your TV.
**Note: pay attention to what you get with your 3d card, some do not come with tv out cables**
Sound Card –
There are quite a number of sound card options. You would be best to choose a Sound Blaster model for ease of use, but again, research your choice and opt for one that has the features you feel you’ll need.
**Note: don't purchase say an Audigy card if you are going to be using 2 stereo speakers, pick a card to complement your speakers. Likewise in that don't buy a soundblaster 128 when your speakers are dolby 5.1!**
Modem -
Prehaps this should be the most important part of the system? Without one you'll not be able to keep uptodate on the SR forums!!
Choose your weapons carefully, as modems are often the hardest piece of hardware to configure. I would recommend you avoid any internal modem (PCI modem) and instead opt for a Serial or USB model. These generally offer better performance and are much easier to set up in my exeperience. If you really must have it all inside make sure you go for a hardware modem instead of a software model. Opt for a reasonable brand such as a US Robotics/3Com.
That’s about it. Order your bits and have fun putting it all together. Be careful when handling parts. Always use an anti-static wrist strap as this can save your chips from your electric personality. Never ever force a component in. If you feel resistance you are probably fitting the part wrong. Read all manuals carefully, if you are unsure of anything check out the manufacturers website for further advise.
One final note. You may buy the leading edge parts today, and your PC wil run well on them, but PCs move on so fast. Please dont be disheartend when the next chip line comes out and you are left behind again. Just order a new part, fit it and sell the old one - thats the beauty of Building It Yourself.
Doing this as a hobby?
Once you’ve got your machine up and running what next? Well, now you’ve proved your technical skills, why not have a go at customising your PC? The most common way to customise your PC is to overclock it. This is quite a serious step down the DIY PC highway. IT basically revolves around squeezing more and more speed out of your CPU and hardware, using various methods such as changing the CPU voltage and speed. Be warned – This is tricky stuff, and should be handled carefully, You will need to know the limits of your hardware, how much cooling your case needs and how to fix things when they go wrong! It becomes an obsession, with users squeezing 2ghz processors up to 3Ghz and beyond. Why not see what your machine can do?
I hope you find this informative, actually I hope that someone actually reads this, sorry about it being so long.
Thanks for your input. :)
If anyone would like to add a section about peripherals then I would say that this topic would basically cover it all.
I really hope more people are encouraged to build their own pc, successfully that is.
DISCLAIMER: I, the topic poster, and SPECIAL RESERVE bear no responsibility for cooked chips, boards and "zapped" components. Please enjoy building your own system.
If anyone would like to add a section about peripherals then I would say that this topic would basically cover it all.
I really hope more people are encouraged to build their own pc, successfully that is.
DISCLAIMER: I, the topic poster, and SPECIAL RESERVE bear no responsibility for cooked chips, boards and "zapped" components. Please enjoy building your own system.
Excellent guide for beginners, I've been bouncing around telling people to build their own pcs for ages, never finished the one of these I started..few points to add:
1) Don't underestimate the importance of the heatsink. Really. It's not a case of minutes, even allowing an XP to boot without a HSF on it will fry it in seconds. I have first had experience of the unpleasant smell given off by a burning core. Don't even plug the power cable in to your box until you are certain that the heatsink is on properly - my mate had a nasty experience when he had keyboard power-on activated and hit his space bar while he was trying to attach the heatsink..
Right now for an AMD system I'd recommend the Thermalright AX7 or the
Coolermaster HHC-001 for performance cooling, either of these will give you some play for overclocking, they're excellent air coolers, with the 80mm fan on the AX7 making it slightly quieter (80mm instead of 60mm, so fewer rpm to push the same amount of air > less noise). If you're not bothered about overclocking, have a look at the zalman flower for a near silent cooler...wouldn't try it with anything above a mid-range XP though. Either way, get MBM5 (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/ I believe) and check your temps as soon as you have your box up and running - AMDs are "safe" to abotu 75"C, but I try to keep mine under 40 for general use. Word of warning: If you have an Asus mobo, the temp probe could be as much as 15"C higher than your actual temperature. Scared me before I realised this..
2) To bring the cpu listings completely up to date, AMD are expected to release their new Thoroughbred CPUs around May 2nd. They are almost identical to the current XPs, but run with 1.65v core voltage as opposed to 1.75v. Great for overclockers, we can shove the voltage right back up and push them even further, but no actual performance difference for most users over the standard XPs. The next major advance is the "hammer" series - clawhammer and sledgehammer, smaller die size etc, not expected until Q3 though I believe.
3) AMD vs Intel..sigh, heh. Yes, AMD are significantly cheaper (except the top of the range model, which is always overpriced, as people will pay more for the very latest), but "better performers/overclcokers" doesn't really apply any more - OCuk did sell P4 NW (northwood) 1.8GHz cpus guarenteed to 2.4GHz, and the top end of the range has been reported at over 3GHz with standard cooling. Figures aren't everything, but at these speeds, they do beat the AMD alternatives.
4) Price. It's not really true for most people that building your own PC is cheaper, they don't have all the spare parts - I tend to upgrade constantly and pass old parts down through my boxen, but if you're bulding a completely new system and need all of the components, big brands will get them cheaper. However, it's definately worth doing for complete knowledge of your system, satisfaction and eduction about PC hardware.
5) Cases/modding. Please do this...I'm sick of seeing plain beige cases everywhere, either buy an original one or get some generic monster and cut it up yourself. Gallery of pics of mine at http://ov.2y.net/deceit/ , like to see what some other people can do...Ideally looking for an aluminium one myself next.
6) Any old parts you get after doing this that you feel like throwing my way, let me know :D. Age doesn't matter, I'm always looking for old kit to use for gateways, servers etc. Ta.
'bout time we had more hardware posts..
1) Don't underestimate the importance of the heatsink. Really. It's not a case of minutes, even allowing an XP to boot without a HSF on it will fry it in seconds. I have first had experience of the unpleasant smell given off by a burning core. Don't even plug the power cable in to your box until you are certain that the heatsink is on properly - my mate had a nasty experience when he had keyboard power-on activated and hit his space bar while he was trying to attach the heatsink..
Right now for an AMD system I'd recommend the Thermalright AX7 or the
Coolermaster HHC-001 for performance cooling, either of these will give you some play for overclocking, they're excellent air coolers, with the 80mm fan on the AX7 making it slightly quieter (80mm instead of 60mm, so fewer rpm to push the same amount of air > less noise). If you're not bothered about overclocking, have a look at the zalman flower for a near silent cooler...wouldn't try it with anything above a mid-range XP though. Either way, get MBM5 (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/ I believe) and check your temps as soon as you have your box up and running - AMDs are "safe" to abotu 75"C, but I try to keep mine under 40 for general use. Word of warning: If you have an Asus mobo, the temp probe could be as much as 15"C higher than your actual temperature. Scared me before I realised this..
2) To bring the cpu listings completely up to date, AMD are expected to release their new Thoroughbred CPUs around May 2nd. They are almost identical to the current XPs, but run with 1.65v core voltage as opposed to 1.75v. Great for overclockers, we can shove the voltage right back up and push them even further, but no actual performance difference for most users over the standard XPs. The next major advance is the "hammer" series - clawhammer and sledgehammer, smaller die size etc, not expected until Q3 though I believe.
3) AMD vs Intel..sigh, heh. Yes, AMD are significantly cheaper (except the top of the range model, which is always overpriced, as people will pay more for the very latest), but "better performers/overclcokers" doesn't really apply any more - OCuk did sell P4 NW (northwood) 1.8GHz cpus guarenteed to 2.4GHz, and the top end of the range has been reported at over 3GHz with standard cooling. Figures aren't everything, but at these speeds, they do beat the AMD alternatives.
4) Price. It's not really true for most people that building your own PC is cheaper, they don't have all the spare parts - I tend to upgrade constantly and pass old parts down through my boxen, but if you're bulding a completely new system and need all of the components, big brands will get them cheaper. However, it's definately worth doing for complete knowledge of your system, satisfaction and eduction about PC hardware.
5) Cases/modding. Please do this...I'm sick of seeing plain beige cases everywhere, either buy an original one or get some generic monster and cut it up yourself. Gallery of pics of mine at http://ov.2y.net/deceit/ , like to see what some other people can do...Ideally looking for an aluminium one myself next.
6) Any old parts you get after doing this that you feel like throwing my way, let me know :D. Age doesn't matter, I'm always looking for old kit to use for gateways, servers etc. Ta.
'bout time we had more hardware posts..
Hi there, I know I should probably put this into the "web design, pc" forum but this little "guide" could help you create a monster of a machine which could handle the future games (and the past and present as well!)
After having just built my own machine I wanted to share my knowledge to prehaps inspire people to build their own machine which could save them some money (perhaps cost them their sanity though). The machine I built is an AMD T/Bird 1.4Ghz, gigabyte 7ZXE motherboard, 256mb ram and Geforce 4 ti4400. Luckily I had some spare parts, ie monitor, hard-drive, mouse, keyboard spare. The total cost of my system was roughly about £400 - £450 which is a bargain considering the 3d card cost £240!
Well anyway here is my guide to building a PC:
I don't know if it is just me or are people more inclined to build their own PC's rather than buy branded machines nowadays? However the majority of the home user market still use branded PC systems. The only comment I'm going to make about big name PC systems, or the shops that sell them, is that (here's a plug) Special Reserve pc's are pretty good for selling you good machines. What I hope to do with this guide is to, hopefully, make you start thinking about having a go at building your PC, and maybe starting you off in a new obsession.
Here's a few questions. How much did you pay for your PC? Was it more than £1000? It probably was right? It was top of the range at the time of purchase wasn't it? If its more than 6 months old its not going to be right up there with the 2.2Ghz Pentium 4’s. Finally the last and most important question – Do you really care about any of the above? If the answer is YES then why not put your own PC together?
Why Do It Yourself?
PC building is not for the weak hearted as the process could leave you with an unreliable machine. This that feeling that you should have bought that branded PC after all. However, if done correctly, it can be extremely rewarding and interesting too. Building your own machine helps you learn quite a bit about the guts of your machine and any little problem which you conquer is sooo satisfying.
I’ve not exactly made PC building out to be the bee's knees have I? However I don't want you to believe that it is easy yet it is not too difficult if you follow the stages and don't get impatient if, for example, your heatsink and fan won't clip onto your motherboard. Hopefully at this stage you have not been put off, and are still reading!
The first and most obvious area you’ll make gains in is cost. Custom built machines by yourself offer you much more bang for your buck. The simplest way to save cash overall is to put together a simple (by simple I mean not fitting watercoolers, etc.) PC using reasonably good components. This can be a useful learning exercise for future projects. Building a basic machine allows you to gain an understanding of what the inside of the machine looks like, what goes where and how it all fits together. You’ll get the opportunity to select the parts you use, allowing you to make decisions on what graphics card you have, how big the hard disk will be, what case it all goes into and what operating system you run etc.
As you put the machine together you will find that your technical skills and confidence get huge boosts. Of course it is wise to find a friendly techie (perhaps you can ask at IT tutor for guidance?) to oversee your first project, and I would strongly advise you to re-think the whole idea if you don’t know one. Under the watchful gaze of the expert eye, try to do as much of the construction and configuration yourself.
The final area where building a PC of your own has the a distinct advantage over buying from a shop is future proofing. The world of PC's work this way, after about a year to 18 months with your top of the range machine, you notice that it is perhaps half as powerful as the now top of the range machine. Not all but some big manufacturers that sell PC's make them very hard to upgrade. These manufacturers tend to use custom parts that will only be supplied by the machines maker. However you can be sure that your cutom built PC has been built using the standard bits and bobs you can find on the classified pages of any computer mag or web site. Once you have it up and running, you will be able to turn your basic system into a turbo charged, customised beast with relative ease, if you really want to.
You want to build your own PC then, read on :)
First find your self that friendly techie mate/person. It really is important to take things slowly, NEVER set yourself a time limit and make sure you have a helping hand with any of the things you are not sure of. As I said above, if you don’t feel 100% happy, and don’t have a helper on hand, proceed at your own risk.
Next get an idea of what you want in your PC. If you have a machine already what don’t you like about it? Are there any parts of it you could re-use? The most expensive individual part of the system will be the monitor in most cases. Providing you have a PS2 mouse and keyboard (easily identifiable by the small, round, connector –identical on both) you can keep those too. Any other parts you can salvage will of course bring the cost down, but that’s up to you.
Once you have your reusable parts, get an idea of what you want to buy for your new machine. Here’s a guide to what you’ll need – if I’ve missed out anything shout at me in this topic.
Case –
There are so many cases available you’ll go crazy looking for one. The main style of case is the Tower case (majority of home users pick midi towers). Go for a case with detachable side panels, rather than a lift off cover. Detachable panels make it much easier to work on the PC, and offer better room for future upgrades and tweaks (see the section on overclocking and customising for more on this). The case you choose will dictate your motherboard, as they are designed to fit different shapes. However, the older style AT board is more or less phased out now, and you should be looking for an ATX form factor. You should get all the screws, fixings etc but may need to buy a PSU (Power Supply Unit) as an extra. If you do need a PSU, try to get a 300W AMD/Intel approved unit with twin fans. Oh, one last thought, perhaps get a customised case with blowholes, a window in the side of your case with a neon light. However cutomising case would need a topic of it's own.
**Note: make sure there is enough room in the case, mini midi towers might be cheaper but PSU is almost on top of the CPU**
CPU –
The core of your system is of course the CPU (Central Processing Unit). You have two main choices – AMD or Intel. I favour AMD (I hate Intel’s grip on the PC market) but you need to make up your own mind here, as chip choice dictates motherboard choice. AMD have the edge over Intel in performance and cost, but the P4 chips are getting cheaper. Once you decide which manufacturer you want you have to choose between the chip type. AMD produce two processor types – Athlon XP and Duron (you could also get a T/bird although these seem to be harder to get now). Intel offers the choice of Pentium or Celeron.
The Duron and Celeron models are aimed at the value conscious buyer, while the Athlon XP and Pentium chips are for the high performance market. If you read between the lines of the marketing blurb you’ll see that the Duron and Celeron chips are based on a similar design to their higher speed siblings, but have less cache (on board memory) and are offered at lower speeds (however they still clock at over 1Ghz!). Research your choice before you look at the motherboard options. Remember – you should ideally go for the fastest CPU in the range you choose. Current CPU speeds are up to 2.2Ghz+. Make sure you purchase a cooling fan and heat sink suitable for your CPU’s power and size. Never ever run the machine without this part - CPUs get HOT! AMD's in particular will cook in minutes. Not having a heatsink will lead to serious damage. Check out the web sites (www.amd.com & www.intel.com for more details). Note that if you choose an ABIT motherboard you will need to be very careful when selecting your heat sink. Certain models will not fit over the chip socket due to surrounding componants.
Motherboard –
The motherboard is the backbone for your system. Every component you choose will be connected to this board. The motherboard has a special attachment for the CPU which comes in two styles. Opt for a “Socket” model rather than a slot, as the current ranges of chips from both manufacturers are socket style. Also check the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) of the motherboard and the FSB of the CPU. (Athlon T/Birds come in both 200mhz and 266mhz, that equates to 100mhz and 133mhz FSB respectively) Make sure the jumpers are set correctly for the FSB, see the manual of motherboard.
Be sure to select a board that suits your CPU. Each board has a “chipset” designed to work with a specific processor. The socket itself will only take the chip it is designed for; attempting to insert the wrong chip will only damage it. Think about what you want from your machine and select a board based on those criteria. Check what type of Memory the board takes – DDR SDRAM has probably surpassed SDRAM however both are widely available – make sure you know which you board will take, and how much you can install.
What extra features does the board have? Generally a board which offers on board sound and graphics will be cheaper and will save you buying a sound and 3d card however I would suggest you rethink your choice. Generally the built in components are inferior to a specific card. Rather than opting for built in features check for what goodies the BIOS offers, such as CPU voltage settings and RAID, which will be useful to you as you progress to more advanced building. Try to opt for a board with an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), as you will have a wider choice of graphics cards available to you. A good sound choice would be any of the ABIT range. These all come with a tool called SoftmenuII or III. This is basically a BIOS setup system that will llow you configure your system down to the smallest detail. Chaintech and Asus also get good reviews.
A word of warning. Choose a motherboard that is supplied with an english manual. Many a poor soul has been stuck with a cheaper motherboard complete with Korean instructions.
**Note: be aware of what you are given with your motherboard, ie cables, driver and manual. Read the manual, it is very handy.**
RAM –
Random Access Memory is available in a huge range of types and ratings. Check your board to see what you are permitted to use. Memory comes in various speeds. Most boards will run P133 RAM, while older boards only allow PC100. DDR RAM is available in 1400 and 2100 speeds – opt for the fastest speed you motherboard supports.
**Note: when mixing ram ie PC133 and PC100 the RAM will run at the slowest speed, in this case 100mhz**
Hard disk –
Hard disks are available in two forms – SCSI and IDE. SCSI drives are generally faster, bigger and more expensive. Using SCSI drives requires a special adapter card or motherboard support. IDE drives will suit most home users. Opt for the biggest drive with the highest RPM (best is 7200rpm for IDE and 10000rpm for SCSI) you can afford. Choose a drive from a reputable maker, such as IBM or Seagate. You should have been supplied with the correct cables by the motherboard to connect the drive to the main board.
**Note: check the UDMA of the hard-drive and what your motherboard accepts. UDMA 100 is standard however UDAM 133 is becoming more common.**
Floppy Drive –
Essential for setting up the PC. Correct cable supplied with the motherboard.
DVD drive or CDROM drive –
Most software vendors are shipping DVD’s nowadays. You will be able to run advanced games off your DVD drive, DVD movies (with software and graphics card), as well as standard CDs. A CDROM drive will be faster but will only read CDs. CD-ROMs are cheaper, but I would opt for the DVD to future proof your system.
Graphics card –
There are so many cards available you will be boggled. Your board will more than likely have an AGP port, so go for an AGP card. If you select a motherboard without AGP you’ll have to plump for a PCI graphics card (these are few and far between now, and cost more). The card you choose will decide what you can expect from your PC’s graphics. Go for a good 3D card, preferably a GeForce 3 or higher. Look for one with TV out and DVD capability and you’ve got yourself a DVD player for your TV.
**Note: pay attention to what you get with your 3d card, some do not come with tv out cables**
Sound Card –
There are quite a number of sound card options. You would be best to choose a Sound Blaster model for ease of use, but again, research your choice and opt for one that has the features you feel you’ll need.
**Note: don't purchase say an Audigy card if you are going to be using 2 stereo speakers, pick a card to complement your speakers. Likewise in that don't buy a soundblaster 128 when your speakers are dolby 5.1!**
Modem -
Prehaps this should be the most important part of the system? Without one you'll not be able to keep uptodate on the SR forums!!
Choose your weapons carefully, as modems are often the hardest piece of hardware to configure. I would recommend you avoid any internal modem (PCI modem) and instead opt for a Serial or USB model. These generally offer better performance and are much easier to set up in my exeperience. If you really must have it all inside make sure you go for a hardware modem instead of a software model. Opt for a reasonable brand such as a US Robotics/3Com.
That’s about it. Order your bits and have fun putting it all together. Be careful when handling parts. Always use an anti-static wrist strap as this can save your chips from your electric personality. Never ever force a component in. If you feel resistance you are probably fitting the part wrong. Read all manuals carefully, if you are unsure of anything check out the manufacturers website for further advise.
One final note. You may buy the leading edge parts today, and your PC wil run well on them, but PCs move on so fast. Please dont be disheartend when the next chip line comes out and you are left behind again. Just order a new part, fit it and sell the old one - thats the beauty of Building It Yourself.
Doing this as a hobby?
Once you’ve got your machine up and running what next? Well, now you’ve proved your technical skills, why not have a go at customising your PC? The most common way to customise your PC is to overclock it. This is quite a serious step down the DIY PC highway. IT basically revolves around squeezing more and more speed out of your CPU and hardware, using various methods such as changing the CPU voltage and speed. Be warned – This is tricky stuff, and should be handled carefully, You will need to know the limits of your hardware, how much cooling your case needs and how to fix things when they go wrong! It becomes an obsession, with users squeezing 2ghz processors up to 3Ghz and beyond. Why not see what your machine can do?
I hope you find this informative, actually I hope that someone actually reads this, sorry about it being so long.
After having just built my own machine I wanted to share my knowledge to prehaps inspire people to build their own machine which could save them some money (perhaps cost them their sanity though). The machine I built is an AMD T/Bird 1.4Ghz, gigabyte 7ZXE motherboard, 256mb ram and Geforce 4 ti4400. Luckily I had some spare parts, ie monitor, hard-drive, mouse, keyboard spare. The total cost of my system was roughly about £400 - £450 which is a bargain considering the 3d card cost £240!
Well anyway here is my guide to building a PC:
I don't know if it is just me or are people more inclined to build their own PC's rather than buy branded machines nowadays? However the majority of the home user market still use branded PC systems. The only comment I'm going to make about big name PC systems, or the shops that sell them, is that (here's a plug) Special Reserve pc's are pretty good for selling you good machines. What I hope to do with this guide is to, hopefully, make you start thinking about having a go at building your PC, and maybe starting you off in a new obsession.
Here's a few questions. How much did you pay for your PC? Was it more than £1000? It probably was right? It was top of the range at the time of purchase wasn't it? If its more than 6 months old its not going to be right up there with the 2.2Ghz Pentium 4’s. Finally the last and most important question – Do you really care about any of the above? If the answer is YES then why not put your own PC together?
Why Do It Yourself?
PC building is not for the weak hearted as the process could leave you with an unreliable machine. This that feeling that you should have bought that branded PC after all. However, if done correctly, it can be extremely rewarding and interesting too. Building your own machine helps you learn quite a bit about the guts of your machine and any little problem which you conquer is sooo satisfying.
I’ve not exactly made PC building out to be the bee's knees have I? However I don't want you to believe that it is easy yet it is not too difficult if you follow the stages and don't get impatient if, for example, your heatsink and fan won't clip onto your motherboard. Hopefully at this stage you have not been put off, and are still reading!
The first and most obvious area you’ll make gains in is cost. Custom built machines by yourself offer you much more bang for your buck. The simplest way to save cash overall is to put together a simple (by simple I mean not fitting watercoolers, etc.) PC using reasonably good components. This can be a useful learning exercise for future projects. Building a basic machine allows you to gain an understanding of what the inside of the machine looks like, what goes where and how it all fits together. You’ll get the opportunity to select the parts you use, allowing you to make decisions on what graphics card you have, how big the hard disk will be, what case it all goes into and what operating system you run etc.
As you put the machine together you will find that your technical skills and confidence get huge boosts. Of course it is wise to find a friendly techie (perhaps you can ask at IT tutor for guidance?) to oversee your first project, and I would strongly advise you to re-think the whole idea if you don’t know one. Under the watchful gaze of the expert eye, try to do as much of the construction and configuration yourself.
The final area where building a PC of your own has the a distinct advantage over buying from a shop is future proofing. The world of PC's work this way, after about a year to 18 months with your top of the range machine, you notice that it is perhaps half as powerful as the now top of the range machine. Not all but some big manufacturers that sell PC's make them very hard to upgrade. These manufacturers tend to use custom parts that will only be supplied by the machines maker. However you can be sure that your cutom built PC has been built using the standard bits and bobs you can find on the classified pages of any computer mag or web site. Once you have it up and running, you will be able to turn your basic system into a turbo charged, customised beast with relative ease, if you really want to.
You want to build your own PC then, read on :)
First find your self that friendly techie mate/person. It really is important to take things slowly, NEVER set yourself a time limit and make sure you have a helping hand with any of the things you are not sure of. As I said above, if you don’t feel 100% happy, and don’t have a helper on hand, proceed at your own risk.
Next get an idea of what you want in your PC. If you have a machine already what don’t you like about it? Are there any parts of it you could re-use? The most expensive individual part of the system will be the monitor in most cases. Providing you have a PS2 mouse and keyboard (easily identifiable by the small, round, connector –identical on both) you can keep those too. Any other parts you can salvage will of course bring the cost down, but that’s up to you.
Once you have your reusable parts, get an idea of what you want to buy for your new machine. Here’s a guide to what you’ll need – if I’ve missed out anything shout at me in this topic.
Case –
There are so many cases available you’ll go crazy looking for one. The main style of case is the Tower case (majority of home users pick midi towers). Go for a case with detachable side panels, rather than a lift off cover. Detachable panels make it much easier to work on the PC, and offer better room for future upgrades and tweaks (see the section on overclocking and customising for more on this). The case you choose will dictate your motherboard, as they are designed to fit different shapes. However, the older style AT board is more or less phased out now, and you should be looking for an ATX form factor. You should get all the screws, fixings etc but may need to buy a PSU (Power Supply Unit) as an extra. If you do need a PSU, try to get a 300W AMD/Intel approved unit with twin fans. Oh, one last thought, perhaps get a customised case with blowholes, a window in the side of your case with a neon light. However cutomising case would need a topic of it's own.
**Note: make sure there is enough room in the case, mini midi towers might be cheaper but PSU is almost on top of the CPU**
CPU –
The core of your system is of course the CPU (Central Processing Unit). You have two main choices – AMD or Intel. I favour AMD (I hate Intel’s grip on the PC market) but you need to make up your own mind here, as chip choice dictates motherboard choice. AMD have the edge over Intel in performance and cost, but the P4 chips are getting cheaper. Once you decide which manufacturer you want you have to choose between the chip type. AMD produce two processor types – Athlon XP and Duron (you could also get a T/bird although these seem to be harder to get now). Intel offers the choice of Pentium or Celeron.
The Duron and Celeron models are aimed at the value conscious buyer, while the Athlon XP and Pentium chips are for the high performance market. If you read between the lines of the marketing blurb you’ll see that the Duron and Celeron chips are based on a similar design to their higher speed siblings, but have less cache (on board memory) and are offered at lower speeds (however they still clock at over 1Ghz!). Research your choice before you look at the motherboard options. Remember – you should ideally go for the fastest CPU in the range you choose. Current CPU speeds are up to 2.2Ghz+. Make sure you purchase a cooling fan and heat sink suitable for your CPU’s power and size. Never ever run the machine without this part - CPUs get HOT! AMD's in particular will cook in minutes. Not having a heatsink will lead to serious damage. Check out the web sites (www.amd.com & www.intel.com for more details). Note that if you choose an ABIT motherboard you will need to be very careful when selecting your heat sink. Certain models will not fit over the chip socket due to surrounding componants.
Motherboard –
The motherboard is the backbone for your system. Every component you choose will be connected to this board. The motherboard has a special attachment for the CPU which comes in two styles. Opt for a “Socket” model rather than a slot, as the current ranges of chips from both manufacturers are socket style. Also check the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) of the motherboard and the FSB of the CPU. (Athlon T/Birds come in both 200mhz and 266mhz, that equates to 100mhz and 133mhz FSB respectively) Make sure the jumpers are set correctly for the FSB, see the manual of motherboard.
Be sure to select a board that suits your CPU. Each board has a “chipset” designed to work with a specific processor. The socket itself will only take the chip it is designed for; attempting to insert the wrong chip will only damage it. Think about what you want from your machine and select a board based on those criteria. Check what type of Memory the board takes – DDR SDRAM has probably surpassed SDRAM however both are widely available – make sure you know which you board will take, and how much you can install.
What extra features does the board have? Generally a board which offers on board sound and graphics will be cheaper and will save you buying a sound and 3d card however I would suggest you rethink your choice. Generally the built in components are inferior to a specific card. Rather than opting for built in features check for what goodies the BIOS offers, such as CPU voltage settings and RAID, which will be useful to you as you progress to more advanced building. Try to opt for a board with an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), as you will have a wider choice of graphics cards available to you. A good sound choice would be any of the ABIT range. These all come with a tool called SoftmenuII or III. This is basically a BIOS setup system that will llow you configure your system down to the smallest detail. Chaintech and Asus also get good reviews.
A word of warning. Choose a motherboard that is supplied with an english manual. Many a poor soul has been stuck with a cheaper motherboard complete with Korean instructions.
**Note: be aware of what you are given with your motherboard, ie cables, driver and manual. Read the manual, it is very handy.**
RAM –
Random Access Memory is available in a huge range of types and ratings. Check your board to see what you are permitted to use. Memory comes in various speeds. Most boards will run P133 RAM, while older boards only allow PC100. DDR RAM is available in 1400 and 2100 speeds – opt for the fastest speed you motherboard supports.
**Note: when mixing ram ie PC133 and PC100 the RAM will run at the slowest speed, in this case 100mhz**
Hard disk –
Hard disks are available in two forms – SCSI and IDE. SCSI drives are generally faster, bigger and more expensive. Using SCSI drives requires a special adapter card or motherboard support. IDE drives will suit most home users. Opt for the biggest drive with the highest RPM (best is 7200rpm for IDE and 10000rpm for SCSI) you can afford. Choose a drive from a reputable maker, such as IBM or Seagate. You should have been supplied with the correct cables by the motherboard to connect the drive to the main board.
**Note: check the UDMA of the hard-drive and what your motherboard accepts. UDMA 100 is standard however UDAM 133 is becoming more common.**
Floppy Drive –
Essential for setting up the PC. Correct cable supplied with the motherboard.
DVD drive or CDROM drive –
Most software vendors are shipping DVD’s nowadays. You will be able to run advanced games off your DVD drive, DVD movies (with software and graphics card), as well as standard CDs. A CDROM drive will be faster but will only read CDs. CD-ROMs are cheaper, but I would opt for the DVD to future proof your system.
Graphics card –
There are so many cards available you will be boggled. Your board will more than likely have an AGP port, so go for an AGP card. If you select a motherboard without AGP you’ll have to plump for a PCI graphics card (these are few and far between now, and cost more). The card you choose will decide what you can expect from your PC’s graphics. Go for a good 3D card, preferably a GeForce 3 or higher. Look for one with TV out and DVD capability and you’ve got yourself a DVD player for your TV.
**Note: pay attention to what you get with your 3d card, some do not come with tv out cables**
Sound Card –
There are quite a number of sound card options. You would be best to choose a Sound Blaster model for ease of use, but again, research your choice and opt for one that has the features you feel you’ll need.
**Note: don't purchase say an Audigy card if you are going to be using 2 stereo speakers, pick a card to complement your speakers. Likewise in that don't buy a soundblaster 128 when your speakers are dolby 5.1!**
Modem -
Prehaps this should be the most important part of the system? Without one you'll not be able to keep uptodate on the SR forums!!
Choose your weapons carefully, as modems are often the hardest piece of hardware to configure. I would recommend you avoid any internal modem (PCI modem) and instead opt for a Serial or USB model. These generally offer better performance and are much easier to set up in my exeperience. If you really must have it all inside make sure you go for a hardware modem instead of a software model. Opt for a reasonable brand such as a US Robotics/3Com.
That’s about it. Order your bits and have fun putting it all together. Be careful when handling parts. Always use an anti-static wrist strap as this can save your chips from your electric personality. Never ever force a component in. If you feel resistance you are probably fitting the part wrong. Read all manuals carefully, if you are unsure of anything check out the manufacturers website for further advise.
One final note. You may buy the leading edge parts today, and your PC wil run well on them, but PCs move on so fast. Please dont be disheartend when the next chip line comes out and you are left behind again. Just order a new part, fit it and sell the old one - thats the beauty of Building It Yourself.
Doing this as a hobby?
Once you’ve got your machine up and running what next? Well, now you’ve proved your technical skills, why not have a go at customising your PC? The most common way to customise your PC is to overclock it. This is quite a serious step down the DIY PC highway. IT basically revolves around squeezing more and more speed out of your CPU and hardware, using various methods such as changing the CPU voltage and speed. Be warned – This is tricky stuff, and should be handled carefully, You will need to know the limits of your hardware, how much cooling your case needs and how to fix things when they go wrong! It becomes an obsession, with users squeezing 2ghz processors up to 3Ghz and beyond. Why not see what your machine can do?
I hope you find this informative, actually I hope that someone actually reads this, sorry about it being so long.