WARNING: This is not a small read. Grab your self a cup of tea and some home made biscuits. You will have plenty of time to refine the art of tea/biscuit dunking whilst you read this.
Sourcing parts for a computer.
Introduction:
I've noticed in my small time as part of your community that a reasonable number of threads get thrown around asking for advice on the construction of a computer. There is nothing wrong with this of course but I thought I'd make a small article which helps people who have little to no experience constructing computers with sourcing computer parts. In order to source parts for your own computer it is important to have at least a limited understanding of what a computer is and how it's made... which leads me to the next part of the article.
Contents:
What is a computer?
The Core.
The Extras.
Sourcing the parts.
Set a budget and stick to it!
The checklist.
Read reviews.
Warranties and return policies.
Seek advice.
A list of good stores.
Forums and external resources.
Constructing your new computer.
Disclaimer.
What is a computer?
We are all familiar with what a computer is. It's this magic box you plug your mouse and keyboard in (assuming they're not wireless) and when you press a button you can play StarCraft II. It looks like this:
In actuality a computer is a collection of parts connected together, working together in that box we call a case (thanks ToRMaverick for the image ). The important parts of a computer are listed below.
Case (magic box )
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Central Processing Unit (CPU or Processor)
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Motherboard (Mobo sometimes referred to as a Chipset)
Physical Storage (Hard Drive (HDD) or Solid State Drive (SSD)
Graphics Card (or GPU)
Lets go over those now. I will be going over them in detail with a particular emphasis of what to look for when you purchase them.
I usually consider this part to be the least important aspect of a computer. Its primary task is to hold all your parts together concealed and safe. Some cases are of course better than others providing ventilation and good airflow or more space. Good ventilation is only a concern if you are getting a large number of particularly hot components... e.g. 2 or more graphics cards. Of course cases can be an object of pride for some computer owners and they like it to be flashy. This is an unnecessary addition but for those with more dollars than sense or so much money who needs sense a nice looking case can be a particularly nice thing to have. The only reason I don't usually consider this object important is because with the exception of case size and ventilation it literally has no real impact on the efficiency and power of your computer... that's what other parts are for.
What you need to consider when buying your case is:
The dimensions of your case (usually in the imperial system because Americans live in the past).
The number of 5.25" drive bays (usually for external devices such as the CD/DVD/BluRay drives).
The number of 3.5" drive bays (holds most HDD's and SSD's).
How many of these drive bays and of what type are internal (only accessible from an open case) and external (accessible from a closed case).
Does it come with a PSU and if it does what is the power of the PSU?
Whether the case is designed to fit an ATX motherboard or BTX motherboard. In Australia most motherboards are ATX and therefore consequently most cases are designed for them.
The PSU (Power Supply Unit):
This is the item which provides power to your computer and therefore all parts mentioned from this point forward in the document. Often times when you buy a case it will specify whether or not it comes with a PSU. Regardless there's not all that much to look for in a PSU. Primarily you're looking for whether it will power all your devices without any electrical failure. This means that a more powerful PSU is always welcome but often times unnecessary. Usually 500W (and sometimes less) is more than enough to power mid range or budget gaming machines. This is one part of your computer you do not want to skimp on, power failures are not healthy for a machine and it's better to get more power than you need than to not have enough.
What you need to consider when buying your PSU is:
Does your case come with a PSU?
How many watts does the PSU provide?
Do all other parts in your computer use less power than the PSU provides? (if no get a PSU with more watts).
How loud is the fan?
What connectors come with it? (Not entirely important as you can always buy more of whatever cable you require, for more information on connectors see: Wikipedia).
Most PSU's are designed for ATX cases so checking for whether it's ATX or BTX compatible is usually a non-issue.
The image below shows a PSU and some of the connectors it comes with.
The CPU (Central Processing Unit):
This is the brain of your computer and it handles pretty much everything... that is to say all arithmetical, logical and input/output operations of the system. I'm not going to give you a historical lecture on this device all you need to know is it's important and how the specifications effect your computing experience. But first a little history There are two major competitors in the CPU industry at the moment and which you choose will affect other decisions you make regarding your computer. These competitors are Intel and AMD.
Why is this important? Because different processors (especially different brands or different models) use different sockets... this is to say what processor you choose will determine what motherboards you are limited to.
There are many aspects of a processor which effect its performance and I will now go through them.
Clock Speed: This is essentially how fast your processor can process the information it's given. Measured in gigahertz (GHz) the higher the number the better it is. For a gaming machine now-a-days I would go no less than 2.7 GHz.
Number of Cores: A core is more or less an additional processor. Gone are the days of single core CPUs, now-a-days you can have many more. So dual-core literally means there are two processors on your CPU, quad-core means four processors on your CPU and so on and so forth. Additional cores do not increase the speed at which you process information... suffice to say often processors with multiple cores have slower clock speeds than the lesser core counterparts. Now theoretically this means than more cores means a faster computer... but this isn't usually the case. A lot of programs designed now and in the past don't utilise multiple core processors to their full potential and as a result one program is frequently limited to one or at best two cores. What multiple cores do is allow your computer to process multiple active programs better. In other words if you have SC2, chrome, email, skype, iTunes, VLC and steam open, a multi-core processor will generally handle that better than a single core would.
Number of Threads: Fundamentally a thread is a unit of processing. One thread per core means that on a quad-core (4 core) CPU you can handle four units of processing simultaneously and two threads per core means you can handle eight units of processing simultaneously (also a quad-core cpu). Some companies (not naming any) have corrupt advertising departments which confuse the number of threads with the number of cores. At a basic level more threads just means multitasking can be done quicker.
Instruction set/Architecture: This essentially tells you whether the system supports 64-bit or 32-bit processing. Ideally all processors you purchase today should say 64-bit, don't buy it if it says 32-bit.
Cache: Cache is a form of temporary memory used to temporarily store information which is frequently or has recently been accessed. The idea behind cache is to speed up processing.
Memory support: This will be discussed more in the RAM section.
What is the maximum memory size allowed? Just as long as it's 16GB or more (usually is).
Is it dual channel or triple channel support? (number of channels: 2 or 3)
What type of Memory? This is what kind of RAM memory is supported. Should be DDR3.
Processors are complicated devices but I feel I've covered them enough for now.
The RAM (Random Access Memory):
This is where most of your temporary data is stored, so the more RAM you have the more programs/Internet browser tabs you can have open before your computer starts chugging. There are different types of RAM... specifically DDR2 and DDR3. Presently the only one you have to worry about is DDR3, it's the cheapest and most efficient and is supported by pretty much every bit of hardware which works with RAM directly.
You may have noticed in the last section (CPU) I mentioned dual and triple channel memory architecture. It's not particularly complicated to understand but it is necessary. Pictured below are two motherboards. One supports triple channel architecture and the other supports dual channel architecture.
When you buy RAM sticks you must use the same size for all slots on the motherboard. So if you have a single 2GB stick of DDR3 RAM then in order to get more ram on your computer you must get more 2GB sticks of DDR3 RAM or replace the 2GB stick with a larger size. The channel architecture determines how many sticks of the same sized ram you should have. In dual channel architecture you can use either 1 slot, 2 slots or all 4 slots, so assuming you were using 2GB DDR3 RAM you could either have 2GB total memory (1 stick), 4GB total memory (2 sticks) or 8GB total memory (4 sticks). Triple channel architecture works the same except you have 6 slots in total and it's in multiples of 3; 2GB total memory (1 stick), 6GB total memory (3 sticks) or 12GB total memory (6 sticks).
The final thing I'll mention on RAM is speed. This is measured in megahertz (MHz) and is (presently) usually 1066MHz or 1333MHz but can get as high as 2133MHz. You won't really notice much of a difference between 1066MHz and 1333MHz but you will most certainly notice a difference between these and 1600-2133MHz (in both speed and price). Most gaming machines will find 1333MHz sufficient.
The Motherboard: If the CPU is the brain then the motherboard is the nervous system.
Everything that is a part of your computer is attached to the motherboard in some way shape or form. Below is birds-eye view and front view of the same motherboard identifying parts of the motherboard for reference later in this section.
Things which should be on your check-list:
It should have the same socket as your CPU [Red].
It should support DDR3 RAM [Yellow].
It should have SATA ports for your physical storage (HDDs and SSDs) [Black].
It should have at least one PCI-E x16 slot (this is needed for your graphics card) [Fuschia].
It should have at least one PCI-E (x1) slot (wireless card, sound card, etc...) [Green].
It should have at least one PCI slot (it can get used as well... make sure you have at least one) [Aqua].
USB ports are important make sure it has enough to suit your needs [Purple].
Audio is generally supported on most motherboards now-a-days. A 6 port Audio setup is ideal as it allows for 5.1 surround sound systems among others. You can also get a simple 3 port audio setup which only allows the basics. A proper sound card can replace this but it's optional [Brown].
RJ45 port for network connectivity [Black].
Integrated graphics are not necessary if you're getting a graphics card.
The Physical Storage: This is where all your data is stored; the operating system, the programs, your documents, your games and your legally obtained visual and audio media. When it comes to physical storage you have essentially two choices. The Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and the Solid State Drive (SSD). Whilst the technical differences are enthralling... the important difference is one has a lot of space the other is fast. To demonstrate the difference in speed here's a video:
Wow... SSD is fast! As of the 26th of April 2012 you can get a MASSIVE 120GB worth of space on a SSD for the mere price of $148.50! Or for $119 you can get a HDD with 2TB of space. This is a significant difference. Lets put it in perspective.
The SSD costs $1.24 per GB. The HDD costs $0.06 per GB. So for a difference of $30 you can get approximately 16.5 times the space or 2.846 times the loading speed.
Generally I don't advise SSDs yet because I don't consider them value for money... but some people do. If you wish to use a SSD I recommend you also get yourself a HDD for storage purposes and run only your programs, OS (Operating System e.g. Windows 7) and games from the SSD.
The only other thing I'll mention on this topic is that SSDs and HDDs are both connected to your motherboard using a SATA cable. It should also be noted that often the motherboard comes with SATA cables but the HDDs and SSDs do not. So if you use up all your SATA cables from your motherboard you may need to buy new ones when you purchase new storage drives (SATA power cables too... pictured in the PSU section).
Graphics (or Video) Card: The primary task of this device is to provide your computer with smooth graphics when you watch your movies, play your video games, perform video editing, CAD drawing or whatnot. What games/programs you intend to run on your computer and at what graphics settings intend to run them at will directly determine what kind of graphics card you need.
Since this sight is designed for StarCraft II gamers I will provide recommendations for the Graphics card based entirely on the aforementioned game.
128-bit GDDR5 (minimum); 256-bit GDDR5 (ideal)... anything higher is amazing!
For Windows 7: Should support DirectX 11.
Aside from these details, the only other thing you need to look out for is what ports it provides for your monitor to plug into.
The core provided some much needed information regarding how the computer itself works and how the parts interact with each other. But what use is a computer if you don't have a monitor, mouse, speakers, keyboard, headset, Doctor Who USB Tardis etc...? The extras section will go over some of the peripherals and extra bits you may be wanting for your computer.
The Monitor: Perhaps the most important peripheral is the screen which you use in order to play games. Monitors come in various imperial sizes and have a variety of specifications which directly effect the quality of the screen. These are:
Size: Generally measured in inches. Currently few monitors are smaller than 19". 24" monitors I feel provide the best balance between too big and too expensive. Resolution: 1920x1080 is the minimum size I would recommend for monitors at the moment. Refresh Rate: 60Hz I consider a reasonable minimum. It will feel reasonably smooth at this frequency. Usually a higher frequency means a better monitor. Response Time: 5ms is the most you would want. The lower the ms the better the monitor. 3D: Truely just a gimmick however a feature should you want it. 3D monitors generally have a refresh rate of 120Hz... this is important because when you view things in 3D the refresh rate is halved down to 60Hz. In saying this you could always just disable the monitor from displaying in 3D and instead have an incredibly smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Display Ports: DVI is pretty common now-a-days on both monitors and graphics cards. Your primary concern here is if you want the monitor to support HDMI or Display-Port. It is however worth checking out since not all monitors have a DVI port and the last thing you want to do is purchase a monitor expecting it to have ports it doesn't have and then wait longer before using it while you get your hands on the appropriate cable.
Input
The CD/DVD/Blu-Ray Drive: This is a part I wouldn't bother spending too much money on, it's unnecessary since you can obtain most programs and games online now. You may find an External DVD/Blu-Ray drive more ideal especially for the installation of Windows 7 or whatever Operating System you plan on using in the first place. You insist? ok then. Get the cheapest one you can get your hands on. Look at this beautiful Sony DVD-RW for $19... that'll do unless you need Blu-Ray.
Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech Vs. Razer let the nerd wars begin. Both these brands provide amazing keyboards and mice for the modern day gamer. I assure you that a good mouse and a good keyboard are truly something. It's not something you're aware of until you've tried it. Here's a small list of some good keyboards and mice for reasonable prices:
Keyboards:
Razer Arctosa ($47.00)
Logitech G110 ($69.00)
Logitech G15 ($64.00)
Razer Lycosa ($90.00)
Mice:
Razer Abyssus ($44.00) [Note: no side buttons, ambidextrous]
Razer DeathAdder V2 Right Handed ($57.50)
Razer DeathAdder V2 Left Handed ($59.00)
I don't know about Logitech... I stopped trusting them when my three G5 mice all broke.
Logitech MX518 (I don't know whether this is made any more... but it was the best mouse I have ever used that isn't Razer).
I strongly recommend you get yourself a hard mouse mat as well... it may seem like a luxury item but I can't (comfortably) live without mine any more.
Sourcing the parts.
Now that you understand how a computer fits together (if you don't and skipped the previous sections... go back and read it) it's time for the most important part... working out what it is you want to get. First you need to know what it is you want your computer for. Are you going to be playing StarCraft II on it? What about Age of Empires... 1? Or perhaps Modern Warfare 3 or Skyrim on full graphics? Do you plan to stream from it? Perhaps video editing? The purpose of the machine is obviously going to effect what parts you buy and how large you should set your budget.
Set a budget.
This is the most important detail and I cannot stress it enough. A budget needs to be set. It's easy to say "oh this is slightly better than that so I'll get it" but it's a recurring trap... there's always something better for just a little bit more. You can make a solid gaming machine for around $1000, an amazing one for $1500 and a state of the art one for $2000. You can also make a basic machine for documents, Internet, etc... for around $500. Whatever you end up deciding make sure you work within it and try not to go over it by much if at all.
The checklist.
I have made a small checklist for you which summarises the first parts of this article. Once you have sourced all parts on this checklist and checked against it to ensure all parts work together... you should theoretically have a valid set of computer parts.
- Is it ATX?
- What size is it?
- Does it have enough 3.5" (HDD & SSD) drive bays?
- Does it have enough 5.25" (CD/DVD/Blu-Ray) drive bays?
PSU:
- Does the case come with a PSU? (if no... did you purchase one separately?)
- How powerful is the PSU? (at least 500W is ideal for most tasks)
- Will the PSU be powerful enough to handle all your hardware? (you can work this out by looking at the specifications for all your other hardware)
- What cables come with it? (20/24-pin Main Connecter for power to the motherboard, SATA Power Cable for the HDD/SSD, PCI-E Power Cable for graphics card
Motherboard:
- Is it ATX?
- Does it support DDR3 RAM?
- Does it have the same socket as your CPU?
- Does it support Dual Channel or Triple Channel Memory Architecture? (this should be the same as the CPU)
- How many PCI-E x16 slots do you require? Does it meet those requirements?
- Does it have at least one PCI-E x16 slot?
- How many PCI-E (x1) slots do you require? Does it meet those requirements?
- Does it have at least one PCI-E (x1) slot?
- How many PCI slots do you require? Does it meet those requirements?
- Does it have at least one PCI slot?
- How many SATA ports do you require? Does it meet those requirements?
- Does it have at least one SATA port?
- Does it have a network port (RJ45)?
- How many USB2/3 ports do you require? Does it meet those requirements?
- Does it have at least 4 USB2 ports?
- Do you require sound? If yes does it have integrated sound? How many audio ports are there (3 or 6)?
- Do you require integrated graphics? If yes, does it have integrated graphics?
CPU:
- What socket is the CPU for? Does the motherboard support it?
- What is the clock speed? (At least 2.7GHz for a basic gaming machine... preferably 3.1GHz)
- How many cores? (4 is standard these days but dual-core will suffice for basic tasks)
- How many threads? (1 or 2 per core)
- Does it support 64-bit architecture? (it should!)
- Does it support DDR3 RAM? (it should!)
- What is the maximum amount of RAM it supports? (should be 16GB or more)
- Does it support dual channel or triple channel architecture? (this should be the same as the motherboard)
RAM:
- Is it DDR3? (it should be!)
- Does the motherboard support dual channel or triple channel memory architecture?
- If the answer to the previous question is dual channel do you have 1, 2 or 4 sticks of RAM all the same size and speed? (if not... correct this)
- If the answer to the question prior to the previous question is triple channel then do you have 1, 3, or 6 sticks of RAM all the same size and speed? (if not... correct this)
- What is the speed of the RAM? (1066 MHz minimum)
Physical Storage:
- Is it SATA? (it should be!)
- Do you have enough SATA cables and SATA ports on the motherboard for the number of disks you are purchasing?
- Do you have enough space? (if not... get more!)
Video Card:
- Do you need a graphics card? (The answer is yes if you intend to game, video edit, watch videos, design drawings, 3d rendering or simply have no integrated graphics on the motherboard).
- What is its clock speed? (minimum775 MHz, Ideally 820MHz or more for a gaming machine)
- What is the memory size? (1GB or more is ideal for a gaming machine)
- Is it GDDR5? (if so minimum 128-bit, ideally 256-bit or greater... for a gaming machine)
- Does it support DirectX 11? (it should!)
Monitor:
- What is the size of the screen? (personal preference)
- What is the maximum resolution? (1920x1080 on a 19" or larger screen)
- What is the refresh rate (60Hz minimum)
- What is the response time? (5ms or less)
- What display ports does it have? Do you have a cable which you can connect the monitor to the video card?
What is the warranty and return procedure of all your parts?
Read reviews.
It's nice to know what people who have already bought the items you're looking at think of them. Sometimes you may find out that the item your looking at is potentially troublesome and a small Google search has saved you a lot of potential trouble, time and money.
Warranties and return policies.
Know what the warranties are on all hardware purchases and what the return policy is of the store you plan on purchasing the hardware from. Sometimes hardware is faulty and it's nice to know where you stand should a manufacturing fault cause you grief.
Seek advice.
After reading this document you should be able to source parts for a theoretically sound system... but don't be afraid to consult friends and forums when constructing your computer. These peers may be able to inform you of better value computer parts, where you can save money or otherwise provide you with insight and prevent unintentional mistakes.
A list of good stores.
I have taken the liberty to compile a small list of computer stores where you can purchase these parts at competitive prices... however I live in Brisbane, Australia so unfortunately my knowledge is pretty much limited to here. Feel free to inform me of good value stores in areas where you live.
staticICE (AU/NZ/US/UK): A search engine for finding stores with the most competitive prices on computing gear.
Price Spy (Site): A search engine for finding stores with the most competitive prices on computing gear in New Zealand.
Whirlpool (Site): Popular Australian website for IT, especially broadband and telecommunications. Excellent forum. (PC Suggestions from Whirlpool).
Overclockers (OCAU Site): Popular Australian PC Hardware community. Great forum though you need to be a member for at least a month before being allowed to post in the "For Sale" threads.
Constructing your new computer.
I'm not going to show you how to do this in this article. If you have never put a computer together by yourself then I suggest you either get someone else to help you or do it for you (and give the some beer for the trouble ).
Disclaimer: I hope you found this article informative and intuitive. Please note that I am not responsible for any harm or problems caused to you (the reader) in any way related to information found within this document.
Good read, you should add section of a few sample builds you would suggest for different price ranges
If i was going to add my 2c to the conversation, i5 2500K is such a cheap processor for what you are getting. One of my mates got one of them to overclock from 3.30Ghz to 4.5Ghz ( not sure how stable it was though ). I picked mine up for $229 and its been great 0 bottle necking on it. If you are gaming you don't need the power of an i7 unless you are streaming HD.
Edit: If you like buying things online i http://www.pccasegear.com/ run a great business - based in melbs i usually get overnight delivery. the longest i had to wait was 3 days.
Last edited by QEDMazaire; Fri, 27th-Apr-2012 at 12:33 AM.
I haven't read the whole thing, but great writeup! And a damn good idea if you ask me.
I would also like ot add that those in NZ, the best place to start looking for parts is a website called www.pricespy.co.nz. This site you can search for anythnig you like and it will show you the retailer that sells it along with a comprehensive list of prices.
I actually bought all of the parts for my current PC from this site, and can recommend anyone out there do the same. You will also find it so much cheaper to buy all of the parts youself and put it together yourself. Also a great sense of pride and satisfaction.
Nice job man... you mixed up PCI and PCI-E x1, though....
If you want suggestions on good builds, or what components are considered good, just go to the whirlpool knowledge base (http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/rmp_sg_whirlpoolpcs). Suggestions for builds for various purposes and budgets, and for all the individual components..
Might pay to mention www.staticice.com.au as this is an excellent resource for looking up cheapest places and thus work out how much of a saving you are making on the whole or if a particular store has an inflated price or even erroneous price!
Some places will have some parts cheap and others really expensive, often the convenience will make it OK to buy from the one place, but not always, especially the more expensive parts.
Nice job man... you mixed up PCI and PCI-E x1, though....
I was pretty tired when I made that image thanks for finding the mistake. Just swapped the colours and lables around and the rest of the article should be fine. I'll check again after breakfast to be sure though. ^^
I would suggest adding to the PC Store lists (As a vendor):
- PC DIY (Vic, SA, NSW)
- Pc Case Gear (online, based in Vic)
- MWave.com.au (online, based in NSW)
- Scorptec (Victoria)
I would also suggest adding in www.staticice.com.au and www.staticice.co.nz, there you can search products and it lists who has them from lowest price to highest.
All stores on this list are legit and they have to pay and keep updated to stay in the service.
Brilliant post as well, well formatted so i didn't have a hard time reading it. Good work!
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