Posts tagged upgrades
Microsoft Claims Internet Explorer 9 Is Best For Tackling Malware
0Microsoft has issued a press release claiming that, for the third quarter running, Internet Explorer is better at blocking malware and phishing attempts than any other popular browser.
Microsoft cites an independant review by NSS Labs in order to claim that Internet Explorer 9 blocks more than 5 times the number of attacks as Firefox, 9 times as many as Safari and a whopping 33 times more than Google Chrome. In the tests, the only browser that came any where near as close to Internet Explorer 9 was it’s predecessor, Internet Explorer 8.
The reason behind this seems to relate to the way in which Internet Explorer handles downloads. Microsoft’s Roger Capriotti, group product manager for Internet Explorer, explains: “Ninety percent of downloads involve a small set of files with established reputations… ….The remaining 10 percent is super interesting. Naturally it includes all the malware. In fact, 25 to 30 percent of these unknowns are later identified as malware. And fully 50 percent of them are new every day.” The application reputation system identifies risky unknown downloads and advises the user to delete them.
So, in truth, it seems that Internet Explorer doesn’t in fact block the downloads, rather it advises users that they may contain malware as the files themselves are not ones that Microsoft knows and approves of. Many skeptics will argue that this doesn’t in itself make Internet Explorer any safer than the other browsers if all it does it issue a warning which most users will simply ignore in order to gain access to the files that they wish to download.
What it does show is that Microsoft is finally taking Internet security seriously having been left in the dust by their competitors in recent years. But does this sudden interest in itself mean that Microsoft are the new security kings? Not if their UK blog is anything to go by; as a friend of mine coined earlier, “Pffft, Microsoft, they can’t even spell phishing!”
Snow Leopard 10.6.5 Now Available for Download
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Mac users can expect Software Update to chime up over the next few days as OSX hits version 10.6.5.
The latest update resolves a number of performance issues relating to media management and editing (most lightly issues that were brought to light by the recent release of the new iLife suite). Full details of what’s included are given below:
- Improves reliability with Microsoft Exchange servers.
- Addresses performance of some image-processing operations in iPhoto and Aperture.
- Addresses stability and performance of graphics applications and games.
- Resolves a delay between print jobs.
- Addresses a printing issue for some HP printers connected to an AirPort Extreme.
- Resolves an issue when dragging contacts from Address Book to iCal.
- Addresses an issue in which dragging an item from a stack causes the Dock to not automatically hide.
- Resolves an issue in which Wikipedia information may not display correctly in Dictionary.
- Improves performance of MainStage on certain Macs.
- Resolves spacing issues with OpenType fonts.
- Improves reliability with some Bluetooth braille displays.
- Resolves a VoiceOver issue when browsing some websites with Safari 5.
- Improves Bluetooth pairing with Magic Trackpad.
- Resolves performance issues with third-party displays that use InstaPort technology.
- Add SSL support for transferring files with iDisk.
- Resolves an issue when opening 4-up Photo Booth pictures in Preview.
- Addresses keyboard responsiveness issues in the Dock when Spaces is turned on.
- Resolves an issue syncing Address Book with Google.
- Fixes an issue when replying to a Mail message sent by a person whose name contains certain characters such as é or ü.
- Improves performance for users bound to an Active Directory domain.
- Improves reliability of Ethernet connections.
- Systems with a Mac Pro RAID Card (Early 2009) installed can now be put to sleep. For more information, see Mac Pro RAID Card (Early 2009): Enabling system sleep.
- Improves reliability of fibre channel connections, resolving a potential Xsan volume availability issue.
- Adds RAW image compatibility for additional digital cameras.
As always, Apple recommends that all users of Snow Leopard update their machines as soon as possible.
The iPad and Velcro, A Match Made in Heaven
0I don’t normally use Tech Made Easy as a forum for other content found on the web, but this struck me as such a novel concept (and yes I realise it was probably intended satirically) that I felt I had to share it with you.
Below is a video I was told about on Youtube, by the user “iPadAppReviewTV”, enjoy!
Building A PC From Scratch – Part Two
1In part one of this guide I talked about how to procure hardware for a new PC that met both your expectations and compatibility issues between different manufacturers. In this part I’ll be showing you in pictures how to assemble this equipment into a full PC.
I’ll only be demonstrating the bare minimum equipment in this guide, in reality you will likely have other components and devices to attach such as graphics cards or multiple hard disks. That being said, the principals shown here are pretty much universal so adding these additional devices shouldn’t be a problem.
Before you begin, you should gather all the equipment into one place, un-box everything and make sure it’s clear in your mind where everything is going. There is no right or wrong order in which to install components, but taking stock of “what goes where” will make it clearer in your mind and prevent you from having to backtrack when you realise you’ve forgotten something. The most important thing when working with PC hardware is to make sure you are properly earthed in order to avoid static electricity from damaging the components, the easiest way to do this is to buy a static strap, attach the elasticated band to your wrist and the other end to something like a copper water pipe or radiator. This will channel all static electricity out of your body and stop you from frying your lovely new equipment.
Now I’ll take you through a build I completed this week, first of all lets take a look at the components. This is a basic set of components, everything here is needed in order to make a PC (click to magnify).
Above we have a power supply, case, motherboard, processor, memory chip, hard disk and optical drive. This is the bare minimum that is needed to make your PC. You’ll also need some software, but we’ll get to that in part three.
The first thing to do is to remove all the panels from the case so that you just have a frame to work with
, this will improve accessibility as you install various components, as well as letting more light into the case so that you can better see what you’re doing. Ordinarily a standard tower (upright) case will have two removable side panels and a front panel, most of the time these are all removable either by removing screws of releasing latches that hold the panels in place.
In the example shown here I have removed both side panels and the front panel which will allow us to install all of our components with relative ease. Towards the front of the case you can see the area where our optical drives and hard disk will be installed.
One thing to be careful of at this stage is that even some of the more expensive cases can have sharp edges on the inside, if you do come across a sharp edge the best thing you can do it put some electrical insulation tape over it to prevent you from cutting yourself while you work.
Once this case was bare I decided to install the optical drive and hard disk into the rails at the front. Before I did this I checked to see if doing sowould prevent me from installing any of the other components, I would recommend doing this when you do your own install as it will save you time in the long run. Due to the design of the case I was using, I had to make sure that the DVD drive would be flush with the front of the case, to do this I quickly re-attached the front panel, got the drive in position and then took the front panel off again.
Luckily, the mounting holes on most cases will line up well as the screw holes for all hard disks and optical dives is universal. What this means is that once you’ve lined up your optical drive with the front of your case, you should find that the mounting holes on your optical drive line up with some of the mounting holes inside your case. In the picture to the right you can see how the two mounting holes on the DVD drive have lined up fairly well with the holes in the case. There will also be two holes on the other side of the case for securing the drive on both side.
The next step is to install the hard disk into the case,this is done in a similar fashion to the optical drive, and again the hole spacings are universal so there shouldn’t be any surprises in installing your drive. In most cases the drive sill simply slide into the rails and sit comfortably without having to be held in place. If you’re having trouble installing your hard disk then take a step back and check to see that you’re installing it correctly: Some more expensive cases come with more sophisticated mounting systems that use spring loaded latches to hold disks in place rather than using simple screws.
Unlike the optical drive, there is no need to measure the hard disk against the front panel of the case, as it will be hidden completely from view.
Once you’re happy that both drives are in the right place, you can screw them in. The screws for doing this will either be supplied with the case or with the drives themselves (sometimes both!). It’s important to make sure that the drives are both secure as neither will be too happy if they are left to wobble around inside the case.
it’s also important to remember to screw in both sides of the drive (hence why both sides of the case need to be removed). Most optical drives will screw in using 8 screws in total (4 each side) and most hard disks will screw in using 4 screws in total (2 each side).
The two photos on the right show a correctly mounted optical drive and hard disk.
The next step is to install the computer’s power supply. As in the picture to the right, most PC cases will have a sortof shelf for the power supply to sit on. In the majority of cases this will be at the top of the tower, towards the back of the case, though it’s becoming increasingly popular for manufacturers to place the power supply at the bottom of the case instead. In any case (no pun intended) it should be a simple procedure to install your power supply at this point. If you’re power supply has a fan, make sure that this is pointed towards the inside of the case (not pressed against the roof of the case).
If installed correctly, the power supply should look something like this from the rear of the case. you should be able to gain access to the power switch and the power lead connection without any trouble. Your power supply will only fit into the case one way as the four mounting screws are not in a symmetric pattern. If you can’t get all four screws in, make sure that you definitely have the power supply installed the correct way up.
Once you’re happy that the power supply is installed correctly and is secure, tuck the power cables out of the way as we don’t need to connect them to anything just yet.
The next step is to prepare the case to accept the motherboard, the first stage is to insert the rear connection plate into the case so that all the connections of the motherboard line up. Your case may have an empty space (like the picture to the right) or it may have a dummy plate. If it has a plate in place, gently press it inwards to release it from the case (or unscrew it if it’s screwed in). Your new plate will fit into any case as the shape is universal (are you sensing a theme here?), it should just gently push into place. The best way to do this is to insert the bottom edge first and then gently push in the sides and top edge until all four edges are secure in place. Try not to push too hard as you may bend the frame of the case. If the plate doesn’t go in easily, remove it and try again, some cases need a bit of coercion due to manufacturing tolerances.
Before installing the motherboard it’s imperative that stand-offs are screwed into the case to prevent the board coming in contact with the steel case. Sometimes these are pre-installed by the manufacturer, but other times they simply supply the standoffs and you have to fit them yourself. As per most things, the spacings are all standard, so check which of the pillars are needed by your motherboard (check where the holes are on your board) and then screw standoffs into the corresponding holes in the casing. It’s best to install the pillars into each hole that you need, but be careful not to insert one where it isn’t needed as this may interfere with your motherboard.
Once you’re happy that the rear connection plate and the standoffs have been properly installed, you can insert your motherboard into the case. Now is the time where you should definitely be wearing some form of static protection as you will now be handling the bare circuit boards for the first time. It’s also worth noting at this point that some processors need to be attached before the motherboard is screwed into the case. In this example that is not the case, but in yours it may well be so check the installation manual for your processor before you take this step.
Once you’re happy that you can install the board, hold it by the edges and lower it into the case, the rear connections at the top left of the board should line up with the connection plate that you installed previously, and the holes in your motherboard should line up with the standoffs that you screwed into the case. If this isn’t so then remove the board and make the necessary adjustments. If it is so, then you can screw the motherboard in place using the screws supplied with your case. Do this by inserting the screw into the threaded hole in the top of each of the standoffs. Once all screws are installed, check that the board is not free to move around and that all the connections line up at the back. if you have trouble installing any of the screws, slacken off the rest and try again, do NOT apply any pressure to the motherboard as you will damage it beyond repair.
Now it’s time to install the processor into the socket on the motherboard. Most processor sockets feature a lever as per the picture on the right, when the lever is up you can safely install the processor into the socket. The processor and motherboard will both have a mark on one corner which will signify which way round to install the processor. To correctly install the processor; hold the processor at the edges, line up the marks and then lower the processor into the socket. Once the processor is installed, lower the arm and lock it in place as shown in the second picture, the processor is now secured in your motherboard.
In order to keep the processor running correctly, it needs to be cooled. Processors run very hot due to the resistance of the tiny conductors inside building up heat. Because of this it’s essential to install a heatsink and fan (HSF) onto a processor. Most processors will come with there own HSF, but manufacturers also make other HSF’s suitable for most processors to deal with differing space and cooling requirements. For most home installations the supplied HSF (as per the picture on the right) will be perfectly fine.
Most HSF’s (including this one) are held in place by a metal retention clip which holds the HSF firmly against the top of the processor. To install it, make sure that the clip is correctly orientated with the bracket on the motherboard and then lower the HSF into place. Make sure that the latch on the retention clip is released (as per the left hand picture) and that both sides of the clips are joined with the mounting bracket. Then, push the latch to it’s stop position (as per the right hand picture) to secure the HSF to the processor. It’s worth noting that this example is for an AMD processor, whereas Intel tend to use a different system. To make sure that you install your HSF correctly, always consult the installation instructions provided with your motherboard and processor.
The last step of installing the processor and HSF is to connect the fan to the motherboard so that it will spin when the computer is turned on. The fan will blow cool air onto the metal heatsink which will then keep the processor cool (the principal is the same as a radiator in a car engine). To connect the fan, consult your motherboards manual in order to locate the connecting pins on the board, and then connect the fan to these pins. If you can’t find details of the fan connector in the manual, look for thee or four pins close together on your motherboard near to where the processor socket is, if there is writing next to it that says something along the lines of “CPU FAN” then this is the connector you want.
The next item to install is the memory. Your motherboard may have one memory slot, or several, but the principal is exactly the same. Hold the memory chip between your fingers (while still wearing an anti-static band) and lower it into the slot with the latches open. Once the chip is located in the slot, apply even, firm pressure across the top of the chip and it will click into the socket and the latches should close around the chip to hold it in place. For detailed instructions on installing memory, check out our guide here.
The next part is one of the few aspects of constructing a PC which isn’t perfectly standardized. You hopefully noticed when you removed the panels from your case that the buttons, lights and USB ports are connected to cables that have gone unmentioned up until now. These cables need to be connected to your motherboard so that the buttons can turn the computer on and so that the lights and USB ports function properly.
The first picture to the right shows how to connect the power button and light connectors to the motherboard. On each motherboard there will be a group of pins sticking up from the board which you connect these cables to, however, the order in which the pins are laid out is not standardized across all manfacturers. For this reason it is absolutely essential that you consult your motherboard manual about connecting these cables to the pins on the motherboard. Failure to connect these cables properly will mean that your computer will not turn on and the lights will not work properly. If you manage to connect these cables up correctly but you find that the lights are not working, turn the connector around and connect it to the same two pins.
For most cases the other two cables – the audio cable and USB cable – are a bit easier to install. The audio cable is usually one block connector, which will only connect to one set of pins on the motherboard due to a “dummy” pin which prevents it being connected to the wrong set of connectors on the motherboard. The USB cable may be split into two sets of four pins, but will similarly only connect to pins designed for USB cables on the motherboard. Confirm where both of these sets of pins are with your motherboard manual and then connect them up. Most of the time these connectors will only connect one way round, so take your time and make sure you don’t bend any of the pins by trying to force something on to them that doesn’t belong there.
Now it’s time to connect the data cables for the optical drive and hard disk to the motherboard so that they can communicate with the rest of the computer. Depending on the components you have, this will either be using the old style PATA cables (wide thin connector), or the newer style SATA connector (smaller connector). For ease of understanding i’ve shown both type of connector to the right. To connect the devices, connect one end of a cable to the motherboard and the other end to the optical drive or hard disk. In both cases the connector will only attach one way round. For SATA devices this is indicated by a notch at one end of the connector, and for PATA devices this is done by a locator pin in the middle of the 
top of the connector.
Now that the devices are connected to the motherboard, it’s time to start connecting the power supply so that everything will have power when the computer is turned on. The first two pictures to the right show the two power connectors that are connected directly to the motherboard. The first is a four (or sometimes eight) pin connector, and the other is a twenty four pin connector. Both are keyed to only fit one way round, and both connectors should click in place without too much trouble. Try and keep your power cables as tidy as possible (use plastic ties if necessary), these will reduce clutter and improve airflow in your case.
With the motherboard connected for power, it’s then time to power the drives in the computer. Older PATA drives use a four pin connector called a Molex, which can be seen in the right hand picture. The newer SATA devices use a seperate connector which resembles the SATA data cable (only slightly longer). Both will only connect to the devices one way around. As with the other power cables, try to keep clutter to a minimum, utilise any cable management system in the case and tie up any loose bundles. DO NOT under any circumstances cut any spare power cables, moving them out of harms way is sufficient.
The last step before reassembly is to connect any case fans that have been supplied with your case. These can be connected to either the motherboard or to the power supply directly. it’s important not to underestimate the importance of good airflow within a PC. Traditionally, the goal is to draw cold air through the front of the case and expel hot air out of the back of the case. Be sure to install your fans the correct way around so that air is pushed in the appropriate direction. Most fans will have an arrow on the side of them indicating the direction of airflow when they are turned on.
With the fans installed, it’s time to replace the panels on the case and conclude the installation of hardware. Take a last look at all the connections that have been made and make sure there are no cables loose anywhere and that all fans are connected. Then re-attach the panels of your case and secure them with the appropriate screws or latches. The hardware side of building the computer is now finished, it should resemble the two pictures to the right.
In part three I’ll be taking you through the procurement and installation of an operating system and other applications, as well as giving an insight into the best way to manage your computer once it’s up and running. The above is a lot to take in, and every scenario is different, what has been explained is mostly applicable across the board but there will be situations where what you have in front of you will differ from what is shown here. In these instances it’s absolutely essential that you consult the user manuals of the equipment that you have and use this guide as a reference only. In the meantime, I’m always happy to answer questions regarding specific cases so please leave a comment or Email me: admin@techmadeeasy.co.uk
Part Three of this guide can be viewed here.
Building A PC From Scratch – Part one
2In this mini-series of articles we’re going to be taking you through the stages of building your own PC, from sourcing your components, to assembling them, to installing an operating system and then on to actually using your machine.
In this first part we’ll talk about the different components you need and how to make sure that the parts you buy are compatible, but before we get to that it’s important to establish why on Earth you would want to build a PC.
The simple answer is: cost. Most people will already have a PC at home that they can re-use some of the parts on. Even if they don’t, with a bit of smart shopping it’s still possible to build the machine you want for cheaper than you would be able to buy it on the high street. Building your own PC also allows you to get the exact specification that you want, meaning you don’t have to compromise by buying one of the machines that your retailer happens to have in stock that week.
So, first things first, there are a few main components that you absolutely will need in order to make a PC, these are:
- A case – Something to put your computer inside
- A Power supply – to power your computer
- A motherboard – the main circuit board inside your computer, on to which we attach everything else
- A processor – the brain of your computer
- Memory (RAM) – needed to run Windows and applications, as well as edit files.
- A hard disk – used to store your files and programs so you don’t lose them when you turn the computer off
- An optical drive – such as a DVD drive or Blu-ray drive; for playing media and installing programs
There are several other components that you can install, such as TV tuner cards or wireless network cards, we’ll cover these separately at the end of this article. For now, lets talk about each of the essential parts in order.
Cases
There are many different shapes and size of computer case, but really there are only a small number of variations for how the inside is laid out. The outside of the case is purely an aesthetic choice; making sure you get the right case for the environment it’s to be used in is important. But even more important than that is making sure that the inside of the case is suitable for the components you plan to use. The main standard for the inside of a case is called ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) which refers to the size and shape of the motherboard that’s to be used inside. Most cases will be badged as either “ATX” or “Micro ATX” compatible, an ATX case will accept pretty much any motherboard that you would purchase, whereas a Micro-ATX case is smaller and will only have room inside for a Micro-ATX motherboard.
When choosing a case it’s important to consider the other components you plan to put inside as well, some of the more expensive graphics cards are physically very large so it’s very important to make sure that the case you buy has enough room inside to house all of your components. There are also only a finite number of spaces for things like hard disks and DVD drives, so it’s important to check that the case you buy has enough of these slots to suit your requirements.
Power Supplies
Like cases and motherboards, these come in two main standards; ATX and Micro-ATX. These define the physical size of the power supply in order to make sure that it fits inside your case, so it’s important to make sure you buy the correct size for your case. Just as important as getting the right size, is making sure that the power supply you get can supply enough power to the other components in your system. Typically, a small PC with one DVD, one hard disk and no other extras installed will be fine with a 400 Watt power supply, however there are power supplied that can supply over 1000 Watts (1kW) of power. Supplies like this are only needed if you are powering lots of cards and devices inside your computer, the biggest culprits are high performance graphics cards which can draw 200-300 Watts on their own!
Some cases will come bundled with a power supply, though most will still be either an ATX or Micro-ATX unit. These units tend to be of a lower quality than units that you can buy seperately and often prove noisy and inefficient.
Efficiency is also a consideration when choosing a power supply, most are now over 80% efficient, but higher numbers are better for the environment so this may be worth a slightly higher price to you.
Motherboards
At this point things start to get a little complicated, but don’t worry; once you establish a couple of things the choices become fewer and differentiating between models becomes easier.
The first thing you’ll need to consider when buying a motherboard is which type of processor you want to use. There are two main manufacturers of processors for home computers, AMD and Intel, and they never agree on anything! As such, each manufacturer uses a different size for their processors and differing numbers of pins to connect it to a motherboard. Choosing which of these processors you are going to use will cut down your choices for motherboards, but the problems don’t end there because both AMD and Intel produce several different sizes of processor, so it’s important to make sure that you buy a motherboard with the correct connector for your processor.
The part of a motherboard to which the processor connects is called the socket, and once you’ve decided on a processor you’ll know what type of socket you need. The most recent socket size for AMD is called “AM3″, whereas Intel currently produce processors for a few different socket types such as 775 and LGA1366.
Most manufacturers have a compatibility list which shows you which motherboards are compatible with which processors, these tend to be updated regularly so you’ll know if it’s possible to use the processor you want with the motherboard that you have in mind.
Because all of the other parts of a computer connect to your motherboard, it’s important to make sure that it has all the features that you’ll need. All modern motherboards will have sockets called PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) and/or PCI-express. These sockets are long and thin and are used to connect add-on cards such as graphics cards and wifi cards to your PC, it’s important to make sure that your chosen motherboard has the right type (and the right number) of these sockets available to you.
Processors
As explained above, there are currently two main manufacturers of processors for home computers: Intel and AMD. Of the two, AMD tend to be cheaper than Intel, but many believe Intel products to be of a generally higher quality. Whichever brand you choose will have no effect whatsoever on the types of programs that you can run on your computer, both are 100% compatible with one another in terms of operating systems and applications.
The main considerations for a processor are it’s clock speed and the number of cores that it has. The clock speed is measured in Gigahertz (GHz) and is a measure of the number of processing cycles per second that it complete. Higher numbers for clock speed are generally better. The number of cores in a processor relates to the number of processing centers on the chip, historically this figure has always been one, but in recent years manufacturers have taken to putting more cores on a processor as a way to speed up computers. It’s now common to see processors with two, four, or even six cores. Like clock speed, more cores is better.
Memory
The type of memory that you need will be determined by the model of motherboard that you buy. Memory (or RAM) is now almost universally of a type called “Double Data Rate” (DDR) and is split into three standards, DDR1, DDR2 and DDR3. DDR1 is now obsolete, but DDR2 and DDR3 are still both used in current motherboards. Your motherboard manual will tell you which standard of memory you need to buy, as well as the type (DDR2 or 3) it will also tell you the maximum clock speed of the RAM you can use (measured in GHz, the same as for processors).
Memory cards are long, thin circuit boards that connect to sockets on your motherboard, most motherboards will have between 2 and 8 slots into which you can install memory cards. The cards themselves can contain different amounts of memory storage which is measured in Gigabytes (GB’s). Most common are 1GB and 2GB boards, though boards containing 4GB are also available. It’s important to find out from your motherboard manual how much memory can be installed in each slot.
Hard Disks
Hard disks are the part of your computer onto which all your data is stored. It’s screwed inside your case and connects to your motherboard with a data cable, and is fed power from your power supply. Hard disks are a complex subject and are covered on this site here. There are two physical sizes, two interface types and two types of hard disk available to consumers.
Of the two sizes, the one that most home computers will need is a 3.5″ model, which denoted the width of the casing of the hard disk. All 3.5″ hard disks are of the exact same physical size and have the same spacings for mounting screws etc. The majority of cases are designed for 3.5″ disks.
Of the two interfaces, the most modern is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA). 99% of motherboards sold today will have SATA ports on them to which you can connect your hard disk cable. The older standard (IDE) is now being phased out, so IDE disk drives tend to be more expensive and slower.
Of the two types available, traditional rotational disk drives are still the most widely used. Most computers are still shipped with this type of disk drive as they are cheap and can store a lot of data. The other type of drive available is called a Solid State Disk (SSD), these work by having memory chips inside the casing instead of spinning disks. The advantages of these are that they can transfer data a lot quicker than traditional drives, but they are also a lot more expensive and have smaller amounts of storage than traditional disk drives.
With regard to hard disks in general, they are measured in terms of the amount of storage space that they have in the same way as memory chips. Capacities are measured in Gigabytes and TeraBytes (TB), 1 TB is equivalent to 1024 GB, therefore a 2TB drive has around four times as much storage space as a 500 GB hard disk. Larger hard disks are generally better as they offer you more space on which to store your programs and files.
Optical Drives
An optical drive is a fancy name for a DVD or Blu-Ray drive inside your computer, it’s named as such because the drive uses laser light (optics) to read and write information from plastic disks. Most people are familiar with DVD’s and Blu-Ray so I won’t patronise you, DVD drives are almost universal in modern PC’s, whereas Blu-Ray drives are not so common and are generally more expensive because they are the latest technology for optical disks and can hold a lot more information than DVD’s.
For reference, a Bluray drive will also play DVD’s, and both types of drive will play CD’s.
As well as reading disks, some optical drives have the ability to write to disks using a special lazer to burn information on to special recordable disks. It’s usually a good idea to buy an optical drive that can write to disks so that you can backup information and share your files and media with friends and family. A drive that is capable of writing information as well as reading it will be denoted with "RW" in it’s name, for example: DVD-RW, BD-RW.
Optical drives use the same connections as hard disks to connect to your motherboard, SATA and IDE. As with hard disks, IDE is being phased out, so the vast majority of optical drives available to you will be of the SATA variety.
Other Components
There are many other components that you can buy for your computer. The most popular of these is a graphics card, in fact in some circumstances a graphics card is essential: Not all motherboards contain the circuitry to allow you to connect it to a monitor or TV, so a separate graphics card is required in order to use your computer. Graphics cards almost all use the same socket on a motherboard, which is a PCI-Express socket. Other components you can buy include sound cards (though almost all motherboards will have this included), network cards (most motherboards have these) and TV tuner cards (to let you watch TV on your computer). It is important to consider if you’ll need any of these additional components as they can add to the price of your computer and influence your decisions for buying a motherboard dependant on the number of slots available.
Where to Buy Components.
Though high street shops are increasingly supplying components directly to consumers, the best place to source them is still from online retailers. These sites specialise in stocking a large variety of components which means that you have the best chance of tailoring your computer to your requirements and controlling your budget. Links to some major online retailers are given below, each offers a vast range of components to ordinary consumers and most have a lot of the information regarding compatibility available to view.
In the next part of this series I’ll take you through the assembly of a computer, step by step (and with pictures) so that you can see each of the components mentioned here and how they connect together to form a home computer.
It’s important to realise that although prices will be similar between suppliers, often specific components are cheaper on one site than another, so it’s a good idea to shop around for the best prices. Do take into account the postage charges though, as these can eat into any money you do manage to save by shopping around.
To move on to part two of this mini series, click here
How Much Should You Spend On A New PC?
2In recent years the cost of owning a computer has dropped dramatically, due in part to increased manufacturing capacity in the Far East as well as increased demand as more and more people realise the potential for computers in the home.
This year, the cost of equipment is due to increase, due to a shortage of components and the global financial crisis which is affecting consumer demand.
Out of all this, the important question to ask is: “How much should I spend on a new PC?”. When people ask me this, my usual answer is “how much have you got?”, the reason being that the cheaper you go, the sooner you are going to have to replace your computer. That’s not to say that the equipment you buy will be poorly manufactured, it’s just that cheaper devices will be inherently lower powered and therefore will become obsolete far quicker than a more expensive model. This isn’t always true, though it is a good rule of thumb.
The important thing to do before you start looking is to set yourself a budget, then stick to it! There are several pricepoints at which you can buy, each has their own advantages and disadvantages:
Pricepoint One: £0-150
At this pricepoint we’re talking second hand PC’s, it’s very rare that you’ll pick up a new PC in this price range. But second hand doesn’t necassarily mean that you’re buying a lemon, this PC from eBay cost me next to nothing and sits quite happily at the foot of my bed playing TV shows and movies. Auction sites like eBay are a good place to start, as are the classified sections in local newspapers, but be careful not to overpay. Anything less than an Intel Pentium 4 is not worth considering as you’ll be replacing it within the year. Also watch out for adverts which paint a nice picture but have no details of the specifications of the computer. “Business sellers” on eBay are accountable under the distance selling regulations, so if you receive something and aren’t impressed with it, you can return it for a full refund of the purchase price.
Pricepoint Two: £150-300
There are two types of PC that you can hope to buy new within this range:
- Nettops – based upon the Intel Atom processor, these are basically designed for web browsing and light office work, they typically have a very small footprint and draw a lot less power than a full PC. Most are designed to be connected to large screen TV’s via an HDMI port so that they can be used in the comfort of the living room. These PC’s are typically found for around £200-300, but some do cost slightly more and come with features such as Blu-Ray drives.
- Traditional Home/Office PC’s- These tend to have more performance than their nettop counterparts, but they’re also physically larger and draw more power. If you need to work more intensively or plan to set up the computer in a home office (as apposed to under a TV in the living room) then one of these will be a better choice than a nettop. You also have the advantage that this type of PC can usually be upgraded rather than replaced, so keeping it running will be a lot cheaper than owning a nettop.
Which of these PC’s you buy depends largely on what you want to do, if the PC is designed to play media or for light web browsing, then a nettop attached to your TV may be a better choice. However, if you plan to use your PC more extensively or plan to upgrade in the future, then a traditional PC would be better.
Pricepoint Three: £300-600
At this price range we’re beginning to step into the realms of premium home use hardware. PC’s costing this amount should be usable for the forseeable future, though most will still struggle to play the latest games. Those that cost around £400 and upwards should definitely be capable of playing high definition video, though few will have a Blu-Ray drive as standard. Expect all PC’s in this price range to come with Windows 7 Home Premium, which is perfect for home use and has some great features. Important things to consider for this type of PC are the type of graphics card and the amount of memory installed. Most home PC’s will come with an integrated graphics card which will NOT play the majority of games, it’s worth spending a little more if you have gaming in mind and buying a PC with a graphics card made by either Nvidia or ATI. With respect to memory, at this pricepoint you should expect at least 2GB of RAM, obviously more is better so 3 or 4GB would be preferable if you could afford it.
Pricepoint Four: £600-1000
If you’re looking at spending this much money then you’re either looking for a premium home media machine, or towards the middle of the gaming spectrum. Manufacturers such as Dell and Sony offer machines that offer all of the performance benefits of a modern PC, but in a form factor designed to sit in the living room alongside the DVD player and amplifier. These machines tend to be comparable to the PC’s in the £300-600 range but look absolutely stunning and run cool and queit at the foot of your TV. Many enthusiasts will argue that the additional price is not worth it, and that you can achieve similar results yourself with careful consideration of fan placement etc. But the point of these machines is that they will come with a standard manufacturers gurantee and can be simply plugged in and will work.
If that isn’t your thing, then for a grand you can expect to produce a pretty potent gaming machine (or “rig”). Four-core processors and 4GB of memory should be a minimum requirement, along with a discrete graphics card and probably a Blu-Ray drive. At this pricepoint it can be very easy to get carried away, but be forwarned: larger manufacturers and suppliers charge a premium for these kinds of PC’s and it’s often cheaper to build them yourselves if you can. Solid State Drives (SSD’s) are also an option at this price range, but bare in mind that the cost compared to a standard hard disk is extremely high and will add a hefty chunk to the cost of your PC. It’s best to consider the power requirements for these PC’s as well; it may seem like a good idea to have a huge gaming PC, but many will draw over 500W of power which will cost you a fortune in the long run.
Pricepoint Five: £1000-?
At this point we’re really talking about premium quality equipment, and I would not advise anyone to spend this kind of money unless they have a firm understanding of what it is they’re buying. When you go over £1000 you are really only talking about gaming computers (in the home at least) so this is a very niche market. Expect to be blinded by abbreviations and acronyms by sales staff (or if you’re clued up on this stuff then expect to be disapointed by the sales staffs lack of knowledge). By now you can expect a high end Intel Core i7 processor, at least 4GB of RAM, a discrete graphics card (with probably 1GB of RAM itself), SSD hard disks and Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate edition. Most PC’s from the big manufacturers will also be liquid cooled by this point, which should help keep the temperature down (these PC’s run HOT!) and could potentially reduce the amount of power the system draws. A PC costing over £1000 will not need any upgrading for at least 5 years (I say “need”, unfortunately the gamers amongst us are a fickle bunch and have a never ending desire to have the latest equipment, so most will in fact upgrade within this time).
Conclusion
There is definitely something for everyone out there, we’ve already shown both ends of the spectrum with our article on how to buy a cheap computer and our review of the awesome Alienware M11Xr2. Important things to consider are the intended use of the PC and how soon you predict you will want to replace it. It’s also important to realise that the high street stores will almost always be more expensive than online retailers, even for exactly the same model of PC, so check online for prices before you part with your money. There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking at a PC in a shop, writing down the specifications and then checking for comparable deals online, in fact I encourage it. Don’t be afraid to haggle as well, most shops will want to make a sale so if you take in a price from a website they will usually try and match it for you, or throw in some extras if they can’t match it.