How to Build You Own Computer: A Parts List

January 24th, 2011 Admin


Through all the articles I’ve done on building computers, my mantra has been “There are only eleven major parts in a computer. If you can connect just eleven items, then you can build a PC.” If you are new to this hobby, you may be asking yourself what the parts are, and how to decide on which ones to buy. Let’s start at the beginning.

CPU: You’ll build your unit around its CPU. You can pick from Intel or AMD chips, at a wide range of speeds, and prices. This most basic decision helps determine many choices you’ll make later on. Here, you must ask yourself if you want a basic “homework and internet” computer, or something faster, and higher priced.

I prefer to get a CPU-heatsink-fan bundle. It costs about the same as getting the parts separately, but by getting them together you’ll have a factory tested combo you know will work properly.

Motherboard: Once you’ve decided on a CPU, you can pick a motherboard of the same socket type. Many features must be considered. How many PCI expansion slots will you need? Do you want video on the motherboard, or on a separate card? Likewise, do you want firewire on the board, or on a card, or not at all? Most boards come with sound, but will it be the quality you require if you’re a gamer?

Hard Drive: How much storage capacity do you need? A homework PC will find 40GBs to be oodles of space, while a video editor should be looking at 200GBs or more. If you’re doing captures of analog video, get the fastest hard drive you can find to avoid dropped frames.

CD/DVD: Yes, there are still plain CD-ROMs on the market, but since the common medium of exchange for data of all kinds is the CD and DVD, I say get a good rewritable drive. If you want to share movies you’ve made, spend a couple more bucks for a drive that will do DVDs as well as CDs.

Floppy: Many people have eliminated floppy drives. Don’t. They provide a last chance to save a computer crippled by a virus. Also, the disks cost only pennies.

Graphics Card: If you decided against getting video on the motherboard, you’ll need to get a graphics card. The more memory on the card, 128MB, 256MB, or whatever, the better for games and such. However, more memory means more heat, and potential cooling problems. You can get cards that use AGP, PCI, or PCI Express slots.

Modem: If you are still stuck with dialup, you’ll have to get a 56K modem. At least they’re dirt cheap now.

Case and Power Supply: To hold all this wonderful stuff, you’ll need a case. A simple fellow like me only asks for a box with airholes punched in it, but you might want a little something extra. A design statement can be made, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Of greater concern is the power supply. There is an annoying tendency among manufacturers to pair perfectly acceptable cases with undersized power supplies. By that, I mean those under 300 watts. This is the minimum for a basic PC. If you’re a gamer, you’ll want 450 watts or more.

Case Fans: Considering the heat generated inside a computer, I like as many fans as possible. They cost only five bucks or so each.

By: Michael Quarles

About the Author:
Michael Quarles is author of Building a PC for Beginners.



Read More »

Computer Parts Catalogs

January 24th, 2011 Admin


Computers have become an absolute necessity in today’s modern world. Computers and their accessories are increasingly becoming more and more sophisticated each day. As technology advances, one can come across some new addition, almost every day. The pace at which technology is advancing is so amazing that we are barely able to catch up with one up gradation before it is obsolete. With such rapid developments, no wonder computer parts are also difficult to understand. One has to have a basic knowledge of these parts before using them or when purchasing them.

How does one get the information on all these parts? There are various product catalogues, in this case computer parts catalogues, that you can research before you decide to buy a part. Most of the leading brands publish detailed catalogues. These catalogues help you choose parts that are best for you. One can also find information on whether the parts are compatible with your computer. While one can get printed catalogues, with the advent of the Internet, online catalogues are perhaps the most extensively read. One can also go through quick reviews on these online catalogues. Most of these online catalogues also come with look up reference charts with recommended brands or models. The advantage with online catalogues when compared to printed ones lies in the fact that online catalogues are more informative and are usually easy to navigate. From computer network routers to RAM to new video cards, the Internet is full of catalogues that can help you choose the right computer part. One should preferably buy from reputed online merchants. This can be ensured if there is some kind of seal of approval that has been mentioned on the web site. This way you are ensured of genuine parts.

By: Eric Morris

About the Author:
Computer Parts provides detailed information on Computer Parts, Wholesale Computer Parts, Computer Part Supplies, Cheap Computer Parts and more. Computer Parts is affiliated with Computer Repair Services [http://www.e-computerrepair.com].



Read More »

Recycle And Make Money

January 24th, 2011 Admin


These days we are all being encouraged to recycle more and to find alternative uses for as much of our household waste as we possibly can. What better way to get rid of your rubbish than to find a more ecologically friendly use for it and make some money at the same time.

The truth of the matter is that there is very little that is thrown away on a daily basis by most of us that cannot be put to good use by someone else; it’s just a question of knowing how to go about disposing of it. So let’s examine just a few of the ways you can make and save money by recycling and adopting a greener approach to life.

Old computers and computer parts

Computers are an integral part of life in the 21st Century and these days it is not uncommon for households to have more than one, however, there are still many people who find it too expensive to buy new. If you have an old computer that is no longer any use to you, you could sell it on as a complete unit to someone else or strip it down and sell on each of the individual parts. Try placing an ad in your local supermarket or newspaper or advertising it online on sites like eBay. Just make sure that if you are selling it on as a whole, that you remove all your personal data and clean up your hard drive first.

Mobile phones

There are still thousands upon thousands of mobile phones thrown away each day when they could be sold on to someone else. Some people upgrade their phones each year and all too often their old one just gets dumped in the bin. There are many organisations that will pay for your old mobile, as long as it is in working order and has a battery and charger to go with it. This means that there is no excuse for any working mobile to end up in landfill whatsoever. A quick internet search will bring up a number of organisations that will purchase your mobile for cash. Many will even pay the postage for you to send it on to them.

Metal

Anything made from metal can be collected and sold on to a scrap dealer for cash.
Aluminum cans are also highly sought after because they are so easy to recycle and can be back on the shelves in as little as six weeks. There are a number of organisations that will pay you straight cash for cans and there are charities that will welcome cans so that they can claim the cash. Never be tempted to throw your old cans in the bin, it’s like throwing money away.

Car boot sales

Anything that you no longer require could be worth something to someone else so holding a car boot sale is a highly effective way of getting rid of your unwanted items. Yes it takes a little bit of effort to organise it but the rewards are worth it. Not only do you benefit by getting some cash, you help reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill and you provide someone else with something that they want.

Other ways to save money and help protect the planet

- Invest in energy saving light bulbs, they last ten times as long, use up less electricity and although they cost a bit more to begin with, you still come out with more in your pocket after a matter of months.

- You could also try switching your energy provider to one that is more ‘green’ and you can get a list of these greener providers from the Green Electricity website.

- When the time comes for you to buy new household appliances, make sure they are energy efficient as these appliances cost less to run and will therefore save you money in the long term.

- Buy recycled Ink cartridges and make sure you recycle your old ones too. Ink cartridges can be refilled several times and cost less than the original cartridge to buy.

- When buying goods that require batteries, try to use rechargeable ones and not the ones that are discarded after a single use. Rechargeable batteries are more cost effective and are less damaging to the environment.

Once you get into the true spirit of recycling, which means reducing the amount of waste you produce in the first place, finding other uses for as much as you possibly can and then disposing of the rest in an environmentally friendly way, recycling can be a lot of fun. There is a huge amount of satisfaction to be gained from finding new and creative ways to give an old item a new lease of life or by selling on your waste for a little bit of cash. Always remember that one person’s trash really is another person’s treasure.

By: David Mcevoy

About the Author:
David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly cleaned out room then please come and visit our site.



Read More »
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Powered by WordPress