This article is designed to give you a basic understanding of computer hardware and the function of each part
within it. Written with the idea of building a new custom computer it is also a basic guide to choosing parts
based on your needs.

At first glance when you look at a computer all you really see is the case. There are many options as far as
design and size, depending on what the ultimate plan for the computer is. Larger cases may be a wise decision
when the computer being built is going to be used for very graphics intensive applications where large or
multiple graphics cards may be needed. Another option that accompanies the case is the choice of cooling
method. Due to the amount of electricity being run through the computer components it’s necessary to use
one form or another to keep components such as the processor within an acceptable temperature range.
Traditional computers use a heat sink, which involves a fan over essentially a radiator attached to the
processor designed to pull the heat off of it. The other option is liquid cooling. This involves a plate being
attached to the components that’s plumbed so that the coolant can flow through it and cool the processor,
graphics card, hard drive, or whatever other hardware it’s plumbed to. If liquid cooling is chosen for the
computer a case must be chosen that supports liquid cooling due to the fact that it will need to have “holes” in
the back of it that allow for the liquid cooling tubes to pass through the case to their external components.
Once the case and method of cooling are chosen, the next component to look into is the “powerhouse” of the
computer, the processor.

The processor is a wise thing to pick early on because it will affect other choices that are made such as the
motherboard. There are two major decisions to look at when choosing a processor. First of all there are two
major brands manufacturing the newer high-end processors, Intel and AMD. The other choice that needs to
be made is the platform of processor; all of the new processors are going to be either dual core or quad core.
The choice of brand is ultimately that of personal preference, both are good processors and can for the most
part be compared side by side fairly evenly based on model. Overall it does seem that there is a bit more
aftermarket support as far as compatible mother boards for Intel, however that’s not to say that there aren’t a
lot of parts available for AMD nor should this factor influence any decisions. The platform of the processor
should be given a bit more thought though. For multi tasking a processor with more cores is going to be
better and a quad core would seem to be the best decision if it can be afforded. These processors are designed
to run multiple applications at high speeds and can handle the demands of gaming as well as tasks such as
video and photo editing. If you can’t afford a quad core or are looking to use the computer for mainly gaming
or tasking such as video editing another option is to get a high-end dual core processor. This can result in just
as strong of a computer due to the fact that the dual core computers will still be extremely fast when used for
very direct tasks such as playing a single game or running a demanding program. Whatever the choice of
processor the supporting components will be just as crucial in building a powerful reliable computer.

The motherboard is responsible for pulling all of the individual components together resulting in a
functioning computer. The processor as well as every other part of the computer will attach to the
motherboard in one form or another. When choosing a motherboard it’s important to make sure that it’s
compatible with the processor of choice. Each processor has its own socket type, meaning it has a number of
pins that will fit into the motherboard. For instance most of the newer Intel chips are based on a socket set of
“LGA 775” so when choosing a motherboard it is important to make sure that it is also compatible with “LGA
775” processors. Next, it is important to consider what options you want built into the motherboard. Many
motherboards will include “onboard” graphics capabilities. This means that buying a graphics card would not
be necessary. If computing needs do not require strong graphics this is a good option due to the fact that
money will be saved that would have been otherwise spent on an external graphics card. Almost all
motherboards now come with onboard Ethernet adapters, however many newer boards have built in wireless
and if this is a desired feature it is an available option. The computer’s RAM or random access memory will
also be “attached” to the motherboard and will be a critical part of the computers performance. Depending on
plans, it is important to make sure to pick a motherboard that accommodates the amount of memory chosen
and the peripherals that are to be used.

If a graphics card is chosen it is important to make sure that the motherboard and card will be compatible.
While there are many types of expansion slots available, most motherboards and cards have adopted PCI
Express as the standard connection type. Make sure that the motherboard chosen will support the graphics
card(s) of choice and go from there. For high-end gaming and other very graphics intensive tasks it’s very
important to have a very power GPU or graphics processing unit. To make sure that needs are met there are
two options; one very powerful card, or if there is enough room in the case that has been chosen and the
motherboard will support it is possible to run two identical cards side by side. ATI’s version of this is called
“Crossfire” where as NVIDIA’s version is referred to as “SLI”. These methods involve placing two of the
identical cards that support this feature side by side and attaching them on the top of the card with an
included bridge enabling the feature. By enabling this feature, the computer will receive increased GPU power
and have the ability to run very demanding tasks.

Another important factor in any computer is the RAM or Random Access Memory. This is the part of the
computer that gives the computer a place to run the programs and processes that the computer is working
with once it’s started up. The information is loaded off of the hard drive and onto the memory. So for
instance, when using the computer when a program such as Photoshop is launched it’s loaded from the hard
drive onto the memory, giving the computer a place to essentially work with and juggle the programs that are
being run. Now Photoshop is a fairly demanding program and requires a good processor, graphics card, and a
lot of memory. When looking into memory there are a few things to look at, such as the amount of memory
needed or desired and the speed. The more the better is generally the case, but if possible go with the highest
speed available for the motherboard of choice. The more memory the computer has to work with the more
processes it can handle and the smoother it will be able to run multiple programs. Many newer high-end
computers are coming with an upwards of eight gigabytes of memory. This will depend on the number of slots
the motherboard of choice has and also what increments of memory are chosen. It is now possible to get a
single four-gigabyte stick of memory, meaning if the motherboard has four slots available it is possible to run
a total of sixteen gigabytes of memory. Like anything else computer related there is a measurement for the
speed of the memory, and how fast it can send and receive information- the faster the memory the better.
Programs will be able to load faster and the computer will have less overall lag.

Now for the hard drive; the storage center of the computer. All of the information on the computer is stored
onto the hard drive. There are a few different types of hard drives available and with each a few different
options. The traditional hard drive involves a series of metal plates that spin at very high speeds and are
either magnetized or demagnetized by a very small arm, a task that is repeated over and over again. These
hard drives are fairly reliable but tend to have issues with normal wear and tear after a number of years. It’s
very important to keep information backed, up especially when using this traditional form of hard drive.
Recently a new form of hard drive has been used in select computers. The new hard drives are referred to as
solid-state drives. They have no moving parts and are therefore very reliable and generally speaking much
faster than a standard hard drive. The added benefits currently come at a very high price though and are
typically not used by home computer owners. Beyond the type of hard drive chosen there are two more
options that will go with each, speed and storage capacity. The more the better with computers, and the faster
the hard drive the faster the computer will be able to read and write data to and from the hard drive meaning
better performance. The larger the capacity of the hard drive, the more can be stored. So this will vary based
on the usage of the computer.

One of the last options and less significant choice is the type of disc drive to be used. Traditionally, computers
came with only a compact disc or CD player or perhaps CD-R, giving the options to read and write CD’s. Now,
newer computers have the option to play and burn CD’s but also digital versatile discs, or DVD’s. Most
commonly a single “all in one” unit is chosen that is able to both read and burn CD’s, DVD’s, and also dual
layer DVD’s. Another option now is to use a high definition drive. It would be recommended to do this in
conjunction with a standard all in one drive as the primary drive, and a Blue Ray drive as the secondary. This
will allow for the computer to play back video in high definition. This can be handy because most of the new
high end monitors will support full HD and many computers are now being used in conjunction with a
television that supports HD as well.

Finally yet importantly, one of the most important parts of the computer is its power supply. The power
supply is responsible for getting electricity to each component of the computer. Power supplies range in price
as well as power output (Personal computer hardware). A safe bet for most computers is going to be 500
watts. It’s important to make sure that the power supply chosen is of good quality and is able to support all of
the computers components. Be sure to check the required power for the graphics card(s) and that the power
requirements for all the components of the computer are at least met. It’s also important to ensure that
the power supply chosen has the correct connections and enough of them, check the requirements for each
part of the computer and be sure the power supply will be able to meet or exceed individual specifications.

On top of these “standard” parts of building a computer discussed above, there are many options that can be
added on if wanted. For instance as mentioned above, some motherboards will come with built in Ethernet,
some will not. If desired it is a possibility to add in a wireless adapter of choice. The newest technology right
now is wireless “N” and this is a recommended option if going wireless. Another option being a television
tuner which allows the computer to be used as a TV, giving it the ability to receive over the air channels as
well as a signal through satellite or cable if it is to be hooked up. There is an array of other options out there
and will need to be looked into based on the computers desired usage.

Putting together a powerhouse computer is simple and can be done relatively cheap if the parts are chosen
wisely. For demanding tasks it’s important to have a well-rounded computer that can handle anything thrown
at it. Choices and options in hardware allow for computers to be designed and used for whatever task the
builder would like and a can always be upgraded and expanded on later depending on design and future
improvements in technology.

Author:

Jesse Whitlow,

Owner and founder of Elk Grove Custom Computers