"How Do I build a Computer?"

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There are a few things you will need to buy:

CPU
Motherboard
Heatsink
Memory
Video Card
Sound Card
Modem/ Network Card
Hard drive
DVD/CDRW drive
Floppy Drive
Case
Keyboard
Mouse
Monitor
Speakers
Fan(s)
Operating System
1. CPU

The biggest decision you will make is the CPU. This single part will determines the motherboard and that in turn determines the remaining components.

You will hear in forums many, many discussions as to what the best CPU is. My choice has been AMD for one reason only: Price and Performance. I believe you get more bang for the buck. On the other hand, my brother-in-law wants Intel for its stability and reputation.

In benchmarks for multimedia and games with identical systems, stock speeds, and the best of the best products, there is only a slight lead in these benchmarks for Intel. In productivity benchmarks, it will be AMD.

If price is your deciding factor, the Athlon XP or Celeron is the choice. If performance were the deciding factor, the Intel Pentium 4 or Athlon XP 512K cache would be your choice.

Clock for clock, the Athlon XP will do more work; however, the Pentium IV can go faster in MHz.

Here is a very crude analogy: AMD is a bus that can hold 20 people. You have 20 people that need to go one mile. Intel is a bus that holds 10 people. The AMD bus does it in 1 cycle. The Intel bus is twice as fast so it can take the twenty people in 2 cycles. Intel is just twice as fast to do the same job in the same amount of time.

Good thing there are only two real choices, AMD or INTEL - the decision is yours.

AMD Choices - Athlon XP (512K L2 cache), Athlon XP
INTEL Choices - Pentium 4, Celeron

Component: Athlon XP 2500

2. Motherboard

This is determined by the CPU choice above. AMD processors use Socket 462, while Intel processors use socket 478. Both of these sockets are ZIF, which mean if the CPU is oriented correctly, the processor will slip into place with very little pressure when a locking bar is in the up position.

No matter the choice, price is a deciding factor here. You can go as low as $50 dollars for a basic motherboard to $200 plus for a motherboard that has every imaginable feature and then some.

Features you should look for now in any motherboard:

DDR memory support
AGP 8X video card support

If you are just building a machine to do work, go cheaper or more features. If you are hardcore overclocker, read every review to see what is the best and buy it if it suits your needs.

Component: Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe

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