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Build Or Buy
Building Your Own Computer - Part 1
Building Your Own Computer - Part 2
Building Your Own Computer - Part 3
Building Your Own Computer - Part 4
Building Your Own Computer - Part 5
Building Your Own Computer - Part 6
Building Your Own Computer - Part 7
CD DVD
CPU
Components
Computer Accessories Part 2
Hard Drives - Part 1
Hard Drives - Part 2
Memory
Motherboard - Part 1
Motherboard - Part 2
Sound Cards
Video Cards |
Motherboard - Part 2
Buying a new motherboard requires several considerations. If you are going to use your existing CPU, you are limited to buying a motherboard that accepts that same type of CPU. However, if you wish to upgrade both the motherboard and the CPU at the same time, you have two options; choosing a motherboard to match a specific CPU, or choosing a CPU to match a specific motherboard. You will need to decide how the computer will be used to determine which combination of CPU and motherboard best suites those needs.
Most computer programs will operate without problems on almost any combination of motherboard and CPU. You will only need to pay special attention to this combination when you are using the computer for special applications such as multi-track music recording, CAD, video editing, or games.
Games are some of the most CPU-intensive applications around; as the latest games rely on state-of-the-art processors and video cards to show off their maximum potential. Video editing also requires a lot of processing power, especially when using a lot of transition effects. CAD (Computer Aided Design) and audio editing, though requiring less than the previously mentioned two, they still have a substantial demand.
Computer Accessories Part 2The previous article looked at some computer "accessories" that, although often overlooked, are nonetheless essential ..... Each of these applications also have different requirements for add-on cards. High-end video cards are required for both games and video editing, but are not so important for audio work or CAD. Sound cards are not necessary for CAD, but are needed for the three other types of applications. Sound recording is not important for gaming or CAD, but is needed for both video and audio work.
Expansion Slots
Most Motherboards have four or five expansion slots, called PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) slots, which accept other cards like video cards and audio cards. They also accept add-on cards like network adapters, modems, audio cards, or extra USB ports. In addition, there should be a PCI Express slot for a 3-D graphics card.
Computer Accessories Part 1In addition to the essential parts of the computer like the motherboard, the CPU and the hard drive, there are many useful peripherals you can add ..... Other Connections
Other things that can be installed in the computer case are the hard drive, the CD or DVD drive and the floppy disk drive. These are usually connected through the IDE interface, although some motherboards also support other types of drives such as SCSI or SATA. It is important to match the type of interface on the motherboard when buying hard drives and CD-ROM drives.
A final consideration when buying a motherboard is the form factor, which is the size and layout of the motherboard and determines the kind of case that is needed. Form factors also determine the number of slots that can be added to the motherboard.
There is a huge selection of motherboards on the market today. The price range is from less than $50 to over $1,000. Before choosing which motherboard to buy, you must seriously consider how the computer is going to be used and future possibilities for its use. Processor intensive applications like CAD and some computer games require top-of-the-line components. Computers that will be used for browsing the net and word processing do not need as much power.
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