Sample exercise: Locate supplemental resources useful for researching how to build, upgrade, or maintain a personal computer.
Getting started:
For many computer professionals, a pre-packaged PC sold in retail stores may not be sufficient to perform desired specialized tasks. A high-performance PC customized for your needs may be worth the extra investment required. In order to make sound decisions on customizing a PC, you need to have a basic understanding of PC hardware as well as information about the performance of new products. This guide aims to provide information about resources on product evaluation as well as how to find information about about computer maintainence.
In the process of researching computer upgrades or changes, be sure to utilize the information resources available to you. Refer to your textbooks on computer architecture, reference books in your school's LRC for information on computer basics. For a quick overview, go to "How PCs Work" at the How Stuff Works site.
A standard computer workstation typically consists of the following major components:
Motherboard
CPU & chipsets
Memory
Data storage devices
Audio & video cards
Operating system
Peripherals
Check the manufacturer's Web site for official specifications, performance benchmarks, and other detailed information.
A limited number of recommended Web sites are listed in this guide. There are many additional sites of interest and value that may be found by using any of the popular Web search engines.
Motherboard
Whether you are building a new PC or overhauling an older one, a new motherboard is often a good starting point. The choice of motherboard determines the following key features - chip set, CPU, memory types, storage, graphics & sound, and network connections. For reference information on the topic, try ACME Laboratories searchable database of information on over 800 motherboards.
CPU
Often known as the "brain" of a computer, the CPU determines many of the basic capabilities of the system. The main chip resides in the CPU. Currently the main choices of chip sets are between AMD's Athlon and Intel's Pentium. For reference information on the topic, try Tom's Hardware Guide for performance reviews.
Memory
Most computer professionals suggest choosing the fastest memory the motherboard allows. There are three choices - DDR, RDRAM and SDRAM. The price for memory chips fluctuates, so make sure to check the current price for various types. To review information on the price of memory, try Pricewatch.com.
Data Storage
Most of the computers in today's market contain one or more hard drives that can hold and organize gigabytes of information. There are two types of data storage devices - permanent and removable. The most important factor to consider about a hard drive is its capacity. For permanent hard drives, the choice is between EIDE or SCSI. There are several options associated with removable data storage solutions, from floppy to DAT, from JAZ to Zip, and the optical device. The most popular optical solutions are in CD-ROM, CD-Recordable, and CD-Rewritable forms. Optical media for storing audio, video, compressed files and other types of data have become standard in the current PC market. Important factors to consider in selecting these devices are reading/writing speed and reliability. For
Video Cards
The kind of graphic accelerator you choose depends on how serious you are about 3-D rendering. The latest sophisticated 3-D games require more efficient graphics processors and faster chipsets. Tom's Hardware.com lists a VGA chart of performance comparisons. It includes many of the most popular graphics cards and 3D chips on the market.
Operating Systems
The operating system is loaded onto the CPU and manages and interacts with software and hardware resources. The most popular operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows and Linux. There are many debates and articles comparing and constrasting the systems. To review discussion forum postings on various operating systems, try OSNews.com.
Additional Resources
Listed below are some additional online resources that may provide useful information to individuals making decisions about their PC system:
How-to articles related to PC assembly, maintainence, and repair.
Offers Buyer's Guides on desktops, notebooks, hard drives, graphics boards, and motherboards.
Offers comparison lists of hardware prices.
Price comparisons and consumer product reviews and ratings.
For articles and reviews on new products, consult the following Web sites: