Performance PC Building

neurion · 05-24-2008, 01:57 PM

okay before i start, im not an expert and im not saying that im talking 100% sense, but it works for me every time so read it if your planning a build or upgrade.

_______

okay, i started this post because it dawned on me that some people dont seem to know the difference between certain parts, or how to build a PC in any way. Iv built 4 to date, and sold all of them for a lot more than it cost me to build it so you cant really go wrong with this kind of stuff.

Okay:

What will i use my PC for?

theres no point in spending hundreds on performance parts if you're only using the system for word documents. Its overkill. Decide what sort of things you will use the system for, and plan around that design. For instance, for multitasking and running more than one window at once, a dual/quad core might be the place to start. For a gamer, a graphics card is the best investment, as it is for a graphics editor. For someone who has loads of music to store and play, a decently sized Hard Drive and sound card would be good.

What affects one thing...
always has an effect on the other thing. Let me explain. Using high performance parts can have a negative effect on your pocket, not just on buying the products but also on your electricity bills. If your using a SLI or Crossfire setup for example, you will need a bigger power supply to get the most out of the products. two 8800gtx's running in SLI will use around 320 watts, so a 350 supply would be sufficient? NO, always consider the amount of power used by the system as a whole, not the amount used by each part. If in doubt, get a massive supply. My system uses around 400 watts, but i have a 600 supply. It gives you more room for upgrades and such, and don't worry; i get too many people saying that they dont want to get a massive supply because it will overload their system. It doesnt work like that, i wont get into the mathmatics of it, but your system will only use the power it needs at any given time. The rest is there in case it is needed.

Where to start?

When building a PC (i will use a gaming PC as an example), you need to work to a set list of items. If you are building from scratch, do it all in this order:

-case and case fans
-motherboard
-CPU and heatsinks
-RAM
-GPU
-Hard disks
-any sound cards and optical disks/floppy/media drives
-any other crap
-power supply

Case

The case comes first. This is because you have to spend a decent amount on a well ventilated case to help preserve your investment. In the past, when in doubt, search around forums for information on the best. I use Thermaltake and Antec cases, as they are well priced and spacious for parts, but most importantly of all - well ventilated. if you can, buy second hand. At the end of the day, its a block of metal, not a mechanical part, so odd scratches are worth having if you get it dirt cheap. Plus, if you get it in black, a can of similar coloured paint works wonders =]
If it doesnt come with case fans, buy some. You need them for most parts. If when your finished with the whole system, you put your hand inside the case and can feel the heat of the components inside, you need to get a few more fans, or at least - thats how i work =P

Motherboard

This is the biggie. Never buy second hand. These things are so complex and so fragile that its worth every penny to buy new. Don't man handle it when your fitting it to the case, and wear an anti static band to make sure none of the components are damaged. Remember though, fitting certain parts to the motherboard can be difficult, and they do require a push, especially RAM. There are many types of motherboard, and they come in different sizes. You can get different socket types (the shape of the processor slot), and different port types for the graphics card (AGP or PCIe.) For socket types, 939 is bigger than 775, and 775 is more common in newer motherboards. If it says socket 939 its usually an older motherboard and its always better to buy a 775, as its more universal for newer processors (core 2 processors are all 775). For PCIe and AGP slots, there are many ways to tell the differences, most namely, the PCIe slots always have a clip on one end of the slot to hold the graphics card in place. Motherboards using AGP graphics are usually older, and id always aim for the newer PCIe slotted mobos'. Like socket 775, PCIe is more common nowadays, and almost all new graphics cards being released are all PCIe (anything after the 8 series Nvidia cards is PCIe, and same for equivalent ATI cards). Also bear in mind when buying, the Front Side Bus. This is a complex issue and its difficult to explain, but try and aim for 1066mhz or higher for full support of newer processors such as Core 2.

CPU

The Processor is the brain of your PC. Everything your PC does is a direct result of the processor. because of this, the majority of your money should be spent on a decent one. Dont hesitate to buy second hand, but make sure that you are covered for any damage that it has sustained, especially in transit. Ebay Stores are the best place to buy these but Ebuyer is a good one too. Core 2 series are the best, especially the Quads. Try stay clear of the Extreme series, as they are a rip off to anyone with any knowledge of PCs. A Q6600 will overclock wayyy above most extreme series processors and they cost a fraction of the amount. Check the socket type and front side bus rating will work on your motherboard before buying. Dont be put off by lower speeds, my uncle owns a Core 2 Duo based system which is air cooled. The processor he bought for 20 quid, and originally it ran at 1.8 ghz. It will run comfortably at 2.7 without any serious increase in temperature.
If you will be overclocking, try to buy a Core 2 because they are the most overclockable processors currently available to buy.

RAM
Ram's a strange one. It controls the cache which is saved by your system. It stands for Random Access Memory, and anything placed on the RAM is periodically deleted and is wiped completely when the system is turned off. In common terms, more RAM means that processes run more fluidly, especially on games. It can decrease stuttering and give better FPSs. If you are running any 32bit OS (XP) you wont be able to use any more than 2gb of high speed RAM, but 64bit OS's (vista) use over 4gb. However, most current games barely use 2gb anyway, so i recommend 2gb at the most for most systems. A good processor will wipe the RAM more often and free up information faster, so if you have a top end CPU, you shouldn't need any more than 2gb. Make sure to go for DDR2 memory as it generally pages faster and performs much better.

GPU
The GPU is the visual side of your system. If your motherboard supports it, aim for SLI setup for ultimate gaming. However, dont be tricked out by naming of graphics card. A 7900gt will easily out perform a 8500gt. For Nvidia cards, the first number is the series, and the 2nd digit refers to the performance value. I have never really owned an ATI card, so i will use Nvidia as my examples of graphics cards. Try to avoid the dreaded 7950gx2, as it was released early and had far too many bugs. If you are for average quality gaming, aim for a 8600gt. A newer 9600gt costs around the same as a 8800gt, but it will outperform it slightly, so keep an eye out for changes in Clock speeds. Go for over 256mb of memory or higher (512 for top quality gaming) to ensure best performance. Try to aim for high clock speeds. For me XFX make the best Nvidia based cards, as they are usually the highest clocked versions, and also come with a lifetime guarantee (10 years in GB).
Dont hesitate to buy second hand, not much can go wrong with these.

Hard Disks

Not much to know here, its pretty self explanatory. If you have loads of games then a 200gb may be sufficient. I have a 160gb one myself which is fine for gaming. Most hard disks are rated at 7,500rpm, but ones are available at 10,000rpm. These perform marginally better, but are louder. For real enthusiasts where money is not an issue, aim for Solid State Drives, as these are the fastest available on the market, and make almost no noise at all, but they have much less storage capacity. Dont worry about buying second hand, theres not much that can go wrong with them, so long as they have been wiped by the previous owner before purchase.

The rest is pretty self explanatory. For optical drives, try to avoid Blu-Ray, as its a bit of a rip off unless you are a HD nut. Try to get a DVD r/w drive as these also play and write CD ROMs too. Get two if you want to backup disks. Floppy drives are a bit outdated but not bad if you want reasonable storage, but the best way is to get a cheap flash drive and use the USB slots. Get a media card reader if you own a digital camera/phone which supports the function.

When your done, take a good look around at the power value of each component, and buy a power supply to suit it.

hope this has been some good, dont hesitate to ask any questions il try help if i can

cheers

Apachai · 05-24-2008, 02:04 PM

well i read about half of it, and i must say its a very good guide, it sure will help a lot of people

neurion · 05-24-2008, 09:49 PM

lmao i think i put people off by writing too much =S

meh, read if interested, ignore if not =D

Luka · 06-09-2008, 01:08 PM

This is exactly what I need.

neurion · 06-09-2008, 04:11 PM

glad its of some use =]

oh and about the socket types. ALL althlon 64 processors including X2 (dual core) use socket 939. All of them. All intel equivalents use 775, so if you need a processor upgrade from an AMD processor, you can only buy another AMD. An Intel processor wont fit in a AMD socket, and vice versa. However, as i said above, 939 is slowly being phased out, and AMD voiced before that they want to make their processors more compatible with more motherboards, so there may be a shift soon =]

Emarian · 06-09-2008, 04:41 PM

Let me say one thing:

If you get your parts from eBay, DO NOT BUY FROM CHINESE PEOPLE.

Those parts will break within 3 months. Believe me, I know.

Items that broke by standard wear that I bought from eBay from Chinese people: (I took very good care of them)

500gb Seagate hard drive
USB External hard drive case
USB External CD drive case
9 6" IDE cables
600$ laptop that I bought ¨completely refurbished¨ looked like it had been dropped off the side of a 10 story building
4 in 1 USB split
Gamer case that I bought was missing AN ENTIRE SIDE OF THE CPU COVER

Bad products from American companies:
None yet

EDIT:

Forgot to say, EXCELLENT guide.

neurion · 06-09-2008, 04:43 PM

quick edit myself - only buy british/US. PCs are like Beef, only buy your own countries products =D

and cheers =D

**Halcyon** · 06-09-2008, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neurion

PCs are like Beef, only buy your own countries products =D

Lmao, nice quote. I like that. And nice guide, as well.

neurion · 06-09-2008, 09:24 PM

thanks =D

ahh dear im getting lots of praise but im not getting many questions yet. tells me you guys all know what your doing

well, i hope you do, if its anything like my last build, it can be a frickin minefield. and an expensive one at that. god bless ebay/ebuyer XD

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