| Building A Computer - Picking Components
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| | Getting the right speed and amount of RAM
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| Picking the parts for your computer is
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| | is vital to the speed and stability of
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| one of the most important things in
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| | your system. If you are running XP, you
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| building a computer, because you cant
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| | will probably need at least 256 or 512Mb
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| assemble a computer without the parts!
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| | of RAM. If you are going to be doing
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| Picking parts for computers has become
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| | anything memory intensive, gaming,
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| much easier than before, because things
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| | rendering or just want a faster computer,
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| have been standardized, however, you need
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| | you should get 1Gb. Make sure your
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| to make sure everything will fit. The
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| | motherboard has enough DIMMs and the
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| first thing to think about when choosing
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| | right type of DIMMs for your RAM. Also,
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| the components for your computer is what
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| | be sure to check the speed and CAS
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| you are going to be using it for. If you
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| | Latency.
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| are creating a computer for just checking
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| | Hard Drive
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| your eMail and using word, you are going
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| | Now its time to pick your hard drive.
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| to need much diffrent parts than a
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| | There are few variables in picking a hard
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| computer that you are going to be using
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| | drive. The first, and most important is
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| for gaming.
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| | size, 120Gb is usually enough for most
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| CPU
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| | people unless, you are going to be
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| The first thing you should pick out about
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| | storing alot of pictures and video. Also,
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| your computer is what CPU you are going
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| | make sure you get an HD with the right
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| to use, because it determines what
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| | interace that fits your motherboard.
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| motherboard you are going to get, which
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| | Almost all motherboards have IDE, but
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| determines what other components you get.
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| | some have SATA (Serial ATA) Which is a
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| There are two main CPU manufactruers,
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| | much faster hard drive interface and uses
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| Intel and AMD. Both have their Pros and
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| | a thinner cable which helps with airflow
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| Cons, but they are pretty similar. I
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| | in your case. There is even SATAII now,
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| would suggest using AMD, because they
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| | which is twice as fast. Also look at
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| give you a little more bang for the buck.
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| | speed, almost all desktop HDs are 7200RPM
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| Here is a brief overview of the diffrent
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| | and Cache, most are 8Mb, dont buy a HD
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| Intel and AMD CPUs:
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| | below those standards. If you want to
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| Budget: AMD: Sempron
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| | spend some money, you can get 2 HDs and
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| Intel: Celeron D
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| | run them in RAID which increases
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| Midrange: AMD: Athlon 64
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| | performance.
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| Intel: Pentium 4
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| | Video Cards
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| High End: AMD: Athlon64 X2
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| | If you are going to be doing any gaming,
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| Intel: Pentium D
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| | be sure to buy a video card, if youre
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| If you are spending below $500, I would
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| | not, onboard video is fine. The first
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| suggest a budget proccesor, Between $500
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| | thing to check for is the interface, most
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| and $1000, midrange and $1000 and above I
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| | are AGP or PCI-E. I personally like
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| would suggest a high end proccessor.
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| | nVidia cards better. If you are going to
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| Motherboard
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| | be doing graphic intensive games, I would
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| Choosing the right motherboard is vital
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| | suggest at least a 6600. If you have alot
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| to building your computer. First, make
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| | to spend, go with a 7800.
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| sure you find a motherboard that has the
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| | Optical/Floppy drives
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| right socket type for your CPU. Then,
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| | Another thing you are going to is a CD
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| check the diffrent features of the
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| | drive, most are IDE. Get a DVD Burner if
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| motherboards you are looking at. If you
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| | you are going to use it. Also, you should
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| arent going to buy a video or sound card,
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| | get a floppy drive, they are only $10ish
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| make sure your motherboard has onboard
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| | and you might need it to install drivers
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| video and/or sound. Other things to check
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| | when building your computer.
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| for on your motherboard are the hard
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| | Case and Power Supply
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| drive interface, graphics card interface,
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| | Make sure you have a sufficient power
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| expansion slots, the memory size and
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| | supply!! If you have a high end computer,
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| speed. Also, check for the chipset. There
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| | you should get a 450W PSU. Otherwise,
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| are too many to talk about, but generally
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| | 350W should be fine for most people. Most
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| Intel and nVidia chipsets are better than
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| | cases are ATX, but make sure it is the
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| the other ones. Now that you picked out
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| | same type as your motherboard (ATX,
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| your motherboard, you know what to look
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| | MicroATX, BTX, etc...).
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| for in your other components.
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| | Be sure to make sure all your components
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| RAM
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| | are compatible!
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