Category Archives: Computer Parts
Building A Computer – Picking Components
Building A Computer – Picking Components
Picking the parts for your computer is one of the most important things in building a computer, because you cant assemble a computer without the parts! Picking parts for computers has become much easier than before, because things have been standardized, however, you need to make sure everything will fit. The first thing to think about when choosing the components for your computer is what you are going to be using it for. If you are creating a computer for just checking your eMail and using word, you are going to need much diffrent parts than a computer that you are going to be using for gaming.
CPU
The first thing you should pick out about your computer is what CPU you are going to use, because it determines what motherboard you are going to get, which determines what other components you get. There are two main CPU manufactruers, Intel and AMD. Both have their Pros and Cons, but they are pretty similar. I would suggest using AMD, because they give you a little more bang for the buck.
Here is a brief overview of the diffrent Intel and AMD CPUs:
Budget: AMD: Sempron
Intel: Celeron D
Midrange: AMD: Athlon 64
Intel: Pentium 4
High End: AMD: Athlon64 X2
Intel: Pentium D
If you are spending below 0, I would suggest a budget proccesor, Between 0 and 00, midrange and 00 and above I would suggest a high end proccessor.
Motherboard
Choosing the right motherboard is vital to building your computer. First, make sure you find a motherboard that has the right socket type for your CPU. Then, check the diffrent features of the motherboards you are looking at. If you arent going to buy a video or sound card, make sure your motherboard has onboard video and/or sound. Other things to check for on your motherboard are the hard drive interface, graphics card interface, expansion slots, the memory size and speed. Also, check for the chipset. There are too many to talk about, but generally Intel and nVidia chipsets are better than the other ones. Now that you picked out your motherboard, you know what to look for in your other components.
RAM
Getting the right speed and amount of RAM is vital to the speed and stability of your system. If you are running XP, you will probably need at least 256 or 512Mb of RAM. If you are going to be doing anything memory intensive, gaming, rendering or just want a faster computer, you should get 1Gb. Make sure your motherboard has enough DIMMs and the right type of DIMMs for your RAM. Also, be sure to check the speed and CAS Latency.
Hard Drive
Now its time to pick your hard drive. There are few variables in picking a hard drive. The first, and most important is size, 120Gb is usually enough for most people unless, you are going to be storing alot of pictures and video. Also, make sure you get an HD with the right interace that fits your motherboard. Almost all motherboards have IDE, but some have SATA (Serial ATA) Which is a much faster hard drive interface and uses a thinner cable which helps with airflow in your case. There is even SATAII now, which is twice as fast. Also look at speed, almost all desktop HDs are 7200RPM and Cache, most are 8Mb, dont buy a HD below those standards. If you want to spend some money, you can get 2 HDs and run them in RAID which increases performance.
Video Cards
If you are going to be doing any gaming, be sure to buy a video card, if youre not, onboard video is fine. The first thing to check for is the interface, most are AGP or PCI-E. I personally like nVidia cards better. If you are going to be doing graphic intensive games, I would suggest at least a 6600. If you have alot to spend, go with a 7800.
Optical/Floppy drives
Another thing you are going to is a CD drive, most are IDE. Get a DVD Burner if you are going to use it. Also, you should get a floppy drive, they are only ish and you might need it to install drivers when building your computer.
Case and Power Supply
Make sure you have a sufficient power supply!! If you have a high end computer, you should get a 450W PSU. Otherwise, 350W should be fine for most people. Most cases are ATX, but make sure it is the same type as your motherboard (ATX, MicroATX, BTX, etc…).
Be sure to make sure all your components are compatible!
Building A Computer – Picking the Components
Building A Computer – Picking the Components
Building A Computer – Picking Components
Picking the parts for your computer is one of the most important things in building a computer, because you cant assemble a computer without the parts! Picking parts for computers has become much easier than before, because things have been standardized, however, you need to make sure everything will fit. The first thing to think about when choosing the components for your computer is what you are going to be using it for. If you are creating a computer for just checking your eMail and using word, you are going to need much diffrent parts than a computer that you are going to be using for gaming.
CPU
The first thing you should pick out about your computer is what CPU you are going to use, because it determines what motherboard you are going to get, which determines what other components you get. There are two main CPU manufactruers, Intel and AMD. Both have their Pros and Cons, but they are pretty similar. I would suggest using AMD, because they give you a little more bang for the buck.
Here is a brief overview of the diffrent Intel and AMD CPUs:
Budget: AMD: Sempron
Intel: Celeron D
Midrange: AMD: Athlon 64
Intel: Pentium 4
High End: AMD: Athlon64 X2
Intel: Pentium D
If you are spending below 0, I would suggest a budget proccesor, Between 0 and 00, midrange and 00 and above I would suggest a high end proccessor.
Motherboard
Choosing the right motherboard is vital to building your computer. First, make sure you find a motherboard that has the right socket type for your CPU. Then, check the diffrent features of the motherboards you are looking at. If you arent going to buy a video or sound card, make sure your motherboard has onboard video and/or sound. Other things to check for on your motherboard are the hard drive interface, graphics card interface, expansion slots, the memory size and speed. Also, check for the chipset. There are too many to talk about, but generally Intel and nVidia chipsets are better than the other ones. Now that you picked out your motherboard, you know what to look for in your other components.
RAM
Getting the right speed and amount of RAM is vital to the speed and stability of your system. If you are running XP, you will probably need at least 256 or 512Mb of RAM. If you are going to be doing anything memory intensive, gaming, rendering or just want a faster computer, you should get 1Gb. Make sure your motherboard has enough DIMMs and the right type of DIMMs for your RAM. Also, be sure to check the speed and CAS Latency.
Hard Drive
Now its time to pick your hard drive. There are few variables in picking a hard drive. The first, and most important is size, 120Gb is usually enough for most people unless, you are going to be storing alot of pictures and video. Also, make sure you get an HD with the right interace that fits your motherboard. Almost all motherboards have IDE, but some have SATA (Serial ATA) Which is a much faster hard drive interface and uses a thinner cable which helps with airflow in your case. There is even SATAII now, which is twice as fast. Also look at speed, almost all desktop HDs are 7200RPM and Cache, most are 8Mb, dont buy a HD below those standards. If you want to spend some money, you can get 2 HDs and run them in RAID which increases performance.
Video Cards
If you are going to be doing any gaming, be sure to buy a video card, if youre not, onboard video is fine. The first thing to check for is the interface, most are AGP or PCI-E. I personally like nVidia cards better. If you are going to be doing graphic intensive games, I would suggest at least a 6600. If you have alot to spend, go with a 7800.
Optical/Floppy drives
Another thing you are going to is a CD drive, most are IDE. Get a DVD Burner if you are going to use it. Also, you should get a floppy drive, they are only ish and you might need it to install drivers when building your computer.
Case and Power Supply
Make sure you have a sufficient power supply!! If you have a high end computer, you should get a 450W PSU. Otherwise, 350W should be fine for most people. Most cases are ATX, but make sure it is the same type as your motherboard (ATX, MicroATX, BTX, etc…).
Be sure to make sure all your components are compatible!
Dangers Of Illegal Computer Disposal
Dangers Of Illegal Computer Disposal
If your computer broke tomorrow and it was beyond repair, what would you do with it? Well chances are that after slamming it against the wall in a fit of rage, you’re going to throw it in the trashcan in your garage. Alongside all the other non-recyclable trash your household created this week, the trash men will come pick it up, condense it in their truck, and dump it into a huge pile of waste. The huge pile of waste will be compacted even more, and then sent out to some island where all the huge piles of your garbage go. Sounds simple, right?
Sure, it’s simple enough; until a bird lands on your crunched piece of laptop and dies from exposure to the acid that leaked out of the battery. Gasp! “Alright,” you say to yourself, “I’ll take the battery out and burn it in my backyard instead of throwing it in the trash.” Well unless you’d like an explosion in your backyard, then no, you should NOT burn any old battery solely because you know is it wrong to throw it in the trash.
So what exactly do you do with this battery? How about all the other parts of the computer that still function? After you consider all of the minute details that go into making a computer work, and you realize that your computer might be broken beyond repair but that the tiny pieces could function perfectly in someone else’s computer, it seems like a big waste to be disposing of the entire thing with one careless toss into the garbage. Not only would you be polluting the environment, adding to the amount of waste your family creates, and putting innocent animals at danger with the improper disposal of your computer, but you would also be wasting hundreds of dollars worth of useful items in a computer that can probably be refurbished anyways.
Aside from the battery leaking acid in a waste heap, other environmental concerns are with toner or ink from printers, glass pieces from tiny light bulbs, and other wires and metal pieces tangled inside every computer. Luckily, there are companies that deal with computer disposal or refurbishing to make your job a lot easier. If you feel the need to bash your computer against the wall in a fit of rage, simply wrap it up and send it to a computer disposal company who will, oftentimes for free, properly dispose of your computer. If your computer stops working or you simply care to invest in an updated version, then there are companies who you can send it to who will pay you for the parts that are still useable and will refurbish the computer so they can re-sell it or donate it to a low-income family or agency once it works again.
One might think, “Well, I know of a charity that could really use my old computer. I will donate it on my own”. Not so fast, buddy. Donating an older computer to an organization that you think could really use it doesn’t always work out so well. In many instances, the computer will cease to work after a couple of months, and the organization might have to spend more money to repair it. It is poor etiquette to donate something when you are not quite sure of its value. If you’d rather not give cash, some businesses will take your old computer and send the cash value of its remaining parts to an organization of your choice.
The bottom line is that there are many different things you can and should do with a computer that you no longer want as your own. For the same reasons that you taught your children how to recycle, that you turn off the lights when you leave a room, and because you try to take only as much food as you are prepared to eat at a buffet table, you should dispose of or recycle your PC properly.
Free Computer Games
Free Computer Games
When the computer game revolution began, users were enthralled with the amazing new technology, but not so much with the selection. The industry was young, and there were relatively few computer games to choose from. Then, as popularity grew and technology advanced, the number of available computer games began to increase.
Today, entire teams of programmers, game designers, musicians and artists collaborate to make the industry fun, exciting and profitable. There are literally thousands of themes and titles readily available for virtually every imaginable genre. Game prices average at or more. Big marketers of computer games now offer “shareware”, or sample software that lets users try it before they buy it.
Another money-saving option for compute game fans is the option to play games online for free. There are so many free computer games available to play online, it’s guaranteed that you’ll find something you like. From basic to advanced, easy to skilled, classic titles to hot new releases, you’ll find what you need for some free fun online. There are so many titles available online, you have to wonder why they are there for free.
Hundreds of free computer games are online. Here is just a sample of what’s available to download or play:
* America’s Army: Your mission is to surpass the rainbow six series. The subject of this online computer game is about busting terrorists.
* Beneath a Steel Sky: An outstanding racing game with interesting details to keep the player occupied.
* Colossus: Powerful mythical creatures capture player’s hearts. Kids to college geeks.
* Falcon’s Eye: Great graphics. You don’t want to miss any of these details.
* Grand Theft Auto (and its sequels): This game conquered the world big time, and it’s available free online.
* Orbiter: A space shuttle fight simulator that can handle anything on earth, or in outer space. Interesting effects.
* Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Thirty-two players battle in a campaign pitting their skills against each other. Part of the game is the introduction of new characters that are vital to the teamwork that is a part of the game.
* Stair Dismount and Truck Dismount: This is an insane game that keeps players preoccupied. Do the most possible damage to a crash test dummy by placing it in front of a speeding truck or kicking it down a flight of stairs.
* Steel Panthers; World at War: This may be the best tactical game about WWII.
Here are some other free computer games that are worth looking into:
* Ancient Domains of Mystery Pekka Kana 2, and Abuse 2: Games for side scrolling action lovers.
* The Ardennes Offensive: Great interface, good strategy. Vantage Master Online–Free computer game on RPG.
* Little Fighter 2: A little fighter gets involved in big battles.
* Notrium: Solve puzzles to escape a hostile planet.
* Stick Soldiers 2: Not the most sophisticated graphics, but still a great play.
* Wazza: Perfect for anyone who wants to play like an outer space pirate.
Every computer game that becomes available has a market segment that it aims to capture. Depending on how they’re perceived, every game offers good play. The best part is, now you don’t have to buy every game that interests you. Sooner or later, it can come out in the free computer games section.
Personal computers are constantly being upgraded to be faster, stronger and with better video and sound capabilities. These upgrades are not to help people in their occupations or daily tasks, but to be able to handle all of the new game software that’s constantly hitting the market.
When a new game becomes available that you just can’t wait to try, hold on for just a little while. It will soon be available to play free on your computer, and with today’s advanced technology, it will definitely be worth the wait.
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How to buy the perfect PC
How to buy the perfect PC
PCs have become a staple in every home. Without PCs, you will find it hard to stay connected and to even do the work required of you in school or in the office. With so much PC packages being shoved to our throat every time we go to department stores and computer shops, you’ll really get quite confused on what you really need and what PC package will fit your budget and lifestyle. To help you through this dilemma, here is a brief backgrounder of the parts of PCs that you should get to know.
Processor.
This is one of the three primary components of your PC. The processor is the part that determines how fast your computer process information. Intel is still the leading brand in processors but competitors such as American Micro Devices (AMD) are slowly catching up, offering cheaper alternative. In shopping for a processor, one should consider the following:
Clock speed – this will show the number of instructions that a computer can execute in a second. This usually comes after the brand name. Processors nowadays are already set at the gigahertz range.
Cache memory – this stores the data that were previously accessed. This simplifies the work of the computer as it would not take twice as long to access information already stored in memory bank. Without a cache memory, much of the work will fall on the RAM (Random Access Memory).
Operating temperature – some processors easily heats up. Before buying, make sure that you have asked about the operating temperature just in case you need to buy additional fans or put the computer in an air-conditioned room.
RAM (Random Access Memory).
RAM serves as the temporary memory of the PC, containing information that are needed for the computer and the programs to function. In addition to processors, RAM also determines the speed of the computer. The higher the RAM, the faster the computer is in accessing information and responding to commands.
Motherboard
This is where all the parts of the PC’s CPU (Central Processing Unit) are attached. Some motherboards already have videocards and soundcards embedded on it while others don’t. what is important however is to choose a motherboard that is compatible with your RAM and processor. Incompatibility of PC hardware can cause major problems and may even lead to the breakdown of your computer.
Hard drive.
This is the part where you store all the information in your PC. Picture a floppy disk with much much larger storing capacity. The hard drive serves as the permanent memory of your computer. Here you install all your programs and save all the documents that you need. It is also important that you buy a hard drive with really big capacity especially now when people are so used to storing multimedia files that may use up a lot of hard drive space.
Video cards
This is the part of the computer which determines the quality of the multimedia images that you will view. The higher the memory of the video card, the better is the picture quality and the colors. Also, video cards are also responsible for how fast multimedia images are accessed. This is especially needed if you use your computer for multimedia activities such as watching a movie or playing video games.
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