Building Computers Do It Yourself To Get The Perfect Machine

Writen by Michael Quarles

The perfect machine, for game play, video editing, or whatever use you have in mind, can come only when all the major and minor parts have been carefully selected. It is a union of chips, circuits, and drives that are exactly right together.

Often, this cannot be had from the major computer manufacturers. If you want such a machine, you may have to build it yourself.

Why is this perfect union so hard to find? One answer lies in the demands of mass production. Perhaps the best illustration I can give has to do with motherboards.

A large manufacturer has the advantage of buying parts in quantity, thereby getting them at a reduced price. They may buy thousands of a certain motherboard, using them as the platform for several different PCs.

This sort of standardization has great advantages on the production line. Using the same board for different models means fewer setups, easier stocking by material handlers, and the increased speed that comes from having everything fit together exactly the same way every time.

All of this is good for the production process, but do you really want the same motherboard for a home PC, and a video editor that will cut an hour long documentary? I don't think so.

As with the motherboard, manufacturers buy CPUs in quantity to keep costs down. Most will buy either Intel or AMD, but not both. Each brand has its good points, each with models that excel at different tasks. However, there are some jobs I prefer an AMD for, and others that are best done with Intel chips. Few manufacturers give you a choice. If they do, it will not be across their entire catalog.

Graphics cards are often a source of disappointment for gamers. How many of you have bought a PC, and then, within the first month gone out and bought a different graphics card? The card in the machine was top of the line when the machine was being designed. Of course, by the time it came on the market a year had elapsed.

The solution for all this was touched on earlier. Build your own computer. Plan it, selecting the parts you want. Get exactly the computer you need, designed specifically for the job. It isn't hard to do, and it's worth the time and effort to get the perfect machine.

Michael Quarles is the author of Building a PC for Beginners. His website is http://www.monkeyseemonkeydobooks.com