Building a PC (you'd consider this a feature story)
If I have anyone who checks this blog regularly you will notice that I have not written in quite some time. I swear that this isn't because of my own laziness. But rather it was a technical issue. A few weeks ago my laptop, of nearly four years this December, died on me for good. He had died on me a few times previous however all those times I was able to repair the problem without a huge investment. But this time the graphics card died and the repair costs would run me $180 just for a replacement card. Not to mention the hassle of taking apart a laptop, which I have little to no knowledge of how to do. If anyone had tried to take their laptops apart, you will understand exactly what I mean. Opening a laptop is like night and day compared to opening a desktop.
With my laptop dead and my access to the internet all but severed (I was still able to access the internet with my ipod touch), I was left with a choice. Either get my laptop repaired, purchase a new one, or build/buy a desktop. I realize that there is another option, which would be to forgo a computer all together but for me that would be near impossible in this age of information. I already felt lost without access to my laptop. Obviously repairing him wouldn't be the smartest option because of his age. In the four years since I first bought him computer technology has greatly improved leaving him rather obsolete for one of my main purposes, gaming.
At first I was set on purchasing another laptop because I was so used to the idea of having a computer I could relocate at will without too much of a hassle. I began my search for a new PC looking exclusively for a laptop. My price range was in the $700 range. I was looking for one that would be able to play some games but not something that would be able to play everything because that was obviously out of my price range. I searched high and low. Going to Best Buy, Mircocenter, and using the internet. I came across barely anything in my range. Laptops aren't made for gaming. So they usually have integrated graphics cards, which means that the card is built into the motherboard (essentially the central nervous system of a computer) and does not have it's own memory to work off of instead using more system resources. The lack of it's own dedicated memory significantly gimps the power of the card. I believe the more memory a graphics card has the faster it can process the images on the screen. Needless to say integrated graphics cards are a big no-no in terms of gaming. They just don't have the power to support playing anything that is even moderately graphics intensive.
I found a single system in my price range that had a semi decent graphics card. It was an HP with a non integrated graphics card made by ATI Technologies, one of the two major graphics processing unit suppliers, the other being the more popular Nvidia. The card was a very low end card but had it's own dedicated 256mb of memory. It had very limited gaming capabilities almost to the point of being a moot point. At this point my uncle questioned why I even needed a laptop any longer.
I got to thinking and could see no valid reasons. I was no longer a student nor do I need one for any type of employment. For the same amount of money I could buy a significantly better desktop since with laptops you are paying a high premium for the portability. This is when I began entertaining the idea of building my own computer. Ever since high school I've always had this urge to do it but never the real motivation. I always felt like being able to tell someone "I built my own computer," was something that you could be proud of. Maybe that's just my inner nerd talking. But let me be honest with you here. It sounds like a far grander endeavor than it really is. Having finally done it, I can tell you it sounds far more complicated than it really is.
A chain computer store, Microcenter, had an Intel Core I7 processor for around $200. Trust me when I say that is a great price. So knowing this I began researching the parts necessary to build a computer based around the processor. The processor of a computer acts as the brain. It does all of the data processing. It interprets information from programs, performs the action then gives you the end result. So like I said the brain of the computer. I spent hours trying to figure out what the best parts I could get with the amount of money I was willing to spend.
I settled on an Asus P6T motherboard. Like I said earlier the motherboard acts as the central nervous system of a computer. It carries the data interpreted by the processor carries it where it needs to go. The p6T also has an "express gate" function. This function essentially allows a user to go on the internet, use instant messaging, view photos, or skype without actually having to fully boot up the computer, which could take a long time. It's honestly a pretty neat and convenient function.
The graphics card that I decided to get was an ATI Radeon 4870 DK. As the name implies the card is what processes the data for the graphics and sends it to the monitor. This was one of the more important parts for me personally since as I said earlier I plan to do a lot of gaming with this rig. But I didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money so mine is on the low end of gaming graphics cards. But for all the games out at this very moment it should be more than enough. It also has a function called "Crossfire," which would essentially allow me to hook up a second graphics card and have them work in tandem to produce an even better looking picture.
I also picked a 1 Terabyte hard drive. The hard drive stores all the data that a person puts onto the computer such as games or documents. Just to give you an idea of how marked up Dell's prices are, I paid $80 for this drive and in order to upgrade to a drive this size on a Dell computer they want $200. That's more than a 200% price increase!
Now I only have 3 more parts to go. The power supply, which acts as the heart and supplies all the electrical impulses that power everything. The RAM (Random Access Memory), which stores data about to be processed by the processor. If I had to compare it to something I guess I'd say it's like short term memory for a person. And lastly a case to house all the parts.
I settled on a 750 watt power supply, 6 gigabytes of RAM, and an Antec 900 computer case. I originally wasn't going to purchase such a good case but thinking about it there really was no choice. Just like in school my computer would be judged by it's outward appearance. So no matter how good it was on the inside if the outside looked shabby it would be viewed as such. So I purchased a case that would make my computer look like the cool, good looking, leather jacket wearing, motorcycle driving, foreign exchange student.
I almost forgot two things I needed. The operating system. This is essentially what allows the computer to function. Without an OS the computer will not run. It's essentially like the basic instincts a child is born with. Without those instincts like crying, the child would not survive. Being the nerd I am, I had a copy of Windows Vista just lying around. So I saved myself a couple of hundred dollars. And the DVD/CD drive, it's function is pretty self explanatory so I won't make another human body analogy :p
I did not buy everything all at once like I may have suggested by my writing. I bought them through the course of a week. After purchasing the processor, I had a slight hiccup. I saw a PC in the Best Buy ad for $300 more than mine would cost me. It had very similar specs with a better graphics card and a monitor. But it was out of budget but I seriously considered it and was conflicted. But after a long while of pulling out my own hair with indecision. I settled on building. For the sheer fact of being able to be proud of myself for doing it. This is going to sound stupid but I kind of already had a name picked out for the PC I would build so I had to build her.
With some help from my uncle, who had built several PCs (some for coworkers and some for himself), I put my computer together. We laid everything out on the kitchen table and began screwing and snapping things into place. It really is all that's involved, a lot screws to be screwed and unscrewed and a lot of pieces to be placed into the right slots. It's really more time consuming than difficult. The most difficult part had to be snaking the power supply cables around the computer to make them look presentable since my case has a clear side window so that everything can be seen.
The first time I powered her up I had my finger crossed. I had this anxiety that something had gone wrong and that she wouldn't even start up. But my fears were unfounded. She worked perfectly.
I learned a few things through the whole process. One is that Dell computers are completely overpriced. I wanted to see how much a comparable system would be to buy on dell and it ran a total of $2150. Mine ran me a bit over $900. So big mark up for dell. Two, building a computer is not nearly as hard as you would be led to believe. And finally the process of building a computer is very rewarding. You can learn a lot about computer parts in general and customize it to fit your purposes. I know I look at my computer everyday and beam with pride. She is unique and built with love and care. There is not another one exactly like her in the entire world. Yes there might be others with the exact same parts but the hands that put them together will not be the same. So if you need a new computer and have the time I would very much recommend building your own. It's a bit time consuming but the feeling you get when you finish and have it up and running are are amazing.
With my laptop dead and my access to the internet all but severed (I was still able to access the internet with my ipod touch), I was left with a choice. Either get my laptop repaired, purchase a new one, or build/buy a desktop. I realize that there is another option, which would be to forgo a computer all together but for me that would be near impossible in this age of information. I already felt lost without access to my laptop. Obviously repairing him wouldn't be the smartest option because of his age. In the four years since I first bought him computer technology has greatly improved leaving him rather obsolete for one of my main purposes, gaming.
At first I was set on purchasing another laptop because I was so used to the idea of having a computer I could relocate at will without too much of a hassle. I began my search for a new PC looking exclusively for a laptop. My price range was in the $700 range. I was looking for one that would be able to play some games but not something that would be able to play everything because that was obviously out of my price range. I searched high and low. Going to Best Buy, Mircocenter, and using the internet. I came across barely anything in my range. Laptops aren't made for gaming. So they usually have integrated graphics cards, which means that the card is built into the motherboard (essentially the central nervous system of a computer) and does not have it's own memory to work off of instead using more system resources. The lack of it's own dedicated memory significantly gimps the power of the card. I believe the more memory a graphics card has the faster it can process the images on the screen. Needless to say integrated graphics cards are a big no-no in terms of gaming. They just don't have the power to support playing anything that is even moderately graphics intensive.
I found a single system in my price range that had a semi decent graphics card. It was an HP with a non integrated graphics card made by ATI Technologies, one of the two major graphics processing unit suppliers, the other being the more popular Nvidia. The card was a very low end card but had it's own dedicated 256mb of memory. It had very limited gaming capabilities almost to the point of being a moot point. At this point my uncle questioned why I even needed a laptop any longer.
I got to thinking and could see no valid reasons. I was no longer a student nor do I need one for any type of employment. For the same amount of money I could buy a significantly better desktop since with laptops you are paying a high premium for the portability. This is when I began entertaining the idea of building my own computer. Ever since high school I've always had this urge to do it but never the real motivation. I always felt like being able to tell someone "I built my own computer," was something that you could be proud of. Maybe that's just my inner nerd talking. But let me be honest with you here. It sounds like a far grander endeavor than it really is. Having finally done it, I can tell you it sounds far more complicated than it really is.
A chain computer store, Microcenter, had an Intel Core I7 processor for around $200. Trust me when I say that is a great price. So knowing this I began researching the parts necessary to build a computer based around the processor. The processor of a computer acts as the brain. It does all of the data processing. It interprets information from programs, performs the action then gives you the end result. So like I said the brain of the computer. I spent hours trying to figure out what the best parts I could get with the amount of money I was willing to spend.
I settled on an Asus P6T motherboard. Like I said earlier the motherboard acts as the central nervous system of a computer. It carries the data interpreted by the processor carries it where it needs to go. The p6T also has an "express gate" function. This function essentially allows a user to go on the internet, use instant messaging, view photos, or skype without actually having to fully boot up the computer, which could take a long time. It's honestly a pretty neat and convenient function.
The graphics card that I decided to get was an ATI Radeon 4870 DK. As the name implies the card is what processes the data for the graphics and sends it to the monitor. This was one of the more important parts for me personally since as I said earlier I plan to do a lot of gaming with this rig. But I didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money so mine is on the low end of gaming graphics cards. But for all the games out at this very moment it should be more than enough. It also has a function called "Crossfire," which would essentially allow me to hook up a second graphics card and have them work in tandem to produce an even better looking picture.
I also picked a 1 Terabyte hard drive. The hard drive stores all the data that a person puts onto the computer such as games or documents. Just to give you an idea of how marked up Dell's prices are, I paid $80 for this drive and in order to upgrade to a drive this size on a Dell computer they want $200. That's more than a 200% price increase!
Now I only have 3 more parts to go. The power supply, which acts as the heart and supplies all the electrical impulses that power everything. The RAM (Random Access Memory), which stores data about to be processed by the processor. If I had to compare it to something I guess I'd say it's like short term memory for a person. And lastly a case to house all the parts.
I settled on a 750 watt power supply, 6 gigabytes of RAM, and an Antec 900 computer case. I originally wasn't going to purchase such a good case but thinking about it there really was no choice. Just like in school my computer would be judged by it's outward appearance. So no matter how good it was on the inside if the outside looked shabby it would be viewed as such. So I purchased a case that would make my computer look like the cool, good looking, leather jacket wearing, motorcycle driving, foreign exchange student.
I almost forgot two things I needed. The operating system. This is essentially what allows the computer to function. Without an OS the computer will not run. It's essentially like the basic instincts a child is born with. Without those instincts like crying, the child would not survive. Being the nerd I am, I had a copy of Windows Vista just lying around. So I saved myself a couple of hundred dollars. And the DVD/CD drive, it's function is pretty self explanatory so I won't make another human body analogy :p
I did not buy everything all at once like I may have suggested by my writing. I bought them through the course of a week. After purchasing the processor, I had a slight hiccup. I saw a PC in the Best Buy ad for $300 more than mine would cost me. It had very similar specs with a better graphics card and a monitor. But it was out of budget but I seriously considered it and was conflicted. But after a long while of pulling out my own hair with indecision. I settled on building. For the sheer fact of being able to be proud of myself for doing it. This is going to sound stupid but I kind of already had a name picked out for the PC I would build so I had to build her.
With some help from my uncle, who had built several PCs (some for coworkers and some for himself), I put my computer together. We laid everything out on the kitchen table and began screwing and snapping things into place. It really is all that's involved, a lot screws to be screwed and unscrewed and a lot of pieces to be placed into the right slots. It's really more time consuming than difficult. The most difficult part had to be snaking the power supply cables around the computer to make them look presentable since my case has a clear side window so that everything can be seen.
The first time I powered her up I had my finger crossed. I had this anxiety that something had gone wrong and that she wouldn't even start up. But my fears were unfounded. She worked perfectly.
I learned a few things through the whole process. One is that Dell computers are completely overpriced. I wanted to see how much a comparable system would be to buy on dell and it ran a total of $2150. Mine ran me a bit over $900. So big mark up for dell. Two, building a computer is not nearly as hard as you would be led to believe. And finally the process of building a computer is very rewarding. You can learn a lot about computer parts in general and customize it to fit your purposes. I know I look at my computer everyday and beam with pride. She is unique and built with love and care. There is not another one exactly like her in the entire world. Yes there might be others with the exact same parts but the hands that put them together will not be the same. So if you need a new computer and have the time I would very much recommend building your own. It's a bit time consuming but the feeling you get when you finish and have it up and running are are amazing.
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