Monday, August 31, 2009

AMD Price List

Sempron LE 1150 2.0 GHz 512KB Cache AM2 Tray Rp 247.000

Sempron LE 1250 2.2 GHz 512KB Cache AM2 Box Rp 318.000

Athlon 64 LE 1600 2.2 GHz 1MB Cache AM2 Tray Rp 348.000

Athlon 64 LE 1640 2.2 GHz 1MB Cache AM2 Box Rp 395.000

Athlon 64 LE 1660 2.8 GHz 512KB Cache AM2 Box Rp 439.000

Athlon 64 X2 3600+ 2.0 GHz 2x512KB Cache AM2 Tray Rp 474.000

Athlon 64 X2 5000+ 2.6 GHz 2x512KB Cache AM2 Box Rp 560.000

Athlon 64 X2 5200+ 2.7 GHz 2x512KB Cache AM2 Box Rp 578.000

Athlon 64 X2 7550+ 2.5 GHz 2x512KB Cache AM2 Tray Rp 550.000

Athlon 64 X2 7750+ 2.7 GHz 2x512KB Cache AM2+ Box Rp 601.000

Athlon 64 X2 7850+ 2.8 GHz Black Edition 2x512KB Cache AM2 Box Rp 677.000

Phenom X3 8650+ 2.3 GHz 3x512KB Cache AM2 Box Rp 829.000

Phenom X4 9650 2.3 GHz 4x512KB Cache AM2+ Box Rp 1.153.000

Phenom X4 9850 2.5 GHz Black Edition 4x512KB Cache AM2+ Box Rp 1.315.000

Phenom X4 9950 2.6 GHz Black Edition 4x512KB Cache AM2+ Box Rp 1.360.000

Phenom II X4 940 3.0 GHz Black Edition 4x512KB Cache AM2+ Box Rp 1.735.000

Athlon II X2 240 2.8 GHz 2x1MB Cache AM3 Box Rp 608.000

Athlon II X2 245 2.9 GHz 2x1MB Cache AM3 Box Rp 692.000

Athlon II X2 250 3.0 GHz 2X1MB Cache AM3 Box Rp 793.000

Phenom II X2 550 3.1 GHz Black Edition 2x512KB Cache AM3 Box Rp 1.062.000

Phenom II X3 710 2.6 GHz 3x512KB Cache AM3 Box Rp 1.138.000

Phenom II X3 720 2.8 GHz Black Edition 3x512KB Cache AM3 Box Rp 1.266.000

Phenom II X4 810 2.6 GHz 4x512KB Cache AM3 Box Rp 1.555.000

Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz 4x512KB Cache AM3 Box Rp 1.767.000

Phenom II X4 955 3.2 GHz Black Edition 4z512KB Cache AM3 Box Rp 2.071.000


(Harga per 31 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Intel Price List

Celeron 430 1.8 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 512KB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 390.000

Celeron 430 1.8 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 512KB Cache) LGA 775 Tray Rp 350.000

Celeron Dual Core E1400 2.0 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 512KB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 485.000

Pentium Dual Core E2160 1.8 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 1MB Cache) LGA 775 Tray+Fan Rp 542.000

Pentium Dual Core E2180 2.0 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 1MB Cache) LGA 775 Tray+Fan Rp 555.000

Pentium Dual Core E2200 2.2 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 1MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 610.000

Pentium Dual Core E2200 2.2 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 1MB Cache) LGA 775 Tray+Fan Rp 576.000

Pentium Dual Core E2220 2.4 GHz (FSB 800MHz, 1MB Cache) LGA 775 Tray+Fan Rp 593.000

Core Duo E5200 2.5 GHz LGA 775 (FSB 800MHz, 2MB Cache) Box Rp 659.000

Core Duo E5200 2.5 GHz LGA 775 (FSB 800MHz, 2MB Cache) Tray+Fan Rp 638.000

Core Duo E5300 2.6 GHz LGA 775 (FSB 800MHz, 2MB Cache) Box Rp 689.000

Core Duo E5300 2.6 GHz LGA 775 (FSB 800MHz, 2MB Cache) Tray+Fan Rp 654.000

Core Duo E5400 2.7 GHz LGA 775 (FSB 800MHz, 3MB Cache) Box Rp 825.000

Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8 GHz (FSB 1066MHz, 3MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 1.165.000

Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8 GHz (FSB 1066MHz, 3MB Cache) LGA 775 Tray+Fan Rp 1.145.000

Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz (FSB 1066MHz, 3MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 1.208.000

Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz (FSB 1066MHz, 3MB Cache) LGA 775 Tray Rp 1.155.000

Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 GHz (FSB 1333MHz, 6MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 1.740.000

Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16 GHz (FSB 1333MHz, 6MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 1.957.000

Core 2 Duo E8600 3.33 GHz (FSB 1333MHz, 6MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 2.843.000

Core 2 Quad Q9400 2.66 (FSB 1333MHz, 6MB Cache) GHz LGA 775 Box Rp 1.970.000

Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83 (FSB 1333MHz, 12MB Cache) GHz LGA 775 Box Rp 2.405.000

Core 2 Quad Q9650 3.0 (FSB 1333MHz, 12MB Cache) GHz LGA 775 Box Rp 3.342.000

Core 2 Extreme QX6850 (FSB 1333MHz, 8MB Cache) 3.0 GHz LGA 775 Box Rp 10.733.000

Core 2 Extreme QX9770 3.2 (FSB 1600MHz, 12MB Cache) GHz LGA 775 Box Rp 15.188.000

Core i7 920 2.66 GHz (QPI 4.8, 8MB Cache) LGA 1366 Box Rp 2.997.000

Core i7 940 2.93 GHz (QPI 4.8, 8MB Cache) LGA 1366 Box Rp 5.873.000

Core i7 950 3.06 GHz (QPI 4.8, 8MB Cache) LGA 1366 Box Rp 5.903.000

Core i7 975 Extreme 3.33 GHz (QPI 4.8, 8MB Cache) LGA 1366 Box Rp 10.986.000

(Harga per 31 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Friday, August 28, 2009

How to Choose Your Computer Power Supply

The computer power supply is vital to the operation of any computer, yet it is an often overlooked component.

Without a power supply, your computer would just be a box full of plastic and metal. 

This article takes a look at why the power supply is important, and helps you choose the best computer power supply for your needs.

What the Computer Power Supply Does
In a PC, the computer power supply is the metal box usually located in the corner of the computer case. In many systems the power supply is visible from the back of the case because it contains the power-cord receptacle and the cooling fan. 

The main purpose of the power supply is to convert AC power from the mains to usable low-voltage DC power for the internal components of the computer. 

The power supply gives out three different DC voltages to your computer, 12VDC, 5VCD, and 3VDC. These three voltages are used for different components in your system. For example, the 5VDC voltage powers the motherboard, voltage regulators, serial and parallel ports, and PCI and AGP ports. 


How Much Power Do You Need?
Each power supply has a certain wattage based on their maximum output power. Common wattages range from 300W to 500W, although for a high-end gaming power supply wattages of 500W to 800W are common. Some units even go up to 1 kW of wattage, but this amount of power isn't neccessary for normal users. 

For a typical gaming computer I would recommend at least 500W of power, although you may need more or less depending on your system. It would be wise to research into exactly how much power your various components will require, and then get a power supply with at least that amount of power. 


Conclusion
The computer power supply is a vital part of your computer. It provides the power to the components in your system, and also cools your computer with a fan. Make sure you don't skimp on buying a decent power supply, otherwise your whole system will suffer.

When choosing your power suppy, keep in mind the amount of wattage you will need. A typical gaming computer will require an average of at least 500W power.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/computer-power-supply.html

Gaming Computer Cases Buyer's Guide

This article provides you with information on choosing good gaming computer cases. 

The computer case is an important yet often overlooked part of any PC.

The computer case houses and protects all your expensive, high-performance components so you shouldn’t skimp on getting a good case for your needs.

Size Matters
The first thing you need to know about computer cases, is that they differ in size. You will need a case that is large enough to store all your components, with room for future upgrades. It is wise to choose all your components before buying a case. You will have an idea of how big your case has to be to fit all your components comfortably. 

An important thing to look out for is the number and size of bays. Computer cases come with a differing number of bays. You will need 3.5” bays for floppy drives and hard drives, and 5” bays are required for your CD and DVD drives. So make sure you have enough bays for all your drives. 


Motherboard Compatibility
Your case must be able to fit your motherboard. All motherboards and cases have what is known as a ‘form factor’, which is a size standard that the manufacturers follow. The most common form factor is ATX. So if you have an ATX motherboard, which is more than likely, then you must choose a case that supports an ATX motherboard. 


Power Supply
Without power your computer would be useless. You will need a large enough power supply to handle all the components in your system. For most gaming computers, I recommend at least 500W, or more if you have many extra components. 

Some gaming computer cases come with their own power supply. Although, if you're building a gaming computer I would recommend buying a seperate computer power supply to make sure you get a quality one. 


Cooling Issues
Your case should hold enough fans to cool down your gaming computer. You don’t want your precious components to overheat and risk getting damaged. The best gaming computer cases are equipped with multiple fans to effectively cool your system. 

If you have many components, or you like to overclock them, you will need more fans than the average user. Also, be sure your case is properly vented in the front and back. 


Customizing Your Case
Some people are happy with a basic, plain looking case. Others take pride in their gaming case’s appearance, and customize them with extras such as glowing lights, fancy colors, see-through sides, and a number of other features. It is usually passionate gamers who do this sort of customizing to their gaming computer cases.

So if you have the extra money to spend, consider buying a custom computer case or customizing one yourself if you know what you're doing. However, if you’re building your gaming computer on a tight budget, you should consider investing your hard-earned cash on something more important, such as a better CPU or graphics card.


Conclusion
In this article we have looked at the various factors you should consider when choosing good gaming computer cases. The size, motherboard compatibility, power supply, cooling, and appearance are all important things to take into account whilst choosing the best computer case for your gaming computer.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/gaming-computer-cases.html

Gaming Laptop Computers Buyer's Guide

Are you in the market for gaming laptop computers? Do you need some advice on choosing a good laptop for your gaming needs? 

Then you've come to the right place! Laptops are forever becoming more powerful, there's never been a better time to buy your new laptop. 

This article will look into the various factors you should consider when buying your gaming laptop computer.

Screen Size
Choosing a screen size for your laptop depends on what you will use the laptop for. Avid gamers and those who wish to view DVD movies on their laptop will typically want a larger screen than normal computer users. 

Keep in mind that the larger the screen, the more you will pay. You could save quite a bit of money by going with a smaller screen, although if you're a diehard gamer this is probably not an option for you, as you will want the biggest screen you can get your hands on for a great gaming experience. 


Laptop Video Card
Gamers will need a decent laptop video card inside their beast. AMD ATI and Nvidia, the two best graphics card manufacturers in the world, both offer a range of different graphics cards made specifically for laptops. 

For example,AMD ATI has the Radeon Mobility range of cards, while Nvidia offers the GeForce Go series of cards for laptops. Although laptop video cards don't match the performance of desktop video cards, the latest models can still pack a punch and are good enough for high performance gaming.

External video cards are also an option for you if you decide later down track that you want to upgrade your laptop's video card. Some external graphics cards can provide powerful, desktop-like performance.


Size and Weight
The size and weight of gaming laptop computers is important to buyers. If you will be travelling with your laptop and carrying it around a lot, a smaller and lighter laptop will be more convenient for you. Although, if you've chosen to go with a large screen size, then you don't really have the choice of buying a small laptop. 


Laptop Keyboard and Mouse
The input capabilities of your laptop is another thing to look out for. The keyboard on your gaming laptop computer should be large enough for you to use it comfortably. If the laptop keyboard area and keys are too small, you may experience stress on your fingers and wrists when typing. 

The touchpad on the laptop, which is the alternative to using a mouse, should also feel comfortable to you. Many people dislike touchpads, as they are harder to control than a regular mouse. This may not be a problem for you as it's always possible to plug in your own external mouse for better control. 


Battery Life
If you'll be on the move a lot, battery life may be an important consideration for you. Most laptops these days use lithium ion batteries. The performance of a lithium ion battery is judged by its capacity, which is measured in cells. Keep in mind that the more powerful gaming laptop computers drain their batteries faster. 


Extra Ports
If you want to connect peripheral devices to your laptop, you will need to do so through USB ports. Devices such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, keyboards, and mice all need USB ports, so ensure that the laptop you choose has enough of these ports for your needs. 


Conclusion
This article has looked at some of the important decisions you need to make when in the market for gaming laptop computers. Hopefully you now know a little more about what to look for in a laptop, and are better prepared to make a good purchase.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/gaming-laptop-computers.html

How to Choose the Best Computer Speakers

Everyone knows sound plays a very important part in any decent gaming system.


With the best computer speakers, you can enjoy amazing sound for a totally immersive gaming experience.

But not all computer speakers are created equally. This article takes a look at the important things to consider when choosing your gaming speakers.


Surround Sound
Having a surround sound speaker system is a must these days for a great sound experience. 5.1 surround sound is currently the way to go. With 5 speakers and 1 subwoofer placed in different locations around you, it doesn't get more much immersive than 5.1 surround sound. You will feel like you are IN the game. 


Amplifier
Sound cards aren't capable of driving speakers, so an amplifier is needed. So choose computer speakers that are self-amplified. The power of the amplifier is measured in Watts per Channel RMS (root mean square). RMS describes the amplitude of a given signal and is a good measure of the amplifier's output. 


Another Consideration: THD
Another important specification you should consider when choosing the best speakers is the THD (total harmonic distortion). The lower the THD of the amplifier, the better. Try to stay clear of speakers with a THD of greater than 1-2%.


Conclusion
With a great 5.1 surround sound self-amplified speaker system, you can improve your gaming experience tenfold with amazing sound. I highly recommend either the Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers or the Logitech X-530 5.1 speakers.

Logitech make some of the best audio products in the world, and these two products are no exception. You can browse a complete selection of the best computer speakers online at the lowest prices here. You should now have the knowledge to choose the best gaming speakers for your needs.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-computer-speakers.html

Gaming Mouse Buyer's Guide

Choosing a good gaming mouse is important to gamers. 

Using a specially designed mouse for gaming will allow you to play games at your best, with the best accuracy and control. 

If you’re stuck on which gaming mouse to buy, or just want general information on choosing gaming mice, you’ve come to the right place.

The computer mouse is perhaps the most important input device used in games, and using a mouse well-suited to gaming will allow you to play at your best. It can be the difference between winning and losing. 


What to Look For in a Gaming Mouse
Computer mice come in different types: optical, laser, or ball mice. Ball mice are old and are pretty much dead, and will not be discussed further. Optical and laser mice are much more precise and have better tracking, allowing for more accuracy. 

The quality of a gaming mouse is determined by a number of factors. One of the most important aspects is the resolution. Measured in dots per inch (dpi), the resolution is the number of pixels per inch that the mouse’s optical sensor and focusing lens can see when you move the mouse around. Simply put, the higher the resolution of a mouse, the better the accuracy and precision will be. 

Another important thing to look for is how many megapixels per second the mouse can process. This determines the responsiveness of the mouse, and is especially important in fast-paced games such as first person shooters where you look around with the mouse a lot. The more megapixels per second your mouse can process, the more responsive it will be, meaning faster and more precise control in your games.

Wireless Gaming Mice
Having a wireless mouse can be more convient than a corded one. But wireless mice have a bad reputation with gamers because of lag problems. Mouse lag occurs with wireless mice because of the added time it takes to send information to the receiver from the mouse. 

Although newer wireless mice are becoming faster and faster, and don’t suffer from lag as much. The best wireless gaming mice on the market even avoid lag problems completely. If you intend to buy a wireless mouse, be sure that it’s fast enough to avoid lag. 


One of the Best Gaming Mice
The Logitech G9 Laser Gaming Mouse is one example of a great mouse for gamers on the market today. Featuring in-game sensitivity switching, adjustable weight and balance, the Logitech G9 is an extremely fast and precise gaming mouse.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/gaming-mouse.html


How to Choose the Best Gaming Keyboard

Are you looking for the best gaming keyboard to get ahead of the competition?

Then you've come to the right place. Using a custom built keyboard designed for gaming will give you the edge in battle.

This article will help you choose the right keyboard for your needs so you can play at your best.

What makes the best gaming keyboard is all a matter of preference. Different gamers have different needs, some require more control options with their keyboard than others. 

Gamers also have varying styles of play, posture, and wrist anatomy, so there is no such thing as a gaming keyboard that is best for everyone.

There are several purpose-built gaming keyboards available on the market, all with their fair share of cool features designed for more effective gaming control. But ask yourself, do you really need all these extra features? 

Casual computer users might want to consider a normal keyboard with basic functions. On the other hand, hardcore gamers who want the most effective control to get ahead in their games will want a special gaming keyboard.

Another thing to consider when buying your keyboard is how much you type. If you do a lot of keyboard work, or you have experienced wrist strain in the past, you might want to consider an ergonomic computer keyboard. Ergonomic keyboards are specially designed for healthy typing, and can prevent injuries. 


One of the Best Gaming Keyboards
Arguably one of the best gaming keyboards around at the moment is the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard. Custom-made to meet the needs of gamers, some useful features of the Logitech G15 gaming keyboard include:

An adjustable, backlit LCD screen which shows important in-game information during gameplay
Timer controls to keep track of game events
18 programmable “G Keys” used to execute macros
Backlit keys to play in the dark or low-lit areas


These great features, plus many more, allow for the best control during gameplay to give you the edge. And the good thing is, the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard is very affordable.

I would highly recommend the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard to other gamers. Once you start using such a great keyboard, you will never want to go back to a standard keyboard.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-gaming-keyboard.html

Buying the Best DVD Burner

This article takes a look at the factors you should consider when buying the best DVD burner for your computer.

A CD or DVD burner is an important part of the storage and backup of data on your computer. Without one you won't be able to read and write CDs or DVDs.

DVD drives have become a standard feature in home computers, and are forever coming down in price.

What Drive Speed?
One factor you consider when buying a CD or DVD burner is the drive speed. This refers to the speed that the drive can read and write data. For a CD writer, aim for a drive speed of at least 48X. 8X should be your minimum for DVD burners, although if you want the best dvd burner possible get 16X or higher. 


Drive Compatability
There is a range of different dvd formats available out there, for example DVD+R, DVD-R, and DVD+R DL. You need to consider what formats your DVD burner supports, as not all DVD drives can read all types of DVDs. I would recommend getting a DVD drive that supports both DVD+R and DVD-R, as these are common formats.


Internal or External?
CD and DVD burners come in two different forms, internal or external. Internal drives are suited for desktop PCs and are the cheaper option. But if you're after portability you should consider paying a little more for an external burner. 


Conclusion
A CD or DVD burner is pretty much a vital part of any computer system. DVD burners cost a little bit more than CD burners but are very much worth it in the long run, DVDs can store much more data than CDs.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-dvd-burner.html

Choosing the Best Sound Card

In this article we look at the various factors you should consider when buying the best sound card for your audio needs.

Audio is an essential component of any gaming computer. How boring would it be to play your games without sound and music?

The best sound card purchase you can make is one that meets your specific needs. But first we look into whether you really need a sound card.

Do You Need a Sound Card?
The first thing to do is ask yourself whether you even need a sound card. Many motherboards include on-board sound. So if you’re only after basic audio support, this could be a suitable, cost-effective option for you. 

Some motherboards even support 5.1 surround sound and a range of optical ports, so you shouldn’t rule out on-board sound without giving it a decent look. If you’re just a simple computer user or gamer who doesn’t require super quality sound, going with on-board sound is probably a good choice.

Buying a Sound Card
On the other hand, if you are producing music or want very good quality sound from your games, on-board sound is not enough. You will need to buy a separate sound card. 

Music producers will need to get one of the better sound cards available. Look for a card with good signal to noise ratio, plenty of connectivity for your needs, and a large wavetable if you need it. You might also need a multi-channel sound card. If you’re interested in MIDI then you’ll want a sound card with good MIDI support, too. 

Gamers looking for great audio will also need a sound card, but one with a lesser feature set. You can find a decent sound card for under $100 that will surely satisfy your gaming audio needs. 


Other Considerations
If you care about surround sound, then you’ll obviously want a sound card that supports it. Most of the best sound cards support EAX and 5.1 surround sound, and these days some even have 7.1 surround sound support. 

Another thing to keep in mind is whether your computer can handle your sound card. If you’re installing a high-end sound card into an older PC with a slow processor, your computer might not be able to take advantage of all the features in your sound card.

Conclusion
Depending on your needs, a sound card may be critical to your computer. Hardcore gamers will require a decent sound card, while music producers will need an even better sound card. But if you’re just a basic computer user or a casual gamer, you'll do fine with your motherboard’s built-in sound.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-sound-card.html



Choosing the Best Gaming Monitor

Are you stuck on choosing the best gaming monitor for your needs?

The monitor will likely be one of the most expensive parts of your computer, so you'll need all the advice you can get on making your purhase.

This guide will explain the different factors you should consider when buying your gaming monitor.

The biggest decision you need to make when choosing the best gaming monitor is whether to get an LCD or CRT monitor. CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors have been around for a long time, and are the standard displays for desktop computers.

LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors are fairly new to the desktop computer world, although they have always been used on notebook computers. LCD monitors have many advantages over their CRT counterparts, and are slowly taking over the desktop display market.

LCD Monitors
Let’s take a look at some of the more important factors you need to look out for in LCD screens when choosing the best gaming monitor.

Native Resolution

Each LCD monitor is designed for a certain resolution, known as the native resolution. If you change the resolution on an LCD screen, the image will be scaled and the quality won’t be as good as with the native resolution. The native resolution of an LCD depends on the size. Here are the typical native resolutions for common sizes:

17 inch: 1024x768
19 inch: 1280x1024
20 inch: 1600x1200

Viewing Angle

If you look at an LCD monitor from an angle, you will notice that the image appears dimmer and the colors can look weird. At extreme angles the entire image can even disappear. The viewing angle of an LCD monitor is the angle at which you can still view the screen clearly. 

So, the greater the viewing angle, the better. Manufacturers are known to exaggerate their specifications, so be sure to evaluate the viewing angle yourself before buying an LCD monitor. Also, keep in mind how you will eventually use the monitor. If you need to show presentations with your LCD, the viewing angle will be a critical factor.

Response Rate

The response rate of an LCD monitor refers to how quickly each pixel on the screen can change color. The faster the response rate, the less ghosting you will experience. Ghosting is when the previous image displayed on the screen can still be seen as a blur for moments after the image has changed. Ghosting can be seen in fast-paced graphical applications such as games and videos.

When choosing an LCD monitor for gaming, the response rate is perhaps the single most important factor to consider. If you’re playing a fast-paced action game such as a first person shooter, when you look around quickly you will experience ghosting. This can ruin your overall gaming experience, depending on how severe the ghosting is. The faster the response rate, the less ghosting you will see.

CRT monitors don’t suffer from ghosting and blurring effects, and this is the reason they have historically been recommended as the best gaming monitors. But the truth is you can find an LCD monitor that is good for gaming, the trick is finding one with a fast enough response rate. 

I would say that an LCD with a response rate of 8ms (milliseconds) is the minimum for good gaming. Lower than 8ms is better if you can afford it. The very best gaming monitors on the market have extremely fast response rates (even as low as 2ms), completely avoiding ghosting altogether.

Manufacturers are continually producing LCDs with faster response rates, so in the near future the argument that CRTs are the best gaming monitors will be non-existent.

CRT Monitors
Although LCDs are slowly taking over the aging technology of CRT monitors, you can still get a let for your money if you purchase a CRT these days. And manufacturers are continually evolving CRT monitors so they aren’t dead just yet. 

One area of improvement for CRT monitors is ergonomics. Some CRT monitors come in flat screen models which reduces glare and eyestrain. Let’s take a look at some important factors to think about when purchasing a CRT monitor. 

Dot Pitch 

The dot pitch indicates how sharp the images will be displayed on a CRT monitor. It’s measured in millimeters (mm), and the smaller the dot pitch, the better the image quality. 

Refresh Rate 

The refresh rate, also called the vertical refresh rate or frequency, is the speed at which the monitor can draw the screen. Measured in hertz (Hz), the refresh rate is an important specification of a CRT monitor. The higher the refresh rate of your monitor, the faster your screen is updated. 

If you’re on a low refresh rate you will notice your screen flickering, which can cause headaches and eye strain. To prevent such symptoms, make sure to set your refresh rate to 85 Hz or above. Any less and the flickering will become a health hazard. 

The refresh rate depends on the resolution that you’re running, and higher resolutions will support lower refresh rates. So choose a monitor that can display the resolution you want at an acceptable refresh rate (85 Hz and above, remember). 

Maximum Resolution 

Pretty self-explanatory, this is the highest resolution that a CRT monitor supports. As I said before, CRTs can display multiple resolutions without problems, unlike LCDs. So for example, if the maximum resolution of your CRT monitor is 1280x1024, then it will support all smaller resolutions: 1024x768, 800x600, and 640x480 etc.

What Size Should You Buy?
Choosing the size of your gaming monitor depends on your needs, and your budget. Sizes for both CRT and LCD monitors range from 15 inches up to 23 inches. Prices vary greatly between sizes, so choose a size that you can afford and that is big enough for you. 

17 inches is big enough for most people, but if you’re a hardcore gamer or you plan to watch lots of videos or TV on your monitor, you should go for something bigger as it will increase your viewing experience. 

Also, be aware that CRT and LCD screen sizes are measured differently. For some reason, the plastic edging around a CRT screen is included in its screen measurements, so a CRT screen size doesn’t actually tell you the size of the screen. For example, if a CRT monitor is said to be 17 inches, the actual screen size would probably be closer to 15 inches. This is not true for LCD monitors, as the stated size is the actual size of the screen.

LCDs vs CRTs
Here is a list of the main advantages of both LCDs and CRTs. When deciding between the two, choose the type that best suits your specific needs, the applications you use, and your budget. 

Advantages of LCD Monitors 

Less power usage – An LCD monitor require less power than a CRT model, although CRT power usage is steadily coming down after lots of improvement from manufacturers.


Smaller and lighter – LCD monitors are much thinner and lighter than CRTs, and they weigh less. This makes LCDs easier to move around, and they take up less room on your desk.

Easier on the eyes – Because of the way LCD displays work, they don’t flicker like CRT monitors and so they reduce eyestrain and headaches. Also, LCDs tend to display text better since they can produce sharper images than CRTs. So if you’re going to read a lot of text with your monitor, consider an LCD.

Advantages of CRT Monitors 

Cheaper – CRT monitors are generally less expensive, although prices for LCDs continue to fall.


Better color range – CRTs are known to more accurately represent different colors than LCDs. However, LCDs continue to evolve and soon this won’t be a concern.

Faster response – CRT displays also currently have the upper hand in displaying fast-paced graphics and video. They don’t suffer from LCD-specific problems like ghosting and blurring, and so have been recommended as the best gaming monitors. Although, keep in mind that newer LCDs with fast response rates are good enough for gaming.


Multiple Resolutions – As said before, CRT monitors handle multiple resolutions without problems. An LCD is only meant for a single resolution, so don’t get an LCD if you need to change resolutions often.

Less Fragile – CRT monitors are rugged and are harder to damage.

What is Best for Gaming?
As stated before, CRT monitors have traditionally been recommended as the best gaming monitors due to their higher response times. But this can be seen as old advice, because the newer LCDs on the block can very much handle fast-paced games with their good response rates. 

But buying a good enough LCD monitor for gaming might not be in your budget. Even though they are forever getting cheaper, they can be quite expensive. So in this case you are better off sticking to a CRT display, which will give you a lot of bang for your buck. In the end, choosing between an LCD or CRT depends on your budget and your gaming needs. 

I highly recommend TigerDirect.com to find the best gaming monitors at the lowest prices. They have a huge range of products and are a trusted name for selling quality computer parts online.


Conclusion
This article has explained the important factors you should consider when buying the best gaming monitor for your needs. With this information you are in a good position to make a wise purchase on your gaming monitor.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-gaming-monitor.html









Choosing a Gaming Video Card for your PC

Choosing the right gaming video card for your needs can be a tough decision for many. There are so many different graphics cards out there, all with different specs and features, it's hard to know what is best for you. 

This article will discuss the various factors you should consider when buying a video card, so you can make a better buying decision.

Your gaming video card will be responsible for producing the dazzling 3D graphics and effects seen in the latest computer games. A better graphics card makes for a better 3D gaming experience, so gamers should choose the best video card they can afford.

AGP or PCI Express
There are two ways to connect your graphics card to your motherboard, via an AGP or PCI Express slot. 

Generally, a motherboard will only support one these slot types. So you need to make sure which it is before looking for a video card.

AGP has been the norm for a long time now, but it is old technology. 

PCI Express is the new kid on the block, and it’s only a matter of time until it completely takes over from AGP. The benefit of PCI Express is that it can handle a greater data throughput than an AGP slot. 

PCI Express offers performance of up to 4X faster than the fastest AGP slot. It’s relatively new technology, and it isn’t being used to its full potential yet. Although, we predict that games released in the next 1-2 years will make full use of PCI Express technology.

Another advantage of PCI Express is you can connect more than one video card to your computer. This is impossible with AGP, a motherboard can only ever have one AGP slot.

If you’re simply upgrading your gaming computer with a new video card, you should check whether your motherboard supports AGP or PCI Express, and then choose a card accordingly. Don’t worry if your motherboard has an AGP slot. Even though it’s not the latest technology, AGP is going to stay around for a long time. Many of the best video cards come in AGP versions.

On the other hand, if you’re building a new system from scratch, you have the choice. We recommend choosing a gaming video card with PCI Express, and a motherboard that supports it. As we said before, the games of the future will soon harness the power of this new technology, leaving AGP in the dark. So by choosing PCI Express now, it will save you the upgrade later when AGP becomes obsolete.

Also, don’t confuse PCI Express with PCI. A long time ago you would connect your graphics card through a PCI slot on your motherboard. This is very slow compared to todays standards, and is completely outdated.

AMD ATI or nVidia
Very much like the CPU market, there are two companies that dominate the world of gaming video cards, AMD ATI and nVidia. They make the best video card chips in the world. AMD ATI is responsible for the Radeon series, while nVidia is behind the GeForce line of cards. 

Although AMD ATI and nVidia make the graphics card technology you see in all the latest cards, they don’t actually sell them themselves. They license their best video card chips to companies such as Digital Alliance, HIS, XFX, GeCube, Saphire, Asus, and ABit (just to name a few) who then sell their own variants on the original technology.

Understanding the Specs
Below are some brief explanations of the different aspects of a graphics processor. If you get caught up in all this technical talk, do not worry. You don’t need to understand all the details in order to make a wise purchase on your gaming video card. 

Clock Speed
The clock speed of a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) determines the number of pixels it can process per cycle. But just like CPUs, the numbers can be a little misleading. A faster clock speed does not always result in better performance. 

Onboard Memory
Video cards come with on-board memory to be used solely for graphics operations. The minimum on a graphics card these days is 256MB, although 1GB is becoming quite common. Some of the best gaming video cards have a huge 2GB of on-board memory. 

But be aware that ‘the more the better’ isn’t always true. If the software you run doesn’t need huge amounts of memory, then you shouldn’t spend money on more memory. If you compare a card with 128MB against one with 256MB, you would only see a performance improvement if you play a game such as Half Life 2, or Doom3, which requires lots of memory for its many large textures. 

Memory Bandwidth
Memory bandwidth is the speed at which the GPU can talk with the on-board memory. It’s more important than the amount of memory you have on the card. The more bandwidth, the better. Graphics card memory comes in GDDR2, GDDR3, and GDDR5. The former is the fastest type of memory. 

Fill Rate
The fill rate of a video card is the speed at which pixels are drawn onto screen memory. It’s usually measured in millions of pixels per second, and is an important measure of a graphics processor’s performance. The best gaming video cards on the market have fill rates as fast as 15 billion pixels per second.

Rendering Features
The speed and efficiency of the GPU isn’t the only thing that counts. The latest 3D games and software make use of advanced 3D rendering effects such as anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, bump-mapping, pixel shaders and much more.

If you run a game that was written with such features in mind, and your graphics card doesn’t support them, you will experience a significant performance loss, or at worst the game won’t run at all. The best gaming video cards on the market try to keep up with all the latest 3D rendering techniques in the software world.

Other Functions
Video cards provide other functions apart from rendering 3D graphics. For example, you can have high-definition output, output to a TV screen, or to multiple monitors. If you want such features, be sure to check if they’re listed on the box.

DVI: This is a higher-definition output used with newer monitors and some high-end TVs. Connecting to your monitor via DVI offers better image quality than the standard VGA connection. If you want to take advantage of DVI, buy a graphics card and monitor that supports it.


TV-Out: If you wish to display the output of your video card onto a TV screen, you will need a graphics card that supports TV-Out. Many of the best video cards on the market have this feature, aswell as budget-line cards. You connect your graphics card to a TV using an S-video connection. If you have an older TV with an RCA input instead of S-video, you will need an S-video to RCA adaptor.

Dual Monitor Support: If you want to split your video output across two monitors, you will need dual monitor support on your graphics card. This feature is useful for developers, engineers, designers, and multi-taskers who wish to view many different windows on their desktop at once. Usually, one output will be VGA and the other DVI.

HDMI: Is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It represents a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as Radio Frequency (RF) coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, and VGA. HDMI connects digital audio/video sources—such as set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, personal computers (PCs), video game consoles (such as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), and AV receivers—to compatible digital audio devices, computer monitors, and digital televisions. HDMI supports, on a single cable, any TV or PC video format, including standard, enhanced, and high-definition video; up to 8 channels of digital audio; and a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) connection. The CEC allows HDMI devices to control each other when necessary and allows the user to operate multiple devices with one remote control handset. Because HDMI is electrically compatible with the signals used by Digital Visual Interface (DVI), no signal conversion is necessary, nor is there a loss of video quality when a DVI-to-HDMI adapter is used.

Choosing Your Gaming Video Card
Now that you have a little background information on the features of a video card, you can start to make your decision on what is the best gaming video card for your needs.

Unfortunately, choosing a gaming video card is no easy task. There are so many different models and different varieties of each model, it can be overwhelming. AMD ATI and nVidia also have different naming conventions that can cause added confusion.

Selecting a gaming video card all depends on your needs and budget. The graphics card is perhaps the most important component in a gaming computer. Gamers should purchase the best video card they can afford. We have looked into the important issues that surround buying a gaming video card, so you should be ready to make a good decision based on your needs as a gamer.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/gaming-video-card.html

             en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Definition_Multimedia_Interface







Choosing The Best Hard Drive For Your Custom PC

In this article we look at the different things to look for when buying the best hard drive for your computer.

The hard drive is where all your files and programs are stored. The three main features to look out for in a hard drive is the speed, size, and the type of interface. 

But first, let’s take a little look into how hard drives work.

How Hard Drives Store Data
In a nutshell, hard drives store information by manipulating magnetic fields over the moving surface of a disk coated with a magnetic material. This use of magnetism to store information is very similar to how tape or video recorders work. 

A hard drive stores digital data as magnetic variations on the surface of the disk. A bit (binary digit, the building block of all data within a PC) represents a 0 when magnetized in one orientation, and a 1 when magnetized in another. 

Each individual disk inside a hard drive is called a platter. Large hard drives contain several platters and use both sides of each platter for storage. The drive contains a motor that spins the platters at speeds from 5400 to 15,000 rotations per minute (rpm).

The Speed of Hard Drives
So basically, the faster a drive spins, the faster you can access and transfer data. Most of the best hard drives these days have a speed of 7200rpm. You don’t want anything less than this, as you will notice annoying delays between reading and writing data. 

If you want a faster hard drive you can find drives with 10,000rpm. The best hard drives available have speeds reaching 15,000rpm, although you probably won’t need such a drive for home computer use. The faster you go, the more you are going to pay, so I would just recommend sticking to a 7200rpm hard drive, it’s fast enough for most people.

What Size Do You Need?
Hard drives come in all different sizes, ranging from 80GB to 200GB, to even 500GB and more. Purchase the largest hard drive you can afford, but also take into account what you will use it for, as you don’t want to waste money on space you don’t need.

For normal home use these days you will probably need around 200GB to 400GB. If you are going to store lots and lots of software and data (perhaps large games), you might need more. So the size you choose all depends on what you need. Those who wish to store lots of video data or lots of games will require huge hard disks, such as 500GB or even bigger.

What Hard Drive Interface to Choose?
The hard drive interface is the hardware that manages the exchange of data between a computer and the hard drive. The most common interface used is ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment). ATA comes in two forms, the original ATA (also known as Parallel ATA, or PATA) and the newer, faster SATA (Serial ATA).

Then there’s the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), which is mainly used on servers and high-end workstation PCs. SCSI is the fastest and consequently the best hard drive interface available, but it’s also considerably more expensive than SATA. It’s also fairly safe to say that you won’t need a SCSI hard drive.

So with SCSI out of the equation for most users, I would consider getting a hard drive with an ATA interface, preferably SATA if your motherboard supports it.

Conclusion
This article has explained the different considerations you should be aware of when buying your new hard drive. Choose a hard drive that is large enough for your needs, fast enough for your liking, and has an interface type that is efficient and is supported by your motherboard.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-hard-drive.html





How to Choose the Best Computer Memory

This article helps you choose the best computer memory (RAM) for your gaming computer. RAM (Random Access Memory) is the memory in a computer used to store running programs. The more RAM you have, the faster your games and other programs will run.

Investing in a decent amount of RAM from one of the best computer memory makers is a smart idea. The performance of your gaming computer will be greatly affected by the type and amount of RAM you have onboard.

Firstly, let's take a look at the different types of RAM available to you.

Types of RAM
These days there are three main types of memory you can buy for your computer, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and RDRAM. The memory type you select will depend on that supported by your motherboard. 

SDRAM. This is an older form of memory that has now been superseded by DDR SDRAM. Although it’s not the fastest memory available, they are still trusted memory chips that you can find for a very cheap price.


DDR SDRAM. The most common type of memory used today, DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM performs faster than its predecessor. There’s no reason not to get this type of memory for your system.

RDRAM. Also known as Rambus, RDRAM is the latest type of memory that was originally designed for the Pentium 4. It’s the fastest, and consequently, the most expensive type of memory.

How Much RAM Do You Need?
You might be asking “How much RAM do I need?”. The simple answer is “as much as you can afford”. Adding memory to your system will show real results, and RAM prices are forever getting cheaper.

Windows XP needs at least 128MB of RAM just to be usable, although with such little memory you are bound to have problems. Add a few applications and you’ll quickly find that 256MB, and even 512MB, becomes necessary. And that’s just for normal computer users.

To run Windows Vista decently, you will be required to have at least 1 gig of RAM. If you’re a gamer, and I assume most of you are since you’re visiting this site, then you will require even more RAM. 1-2 Gigabytes is the absolute minimum these days to play decent 3D games, but you should really look into buying a little more. It’s really worth your money, especially if you’re interested in upcoming releases which will require even more grunt from your system.

Buying Your RAM
Buying the best computer memory for your gaming computer involves knowing which type you need, and then choosing how much you want. 

One thing to watch out for is the brand of the memory you buy. I recommend that you buy from a quality manufacturer, such as Kingston, Crucial, Corsair, or Samsung. Buying cheap memory from an unknown manufacturer is risky.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-computer-memory.html



Choosing the Best Motherboard

This article will help you choose the best motherboard for your gaming computer. The motherboard is one of the most important components in any computer, it can make or break a system.

We will look at the various factors you should take into account when choosing your gaming motherboard, to ensure that you choose the best motherboard for your needs.

If you think of the processor as the brain of a computer, then the motherboard could be described as the central nervous system, responsible for relaying information between all the internal components. 


In other words, it’s the hub of the computer, where all other components connect to. Since the motherboard is so crucial to your system, buying the best motherboard you can afford is a good investment.

A motherboard will generally only support one type of processor, such as a Pentium 4 or Athlon 64. Different CPUs have connectors that vary physically from one another. So you can’t accidentally plug in the wrong processor into the wrong motherboard. 

Also, take note that many motherboards will only support up to a certain speed of a certain processor model. In this case, the maximum processor speed allowed would be quoted in the motherboard specifications. So, when buying the best motherboard for you, be sure to check whether it will support the speed of your CPU.

Check the CPU Socket Type
To be sure that your processor is compatible with a particular motherboard, you need to check the socket type. The socket type is basically the processor interface for your CPU. 

For example, if you have a Pentium 4 processor the socket type will usually be either Socket 423 or Socket 478. So you would check the motherboard to see whether it supports this type of socket.

What Memory and Drive Format?
The motherboard you choose will dictate the type and amount of RAM you can have. You will want to get either DDR SDRAM or RDRAM, and at least 1 Gig worth, for good gaming performance. So ensure your motherboard will support this type and amount of memory. Motherboards also have different types of connections for your hard drive. Common drive formats are ATA and SATA.

PCI Slots and USB Ports
The PCI slots on a motherboard are there to accommodate add-on cards such as a sound card, Ethernet card, or modem. Make sure you have enough PCI slots for your needs. You should also consider the number of USB ports you need, and whether you need a Firewire port (used for video capturing and editing).

AGP or PCI Express Graphics Card?
When choosing the best motherboard for your needs, you need to think ahead and decide on what type of Graphics Card you will be using. Reason being, there are two different ways to connect a Graphics Card to a motherboard, through an AGP slot or a PCI Express slot. 

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) has been the standard for a long time, but now the new PCI Express technology is slowly taking over the scene, as it is much faster than AGP.

Built-in Video, Sound, or Networking
Some motherboards come with built-in video, sound, or networking capabilities. This can save you time and money because you won’t have to buy the separate cards for these functions. If you want decent quality graphics you will definitely need to avoid on-board video and get a separate graphics card. On-board video simply doesn’t cut it for the good 3D games. 

On the other hand, getting on-board sound is a much more appealing option. You can get decent quality sound with it, and most people won’t notice the difference between on-board sound and a separate sound card for basic audio functions such as listening to music and playing games. But, if you’re into producing music or you want the very best sound quality from your games, you will want to invest in a separate sound card.

Plan to Upgrade
Choosing the best motherboard for your needs should also include you looking to the future. Will you want to upgrade in the near future? Make sure your motherboard will allow you to upgrade, whether it be more RAM, or a new graphics card. If you plan to upgrade your processor, be sure your motherboard will support a faster processor.

Conclusion
The motherboard is such a crucial component to your gaming computer. You should consider all the features that are important to you, and buy the best motherboard you can afford. 

Some well-known and trusted motherboard manufacturers are ASUS, ABIT, MSI, XFX, EVGA, Intel, and Gigabyte amongst others. You can start by browsing the range of the best motherboards from these trusted names, and continue on your way to choosing that perfect gaming motherboard. Happy shopping!

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-motherboard.html








Choosing the Best CPU for Your Gaming Computer

Choosing the best CPU for your gaming needs can be a tough decision. The CPU market is indeed confusing. There are many different models to choose from, all with different features and speeds. 

The following information will help you understand the world of CPUs, and will assist you in choosing the best CPU for your gaming needs. Picking the latest, fastest or most expensive processor on the market won’t always result in the right CPU for your particular system. Some processors are designed to work with certain motherboards, so the CPU you choose will limit the type of motherboard you can get.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is one of the most important components in any computer system. The CPU could be described as the brains of a computer. It contains the logic circuitry that performs the instructions of the software you run. The performance of your games and other applications will be directly related to this tiny little microprocessor.

The Major Players: Intel and AMD
Two companies dominate the CPU market, Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices). Both companies make a range of different processor models. Intel make the Pentium and Celeron processor models, while AMD have the Athlon and Sempron series. The Intel versus AMD debate is always a popular one.

The Best CPU for Gaming
If you’re a basic computer user and you don’t require all that much power, you may want to consider a budget-line processor. Intel and AMD both offer budget processors.

Intel have their Core Duo/Pentium Dual Core range of budget processor models, which has been around for years. This processor of today have dramatically different inner structures than the first that hit the market years ago. As for AMD, these days the AMD Athlon II X2 processors would be considered budget models and go for very cheap.

For gaming, you will need a more powerful CPU. If you wish to play the latest 3D games with good performance, you’ll want to invest in a capable CPU. Currently, the Intel Core 2 Quad is the most popular processor and is also the one that I recommend for gaming. If you want to go with AMD instead, consider the AMD Phenom II X4 models.

Deciding between AMD and Intel can be a difficult decision. Although, if you're a gamer I would recommend an Intel processor at this particular time. They seem to generally out-perform their follow AMD rivals these days. But in the end it’s up to you.

Understanding the Speed of CPUs
The speed of a CPU is measured in either megahertz or gigahertz, and is referred to as the CPU’s clock speed. It’s not very easy to compare the performance of Intel and AMD processors. An Intel processor running at 3 GHz is not equivalent to an Athlon processor running at 3 GHz. This is because AMD processors can run at a slower speed and yet match the performance of faster-clocked Intel processors. 

As a result, AMD has named its CPUs on an equivalent Intel rating, not based on their actual MHz value. This helps to compare AMD and Intel processors. For example, an AMD Athlon XP 2100+ runs at 1.73 GHz, yet it matches the performance of a 2.1GHz Pentium 4.

Cooling Your CPU
These days, the best CPUs produce so much heat they require a cooling system. Processors commonly run with a fan attached to the top to cool them down. When you buy a CPU, the stock cooler that comes with it can be replaced with a better aftermarket cpu cooler if you want improved cooling. If you're going to be overclocking your CPU, then chances are you probably need to get a better cooler.

The Future of CPUs
Competition in the CPU market is tight between Intel and AMD, both are working hard to release the fastest and most powerful chips. The current trend in CPUs are 64-bit chips, and AMD and Intel both have competing 64-bit processors on the market. 

Quad core CPUs are also relatively new on the scene, and these types of processors aim to increase performance when running multiple programs at the same time. In time, quad core processors will be the norm.

Conclusion
Choosing the best CPU for gaming can be a confusing task. Hopefully this article has shed some light on how to go about choosing the best gaming CPU for your needs.

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/best-cpu.html






Introduction to Building Custom Gaming Computers

This is an introduction to building your own custom gaming computers. Building your own computer is the way to go if you want a high performance, good value-for-money gaming PC. 

And despite what people say, it's not hard to do. All it takes is basic knowledge of the computer parts, building your own custom gaming computers simply involves buying all your computer components separately, and then putting them together yourself to build your gaming PC.

You will end up with a fast, cost-effective gaming computer suited for your own gaming needs because you chose the parts yourself. Besides saving money and having a great gaming PC, building custom gaming computers can also be a lot of fun!

Advantages to Building Your Own
Let's have a closer look at the advantages of building your own custom gaming computer, as opposed to buying a ready-built, complete gaming system:

Better performance. If you want a high-performance gaming PC tailored to your gaming needs, building your own machine is the best way to go about it.


You will save money. By shopping around for quality components at good prices, you will end up with a cheap gaming computer. Building your own PC works out less expensive than buying a complete system.

You will gain valuable experience. Whilst choosing your components and building your gaming computer, you will learn a lot about computer hardware, and how computers work in general.


As you can see, there are good reasons why someone would want to build their own custom gaming computer. Building a computer can also be fascinating, and empowering. 

You will feel 'in control' of your machine by knowing how it was put together. Completing your very own computer is a real achievement and something to be proud of.

How to Choose Your Components
Perhaps the biggest challenge of building gaming computers is choosing the right components for your needs. How do you know which component is best for you? How do they all work together?

We provide you with the information you need to know about choosing each component for your gaming computer. Reading these guides will save you time and money, and you are bound to learn a lot about computer hardware in the process:

Components You Need
CPU/Processor
Motherboard
Computer Memory
Best Hard Drive
Gaming Video Card
Gaming Computer Case
Computer Power Supply
Best DVD Burner
Gaming Monitor
Gaming Keyboard
Gaming Mouse

Optional Extras
Sound Card
Aftermarket CPU Cooler
Best Computer Speakers
Blu Ray DVD Burner
Gaming Headphones
Computer Gaming Desk
Gaming Chair

Plan For The Future
Computer technology advances at an amazing rate. So it's a good idea to choose your components with a view to upgrading in the future. For example, you are better off choosing a motherboard that supports a faster processor than the one you are putting in now and that has enough RAM slots for you to be able to add more memory at a later date.

Having read this introduction to building your own gaming PC, you are now ready to start choosing your components and building the ultimate gaming computer!

FROM www.build-gaming-computers.com/custom-gaming-computers.html

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Dream Machine AMD 4

Processor

AMD Phenom II X4 955 3.2 GHz 4x512KB Cache Black Edition (AM3) Box Rp 2.061.000,-


Motherboard

Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P (AMD 790FX, SB750, DDR3, 2x PCIe x16, FSB 5200 MT/s) Rp 2.428.000,-

Memory

GSKILL F3-16000CL9T-6GBTD Trident DDR3 PC16000 3x2GB Triple Channel Rp 1.672.000,-


HDD

WDC Caviar Black SE 16 1TB SATA-II 32MB Intelli Power Rp 1.212.000,-

Graphic Card

2x ASUS EAH4870 X2 2GB GDDR5 256Bit @Rp 5.441.000,- (Rp 10.882.000)

Casing :

Thermaltake Speedo Advanced Pack VJ90001W2Z Rp 2.368.000,-

UPS

Cooler Master Real Power 1000W Modular Rp 2.424.000,-

HSF

Cooler Master V10 Rp 1.265.000,-

ODD

Pioneer DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Box Rp 318.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor :

Samsung P3270 Wide 23 Inch Full HD Rp 3.235.000,- 

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS

Enlight UPS 1200VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 815.000,-



GRAND TOTAL Rp 29.005.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Dream Machine AMD 3

Processor

AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz 4x512KB Cache (AM3) Box Rp 1.759.000,-

Motherboard

DFI LP DK 790FXB-M3H5 (AMD 790FX, SB750, DDR3, 3x PCIe x16, FSB 5200 MT/s) Rp 1.844.000,-

Memory

GSKILL F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ DDR3 PC12800 3x2GB Triple Channel Rp 1.309.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar Black SE 16 1TB SATA-II 32MB Intelli Power Rp 1.212.000,-

Graphic Card

ASUS EAH4870 X2 2GB GDDR5 256Bit Rp 5.441.000,-

Casing :

Thermaltake Speedo VJ90001N2Z Rp 1.965.000,-

UPS

Thermaltake Though Power QFAN 850W Active PFC Modular Rp 1.864.000,-

HSF

Cooler Master V8 Rp 630.000,-

ODD

Pioneer DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Box Rp 318.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor :

Samsung P3270 Wide 23 Inch Full HD Rp 3.235.000,- 

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS

Enlight UPS 1200VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 815.000,-



GRAND TOTAL Rp 20.717.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Dream Machine AMD 2

Processor

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8 GHz 3x512KB Cache Black Edition (AM3) Box Rp 1.260.000,-

Motherboard

ASRock M3A790GXH/128M (AMD 790GX, SB750, VGA Radeon HD 3300, DDR3, 3x PCIe x16, FSB 5200 MT/s) Rp 1.397.000,-

Memory

GSKILL F3-12800CL8D-4GBTD Trident DDR3 PC12800 2x2GB Dual Channel Rp 926.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 500GB SATA-II 32MB Intelli Power Green Rp 558.000,-

Graphic Card

HIS Radeon HD 4770 512MB GDDR5 128Bit Rp 1.199.000,- 

Casing :

Cooler Master Mystique 632 Black Rp 902.000,-

UPS

OCZ Silencer 750W Rp 1.401.000,- 

HSF

Thermaltake V1 AX Rp 464.000,-

ODD

Pioneer DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 318.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor :

Chimei CMV222H Wide 22 Inch Rp 2.330.000,- 

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS

Enlight UPS 1000VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 640.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 11.720.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Dream Machine AMD 1

Processor

AMD Phenom II X2 550 3.1 GHz 2x512KB Cache Black Edition (AM3) Box Rp 1.056.000,-

Motherboard

ASRock M3A790GXH/128M (AMD 790GX, SB750, VGA Radeon HD 3300, DDR3, 3x PCIe x16, FSB 5200 MT/s) Rp 1.397.000,-

Memory

GSKILL F3-12800CL8D-4GBTD Trident DDR3 PC12800 2x2GB Dual Channel Rp 926.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 500GB SATA-II 32MB Intelli Power Green Rp 558.000,-

Graphic Card

HIS Radeon HD 4770 512MB GDDR5 128Bit Rp 1.199.000,- 

Casing :

Point Of View Incognito Rp 774.000,-

UPS

OCZ Silencer 750W Rp 1.401.000,-

HSF

Thermaltake V1 AX Rp 464.000,-

ODD

Pioneer DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 318.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor :

Chimei CMV222H Wide 22 Inch Rp 2.330.000,- 

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS

Enlight UPS 1000VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 640.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 11.386.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Value Machine AMD 2

Processor

AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.0 GHz 2x1MB Cache (AM3) Box Rp 789.000,-

Motherboard

ASRock M3A790GXH/128M (AMD 790GX, SB750, VGA Radeon HD 3300, DDR3, 3x PCIe x16, FSB 5200 MT/s) Rp 1.397.000,-

Memory

Patriot Signature Line KIT DDR3 PC10600 3x1GB Triple Channel Rp 615.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 320GB SATA-II 16MB Cache Rp 464.000,-

Graphic Card

HIS Radeon HD 4770 512MB GDDR5 128Bit Rp 1.199.000,-

Casing

Power Logic Modena X2200 w/ PSU 500W Rp 267.000,-

HSF

DeepCool CK-77502 Rp 46.000,-

ODD

Samsung DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 262.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Simbadda SK 900 Keyboard and Mouse Rp 98.000,-

LCD Monitor

Advance V1710 Wide 17 Inch w/ Speaker Rp 970.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 6.170.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Value Machine AMD 1 (As Low As Rp 5.500.000)

Processor

AMD Athlon II X2 245 2.9 GHz 2x1MB Cache (AM3) Box Rp 689.000,-

Motherboard

MSI 770-C45 (AMD 770, SB710, DDR3, PCIe x16, FSB 5200 MT/s) Rp 910.000,-

Memory

AData DDR3 PC12800 2x1GB Dual Channel Rp 565.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 160GB SATA-II 16MB Cache Rp 391.000,-

Graphic Card

HIS Radeon HD 4770 512MB GDDR5 128Bit Rp 1.199.000,-

Casing

Power Logic Modena X2200 w/ PSU 500W Rp 267.000,-

HSF

DeepCool CK-77502 Rp 46.000,-

ODD

Samsung DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 262.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Simbadda SK 900 Keyboard and Mouse Rp 98.000,-

LCD Monitor

Advance V1540 Wide 15 Inch w/ Speaker Rp 803.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 5.293.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Dream Machine Intel 3

Processor

Intel Core i7 975 Extreme 3.33 GHz (QPI 4.8, 8MB Cache) LGA 1366 Box Rp 10.932.000,-

Motherboard

ASUS Rampage II Extreme (Intel X58, ICH10R, DDR3, 3x PCIe x16, SupremeFX X-Fi 8-CH Sound Card) Rp 4.998.000,-

Memory

GSKILL F3-17066CL9T-6GBPS Perfect Storm DDR3 PC17066 3x2GB Triple Channel Rp 3.082.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar Black SE 16 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache Intelli Power Rp 1.212.000,-

Graphic Card

2x ASUS ENGTX295 HDMI 1792MB GDDR3 896Bit @Rp 5.340.000,- (Rp 10.680.000)

Casing

Cooler Master Cosmos S Acrylic Side Window Rp 2.640.000,-

PSU :

Cooler Master Real Power 1000W Modular Rp 2.424.000,-

HSF

Cooler Master V10 Rp 1.265.000,-

ODD

ASUS DRW-20B1LT 20x SATA Rp 458.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor

Samsung P3270 Wide 23 Inch Full HD Rp 3.235.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS :

Enlight 1200VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 815.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 42.066.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Dream Machine Intel 2 (ASUS Edition)

Processor

Intel Core i7 950 3.06 GHz (QPI 4.8, 8MB Cache) LGA 1366 Box Rp 5.874.000,-

Motherboard

ASUS Rampage II Extreme (Intel X58, ICH10R, DDR3, 3x PCIe x16, SupremeFX X-Fi 8-CH Sound Card) Rp 4.998.000,-

Memory

GSKILL F3-16000CL8T-6GBPS Perfect Storm DDR3 PC16000 3x2GB Triple Channel Rp 2.881.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar Black SE 16 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache Intelli Power Rp 1.212.000,-

Graphic Card

ASUS ENGTX295 HDMI 1792MB GDDR3 896Bit Rp 5.340.000,-

Casing

ASUS Vento TA 363 Rp 1.927.000,-

PSU :

OCZ ModXStream Gaming 900W Rp 1.804.000,-

HSF

ASUS Triton 81 Rp 655.000,-

ODD

ASUS DRW-20B1LT 20x SATA Rp 458.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor

ASUS VK222H Wide 22 Inch Rp 3.386.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS :

Enlight 1000VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 640.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 29.500.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Dream Machine Intel 1

Processor

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 3.0 GHz (FSB 1333, 12MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 3.325.000,-

Motherboard

ASUS Maximus II Formula (Intel P45, ICH10R, DDR2, 2x PCIe x16, SupremeFX X-Fi 8-CH Sound Card, FSB 1600) Rp 3.295.000,-

Memory

OCZ Reaper Heatpipe DDR2 PC9200 2x2GB Dual Channel Rp 867.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 500GB SATA-II 32MB Cache Intelli Power Green Rp 558.000,-

Graphic Card

Digital Alliance GTS250 1GB GDDR3 256Bit Green Rp 1.482.000,-

Casing

Point of View Incognito Rp 774.000,-

PSU :

OCZ Silencer 750W Rp 1.401.000,-

HSF

Thermaltake V1 AX Rp 464.000,-

ODD :

Pioneer DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 318.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Logitech G1 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Rp 262.000,-

LCD Monitor

Chimei CMV222H Wide 22 Inch Rp 2.330.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-

UPS :

Enlight 1000VAP, AVR (Software Controlled) Rp 640.000,-



GRAND TOTAL Rp 15.779.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Value Machine Intel 2

Processor

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 GHz (FSB 1333, 6MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 1.740.000,-

Motherboard

ASRock P45XE (Intel P45, DDR2, 2x PCIe x16, FSB 2000) Rp 1.112.000,-

Memory

AData Gaming w/ Heatsink DDR2 PC6400 2x2GB Dual Channel Rp 605.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 320GB SATA-II 16MB Cache Rp 464.000,-

Graphic Card

HIS Radeon HD 4770 512MB GDDR5 128Bit Rp 1.199.000,-

Casing

Power Logic Modena X2200 w/ PSU 500W Rp 267.000,-

HSF

DeepCool CK-77502 Rp 46.000,-

ODD

Samsung DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 262.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Simbadda SK 900 Keyboard and Mouse Rp 98.000,-

LCD Monitor

Advance V1710 Wide 17 Inch w/ Speaker Rp 970.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 6.826.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)

Value Machine Intel 1 (As Low As Rp 5.000.000)

Processor

Intel Core Duo E5400 2.7 GHz (FSB 800, 3MB Cache) LGA 775 Box Rp 825.000,-

Motherboard

ASUS P5KPL-AM (Intel G31, DDR2, PCIe x16, FSB 1600 OC) Rp 630.000,-

Memory

Transcend DDR2 PC6400 2x1GB Dual Channel Rp 318.000,-

HDD

WDC Caviar SE 16 160GB SATA-II 16MB Cache Rp 391.000,-

Graphic Card

HIS Radeon HD 4770 512MB GDDR5 128Bit Rp 1.199.000,-

Casing

Power Logic Modena X2200 w/ PSU 500W Rp 267.000,-

HSF

DeepCool CK-77502 Rp 46.000,-

ODD

Samsung DVDRW Drive 20x SATA Rp 262.000,-

Keyboard and Mouse

Simbadda SK 900 Keyboard and Mouse Rp 98.000,-

LCD Monitor

Advance V1540 Wide 15 Inch w/ Speaker Rp 803.000,-

USB Device

6 in 1 Internal Card Reader EPro Rp 63.000,-


GRAND TOTAL Rp 4.902.000,-

(Harga per 25 Agustus 2009, Vira Jaya Computer)