Dan from Canada wrote…

Hi Mike,

I just found your excellent tutorial for setting up a new PC and will be following it to the letter. I have one question though, if you have a moment.  I’m buying a new Acer PC tomorrow morning at a local [removed]. It will be my first new PC in a number of years.

I’ve recently setup a new HP for a friend and it was very easy. It started Windows7 setup right away and I only had to put in the language and time zone and some other simple things.  I wondered if you think this PC will be the same simple setup. The salesman is telling me I should pay almost $100 for it to be setup and that if I do it myself, I need to use Silverlight to download Windows 7 and can have all kinds of problems.

Do you think the Windows 7 operating system and all drivers will be there when I take it out of the box ?  I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere on the net and I couldn’t reach Acer support

It’s not uncommon for sales people in computer stores to try to up sell the fastest processor (because you must have this to edit photos) or their choice of anti-virus software (because all the free ones don’t protect you) and these scenarios get me angry enough.

This particular salesman at a big name store who’s name I have removed as the company don’t have an opportunity currently to respond to this, though I will contact them and feed back to you, is a complete charlatan.

Dan was perfectly correct to expect Windows 7 and all hardware drivers to come pre-installed on a new PC from one of the major manufacturers, and indeed this would always be the case.  Indeed if you want a new PC without a copy of Windows pre-installed it’s actually very difficult to do and can require some arguing with customer service staff at the manufacturer concerned (a problem commonly faced by users of GNU/Linux who don’t want to spend $80 on a Windows licence).

My reply to Dan was swift and pointed out that he should speak with the manager of the store and ask why there would be a charge to install an operating system that should already be pre-installed, and why Silverlight would be required to “download” Windows 7 when Silverlight will only run within Windows?

If you are buying a new computer in the sales please be very wary of these sales tactics.  Have an idea of what you need and preferably seek advice from a technically-minded friend if you can before buying.  Don’t fall for the more expensive machine just because you want to edit your digital photographs, don’t be convinced into buying expensive anti-virus or other software such as Office that you don’t want (the version of Office Starter that ships with almost all new PCs is more than enough for a lot of people) and don’t ever pay for a set-up charge, especially never such a large fee.

If you ever in any doubt ask to speak with the manager or telephone the company’s customer support line (retail outlet or PC manufacturer) to check with them first.  On this occasion I’m very pleased that Dan chose to email me in advance, he’s just avoided wasting $100 on something that’s quick, simple and most importantly fun to do himself.

So with all these problems in mind I’ve written a short 25 page eBook which I’m giving away for free.  “Setting up and Configuring a New PC” helps you to do just that.  It’s a PDF and has been specifically designed to be easy to print so that you can refer to it later (and not so large and full or images that it destroys your printer ink in the process, though you might want to keep a spare blue cartridge handy just in case).

The book deals just with the most important aspects of setting up your computer so that you and your files and documents are safe and protected in the long-term.  It’s split into four parts.

In part 1 I show you how you can split your computer’s hard disk into two or three partitions.  This means you can keep your files and documents safe and away from Windows just in case a disaster means the OS needs to be completely reinstalled, and that if you have space on your hard disk you can also keep a backup image copy of your Windows installation itself.  This section also shows you how to create system backup and rescue discs that use can use to restore your computer in the event of a catastrophe.

Part 2 details the inevitable problems that come with trial-versions of anti0virus software being installed on your computer, and part 3 follows this up with information on how to remove the excess bloatware and crapware that is commonly bundled with new computers and that can not only be set to run at startup, slowing your computer down, but that also just takes up space and is completely unnecessary most of the time.

In the last part I show you how you can move your files and documents away from your Windows 7 partition or disk to keep them safe.  This is moving them to the partition you created in part 1.  The reasons for doing all this are that if Windows 7 does need to be completely reinstalled somewhere down the line, which is fairly likely, keeping your files and documents on the same hard disk partition as the operating system itself will mean they will be inevitably wiped during the restore.

The other reason for creating your own backup too is that because modern computers come with a restore partition, this will restore all the crap software that came with the machine in the first place.  It really will perform a factory reset.

You can download the eBook here though I do recommend that you follow all the instructions very carefully indeed.  While the partitioning tool in Windows 7 is fairly simple and foolproof, this process is never without its risks.  Take care and try and have a tech-savvy friend about when you do this.

Now however we have more types of computing devices than it’s possible to shake a stick at, and one thing is becoming clear, the good old desktop PC is becoming sidelined.  I wanted to ask you all, which is quite ironic given Martin’s post of earlier today, what your opinion is of these devices and what you think of them generally.

The main computing devices we now have include desktops, all-in-ones, desktop replacement laptops, everyday laptops, ultraportables, convertible tablets and traditional tablets.  In fact it’s possible within all these types not just to get what is probably the perfect form-factor for you, but also something that fits perfectly with the aesthetics of where it will go.

To kick off the discussion I’ll start with my own thoughts on my home and home office.  I have a desk in my living room with a desktop PC on it, as many of you will have too.  It is my aim to replace this with an all-in-one PC before too long.  The barrier here for me is that my desktop has a graphics card with the grunt to properly run modern games like Battlefield 3 and all-in-ones often compromise on gaming ability.  I also have a laptop, a desktop replacement Dell which I use for work in my home office upstairs.  This is a big, heavy machine and hardly portable.  It does offer me the storage and power to be a true desktop replacement however in every sense of the word, rather than some of the weedier desktop replacement machines that really don’t offer a viable alternative for you.

I also own two tablets, a Windows 7 ExoPC and an HP TouchPad.  The ExoPC is now used only for work and presentations and the TouchPad is for lounging about on the sofa occasionally when I’m tired.

I have had a couple of Samsung ultraportables on test though, and I’m very happy with the form factor.  These new breed of ultraportables, pioneered by the Macbook Air, are sexy enough to suit the modern living room while small and light enough not to get in the way.  This is important for a laptop as I doubt many people really want a big grey block in front of them when they’re watching the evening news.

If I had to pick one though it still comes back to the traditional desktop for me as this is the only form factor that really offers me the flexibility I need in terms of hardware and storage.  Much as I want to banish the desktop from my living room forever, I just don’t feel that all-in-ones are there yet in terms of true power and flexibility.

So what’s your preference?  Are you a desktop person or a laptop guy?  Do you prefer all-in-ones and why?  Do you have an ultraportable, or do you want one to replace what you have?  Have you indeed banished your computer upstairs forever and it’s tablet all the way in your main living space?

In short, what is your perfect computing device and why is that?

Runner up manufacturer, Dell, has dropped a place down to the third place spot with Lenovo, who are relatively new to the desktop market in the grand scheme of things, taking second place with an enormous growth of 36% on the previous quarter.

HP now sits at 18.1% of total worldwide PC sales (up from 17.8%) with Lenovo on 13.7% (up from 10.4%) and Dell dropping to 12% (down slightly from 12.6%).  In fourth place is Acer with ASUS following up the table in fifth position.

There can be little doubt that in the last year Lenovo have produced some simply fantastic design, challenging Sony for the overall design and quality award.  Indeed I have recently been using a budget Lenovo B570 and one of their business Z Series laptops and it was very difficult to tell one from the other.  The only real difference on the surface was that one cost three times the price of the other.  Suffice to say I have now been firmly recommending Lenovo machines to friends (although my own new laptop is a Dell).

The biggest surprise though might be Acer who saw a drop in market share of over 20% on their previous quarters figure, a loss of 3% market share overall.  The company has perhaps been producing middling hardware in the last year and may now be suffering for it.  This is not helped by the fact that there are only a finite number of quality technology plants worldwide and companies including Apple have slowly been swallowing them up for their own mass consumption.

The future for the PC market is looking good though.  In the report, they say…

In the U.S., PC shipments totaled 17.8 million units in the third quarter of 2011, a 1.1 percent increase from the third quarter of 2010. The U.S. PC market experienced year-over-year growth for the first time in three quarters. While the consumer market continued to be weak with disappointing back-to-school sales in the third quarter, the inventory was kept mostly in check as industry expectations were relatively low.

…but the report also highlights a 2.9% decline in Europe, perhaps because the European economy has been under incredible pressure in recent months.  The news in Asia is better though with a 6% increase.  Overall the picture is good news…

Worldwide PC shipments increased by 3.6% in the third quarter of 2011 (3Q11) compared to the same quarter in 2010

…which is a healthy growth and no doubt helped by the blossoming market for Tablets and smartphones.

Final figures aren’t yet available and there’s no word on where companies such as Apple and Samsung sit in the rankings.  Both companies have been doing extremely well, though not so much in PC sales, but who both seem constantly locked in legal battles with the other, which could impact their bottom line when the next earnings figures are released for each company.

Pointing out that no single device had taken over, instead we were seeing a number of devices based on the “socially-mediated innovation” that has been developed in the last few years.  The IBM 5150 was launched on August 12th 1981.  In his post, Dean said ”When I helped design the PC, I didn’t think I’d live long enough to witness its decline.”  He noted with some sadness that his own primary computer was now a tablet.

It’s amazing to me to think that August 12 marks the 30th anniversary of the IBM Personal Computer. The announcement helped launch a phenomenon that changed the way we work, play and communicate.  Little did we expect to create an industry that ultimately peaked at more than 300 million unit sales per year. I’m proud that I was one of a dozen IBM engineers who designed the first machine and was fortunate to have lead subsequent IBM PC designs through the 1980s.

He went on to comment that ”It’s becoming clear that innovation flourishes best not on devices but in the social spaces between them, where people and ideas meet and interact, it is there that computing can have the most powerful impact on economy, society and people’s lives.”

IBM itself moved away from the desktop PC market some years ago after losing out to companies such as HP and Dell.  It eventually sold it’s laptop business to the Chinese and now concentrates on the server market.  The company still maintains revenues higher than Microsoft for the server hardware that it sells.

It is amazing when you think about it, that PCs are still with us.  The colours might have changed, but the traditional box and keyboard haven’t changed much at all in the last 30 years.  I personally remember using one of the original IBM PCs extensively in my youth, though I preferred the Apple II for it’s compactness (it weighed nearly 30 by 45 by 12 cm and weighed 11.5 lbs).  Eventually my father bought me a second hand Olivetti XT machine from his work with a copy of WordPerfect 5.1 and this was my first proper PC.

Around 400 million PCs are sold each year and it may be that Dean’s prediction is premature.  Business is still the largest users of PCs worldwide and businesses have a long-earned reputation for moving very slowly with new technologies.  Given the additional software development costs they face it’s very likely that the traditional desktop PC will still be a feature of offices around the globe for two decades to come.

That said, consumers are now moving towards tablets and other devices including smartphones and netbooks as their main computer.  Only serious content creators and hard core gamers still evangelise about the PC in the way we used to last decade.

So who knows at this point what the future holds for the humble desktop PC.  Certainly we will see them commonly morph into all-in-one machines but battery technology still isn’t good enough to convince the masses to switch to portable and mobile devices.  While tablets such as the iPad can boast impressive battery lives of up to 16 hours on a single charge, most devices will still run out of power after four.

So, happy 30th birthday to the IBM 5150, you started a revolution that has impacted positively on mankind, generated incalculable numbers of jobs in all manner of industries, and that has even created hundreds of new industries in the process.

It might be worth noting though, all things considered, that I’m writing this article on a Google Chromebook.

There’s no way around this either as your PC’s case has to have vents and air-holes.  If it didn’t the whole thing would overheat and, unless you had a very elaborate heat-pipe system in place, your computer would constantly crash.

The thing is though that with dust clogging up the innards of your PC it’ll crash anyway, or at the very least heat up too much and be automatically shut down by your motherboard’s BIOS to prevent the components melting.  As an example of this, just look at the processor heatsink in the photo below.  This was taken of one of my own computers just this morning.  Underneath the fan the processor heatsink it caked in thick layers of dust.  Under this circumstance the heatsink won’t be able to vent any heat properly and the fan will just be something that spins around uselessly.

You can’t escape dust from entering your PC either.  Some people say you should keep it on a desk or lifted up from the floor by a small stand.  These things, while they may delay the inevitable, can’t prevent the build up of dust.  Other people say don’t keep it on a carpet and instead try and put it on a laminate floor.  Laminate and wood floors are even worse though.  You may not get thick carpet fibres in the PC but at least a carpet can trap a lot of the dust in the room.  With a wooden floor there’s nowhere for it to go except for inside your computer.

So we reach a point, as we all do from time to time, when you need to clean the inside of your computer, as I will have to do today.  I thought I’d share with you then my tips on the best way to do this.

First of all you should make sure that the computer is switched off and unplugged from the mains electricity supply before you take the side off the case.  You should then make sure that wherever you clean the PC, which should be in a place perhaps near an open door as it’ll get messy, it should be well supported on a clean, flat surface.

The best start is with a good strong puff of breath.  You’d be surprised how much dust this will actually clear.  Some people at this point may be inclined to stick a vacuum cleaner in the case, but first I’d recommend a small, unused, paintbrush.  This is a great way to get rid of most of the dust from the components themselves.

This won’t get the dust up from the inside bottom the case though and won’t help with the processor heatsink where you can’t (or at least shouldn’t) remove the fan.  Here you’ll need that afore-mentioned vacuum cleaner.

You should always make sure, when using a vacuum cleaner inside a PC that you observe the following rules.

1. Always use the vacuum on it’s lowest suction setting
2. Have a small, soft brush attachment fitted to the end of the hose

With these two rules in place you’ll be able to gently brush over the components inside the case and remove the dust.  The processor heatsink can be more stubborn but for that I’d recommend the long thin nozzle attachment which you can point inside the fan to get at the dust directly.

You do need to be very careful when cleaning the inside of your PC as the components inside, especially those on the motherboard and plug-in cards are tiny and sometimes very fragile.  Always be very gentle and take your time.

You should normally do this with a PC a couple of times a year or so depending on where you keep the machine and how dusty it gets. Doing this will help prolong the life of your computer, help keep it operating at its maximum speed, help keep it quiet and probably most importantly have the side-effect of reducing your electricity consumption.

Lets start with a list of components that I need to build the PC:

Core PC Components

• Motherboard – Determined mostly by the selected cpu and required connections.
• CPU – Intel or AMD are options.
• CPU Cooler
• Power Supply
• RAM – Maximum RAM may be limited by operating system and motherboard.
• Video Card – AMD or NVIDIA. Onboard is not an option for the PC that I want to build.
• Storage – SSD or conventional hard drives, or both.
• PC Case – Basic or with extras.
• Optical drives – DVD writer is a must, Blu-Ray not really needed.

Other components

• Mouse and keyboard
• Computer monitor
• Audio Card / Onboard
• Headset with Microphone

When I build a PC I usually start with the selection of the processor and go from there. When I have the processor I know which motherboard I need. From there I get the RAM, video card and the other components.

CPU

I never go for the fastest cpu available. The price difference to less powerful processors is just to steep and does not justify the price, at least not for a desktop computer. You can save lots of money if you buy a slightly less powerful cpu. That still leaves the question if it should be an Intel or AMD cpu. I do not really have a preference in this regard but have used Intel in the past which is why I stick with Intel on this one.

I definitely want to pick cpus with Intel’s new Sandy Bridge architecture. You may notice that Sandy Bridge processors are offered with and without k after the number. K indicates cpus with an unlocked multiplier, which is great if you are into overclocking.

The following two cpus are my favorites currently.

• Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz – $230
• Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz – $320

The Core i7 is faster than its Core i5 counterpart but not as much as you might expect. Hardcoreware have compared the performance of both cpus. The differences range from negligible when it comes to PC gaming to somewhat noticeable for tasks like rendering or archiving. Does that justify the $90 extra that you have to pay for the i7-2600k? Not necessarily.

Motherboard

Now that I have the cpu, I can start evaluating motherboards for that cpu. Both processors require LGA 1155 socket type motherboards. Motherboards come in all sizes and shapes, and it is important to have a solid understanding of what you want before you start picking the first one you see. For instance, do you need USB 3.0, Firewire or Bluetooth support? Want two or four memory slots? Should it have a 1000 Gigabit Ethernet port? How many PCI Express slots should it have, and should it have PCI slots as well? What about SATA 6 GB/s?

My requirements are the following: I want a motherboard with an UEFI-BIOS which offers many advantages. I’d also like SATA 6 GB/s support and USB 3.0 support. I want it to have onboard sound, and I do not need PCI slots, only PCI Express. It should have at least one Gigabit Ethernet port.

The following two motherboards are my favorites:

• ASRock P67 EXTREME4 – $160
• MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) – $165

Both support all the features that I need and affordable enough.

CPU Cooler

I usually do not use boxed cpu coolers as they are often to loud and do not cool the cpu down as good as third party coolers. Still, I often try them out first before I purchase a new cooler. For now, it is the boxed cooler that I’ll use. Selecting the right cooler is a science for itself.

One cooler that I’m currently looking at is the Noctua NH-U9B SE2 92mm.

Power Supply

The power supply has to be efficient and silent at the same time. It is at least 80 Plus power supplies that I’m after, preferably Gold standard.

My old PC has an Enermax Modu 87+ 700W and I want to buy the same power unit for the new PC as well. It is almost silent and very effective thanks to its Gold rating.

• ENERMAX MODU87+ EMG700AWT 700W – $180

Ram

My old Pc has 8 Gigabytes of Ram, and my intention is to double the amount of RAM on the new one. This may be overkill and I know that. Still, the price seems to be right.

• G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 – $210
• CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 – $210

Video Card

I just bought a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 which is sufficient for all the gaming that I do. I will keep the card for now in the system, and get a new card in a year’s time when new cards are released by AMD and NVIDIA.

The card is a Zotac GeForce GTX 470

Storage

The combination of a fast Solid State Drive for the system partition, and a large conventional hard drive for storage is in my opinion excellent. My intention is to buy a new generation SSD that promises even faster speeds as this generation.

My current favorite is the OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G. It is a bit pricey right now at $300.

The conventional hard drive should have storage capacities of at least 2 TB, better three. I only want one additional drive because of heat and noise.

One options is to wait until the new versions of the Seagate Barracuda XT are available which manage to pack 1 TB of data on one platter, making the 3 TB drive a three platter drive.

The drive currently retails for $200. Prices will drop when availability increases. I may alternatively look at a slower 5400 rpm drive.

PC Case

My old PC case is a Lian Li PC-8NB with additional noise protection build in. I’d like to buy the exact same tower for my new PC. It retails for roughly $150.

Optical Drives

DVD writers are very cheap nowadays and they are all that I need. You can get them for about $20. I have had good experience with Samsung drives in the past and will purchase one for the new PC as well.

Overview

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz – $230
Motherboard: ASRock P67 EXTREME4 – $160
PSU: ENERMAX MODU87+ EMG700AWT 700W – $170
Ram: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB – $210
Video Card: None
SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G – $300
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda XT – $200
PC Case: Lian Li PC-8NB – $150
DVD Writer: Samsung HD203WI – $20

The complete PC in this form sets me back $1440. If you add a $200 video card and peripherals like mouse and keyboard you end up at about $1800 for the whole system without monitor. That’s a lot of money for a computer system. I could probably reduce that by half if I’d change the components.

Have you built a PC lately? What where your components?

So if you’re thinking of buying a new PC, the question to ask yourself now is should you really bother?

Windows Vista caused no end of problems when it was launched back in 2006 and forced many people who were using it to upgrade to better and faster hardware just to get it to work.  With Windows 7 Microsoft fixed all the problems and gave us an operating system that would work happily, though a little slowly on a 1.6GHz Atom processor.

We can see now that with Windows 8 not only is the bar being lowered ever further when it comes to performance, but that the OS will be giving us more.

Traditionally if you wanted an operating system that would run efficiently on older hardware you had only one choice, GNU/Linux, but it’s now clear that this is a market that Microsoft are going after, and going after agressively.

It’s not that Microsoft want to attack Linux, that’s probably the last thing on their minds.  It’s clear that low-power processing is where the computing market is going and for most every day computing tasks these devices are usually perfectly adequate.  Microsoft have simply seen which way the wind is blowing and, in an uncharacteristic display of flexibility and innovation, have decided to jump aboard the bandwagon.

So where does this leave everyone with a PC at home?  Should you indeed think about buying a new PC at all when the times comes to replace yours?

There are different options for this.  The first is that if you are a PC gamer the answer remains a resolute yes as the latest games will still demand Core i5 overclocked power to run effectively.  If you’re not a gamer though then you could easily find that Windows 8 is even faster and more responsive on your existing computer hardware than Windows 7 (though we have yet to see any actual performance benchmarks).

The third and most compelling reason is that the whole tablet market is evolving still and by the time Windows 8 launches in all its tablet glory we’ll be looking at a whole broad range of innovative devices, some with one screen, some with two, some like a book, laptop, netbook or tablet, some with keyboards, flip down, fold out, and some without, that there will undoubtedly be a new way to interact with our computers that suits us!  Frankly, this one has been a long time coming and it’s about damn time.

When Windows 8 launches the world will be more than used to tapping away at a keyboard that’s connected to a large box in a corner of the room, or even in it’s own room, that requires it’s own piece of furniture and that, frankly, is becoming more and more loathed for this very reason year on year.

If you’re planning on buying yourself a new PC, or even a new laptop in the coming year my advice would be to hold fire and wait.  Before the end of this year we’ll see what Microsoft will really have to offer us with the next version of Windows and they’re certain to demonstrate the OS running on a wide variety of form factors.  There are exciting times ahead and it’s now just not the right year to buy a new PC.

The PC that I want to build for instance has to be an all purpose PC. It should be able to run the latest games but it will mostly be used for work. The PC should be as silent as possible without running to hot. The operating system will be Windows 7 64-bit. It should support USB 3.0 which has been released some time ago and will become the new standard to connect USB devices.

I have decided to divide the article into different parts to be able to concentrate on specific hardware and why I have chosen them. We begin with the selection of the CPU, motherboard and RAM, the core components of a computer.

Build Your Own PC: CPU

PC users have a wide selection of CPUs. It basically comes down to the two manufacturers AMD and Intel who both produce processors for lots of different purposes. We are looking for a desktop cpu which means that we will concentrate our search on those. Top of the line CPUs are usually to expensive for their performance gain over the rest of the CPU lineup (unless you have the cash lying around).

This basically leaves two options: An Intel Core-i7, Core-i5 or an AMD Phenom II X4. It is now time to use the Internet or computer magazines to find benchmarks and reviews of those CPUs. You can use many hardware shops like Newegg, CPU Benchmarks or Tomshardware as well as many other sites for that.

You will end up with a few CPUs that would make a good selection: Intel Core i7-860, Intel Core i7-920, Intel Core i5-750 or AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE. The final selection now is not only determined by the performance but also the price and quality of the CPU. The AMD CPU is cheaper than all Intel CPUs. It’s performance is lower than the Intel CPU performance but it should be sufficient for all computing tasks.

The Intel Core i7-860 is the fastest Intel CPU in this field but also the most expensive one, we are talking about a difference of €100 here.

• My Selection: Intel Core i7-860
• Alternative: AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE

Build Your Own PC: Motherboard

The selected CPU leads directly to the motherboard that we need. The Intel Core i7-860 needs an LGA-1156 CPU socket type  motherboard. We use our needs and wishes that we came up with earlier in this step. The motherboard needs to offer all the connectors that we need, e.g. Firewire, which makes the selection process easier for us as we need to find and evaluate only those motherboards that support all the features that we need.

What should the motherboard offer?

• Minimum number of memory slots: 4
• CPU: At least Intel Core i7-860
• Memory: At least DDR3 1600
• USB 3.0
• Onboard Lan: 1000/100/10
• Onboard Sounds: Indifferent
• Onboard Video: No
• SLI: No
• SATA 3 GB/s: At least six
• Raid: No
• Other Connectors: Not needed

This may obviously look different when you build your own PC. It is again important to make an initial selection of 2-3 motherboards that offer what you are looking for. The next step is very important. Perform a search for that motherboard on the Internet and add keywords like problem, error, or help to it. Take a look at those posts and the number of them to see how likely it is that you might run into troubles.

The Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 is one of the few motherboards that support USB 3.0 right now. It is not as expensive as many other  motherboards that offer USB 3.0 (costs $120).  The other motherboards that I have taken a look at are the  MSI P55-GD85 which retails for about $220 which has a surprisingly similar configuration to the Gigabyte motherboard and the ASUS P7H57D-V EVO for $200 which is the only one of the three with an HDMI port.

The Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 offers everything that I need plus it is roughly $100 cheaper than the rest of the motherboards. That’s enough to make it my pick in the motherboard category.

My Selection:

• GIGABYTE GA-P55-USB3

Build Your Own PC: RAM

The selection of the motherboard determines the RAM – or computer memory – that we can use. We also need to determine at this point if we want more than 4 Gigabytes of RAM. We would need a 64-bit operating system if we do.

We do need DDR3 RAM (to be precise 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM)  as this is the computer memory supported by our motherboard. We also need dual-channel or quad-channel and not triple-channel RAM as we have selected the Core i7-860 cpu. This means that we either need to shop for 4 Gigabytes of RAM or a factor of that (8, 12 or 16 which is the maximum supported by the motherboard).

It does not really make sense to buy less than 4 Gigabytes as it would limit the PC”s performance. Avid gamers or those that run applications that need as fast RAM as they can get might want to take a look at overclocked RAM or RAM that can be overclocked nicely. I usually stay away from that RAM though as the performance gains usually do not justify the price increase. The motherboard supports up to DDR3-2200.

My Selection

• CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 ($270)
• G.SKILL Trident 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (if you want faster) ($290)

This was the first part of the Build your own PC February edition. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I do. Leave a comment if you have questions or suggestions.

The benefit of building a PC instead of buying one is that the builder can customize the hardware configuration. There are usually some shops in the vicinity that offer to build the computer from the components picked by the user for a small fee. That might be an interesting option for users who are not confident to build the PC themselves but still want to have the control over the hardware selection process:

The following computer is not an ulta-high-end computer. It instead offers great performance for its price which is everything that I care about. It should also be relatively quiet thanks to the selection of specific hardware that is quieter than the usual solutions found in pre-build PCs.

There have been some changes since the last build. Ati has released the DirectX 11 compatible Ati Radeon 5000 series of video cards. Another thing to consider is that USB 3.0 devices will be more common in this year and that the computer should be have USB 3.0 if such devices will be or might be bought in the future.

Main PC build:

CPU: Intel Core i7-860 [$280]
CPU Cooler: Prolimatech Megahalems Rev.B CPU Cooler [$60], requires a 120mm fan to be bought separately for about [$20]
Computer Memory: CORSAIR DOMINATOR 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) [$300]
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 (comes with USB 3.0) [$135]
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon 5770 Vapor-X [$180]
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 [$90] or any other sound card for that matter depending on your sound system setup. Onboard sound might be fine to for some users.
Hard Drives: 2x SAMSUNG EcoGreen F2 HD154UI 1.5TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5″ Internal Hard Drive [$200] ; OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT60G 2.5″ 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) [$269] for operating system, applications and games.
Power Supply: Seasonic X-650 [$170]
Case: SILVERSTONE Fortress Series FT02B-W Black Aluminum / Steel Computer Case – Retail [$239]
Computer Keyboard: Logitech G110 [$80]
Computer Mouse: Logitech G500 [$60]

Alternative build:

The alternative build replaces some components to reduce the price of the PC system.

CPU: Intel Core i7-860 [$280]
CPU Cooler: boxed cooler that ships with the cpu [$0]
Computer Memory: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) [$95]
Motherboard: MSI P55M-GD45 (comes without USB 3.0) [$120]
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon 5770 Vapor-X [$180]
Sound Card: none, onboard sound used instead [$0]
Hard Drives: Western Digital Caviar Black WD10000LSRTL 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5″ Hard Drive [$105]
Power Supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V [$100]
Case: NZXT GAMMA Classic Series GAMA-001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case – Retail [$30]
Computer Keyboard: Generic keyboard [$20]
Computer Mouse: Generic mouse [$20]

The alternative build is more than $1000 cheaper than the initial build. It is not as fast and quit as the original PC but it is still a great computer system.

What are your thoughts on the two builds? Would you replace hardware or add other hardware? Let us know in the comments.

This includes information about the cpu, computer memory, motherboard (including manufacturer, type, socket and chipset, graphics, hard drives, optical drives and audio.

A sidebar like menu contains links to sections that contain detailed reports about the selected hardware that has been listed in the summary.

These sections contain very detailed reports on the PC hardware. The computer memory section for example contains information about the type, size, channels, DRAM frequency, command rate, frequencies and dozens of additional parameters that go into extreme details.

The program provides excellent information for users who want to find out detailed information about connected and installed PC hardware. The beta version had problems identifying the Ati Radeon 4870 video card that was installed in the test PC system.

Speccy is available as a beta for most Microsoft operating systems including the latest Windows 7. It is available as a portable software and installer.

I’m usually favoring the “second-best” part or device over the best, e.g. not the latest and greatest video card for $600+ but one for $300 that is not super fast but still fast enough for everything.

Usage:

I need the PC for blogging and research on the Internet mainly. I want to view movies and listen to music. I also want to work with Visual Studio and play some games with friends every now and then.

Components:

CPU: Intel I7 9xx or 8xx. If you have other suggestions or favor a specific processor let me know
Computer Memory: 8GB or more
Motherboard: No favorite yet. Do not need a lot of extras like firewire, bluetooth, infrared connections on the board. Should have a fast network connection build in.
Video Card: No idea. Do not want to pay more than $300 for the video card. I currently have a ATI 4870. Are there any DirectX 11 cards out there yet? Video card should not make a lot of noise.
Hard Drives: I need at least 2 Terabyte. No more than two hard drives. Currently thinking about getting two 1.5 Terabyte drives. Hard drives should not make lots of noise. More important than speed to me. I do not need Raid but I though about having a faster boot hard drive and two slower data drives. Would you favor a fast hard drive (or two in Raid) or SSD drive for that task?
SSD Drives: I’m not sure if I want an SSD drive. Are there any next gen SSD drives out there that do not get slower over time?
Sound Card: Not necessarily needed but if there is a good one for little money I take it. Otherwise it should be onboard sound.
Case: Mid-tower is fine. I do not care about color but it should have a few connectors on the front (e.g. USB)
Power Unit: It has to be quiet. Should supply enough power though for the computer system.
Computer Monitor: Do not need one

Did I leave anything out? I’m keen to read your suggestions. I also do not have a problem waiting another few months before I build the system in case some ubercool hardware comes out in that time that is worth waiting for.

Newegg’s Power Supply Calculator is a online form that can be used to calculate a rough minimum power supply unit wattage. Many computer builders select a power supply unit that is over-dimensioned for the computer system that they are building. This is usually fueled by users on the Internet who give advice to pick a high-end power supply unit to be on the safe side.

The user has to enter data in the requested fields of the power supply calculator including information about the processor, video card, motherboard, computer memory, hard drives and optical drives. The calculator will then crunch some numbers and suggest a minimum wattage for the power supply unit.

It is always a good idea to pick a power supply unit that offers additional capacities to be on the safe side. This could be important when adding new computer hardware to the PC. It is therefor not advised to select a 400 Watt power supply unit of the calculator’s suggested wattage turned out to be 396 Watt.

There are obviously other factors that play a role like picking an energy efficient power supply unit (check out the 80 plus power supply units article for pointers).

Newegg’s Power Supply Calculator offers a quick calculation of the minimum wattage required for a specific computer system configuration. It is therefor a good starting point before selecting a power supply unit.

The ICSI Netalyzr is a new beta online network troubleshooting analyzer that can analyze various aspects of a computer’s network connection. It is made up of a Java applet that has to be executed on the user’s system. The benefits of a Java Applet are that it is system independent and that it can access and analyze the computer’s hardware and other aspects of the computer system.

The analysis will take a while and an in depth network troubleshooting report will be generated and presented to the user in the end.

The network troubleshooting report is divided into two sections. The first reports on noteworthy events and is further divided into major abnormalities and minor aberrations. The second section displays the detailed network troubleshooting report that is colored for easier access. Entries with red backgrounds describe network problems while green backgrounds display unproblematic network elements.

Each title in the report is clickable leading to a short explanation of how the tests are conducted. Related articles can be found about Network Bandwidth and Network Monitoring Software.

It is likely that additional games are shown in the coming days. This could mean that we are going to create a follow up article with even more trailers and game previews. If you think that we missed a game or think that we have added a game that should not be in this list let us know in the comments.

New Super Mario Bros (Nintendo Wii)

Has the looks and feels of the real classic Super Mario games. 2D environment and Co-Op play!

Modern Warfare 2 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

A first person shooter with incredible graphics.

Star Wars The Old Republic (PC)

A Star Wars MMORPG by Bioware, the makers of Kotor 1 and 2.

The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition (PC, Xbox Live Arcade)

A remake of the classic Lucas Arts adventure

Alan Wake (PC, Xbox 360)

From the makers of Max Payne 1 and 2, following these footsteps.

Dragon Age: Origins (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Another Bioware RPG, this with a fantasy scenario and aiming for a mature audience.

Brutal Legend (Xbox 360, PS3)

By Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle genius Tim Schafer. Funny game with Jack Black and legends of heavy metal.

No More Heroes 2 (Wii)

Probably the most stylish game for the Nintendo Wii.

Mafia II (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Mafia was one of the most popular PC games of its time and the second part is destined to surpass that.

]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2009/06/03/best-games-of-e3/feed/ 4 http://www.ghacks.net/2009/05/01/usb-30-what-you-need-to-know-about-superspeed-usb/ http://www.ghacks.net/2009/05/01/usb-30-what-you-need-to-know-about-superspeed-usb/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 07:56:44 +0000 Martin Brinkmann http://www.ghacks.net/2009/05/01/usb-30-what-you-need-to-know-about-superspeed-usb/ USB 1.0 and USB 2.0 are serial bus standards that connect devices to computer systems. Most users probably know USB from devices like external hard drives, keyboards, mice but also mobile devices which are usually connected via USB to computer systems these days. USB 2.0, also known as Hi-Speed USB, was the first upgrade to the USB standard in April 2000 which delivered faster transfer speeds. The transfer speed rose from 12 Mbit / s for USB 1.0 devices to 480 Mbit / s for USB 2.0 devices.

SuperSpeed USB, which was demonstrated for the first time in 2007 will advance the serial bus standard once again. Transfer speeds have been raised to a speed of 5 Gbit / s which improves data transfer speeds tremendously. To copy a 25 Gigabyte file USB 1.0 needed 9.03h, USB 2.0 13.09 minutes and USB 3.0 1.10 minutes. USB 3.0 receptacles are backwards compatible with USB 2.0 device plugs which basically means that computer users can still connect their USB 2.0 or USB 1.0 devices into a computer system supporting USB 3.0.

Another interesting addition to USB 3.0 are power saving features which were especially designed for mobile devices. Packet traffic is no longer being broadcasted to the USB device which reduces its power usage. Additional power saving features like idle, sleep and suspend states have been added to USB 3.0 as well. A device entering sleep mode will practically be left alone by USB 3.0 Hosts until itself initiates a device mode change. The power specs have been increased on the other hand to be able to provide devices (like external hard drives) with additional power for their operation.

First devices that make use of USB 3.0 are expected in 2009 but the main push towards USB 3.0 is expected to begin in 2010.

]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2009/05/01/usb-30-what-you-need-to-know-about-superspeed-usb/feed/ 6 http://www.ghacks.net/2008/09/15/can-you-build-a-pc-for-less-than-100/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/09/15/can-you-build-a-pc-for-less-than-100/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:19:40 +0000 Cheryl http://www.ghacks.net/?p=7021 I was reading The Simple Dollar where there was an interesting post on the cheapest fully functional PC a person could use. The post was sparked by the author’s own experience of building PCs for people and just where you can cut costs. He says you can get a computer for less than $100. Here’s how:

Hardware: Trent (the author) suggests scouting around garage sales and social networks specializing in giveaways to find free or cheap hardware. This includes the CPU with a CD or DVD drive, a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. He also threw in speakers. His theory is that people are forever upgrading their computers and usually get rid of good quality equipment for free or at a throwaway price. According to him, this is the only step of the process that involves spending money.

Software: For the OS, Trent recommends the Linux distro Ubuntu. Like most Linux distros, this one is a free download or you can have the Ubuntu folks mail you an installation CD. Ubuntu comes with almost all the programs an average person needs on their PC.

My thoughts: While Trent’s PC building post suggests that a cheap PC is possible, I’m not so convinced. For one thing, picking up hardware at a garage sale can score you a good deal, you also have no idea what you’re getting. Not to mention the havoc someone can wreck with a hard disk that hasn’t been wiped clean.

My other source of hesitation is the choice of Ubuntu. While I have no problems with it, I don’t think it’s effective for computer novices, who are the recipients of this kind of PC. Thirdly, old hardware components are notoriously power-hungry. There’s no point in building a cheap PC if it’s going to feast on your power bill.

Overall, I think it’s possible to build a cheap PC but you may just get more than you bargained for. What do you think of these PC-building suggestions? Would you want to use a computer built this way? What’s the cheapest you think a PC should cost for a novice user? Let me know in the comments.

]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2008/09/15/can-you-build-a-pc-for-less-than-100/feed/ 16 http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/06/must-have-software-for-a-new-computer/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/06/must-have-software-for-a-new-computer/#comments Tue, 06 May 2008 09:46:37 +0000 Martin Brinkmann http://www.ghacks.net/?p=4020 I’m still not finished with the installation of all applications that I want to use on my new computer but the essential ones are there. Essential are those that are needed to work online and view most of the files that I need to work with. The first two applications that I did install were Firefox and Thunderbird both in their latest release version. I then imported the data from my old computer to the new one which gave me access to bookmarks, cookies and saved passwords.

I needed MozBackup to import the data from my old computer. Once I had access to my bookmarks and emails I began to install several applications that I needed for work. The screenshot application MWSnap, WinSCP and Putty to administrate my dedicated server, GIMP for editing images and XNView Lite for viewing images.

Then Extract Now to be able to work with all kinds of archives, XMPlay for playing music, SMPlayer for videos, Notepad++ for working with texts and source codes and True Crypt to work with encrypted partitions.

Some applications that I need from time to time are not installed yet. This includes the awesome Unlocker to get rid of the “currently in use” message when deleting or moving files, Eraser to delete files permanently, Recuva to be able to recover files and Revo Uninstaller to completely remove installed applications.

I do install Newsbin Pro, uTorrent and Opera as well but that’s it basically. That’s my main set of applications that I need regularly. I may have missed one or two but they will come to my mind in the moment I need them and miss the function that they provided.

Have anything to add ? Let me know please.

]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/06/must-have-software-for-a-new-computer/feed/ 27 http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/05/testing-a-newly-build-pc/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/05/testing-a-newly-build-pc/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 08:11:14 +0000 Martin Brinkmann http://www.ghacks.net/?p=4008 Testing a newly build or purchased computer is essential for two reasons. The first is to make sure that the hardware does not get damaged.The main problem of most modern PCs is heat, each device can only cope with a certain amount of heat and if that heat rises above a level the device was designed to endure it can lead to hardware damages and data corruption.

The second reason is to make sure that the hardware is working properly. If your computer ram is faulty you can run into all kinds of difficulties from crashes and bluescreens to severe data loss.I use several applications to test a new computer to reduce the chance that I will run into such difficulties.

I consider the first start the first test of the computer. Why ? Because if the computer boots properly I know that all the devices that are needed to boot are working properly at that time. I usually check the BIOS first which normally does come with a PC Health menu that displays PC temperatures. This first step is essential.

If the CPU temperature for instance would look very high (consult the CPU booklet or website of the developer if you don’t know the values) then something went wrong with the cpu cooler. It could be that the cooler has not been properly placed on the cpu or that the cooler does not have the capacities to cool it effectively.

I usually only test the memory and the cpu of the computer. Especially the memory is essential. The applications that I use for testing purposes are Prime95 (Torture Mode) and Memtest86. Memtest86 is available as a bootable ISO version which means that you can run the application before installing the operating system.

I suppose there is some Live CD that is offering additional applications, anyone having a good tip about that ?

Both applications stress test the computer and should not display errors or cause reboots and shutdowns. A reboot or shutdown usually means that the computer has a cooling problem or faulty hardware. I normally run both applications for at least six hours to make sure everything is alright.

Keeping an eye on the computer temperatures is essential in the beginning. It’s not only the cpu that is important, hard drive, video card and system temperatures are important as well and should not rise to critical levels even when stress testing the computer.

The first application that I usually start after installing the operating system and the drivers is one of those system analysers. Something like Sandra Sisoft or Everest Ultimate. The trial versions are sufficient for my needs and I uninstall the applications after a while again.

Both display the temperatures of all important components and they usually come with their own system stress tests as well.These programs are also excellent for comparing the build in hardware with the hardware that you did purchase.

Gamers can also run 3D Mark 2006 to test their system and observe the temperature level of the video card and cpu afterwards.I usually run Speedfan all the time for the first week which display all temperature sensors of the computer and has the advantage that it is a tiny application that does not use a lot of system resources.

Do you use other programs to test a computer ? Let me know about them.

]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/05/testing-a-newly-build-pc/feed/ 5 http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/04/building-a-pc-from-scratch/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/04/building-a-pc-from-scratch/#comments Sun, 04 May 2008 08:05:46 +0000 Martin Brinkmann http://www.ghacks.net/?p=4001 The computer parts for my new PC arrived two days ago and I would like to share with you how I build my new PC. This article covers the hardware part of building the PC. It obviously does not end with that. The PC needs at least one operating system and most users who have been using an older computer want to transfer data from the old to the new computer. I’m currently in the process of installing the operating systems, will take a while.

The first thing that I did when the packages with the PC parts arrived was to check if everything was there and it it was the correct component. Nothing is worse than to find out that a component is missing when you’re in the middle of building the PC. I normally put everything on a table and make a quick check that I got everything that I need to build the PC.

Building a PC is much like a puzzle. You got finite parts and need to place them in the right location of the computer case and connect each and every piece properly to get a PC that is working and booting. Before I start adding pieces to the PC case I divided them into primary and secondary components.

Primary PC Components:

• Computer Case
• Motherboard
• CPU
• CPU Cooler
• Power Supply
• Thermal Grease
• Case Fans

Secondary PC Components:

• Memory
• Video Card
• Hard Drive
• Sound Card
• Other Cards
• CD and DVD Drives
• Mouse
• Keyboard
• any other external device

The reason why I’m dividing the components up is because the primary components are harder to assemble than the secondary ones. You can add the video card and remove it in a matter of seconds but you cannot do that with the CPU if the CPU cooler has already been placed on it.

I usually start with the computer case and the power unit. The computer case normally comes with a lot of screws that are needed for various parts. The problem with the power unit is its size mainly. If you have other components in the PC you might have troubles placing it in the right location. It is usually connected to the PC with four screws.

The next part is in my opinion the part were many things can go wrong. I’m talking about the motherboard. Some builders prefer to add components to the motherboard when it is outside of the computer case because they have additional free space to add the components that way. It cannot rest on the tower directly and you have to place standoffs between the motherboard and the case. The standoffs have to be in the location that corresponds to the holes in the motherboard because you will use screws to firmly place the motherboard on those standoffs.

This part is really important, especially for those builders who place the motherboard in the computer case and add other components afterwards. Some computer parts need a little bit of pressure to be properly put in place. If you do not use enough standoffs you can break your motherboard quite easily if you apply to much pressure. The more standoffs the less the chance that it breaks.

Most motherboards come with their own back panel that needs to be switched with the default one from your computer case before connecting the motherboard to the computer. The back panel contains all those USB and sound device connectors from the motherboard.

When the motherboard is in place I connect the wires from the computer case to the motherboard. The wires are used to power certain buttons and lights on the computer case, for example the Power button. You need to consult the motherboard manual to find the proper place for them.

After that I add the cpu first. Again, that is a easy task. Just consult the motherboard manual and it will tell you exactly how it is done. It comes down to raising the socket laever, lifting the metal load plate and placing the cpu in the correct position. The cpu displays a tiny triangle on one edge and that triangle is aligned with the pin one corner of the cpu socket.

I then apply the thermal grease to the cpu and place the cpu cooler on top of it. This can be quite tough depending on the type of CPU cooler that you bought. Just read the instructions properly and you should be fine. The cpu cooler is usually connected to four holes that are next to the cpu.

And that was the hardest part of assembling the computer. It really comes down to these few components that can make or break the computer. Everything else is just a matter of placing the cards in the correct slots of connecting drives to the computer.

I can understand that most users do not want to build a computer because of fear that they break something. Another fear is connected to the different parts one has to buy in order to build the computer.

The whole process is not that difficulty if you read the manuals properly and use the above build order. Last but not least, here are the components that I finally purchased for my computer. It is not the fastest computer but it can do everything that you need to do, play games, watch videos, work with it.

• Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU
• Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler
• Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS4 Motherboard
• MDT DIMM Kit 4096 MB PC2-6400 CL5 DDR2-800 RAM
• Seasonic S12II-500 ATX PSU
• Samsung Spinpoint F1 1000 GB SATA II Hard Drive
• Lian Li PC-A09B Computer Case
• Leadtek PX8800GTS TDH 512MB Video Card
• Creative SB X-FI XtremeMusic Sound Card

It took me roughly 2 hours to build the compute and it started immediately after connecting the power unit. Now I had experiences in the past where that was not the case and it usually comes down to checking all connectors making sure everything is connected properly.

A friend of mine prefers the minimal approach. He only connects the primary components first, that is computer case, power unit, cpu, cpu cooler, motherboard, video card and ram and tries to boot the PC. If the PC boots he knows that everything up to this point is working nicely. He then adds one component at a time until every component has been added to the computer.

You do not need a degree in computer science to build a PC. It all comes down to reading the manual properly and the correct build order.

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