Schewanick Computer Services

Most people just assume that a new computer is a Dell or Gateway. Few people (other than the technically inclined) know that Dell and Gateway skimp on the parts inside the computer. What you're left with is a third-rate computer that costs much more than it should have. I'm writing this to guide people on the right path of building a computer.

Firstly, you must gather the must-have parts for your computer to even boot up...

1.Motherboard - This is the essential piece that all other components of the computer hook into. If you are building a great computer, look for a board that contains PCI-Express slots for a killer graphics card (2005), plenty of RAM slots for memory, a good bus speed for fast processing, and 2-4 USB 2.0 slots would be nice for digital cameras, printers, etc. The motherboard is processor dependent (different types needed for different CPU's).

2.CPU - Major brands right now are Intel and AMD. Everyone has his or her own opinions, but AMD gives more bang for the buck. Go for the Athlon 64 model and a socket 759 or 939 motherboard as it's not ridiculously expensive and has great value. If you are an Intel fan since they are a little more stable, go with a Pentium 4 and a socket 775 board.

3.RAM - Again, dependent on the motherboard. A higher ranking is generally better but more expensive. I would go with 2 sticks of 512 MB DDR RAM as the minimum.

4.Hard Drive - They are being sold cheaper and cheaper. If you want one that will last for a long, long time...SATA is a must, 100-200GB recommended.

5.Case - A full tower if you are interested in a server class computer (very, very powerful and easy to upgrade) or a mid-size tower for a standard PC. They are usually the perfect size to stash it away and still have enough space to upgrade easily later on.

6.Monitor - I'd go with a 17" or 19" LCD monitor. They are much sharper the CTS (the boxy ones) and will leave your desk less crowded.

7.Keyboard & Mouse - It doesn't really matter much unless you love First Person Shooter games. Get a cheaper one if you don't. An additional option is to get wireless so it's less congested. If you love FPS games, then you should go with a corded, optical mouse (less lag) that has a nice feel and weight to it.

Well, that's all you need in order to build computers, but you still have the option to get an operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux), a CD/DVD Drive, Ethernet card, Floppy Disk Drive, Printer, Digital Camera, etc.

Secondly, you need to put the parts all together. That would be way too much information to put in one article, but I can show you a very helpful guide at http://www.gaming-computers-authority.com/Building-A-Computer.htm l

About the author:

Well, my name is Jared Strop and I've been a computer gamer for a very long time. I am currently hard at work at GameStop and a devoted webmaster.