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Home PC Computer System

Other Considerations Before You Buy

This section lists things that should be taken into account with every single choice when selecting parts. Considering some parts these things are more obvious than with others.

Compatibility

Do your parts and peripherials work together? The three main components that must work together are the CPU, the motherboard, and the RAM. Do they work with the software of your choice? Choosing parts that work with any other operating system than the most mainstream one is often a guarantee that they work with many other operating systems too than just those two. This is good because you can change your mind later. So even if you're building a computer to run Windows, choosing hardware that would run a Linux system might be a good thing. It is also worth checking round the internet to make sure there is no history of your chosen components clashing (eg Motherboards and Graphics cards).

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Ergonomics is most important when choosing peripherals such as keyboard or a mouse, but also the ease of assembly is important when choosing parts.

Operating Temperature

The computer has to be cooled down so it doesn't overheat and break. Parts with high operating temperatures need more cooling and noiseless cooling is hard to find as well as being far more expensive than their noisy counterparts. Parts and peripherials with high operating temperatures also tend to warm up the room when the system is cooled by air, so the room may need cooling too. Manufacturers assume the computer will be kept in a room that has an air conditioner kept roughly at "room temperature" (about 73F or 22C) but, typically parts are expected to be able to handle more extreme conditions. More heat can tend to decrease stability and increase the elements that break down components slowly over time, so better cooling increases the stability as well as lifetime of your system. Since most of the energy used by a computer is turned into heat, you can tell how much heat a part is generating from the amount of power it consumes.

Related note: To your PC, dust acts much the way graphite lubricant did to Chernobyl. You will want to store the home pc you build in an as dust free environment as you can. This includes getting it up off the floor where dust-bunnies roam, or the cooling fans may suck them in clogging the air intake, blanketing the internal parts, or causing a short, or worse a fire! Once a month power down and allow the unit to cool before removing the cover and gently getting rid of any accumulated dust.

Price

In the early 80's, desktop computers as compared to modern models were slow, expensive, and mostly limited to businesses and computing hobbyists. However, as time went on, hardware speed and performance improved dramatically while prices steadily decreased. Today, there is a wide array of hardware core components and peripherals tailored to fit every home computing need and budget. Retail outlets, "big-box" electronic stores, and online warehouses offer everything from floppy drives to blazing-fast custom gaming systems built to buyer's specifications.

With all these options to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming if you've never bought computer parts before. Shop around and compare the prices of both online and retail stores. Remember to factor in shipping and handling, and taxes. Some places may be priced a bit higher, but offer perks such as free shipping, limited warranties, or 24-hour tech support. Many websites, such as CNET and ZDNet offer comprehensive reviews, user ratings, and links to stores, including price comparisons. Although it may be tempting to buy the latest cutting-edge system with all the hottest bells and whistles, you may be able to save a considerable amount of money by purchasing a slightly older computer and upgrading it with a few high-quality peripherals.

Also, keep in mind that components are constantly improving in performance and becoming cheaper to produce, making them less expensive and more available to a wider consumer market. It may pay off to wait until the "hot item" you want comes down in price.

Most importantly, have a clear idea of what you want to use your computer for. It really doesn't make any sense to shell out $500 for a graphics card if you only need your computer for websurfing and email. In short, "Don't pay for features you don't need" is a good rule of thumb when you are shopping for parts.

It may well, however, pay you to think of future upgradeability when selecting some components, this is most true of the motherboard. While the computer that you are building today may be fine for your current needs you will probably need to upgrade it later to meet the ever expanding requirements of some software. So look for a motherboard that will allow you to fit more memory than you are planning to use, preferably without having to replace any of the existing memory. Also look for support for recent standards of connection to other equipment, e.g. you may be going to use a cheap IDE hard drive at the moment but later you will possibly need to upgrate to a larger, faster,SATA drive - so get a motherboard that supports both. It is always a good idea to have some spare slots for both memory and interface cards - if you are currently using all the facilities it is possible to fit to a machine the only possible upgrade is often another new machine.

You may also find that by overspecifing in some areas you can save money on others, e.g. if you don't currently need fantastic sound but you do need firewire then you might want to purchase a sound card anyway as some of the higher end sound cards also have a firewire port.

Power

The speed of a processor, the size of memory, resolution of monitor, the output of cooling fans, printer or a scanner. Find out what is enough and look for the best price/quality-relation matching your need and budget.

Build Your Own PC, 4th Edition (Build Your Own)