Save Yourself Money by Building Your Own Computer: What Dell Doesn't Want You to Know

I don't know why the popular computer company, Dell, sends me their catalog every month. I have never purchased a Dell product, and seeing the blatantly overpriced products for sale certainly isn't going to persuade me to.

Anyone who has a working knowledge of computers and how they're built can attest to the fact that buying from Dell and other computer manufacturers is a waste of money. Buying individual components and building your own computer is not as difficult as it sounds, and taking matters into your own hands almost always ensures that you will get a much bigger bang for your buck. Building a custom computer is definitely more of a hassle than ordering a pre-made system from Best Buy. Before you make the decision to invest your time and money in this project, be sure you're willing to sacrifice some convenience for the sake of saving lots of money. You will need to understand the importance of each computer part and the options available, and you will need to pay attention to compatibility between your parts (which is usually as easy as matching up names and numbers).

Once you've decided that you want to try your hand at assembling your own, personal dream machine, there is one website that you should become familiar with. This is http://www.newegg.com. NewEgg is a computer and electronics merchant with a near-comprehensive collection of affordable and extravagant products alike (note: even if you opt for extravagant, expect to be building a machine for heaps less than buying the same machine pre-made). Searching for products on NewEgg is as easy as navigating the options in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. Each time you select an option, you are presented with all of the products that fit your current criteria as well as more options to further narrow your search. It's a very intuitive, easy to learn process, even if you're not that familiar with computers.

Now that you've made friends with NewEgg, it's time to go over what each component in a computer is, and why it is important.

(Please be aware that this guide was written in March of 2007. Computer standards are constantly changing, and by the time you stumble upon this guide, things are likely to have changed. Always use your own discretion when purchasing computer parts.)

The Case: This is the box you'll be screwing everything into. Pick one that you like looking at, but make sure it's sturdy (steel cases are a good choice) and fits the "standard ATX" Motherboard (See: Motherboard). The typical case size that most people pick is called a "mid tower." You will see many more options for mid towers than any other size. I strongly recommend that you buy a mid tower, standard ATX case. You'll have plenty to pick from, I promise.

Motherboard: Everything in the computer is connected through the motherboard. All of the other parts interact with the motherboard as the medium. Since the motherboard (henceforth referred to as the MoBo) physically connects to all of the internal hardware, it needs to be compatible with every other component that you buy. Selecting the MoBo effectively limits your options for all of the other necessary parts. As you learn about the different brands, sizes and speeds of everything else, keep in mind that you need to pick a MoBo that supports all of your desired parts. As far as brands go, I'm a fan of ASUS boards. And if you're planning on getting an Intel brand processor (see below), it might not be a bad idea to buy a MoBo that was made by Intel as well. For the sake of simplicity and greatly increased compatibility, get a standard-size ATX MoBo. No arguing, just do it. You'll find that the selection is far greater than with any other size. Almost all computer cases will fit the standard ATX size. It's just not worth the potential headache to get anything else.

Processor: The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is responsible for all of the computing that happens in your computer. The speed of a CPU is measured in Hertz (Hz). One Hz means that the CPU can perform one mathematical calculation per second. CPUs these days typically fall in the 1-4 Giga Hz range (One GHz is one billion Hz). The "speed" of your computer is determined by the CPU, and a CPU is not the easiest part to upgrade or replace, so pick one that is as fast as you can afford.

A very important thing to consider is that there are two main brands of CPU: Intel brand and AMD brand. In most cases, MoBos will only support a few kinds of one of these brands. traditionally, Intel has made more reliable, cooler-running CPUs and AMD has made more easily-upgradeable CPUs. The distinctions are changing, currently, now that both companies have released what are called "dual core" processors. This means that each CPU is actually two smaller CPUs in one chip. This greatly increases productivity and in most cases does away with a lot of the heat of a traditional CPU. The different kinds of dual core CPUs from each brand is a large enough subject for a separate article, but just be aware that dual core CPUs will be much faster and more efficient than a single core processor with the same Hz rating.

Random Access Memory: , RAM, as it is called, is basically on-the-fly storage space. Computer programs require the temporary storage of information for proper functionality, and this is the RAM's job. Each MoBo supports different kinds and different amounts of RAM. In the past, there have been two main types of RAM: SDRAM and DDR RAM. The differences between the two are complicated and outside the scope of this simple guide, so just be aware that SDRAM isn't used very much anymore. You probably won't even come across it in your searching. There are two kinds of DDR RAM to consider: DDR and DDR2. Do yourself a favor and get a MoBo that supports DDR2. That way, even if you decide to go with the lower-quality DDR RAM, you will be able to upgrade to DDR2 anytime you want. There does exist DDR3, but that is currently available only in high-end graphics cards.. . .but we'll get to that. The quality of RAM is measured in bytes, which are units of storage space. I would recommend not buying any RAM that is under 1GB. Buying two 1GB sticks of RAM is what I personally recommend to people whose computers I'm building. Look online at your MoBo manufacturer's website (or in the manual if it's available) to see what brands of RAM they recommend. RAM compatibility varies widely from MoBo to MoBo.

If you are planning on doing a lot of video editing -or- music composing with software synths or sample libraries, invest in a lot of DDR2 RAM. You'll thank me later.

Hard Disk Drive: Commonly called a Hard Drive (or HDD), this piece of hardware functions as permanent and semi-permanent storage space. The main purpose of a hard drive is to store the files and programs that your Operating System uses (OSs will be covered later). Any programs you install on your computer will also be stored in the HDD. Your pictures, music, text documents, porn or whatever else also resides there. The HDD doesn't process anything; it stores everything. HDDs are measured by the same units as RAM (bytes). A large, affordable HDD will be in the 80-200GB (gigabyte) range.

There are two types of HDDs out there: IDE and SATA. Once again, the differences are rather technical (besides the differently-shaped connectors), so I'll just give you my personal recommendation - Go SATA. Most modern MoBos support both IDE and SATA, but I find SATA to be faster, more reliable, and MUCH easier to install and uninstall. Reliable HDD brands that I recommend are Seagate and Western Digital.

Power Supply Unit: Your Power Supply (PSU) is the box with the fan and all the cables that resides in the top rear of your computer. The quality of a power supply is more tricky than just assigning it a number, but it's a good start to make sure that it has enough wattage to comfortably power your system. If you've chosen a lot of higher-end computer parts, make sure to get a PSU with 500+ watts. As for the other determiners of quality, look at the customer reviews on NewEgg and see what other people have to say. Please note that with very few exceptions, the PSUs that come packaged with some computer cases are complete trash, and should be discarded according to the laws and regulations of your locality. If you obey my earlier command, and buy a standard ATX motherboard, your selection of PSU will be painless and rewarding. You'll find that most PSUs are made specifically for the ATX specifications, and that means a much greater selection. It's win/win.

Sound/Graphics Card: Most MoBos come with integrated sound and video. If your needs don't get any more in-depth than surfing the net, chatting online, word-processing, and other low-intensity tasks, you might consider just using the sound and video options that come with the MoBo (make sure your MoBo actually does have this feature before relying on it, of course).

This is the fun part. Your sound card and graphics card are what communicate with your speakers and monitor, respectively. Selecting them is simple, depending on your needs. Want to turn your computer into a movie theater with surround sound? Then get a sound card that supports it, simple as that. Creative Labs has a lot of great options in the consumer-level sound card department.

Are you planning on playing a lot of new-generation computer games? Then a high-end GPU (graphics processing unit) is a must-have. GPUs use their own, mini CPU and RAM. They're like little, compact computers that only process visual output to your monitor. Depending on your needs, a mid-range GPU will likely be more than enough to last you a few years. But even so, I like to give myself room for growth, so to speak. Just like with the processor, get a video card that is as nice as you can afford. Video cards are categorized by Hetrz (processing power) and bytes (storage space). There is also the matter of pixel pipelines and processing threads. Big numbers are better, but also more expensive. They will all work like they're supposed to. Just use your discretion. There are three main kinds of GPUs, but only one that I recommend. This is the PCI Express variety. Make sure your MoBo has at least one PCIe port.

Optical Drive: This is your CD and or DVD drive. There's a lot to consider here, but none of it is terribly important. I always recommend getting a drive that can read and write CDs and DVDs. The way to tell if a drive has these capabilities is in the suffix. A DVD ROM drive can only do Read Only Memory. This means it cannot make new DVDs, just read pre-made DVDs. Make sure it has an "RW" after the drive type. a CD RW drive can Re Write CDs. Same with a DVD RW drive. With DVD RW drives, you have the option of plus (+), minus (-) or both (+-). There are two different formats of DVDs. Some drives can write to only one, and some to both. It's not a huge price difference, so I usually go with a good-quality DVDRW+-.

3.5" Floppy Drive: I don't put these in computers that I build for myself or other people (unless they request it). Floppy disks are already an outdated form of data transfer. The only reason I can see for putting a floppy drive in your computer is to get information that you already have on disks. Other than that, don't bother with this one.

Monitor: This is the TV-like thing that you actually look at while on the computer. You probably already knew that, but I've met people who did not. The monitor does not do anything at all. It simply takes the digital information from your GPU and displays it for you. There are two types of Monitors, each with their pros and cons. First, there are CRTs (cathode ray tube). These use the same basic technology of the traditional television. They're hard on the eyes and bulky and put off a lot of heat. But they get really good frame rates (indispensable for gorgeous gaming) and they're cheap. The other kind are LCDs (liquid crystal display). These are more pricey and can't get quite as fast frame rates, but they're nicer to your eyes, and take up a lot less room. It's all up to you.

Peripherals: You will also need a keyboard, mouse, and speakers. These are pretty much universally compatible with almost all hardware you can possibly buy. Pick peripherals that are aesthetically pleasing to you (and preferably speakers that take advantage of your sound card's capabilities). I recommend getting a mouse and keyboard that connect using the USB interface.

Operating System: This is the only thing on the list that isn't a piece of hardware. The Operating System (OS) is how you communicate with your computer. You are probably familiar with Microsoft Windows. This is an operating system (and the most popular, by a long shot). Unless you're a cynical techie that holds a grudge against big corporations (in which case, why are you reading this?) Microsoft Windows is probably the best option for you. Make sure, make absolutely sure, that you buy the "full version" of whatever OS you choose. If you buy a Windows "upgrade," you will be sorely disappointed to learn that you must have a previous version installed for it to work.

Well... This pretty much sums up everything you will need to build your own computer. If it starts to seem like too daunting of a task, or if you're afraid you'll mess something up, just remind yourself that you're saving a LOT of money by doing it yourself. If you were planning on buying a high-end computer from Dell, for instance, it's likely that you're either getting a much nicer computer for your money -or- saving literally over $1000.

Make sure to read and understand the user manuals for each component (especially the motherboard). Once you grasp how everything fits together, and why it works the way it does, this whole process becomes a lot easier. Like I said, I have a lot of fun building computers.