I owned 5 computers from 1997 up to now, I have coded sience 1998 but the most advanced operation I have done inside a computer was to upgrade RAM.
I considered pointless looking on their inside as long as they worked and I did not have the required skills nor did I need to do that.
Having necesary software side knowledge I decided it was time to take it a step further. I was time to build my own computer. And it had to be the best of his time.
I knew I will handle expensive components and decided to document first. I always learn first and take actions knowing what I am doing. So first I went shooping for books about building a custom PC.
All books I buy from Amazon.com. Started to search through the available titles looking for something appealing to my needs. I wanted to build a beast so looked at the books claiming to help you do that. Found 2 relevant titles and ordered them.
 Build the Ultimate Custom PC |
 Build the Ultimate Gaming Machine |
Began reading. Of course I was not going to read them completely but I needed to know about the actual operation of putting the hardward parts together. I knew well the components I was going to buy!
I made the hardware list by looking at what was available on Amazon.com. And chose the best of their kind. Below you can find a list of the hardware I used to build my custom gaming computer.
See below a list of the components required for building a PC:
This is a quick display of the selected components to complete the task in the same order as in the list above.
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I have to say with pride that I managed to make the best choices in components. Each has outperformed my expectations.
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Advanced Super Mid Tower, black Version Of P180
This P180 case has 3 internal coolers. Coolers are vital for such a system. Everything is built to burn and you need a decent temperature inside for things to run smoothly. Each cooler on the case has 3 settings: low, medium, high. Or you can simply not connect it to you power source. The case looks shiny black and can be mistaken for furniture. It is very stylish and can fit in any home.
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Thermaltake W0117RU ToughPower 750W Black PFC Power Supply with Active PFC Dual Fan
This system needs power. 750W is a little more then it needs but enogh to be sure the custom computer will run perfectly with other addons.
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eVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 122-CK-NF68-A1
I wanted a eVGA nVidia video card so the choice for a motherboard was obious. Picking products from the same manufacturer ensures compatibility and optimum performance between components.
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Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core 2.66 GHz QX6700 Processor
This CPU is ahead of its time. The Quad-Core has 4 internal CPUs which simply can not be overwhelmed in regular or extreme usage conditions. It runs fast, smooth but at high temperatures. The provided cooler works nice but it can raise the dead with the sound it makes.
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Zalman CNPS9700LED Ultra Quiet Cpu Cooler
A quiet CPU cooler is necessary to go with the quiet cooler case. IT works perfectly and keeps the temperature decent. Remember that a quad-core is made to burn. You need serious coolers inside.
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Corsair 2GB PC6400 800MHz 240-Pin DDR2 RAM
I wanted to stick as much RAM as possible inside. 4 slots x 1GB = 4GB of RAM. I read reviews and decided to pick the Corsair. It is also mentioned as compatible with the motherboard on the manufacturers website ... and it is.
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eVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX 768 MB PCI-Express Graphics Card
I also wanted a graphic card that could handle the super pc taks. I wanted this to turn at any time into an untaimable gaming beast capable of running smoothyl any game now and in the next years. The graphic card is outstanding. Regardless of the action you do not get screen flickering. Colors are excellent and FPS stays high at all times.
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Creative Sound Blaster X-fi Elite Pro
You got to enjoy some fine music on this computer. The X-fi Elite is the best sound card you can get. Excellent qualtiy and 7.1 compatible it's features and capabilities match its Elite name.
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Maxtor L01F300 SATA II 300 GB Hard Drive
Maxtor is a very good choice in HDDs. I owned before and went along due to great experiences with it.
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Sony BWU100A Internal ATAPI EIDE Blu-Ray Disc Drive
You need a blu ray drive for this system. For one to enjoy real qualtity in home entertainment this is the only plausible choice for this custom built pc.
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Creative Labs I-Trigue L3800 2.1 PC Speaker System
I do not live in a house so I only wanted a quality 2.1 system. I chose this creative due to its looks and good reviews. Sound is excellent no matter what volume and only problems can be due to mp3 compression. The Bass is overwhelming. This sound system has a remote control that allows you to kill the bass completely if you need to. But the sound experience is one to enjoy.
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Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000
This keyboard is comfortable and ergonomic. Do not look at review saying the space bar is too hard to press. Maybe if you only used touch screens before but I never noticed any diffculty in pressing any of the keys.
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Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse
The mouse is excellent and its shape makes it the most comfortable mouse there. I've tried a few but this one feels right. I do not use the custom buttons on it. I needed a mouse to make long PC sessions be comfortable and have great accuracy in games. It has both and more. It charges fast but has to stay in his craddle during recharging.Warning : One problem with this mouse is that it comes with a charger only compatible with 110V US sockets. So if you have an European 220V consider buying it locally. |
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Fang Gamepad by Ideazon
This gamepad is excellent mostly for first person shooters (fps or 1st ps). It allows you to have all commands in a compact device and withing easy reach. My headshot / knife kill percentage doubled sience I started using it and I'm not perfectly accustomed to it yet. So imagine!
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Once you have the pieces go over this simple yet mandatory rules:
Follow instructions . Each hardware comes with a tiny guide to help you install it. Handle components with care. Make sure you do not break anything from your motherboard. The CPU cooler I suggested is attached from below the motherboard so read instructions carefully.
Static Electricity Discharges can damage completely pieces of hardware. All components come in sealed bags. Once you open them you are on your own. To avoid destroying the hardware do the following: Wear only cotton clothes and ground yourself . Use cotton socks too and try not to drag you feet on your synthetic carpet. Grounding yourself is easy. Tie a small conductor wire between your ankle or wrist and something grounded in your home... metal pipes that go into the ground. You can also find custom solutions in local stores.
You might sweat during the operation. You tend to when you handle about $3-5K worth of hardware. Make sure you do not sweat on the components and have a cotton towell within reach.
Check and double check the wires. When you start it and you see it works make sure the cooler work and in the first days keep and eye on it. Watch the CPU temperature as often as you feel you should. You should stay within 50-65 degrees celsius. Do not forget to apply the thermal cream on the CPU as instructed.
I hope this small guide will get you on your way to building your dream computer. Building a custom pc from scratch is quite easy. First time I put it together took 8 hours, 2nd time when installing new cooler took only 3 hourse, now I can do it in 30-60 minutes.
Remeber that I do not take any responsability for any damage you or your hardware might suffer due to reading this guide. This is a successfull experience shared and should be treated accordingly. Do not try to build a PC with out proper prior knowledge. It is easy but not that easy!
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