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Message: <blockquote data-quote="zCexVe" data-source="post: 1751176" data-attributes="member: 3878">#*^ Computer Basics & Buying Guide ^*# V1.4.28092008        I have seen many people getting in to trouble without knowing what actually are their needs, having great expectations for the money they have, end up with worthless rigs for what they pay, disasters like that.   This guide is to give an idea on   1. What specifications to look/what are the basics to know?   2. How to purchase the parts for their computer as to their budget and needs. Targeted For the Sri Lankan but basics are all the same everywhere.NOTE that this is only guidance on how and what to choose.      ** There are two options when having a new PC. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Buy a branded PC like HP,Acer,Megabox,AGC,e-Gate </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Assembled PC. </li> </ul>This is for the assemblers. <img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/D.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" data-shortname=":D" />First I will describe what are the essential parts ,how to choose them, basics, name the three main economical categories (Budget/low-end, Mainstream/ mid-end, Gaming/ High-end).At last I will add some more helpful links + examples at the time.Look out for the purple color text. They are the tips. If you want to get it quickly, reading only them will do. Parts in Yellow topics contain Basics, Theory and explanations on terms.To keep this short and sweet, I have skipped explaining some older parts, acronyms and basics. They will be added on needs or requests. There are whole lots of add-ons to a PC so I’m not going to describe all of them as I lack well established knowledge on most parts (99%) and of the huge amount(1%). If someone gives me the detailed specs to look on, I’ll add them.        This is a 6.5k word,35k character document. Pardon me for spellings & grammar mistakes.This guide is not copyrighted.    <img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/P.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":P" title=":P    :P" data-shortname=":P" /> It’s kind of under GPL. <img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/D.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" data-shortname=":D" />Just give credit to me if you think I deserve it.If you think this is worth it, Please Vote for a sticky.All thoughts and ideas are welcome to make this guide more useful. All categorizations of brands and chipsets are in my personal point of view. I am not paid to say which are best.Please do not hold me responsible if something goes wrong.            <img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/D.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" data-shortname=":D" />Happy buying!!!!!!!       <img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/D.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" data-shortname=":D" /> <img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/D.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" data-shortname=":D" />zCexVe   ^*^*^ Index ^*^*^        First 6 are the essential parts for a system unit.   1. Central Processing Unit (Processer/CPU)   1.1 Basics, Understanding the terms   1.2 Briefing of available Intel/AMD CPUs   1.3 Tips & what to buy2. Motherboard (main board/MB/mobo)   2.1 Briefing of options they have   2.2 Tips & what to buy3. Graphics card (VGA)   3.1 Understanding the terms   3.2 Chipset briefing   3.3 Tips & what to buy4. RAM (Memory)   4.1 Understanding the terms and RAM timings   4.2 Tips & what to buy5. Hard Disk (HDD)   5.1 Understanding the terms   5.2 Tips & what to buy6. Power Supply Unit (PSU/Supply)   6.1 Understanding the terms   6.2 Tips & what to buy      These are not essential but they are required.   7. Optical Disk drive (ODD-CD/DVD/Blu-ray ROMs and burners)   Basics & tips   8. Casing    What to buy     9. Sound card   9.1 Basics   9.2 What to buy10. Network card (NIC)/MODEM   What to buy11. TV/radio/ Capture cards   What to buy   12. Monitor   12.1 CRT-what to buy   12.2 LCD-Understanding the specs   12.3 What to get13. Keyboard/Mouse   13.1 Tips & what to buy     14. Speakers   14.1 Understanding the specs    14.2 Driver types (speakers)   14.3 Standards & Connectors – Digital & analog   14.4 Tips and what to buy   15. Links   Places to calculate and head to head compare Performance   Websites of Local PC sellers   Additional reading 16. Current configurations you can go with   Budget   Mid range-low and high   High-end   Uber Gaming   17. Thanks----------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. CPU - Processor      This is the brain of the PC. There are mainly three types of CPUs for home use. AMD, Intel ,VIA. Only Intel is commonly available allover Sri Lanka. AMD is coming around in Colombo with new Athlon X2s and Phenoms. I have seen some VIA C7s too.   The infamous Pentium generation is over now. It’s the age of Core2.But Intel keeps some of its core2s named Pentium Dual core aimed budget.      Also at this time Intel has released LGA 1366, new CPU socket so LGA 775 will be outdated sooner or later. They are named Core i7.   Please don’t buy any CPU other than Intel core 2 duo/quad or Pentium Dual Core in Intel platform.   In AMD platform you can have AM2/AM2+ CPUs.   1.1 BasicsClock speed-The operating frequency of the CPU. Higher is better. Usually varies from 1.6 to 3.0 GHz on stock clocks nowadays.Clock speed=Multiplier X Base clock   .   Base clock is set the same in all mobos so the increased multiplier makes the higher clock CPUs.Cache-This is the closest and fastest RAM available to CPU. Static RAM type. Higher is better. It is required for heavy applications like games and 3D modeling. There are two (or three in new AMD K10 family and upcoming Intel Nehalem family) named L1,L2,L3.Speed of cache is L1>L2>L3.   So usually more L2 more performance.   Usually these days L1 is 64 KB for a core and it is all the same.(in Intel its divided 32K data,32k code)and what you should look for is L2 which is a shared memory usually      comes in sizes 3,4,6,8,12 MB in sizes.L3 is only with AMD so far and it is a shared in them keeping L2 cache core independently.FSB (Front Side Bus) or HT- This is the speed which the CPU communicates with the Northbridge. This speed is a multiplier of the Base clock. Higher is better. Intel’s FSB is a Quad pumped FSB as they take 4 times data for a single clock.   So in Intel FSB=4 x Base clock. The most common FSBs are 800, 1066, 1333 and 1600.In AMD they have HT.Now Ut is HT 2.0/3.0 .It is usually 2000MT/s or 1000MT/s.Cores-The core inside the CPU is the whole thing that does the work. So more cores on a CPU, more tasks you can do in the same time. There are single, Double, Triple and Quadruple cores inside a CPU till now.   In Sri Lanka we can find all except triple core CPUs.Socket type-The socket which the CPU plugs in.Most common are;LGA 775   – For Intel Core 2/Pentium Dual core/Celeron/Pentium D/   Celeron D/PentiumLGA 1366    – For Intel Core i7 CPUs.AM2/AM2+   - For AMD Athlon X2/Phenom X3/Phenom X4/SempronNm Technology -      The CPU core internal path width in nano meters. Thinner is better. Current trend is 45nm.Intel will switch to 32nm in 2010 ,AMD will switch to 45nm in 2009.1.2 Briefing of available Intel/AMD CPUs(LK available only)IntelLow-end            -----------------------------------------------------------------------   Intel Celeron E430 – Single core- 1.80GHz-800FSB-512KB L2-65nmIntel Celeron Dual core E1200 – Dual core- 1.60GHz-800FSB-512KB L2-65nmIntel Celeron Dual core E1400 – Dual core- 2.00GHz-800FSB-512KB L2-65nmMid range----------------------------------------------------------------------Intel Pentium Dual core E2180 – Dual core- 2.00GHz-800FSB-1MB L2-65nm   Intel Pentium Dual core E2200 – Dual core- 2.20GHz-800FSB-1MB L2-65nmIntel Core2Duo E4600 – Dual core- 2.40GHz-800FSB-2MB L2-65nmHigh end-----------------------------------------------------------------------Intel Core2Duo E7200– Dual core- 2.53GHz-1066FSB-3MB L2-45nm   Intel Core2Duo E8400 - Dual core- 3.00GHz-1333FSB-6MB L2-45nmIntel Core2Quad Q6600- Quad core- 2.40GHz-1066FSB-8MB L2-65nm  AMDHigh end      -----------------------------------------------------------------------   AMD Athlon X2 5000+   AMD Athlon X2 6000+   Some energy efficient CPUs are available too.1.3 Tips & what to buy       <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The      prices vary from 4250 to 27000 LKR from top to bottom in Sri Lanka.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you don’t play games      (videos) more often cache is not important to you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">ACPU with a higher FSB      makes your OC chances less.(Lower CPU multiplier)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Be aware      of the support Sri        Lanka have for the AMD CPUs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It’s easy to get an AMD CPU. Just get the higher number. i.e.      6000+ is better than 5000+.The ‘BE’ at the end of the name means it has      unlocked multiplier upwards too like Intel Extreme.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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