Selecting my PC components

On my last post, I mentioned about the PC case I selected for my PC project and the modifications I made to accommodate the three larger 140mm diameter cooling fans. The fans will not only maintain the PC components much cooler while reducing noise, but will also help to extend the life of each component.

Components like the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Random Access Memory (RAM) chips, video adapters and the motherboard’s built-in chips can generate a lot of heat during their operation. Overclocking (running some components faster than their rated speed to increase their performance) can cause the parts to produce more heat than normal. If this high temp is not adequately dissipated, it could result in system instability and/or damage to these components.

Cooling fans are the most economically and easier ways to maintain your system cool, however, do not take too lightly the selection and installation of such components. If unsure, ask an expert or do some research.

My PC components

My aims for choosing my components were simple: low cost, high performance and good quality products. After doing some research, I opted to purchase my components from http://www.newegg.com/. I made that decision for three main reasons: low prices, fast shipping and great customer reviews for each component I selected.

Here’s a quick description of the components I initially selected for my PC project:

Motherboard: Foxconn’s WinFast NF4UK8AA (Go here if interested about its specs). I selected this motherboard mainly because of its low price, but also because of its features and the great positive reviews by other shoppers.

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 4000+ running at 2.4GHz. I selected this CPU because it was bundle with the motherboard. The total price for the motherboard and CPU was $59.00 US; that was well within my price range and fast enough to build a pretty decent PC.

Note: With so many different CPU sockets (connectors) it can get confusing when purchasing a motherboard and CPU. You must make sure that the motherboard’s socket matches that of the CPU. For example, the motherboard I selected incorporates an AMD 939 socket platform, so it requires a CPU with 939 form factor. Purchasing a bundle or combo can make your decision much easier while saving you a few bucks.

Memory: OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR 400 PC 3200. Again, as with the CPU, you must make sure to purchase the correct memory chips for the motherboard. Just make sure to read your motherboard’s specs, and, if in doubt, ask. The motherboard I selected had the following memory specs: 4 184-pin DIMM sockets, maximum of 4GB of DDR266/333/400 SDRAM. The OCZ Platinum met those specs, while including beautiful mirrored platinum copper heatspreaders. Again, excellent shopper’s reviews and the $90.00 sale convinced me that this was the perfect memory for my project.

Other components

Silverstone FP34-S USB 2.0 Card Reader: Fits into a 3.5" drive bay and provides three extra USB 2.0 ports, two FireWire ports, and HD audio ports. It also has 4-slot reader to read Compact Flash, Micro Drive, Secure Digital, Multi-Media Card, SmartMedia, xD, Sony Memory Stick media. $39.99

LiteOn, LightScribe DVD Writer: This DVD drive has SATA connection and cost just $37.00, so I thought it was an excellent buy. By the way, if you plan to install Vista on your new machine, you are going to need a DVD drive.

CPU Heatsink: When I first build the PC, I used an older heatsink/fan combo, but soon after I decided to replace it due to the noise produced by the 80mm cooling fan. Three weeks later, I replaced the fan with a Thermaltake CL-P0401 110mm Full-Range Fan CPU Cooler. This CPU cooler is just beautiful, quite and huge – you must make sure you case has plenty of room to accommodate this cooler. Price: $59.99.

Hard Drives: Though I had a 250GB EIDE hard drive, I decided to order a new Western Digital 500GB SATA drive to use with my new motherboard. The motherboard I ordered for my PC project has connections for four SATA devices and I didn't want those connection to go to waste. Total price $99.00, free shipping and no taxes, decent price.

Hard Drive: Though I had a 250GB EIDE hard drive, I decided to order a new Western Digital 500GB SATA drive to use with my new motherboard. The motherboard I ordered has connections for four SATA devices and I didn't want those connections to go to waste. Total price $99.00, free shipping and no taxes; good price.

I will let you know how the PC building process went and provide you some tips that can make your job easier. For now, happy computing!