The Basics

Here is what you need to get started:

• Motherboard
• Processor
• RAM
• Graphics Card
• Hard Drive
• DVD/CD Drive
• Sound Card
• Power Supply Unit
• Case
• Keyboard and Mouse
• Monitor

Please keep in mind that some components may not be necessary for your build. For instance, many people simply stick with the onboard sound on their motherboard, scratching the need for a sound card. Likewise, the same can be said for motherboards with built-in graphics. Some people skip out on an optical drive (although this is only recommended for very cheap rigs).

Motherboard

What all the components are plugged in to. This is an area where many people like to skimp, but accessibility and expandability in the motherboard can mean the difference between a fun build and a nightmare. Please make sure all other components are compatible with this part (i.e., it has enough of the right types of ports for your hard drive(s), optical drive(s), and case fan(s), the right socket type and support for your processor, the correct size for your case, has enough of the correct type of ports for your peripherals (e.g. mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc.), the correct slot for your Graphics Card, and support for your RAM). Recommended for most Intel builds are the P35 and X38/X48 motherboards.

If you feel the need for SLI (multiple Nvidia graphics cards), go with either the 680/780 boards, or, if you've got the cash, the 790i Ultra. For AMD builds, most any AM2+ boards should do you fine.

Processor

First of all, make sure that the CPU (processor) you are getting matches the socket type of the motherboard (e.g. LGA 775, AM2, etc.). Also, make sure the chipset of the motherboard supports the CPU. You can check this at the motherboard manufacturer's website. For performance computers, Intel CPUs are currently your best bet. Keep in mind that Gigahertz (Ghz, the speed of the processor) aren't necessarily equal between different models and brands. For example, the 3Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo e8400 is INFINITELY faster than the 3.2 Ghz AMD Athlon 64+ 6400+. Also, if your programs support them, quad cores are the way to go, but seeing as many don't yet, I would stick with a dual core for the time being. If you are on a tight budget, AMD CPUs can be found for less than Intel's, and a single core may suffice for your needs.

RAM

RAM (Random Access Memory) needs to have the same socket type (SDRAM, DDR, DDR2, DDR3) as the motherboard to be compatible. The most common socket type for RAM for new computers is DDR2 (Double Data Rate revision 2). For most builds, DDR2 800 should be quite fast, although if you plan on extreme overclocking, DDR2 1066 may be warranted. The number after DDR2 is the effective operating frequency, in Megahertz (Mhz, 1000 of which equal one Ghz). Most people will use a dual channel setup (installation varies by motherboard), where two sticks of the same type of RAM are put together, effectively doubling performance. The RAM speed is dependent on the slowest stick, though, so this is only recommended if using two identical RAM modules. For EXTREME overclocking, you may want to use DDR3 (which currently comes in speeds between 1333 Mhz and 2000 Mhz), but this is much more expensive, and motherboards supporting this technology are, as of yet, few and far between. 2GB (gigabytes, 1000 megabytes, amount of memory) are more than sufficient for most builds, but if you plan on doing a lot of multitasking, you may want to think about getting 4GB of memory.

Graphics Card(s)

For a gaming computer, the graphics card is, perhaps, the most important part of the build. It is necessary in any computer, but some motherboards come with built in graphics for those who do not use any graphic-intense applications. Please insure that the slot-type (PCI Express x16, AGPx8, etc.) is supported by your motherboard, and that the power supply has the necessary connections (PCIE 6-pin, PCIE 8-pin, etc.). The two main companies here are ATI (owned by AMD) and Nvidia. Currently, Nvidia supplies the very best of the best when it comes to graphics cards, but in some cases, you may prefer an ATI card. If you want to watch blu-ray/HD-DVD movies, you need to ensure that the graphics card supports HDCP to watch it at the full, intended resolution. Two of the newest cards, the Nvidia 9800GX2 and ATI Radeon 3870 X2 have TWO physical cards in them, replicating SLI and Crossfire respectively in a board that does not support SLI/Crossfire. SLI and Crossfire are the names for Nvidia and ATI's multi-graphics card systems respectively. For the most intense graphics, you may wish to pursue one of these two options (in which case you need to make sure your motherboard supports the technology). The top of the line Nvidia single-card graphics card is the 9800GTX (closely trailed by the 8800 Ultra, 8800 GTS G92, and 8800GTX), and ATI's is the Radeon 3870 (closely followed by the 3850).

Hard Drive(s)

The hard drive is the component which stores all of the software on your computer. There are various interface types (IDE, ATA, SATA, SATAII), of which SATAII is the most recent (and best). This is because it supports the highest bandwidth while sporting the thinnest cable (helping to promote good air flow, and make cable management easier). The most important statistic when buying a hard drive is the storage space. Make sure it has enough (e.g. 200GB, 500GB, 750GB, etc.) storage space for your needs. If you are not sure, see how much you use on you current computer to get a rough estimate. If you still aren't sure, it never hurts (anything but your wallet) to have too much. Performance is mostly dictated by the interface type, spindle speed, and amount of platters. Spindle speed is the speed at which the hard drive rotates. Most desktop hard drives rotate at 7200RPM, although there are faster 10,000RPM drives, but these offer less storage space. That second figure I mentioned, amount of platters, is how many magnetic disks there are within your hard drive. The less there are, the faster, quieter, and less likely to break your hard drive is. The best platter today is available in the Samsung Spinpoint F1 1 TB (terabyte, 1000 gigabytes). It has three platters, each with 333GB of storage space. Most desktop hard drives fit in a 3.5” internal drive bay. Eventually hard drives will be replaced by Solid State Drives (SSDs), but these are currently far too expensive and don't provide nearly enough storage space for the average user.

Optical Drive

Where you put your optical discs (DVD, CD, blu-ray, etc.). There are two main interface types (SATA and IDE), with SATA once again being the preferable type. For most budgets, a DVD writer would be recommended, although none are necessary if you are building an “el cheapo” computer. If you have the money and the media, you may want a blu-ray drive though. The fastest of these write blu-ray discs at 6x, while DVD writers can write at speeds of up to 20x. The claimed speeds are important, but there are more variables than the test figures represent (due to variations in which media brand is used for the testing). The fastest optical drive on the market today (DVD writer) is the Samsung SH-S203B. Most optical drives fit in a 5.25” external drive bay. Another technology some may be interested in is lightscribe, which laser etches an image into the top of a disc, although these drives cost slightly more. Also, for almost everybody, floppy drives are no longer needed.

Sound Card

While almost every motherboard nowadays comes with built-in sound, aftermarket sound cards will always be there for the audiophile. There are varying interface types (PCI, PCI Express x1). The most popular today are the Creative X-Fi Series and the ASUS Xonar D2 series. Some sound cards feature onboard RAM to offload all of the sound processing from the CPU, boosting performance in any application that involves sound (sometimes a few FPS (frames per second) even in intense games). Only get an aftermarket sound card if you truly appreciate rich, vibrant sound and have a good set of speakers/headphones to go fully take advantage of one.

Power Supply Unit

The PSU is what provides power to all of the components of your computer. It is important not to skimp on this, as it is the only component that, should it fail, has the possibility of taking all the other components with it. The most important thing to look for in a PSU is the brand, as certain brands have a reputation for power supplies that will not crash (as some cheap, generic ones have a tendency to do, sometimes with explosive results). Some recommended brands are PC Power & Cooling, Antec, Seasonic, Enermax, Thermaltake, OCZ, Corsair, Thermaltake, Tagan, and Gigabyte. The most important statistic in the PSU is the wattage rating. This tells you how much wattage the PSU can supply to your components. Use a wattage calculator (and add 15% or so for safety's sake) to determine what kind of wattage it will take to run your computer. Also important is the efficiency. Many PSUs today are stamped with the 80plus seal of approval, signifying that they run at 80% or better efficiency (e.g. less than 20% of the supplied power is lost as heat), improving performance, component life, and helping reduce energy consumption. Also, be sure that the PSU has connectors for all of the components you need to power, and try to find one that will allow you to keep it as you add things to your computer. Modular support is a nice feature to have (not all of the wires are permanently attached to the PSU, so the connectors you aren't using can be unplugged from the power supply, reducing cable clutter), but you pay a premium for it.

Case

What you put all of your components in. Important things to look for in the case are it's size, motherboard form factor, if it will hold your graphics card, what kind of bays it has, the provided cooling, and what it looks like. Size-wise, for most people the only way to go is either Mid-Tower ATX or Full Tower ATX (sometimes called Super Tower ATX). Either of these will hold an ATX motherboard, and most Full Tower cases will hold an Extended ATX (EATX) motherboard. Check reviews to see if your graphics card will fit the case, as some of the newer graphics cards are quite long and do not fit in some cases. You need to make sure it has enough 3.5” internal bays for your hard drives, 5.25” external bays for your optical drives, and if it has 3.5” external bays if you use accessories that utilize those bays. Make sure it has adequate cooling for the setup you are planning on building. I recommend that the case you choose has at least a 120mm fan or 2 80mm fans. Any more than that should be good as well. Look to see it h as at least on exhaust fan, and that there are not more fans than you need (this will make it very loud). If you are planning on watercooling, you should definitely go with a Full Tower case, and for ease of installation find out if it fits the radiator you are planning on using. Looks are personal preference, but I find some people like to have a conservative looking case with one solid color and usually either in black, beige or white, while others like flashy cases with side windows, LED fans and crazy paint jobs.

Keyboard and Mouse

Keyboards and mice are generally best chosen after trying out a few and seeing what you like best. There are a few things to look for. If you want an uncluttered desktop, go for a wireless set. If you want all-out gaming performance, try a keyboard with macro keys and the ability to disable the windows key, and a mouse with lots of extra buttons, a “clicky”, or tactile, scroll wheel, and a high and adjustable dpi. If you have many late-night sessions, look for a mouse with an illuminated scroll wheel and a backlit keyboard (such as the Saitek Eclipse II, arguably the best back-lit keyboard to date). But most important, MAKE SURE WHATEVER YOU PICK IS COMFORTABLE!!! I can not stress this enough. You can have the best mouse/keyboard combo ever, but if you find them uncomfortable, you'll find it hell to use your computer.

Monitor

Finally the monitor, what you will be viewing everything you do with. Make sure it is as big as you can afford. A bigger monitor reduces eye-strain and increases the amount of windows you can work with at one time. There is no longer any reason to get a CRT monitor, so be sure to go for an LCD. Also, be sure to get a widescreen (16:10/16:9) as opposed to a fullscreen (4:3), because you get more screen for the price (widescreen panels are cheaper to manufacture). The contrast ratio is quite important to how good the images look. It tells you how black the blacks are and how white the whites are. The higher the better. Make sure is reproduces at least 16.2 million colors, as this means it is 16-bit (8-bit monitors simply can't compete when it comes to visual quality). The response time should be as low as possible, but make sure that the monitors you are comparing measure response time the same way, or else this statistic is pointless (some measure black-to-white-to-black, while others measure grey-to-grey). Other things to look for in a monitor are how much the stand adjusts, how many screen adjustment options there are (as a general rule, the more the better), and how good you think it looks. Just like mice and keyboards, I recommend you try out the monitor you are thinking about purchasing before you do so, as you want to be sure you will be happy with it after you plop down the cash (which can be quite a lot).

Conclusion

Now you should have a good idea of what kind of computer you will be building. It really isn't nearly as hard as it seems at first. This is all stuff I've come across in the two years I've been interested in building computers, and I could have gone into much more depth, but won't in this article for the sake of simplicity. After you've read this and chosen what components you are going to purchase for your build, you just need to put it all together. I will explain how to do that in a future article, but I promise, it is no harder than it was to choose what to buy. I GUARANTEE you will be happy if you build your own computer, as so long as you do a little research before buying the parts, you will end up with a better performing, cheaper computer than Dell and the likes will ever sell you. Good luck, and be sure to check back in the coming weeks for more of my guides!