Buying Computer Parts

Once you have chosen your motherboard, you are ready to choose everything else. Here's what you need to get:

  • The CPU that's the right brand and the right pin configuration to fit your motherboard. Pick whichever CPU clock speed fits your budget and intentions. (If you purchase a motherboard/CPU combo, you can skip this step.)

  • The RAM with the correct pin configuration that will match your motherboard. If your motherboard is using a specialty RAM configuration (normally to improve performance), make sure the RAM you buy matches its requirements.

  • If the case does not come with a power supply, you'll need to choose one. Make sure its connectors match the motherboard. Three hundred watts are enough for most machines, but if you are building a gaming machine with multiple video cards or a machine with lots of disks, you may want to consider something bigger.

  • Choose a video card if you are not using the onboard video on the motherboard. Make sure the card's connector is appropriate for the motherboard (AGP or PCI Express).

    Basic AGP-based card
    A basic AGP-based graphics card

  • Choose an optical drive. If you are building a cheap machine, get the cheapest CD-ROM drive you can find. If you want to burn DVDs and CDs, make sure the drive can handle it.

  • Choose a hard disk, making sure that it matches the PATA/SATA status of your motherboard.

  • Choose an operating system: Windows XP (which comes in home, professional and media center editions) or Linux in its hundreds of different forms.

­ Buying
Now that you have picked everything out, it is time to purchase your parts. You have three options:

  • Mail order on the Internet - All kinds of stores sell computer parts on the Web. Visit a place like HowStuffWorks Shopper to compare prices. Don't forget about eBay.
  • A big national chain - Places like Tiger Direct, Fry's, and CompUSA have stores in most large cities that will sell you parts. They also have people on staff who may be able to answer questions.
  • local parts retailer - Any big city will have a number of smaller, local shops selling parts. Look in the Yellow Pages or online. I live in Raleigh, N.C., and a typical shop of this genre in Raleigh is called Intrex. The people working at a shop like this can often answer lots of questions, and they may also be willing to help you if your machine does not work after you assemble it.
Now that you have your parts, it is time to build. This is the fun part.