Computer part distributor guide

Cpu (Central Processing Unit)

This is the brain of your computer, and it is relatively simple the faster the processor, the faster your computer will react this is normally measured in now gigahertz.

Depending on what your willing to spend, the absolute top of the range processors are exponentially more expensive then those only a few months older.

There are two major brands available, currently these are AMD and Intel.

There are some differences but it really depends on what you want, and what you are willing to spend. Intel processors will normally run colder then AMD making them generally more reliable. AMD processors are normally a much cheaper computer part distributor then Intel’s offerings.

Motherboard

If the processor computer part distributors were the brain the motherboard would be the torso.

Every computer part from computer part distributor is connected to it in some way, a good motherboard will go a long way.

Boards which come with newer standards, can often keep up with hardware and computer parts for longer then cheaper ones.

There are many good brands of motherboard from each computer part distributor. Each with individual features, it is up to you weather you want them or not.

This can be an important decision as you have to choose which processor you want and they are not interchangeable.

To simplify this, a motherboard that has a socket for an Intel processor won’t allow you to fit an AMD processor on to it.

Be sure to check at the computer part distributor for more information regarding this before you purchase.

Hard drive

The hard drive is the main area of storage for most people’s computers. It will normally contain your operating system such as Microsoft Windows or Linux if you’re that way inclined.

The storage of modern hard drives is fantastic and are relatively cheap.

Normally the minimum is 60 gigabytes of data which is a lot of storage, so much so that more budget pc’s will come with 30-40 gigabyte. This still allows you plenty of space for anything you wish to store.

The hard drive computer parts have disks within it that spin, so the faster the speed of these the faster you can get information off it.

Normally a good hard drive will be 7200rpm. There are many connections but the latest one to be around for probably a while is SATA.

The good thing about all the parts, is you can always return the goods to the computer part distributor if they go faulty within a certain time period.

Memory (RAM)

These computer parts from the compuer part distributor are modules which act as temporary storage.

They store information that is used regularly and which needs to be available quickly.

The more memory you have the less it will have to rely on slower types of storage, such as your hard drive.

For performance I recommend at least 256 MB of RAM for any application you want to use your computer for.

For graphics packages or gaming I would recommend at least 512MB of RAM from the computer part distributor.

Graphics Card

The graphics card is the chip or card between your motherboard and your monitor.

It helps generate graphics that are then put onto the screen. Most good graphics cards will come from the computer part distributor with at least 128 MB of RAM, but 32 MB is sufficient for windows and everyday applications.

The more memory the graphics card has available the more stress it can take away from the processor.

This means it will have to request data to fill the graphics memory less often, resulted in boosted performance, especially in games and digital editing.

Get a Network Card from the computer part distributor

Through this card your computer can connect to other computers over a network or the Internet.

Most cards will use RJ-45 connector, which is like a phone connector but with more lines for data to travel along.

There are other connectors available but are rarely used, most equipment will use RJ-45.

At the moment network cards are often being built into motherboards, which reduce the overall cost of networking.

Sound card

This computer part controls sound. This connects your speakers/headphones to your computer.

Sound cards are often built on to the motherboard. Not the greatest quality of sound is produced this way, but good enough for most people.

If you want good quality sound, a good sound card is needed they are often 5.1 minimum and have a larger sound range then those built onto the motherboards.

Check out my cheap computer cases page out where all these parts fit in to.

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