COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Components of a PC Computer

1. Central Processor

2. Motherboard

3. Memory

4. Hard Disk Drive

5. Video Display Card

6. High Definition Audio

7. Power Supply

8. High-Res Monitor

Computer Component Killers

• Heat
• Static Electricity
• Electrical Surges
• Intermittent Connections
• Electrical Shorts
• Bad Connections
• Exceeding Ratings

Performance Indicators

• Processor Speed
• Front Side Bus Speed
• Dual Memory Channels
• Hard Disk Interface
• Number of Cores
• Amount of Memory Installed
• Temperature

Recent New Technologies

• SATA II Drive Technology
• Dual-Core CPUs
• Quad-Core CPUs
• SLI Display Protocol
• DDR2-7500 Ultra-High Speed RAM
• Plasma Video Display
• Laser Projection Keyboards
• Foldable Displays

I.  CPU

   There are several different CPU chip makers, Intel, AMD and what once to be Cyrix is now VIA.  Currently, it is anyone's guess who has the better, faster technology, it is a race between Intel and AMD for first place.

   What we are interested in this article, is getting the biggest bang for our buck, in whatever processor you ultimately decide to go with.  My first choice in the lower end of processors is the Intel Core-2 Duo line of processors.  AMD also has dual-core processors, however I feel that the Intel chips are superior.  Even the fastest chip, though will suffer performance degradation if the motherboard isn't up to the processor's standards.

   If you can find (and afford) one, you should concentrate upon obtaining a quad-core processor from Intel or AMD.

II.  Motherboard

   Motherboards are the main circuit board that comprises the computer brain.  The motherboard is second in importance only to the processor.  They need to be well matched or performance will suffer.  The important part of selecting a motherboard is to ensure that it supports the CPU you currently have, with room for expansion.  Pick a motherboard with dual-core support at a minimum -- with room for expansion to one of the new quad-core CPUs.

   Make sure you get one with the fastest front-side bus available.  The most common FSB speed is currently 800 MHz, however there are boards out now that support 1,333 MHz, or 1.3 GHz FSB.  This will give you the bandwidth to move data at a phenomenal rate.  The BIOS is also an important choice.  To maximize performance, you will want a BIOS that permits overclocking.

III.  Memory

   Memory.  Lots of memory.  That is what it takes to run some of the high-definition games and video editing software and CAD/CAM where rendering graphics is important, the more memory you have, the merrier you will be

   Heat is a big speed robber, so, if you intend to overclock your system, it is recommended that you start with a pair of memory modules that contain built-on heat spreaders.  This will ensure error-free computing.  Start with a pair of matched modules, as you will need a minimum of 2 modules in order to support dual-channel memory configurations.  This configuration will allow the CPU to move more data, faster.  Check your motherboard for it's required specifications in order to match the memory to your motherboard.

IV.  Hard Disk Drives

   Back in the day, the hard disk drives available at the time were 20 megabyte, 5¼ inch form-factor drives.  They sported such protocols such as MFM and RLL, while SCSI was the fast drive of the day.  A MFM drive could be expected only to transfer only 1 MB/sec, while RLL could transfer 1.5x that much.  The SCSI drives could move up to 68 MB/sec.

   MFM stands for "modified frequency modulation".  RLL stands for "Run-Length-Limited", and SCSI stands for "Small Computer System Interface".

   All of these drives, except for SCSI drives, pale in comparison to the newest type of drives -- SATA, meaning "Serial Advanced Technology Attachment" are among the fastest drives around.  The newer SATA II protocol makes SCSI look slow.

V.   Video Display Card

   Perhaps the most critical part of any high-performance or gamer's system is the video display card.  Today's cards come in a huge variety of configurations and quality.  For some of today's games and high-performance software, a minimum of 256MB of on-card DDR RAM is required.  512MB is even better.

   In addition to lots of on-board memory, you will want a video card that best supports your monitor, and, if possible, your next monitor.  Look for a card that supports at least two monitors, and has at least one digital connector.  The 15-pin connector is an analog SVGA protocol, and the digital connector is preferred.  The digital connector will disable the analog settings your monitor usually supports, as it will be controlled by the display card to achieve maximum resolution.   Digital gives you the best picture possible.

VI. High Definition Audio

   Perhaps sound isn't a big priority if you are performing wire-frame and video rendering, but if you are a gamer, having window-shaking sound is just as important as those breath-takingly real graphics.

   The sound software depicted above is Intel's new High-Definition Platinum Series Audio, supporting Dolby 7.1 surround sound.  The software and hardware also supports addition of an external Pro-Logic decoder, supports SP/DIF, optical inputs and outputs, line input, microphone input and 7 separate, discrete audio channels with options to down-mix sub channels to your subwoofer.

   Add a 7.1 Surround Sound A/V Receiver and a good set of Surround Sound Speakers, your games will be as realistic as you can stand!  Don't forget a speaker set that comes with a good subwoofer.  Look for one around 40 watts RMS or more.

VII.  Power Supply

   A good power supply is almost as important as any other component in your system.  A good power supply has to accomplish three things;  1) provide sufficient current at the core required voltages, 2) Provide a stable, well regulated output, and 3) Survive the heat and dirt that is inherent in power systems.  The weakest link:  The cooling fan(s).  The single biggest cause for power supply failures is failure of the cooling fan.

   In the older days of the power supplies, a 250 or 300 watt supply was considered powerful enough.  However, with the advent of dual video cards, huge capacity memory modules,  multiple drive RAID arrays and more powerful processors require much more energy than the older supplies.  A 600-watt supply with a Pentium-4 specific auxiliary power plug, and newer SATA power plugs, the newer power supplies are where the real power is.

VIII.  Hi-Res Display

   Everything comes down to two components -- your display device and your speaker system.  After all the hardware and software is in place and correctly configured, it comes down to what you see and hear.

   The monitor that is selling like hotcakes today, is a high-quality LCD unit that is 22" to 24" widescreen.  A dot pitch of .21 mm and a refresh rate of 8 mS or less keeps the display in sharp focus.

   For gaming applications, you will want a refresh rate of 8 mS at the minimum.  This rates the monitor's ability to change the display on the screen.  This controls the maximum number of frames per second that can be displayed.  Second to the number of pixels, which runs around 1600 x 1080 for a high-definition 22" wide monitor, is the color resolution.  Color resolutions around 6.8 billion colors makes things look as realistic as possible.