Build a Gaming & Multimedia Computer
If all you do with your computer is surf the Internet and check your email, just about any computer will do. But if you are into serious gaming and multimedia editing, you will need something more. The prices of these high-performance computers can be daunting, and as a result, many experienced computer users will want to build their own systems. Building your own system allows you to get exactly what you want--for a price you can afford.
Instructions
1. Choose a quality case to house your gaming or multimedia computer. If you are building a computer, you may want to choose a tower-type case; this case design will give you more room to work and also allow you to install multiple hard drives.
2. Buy a motherboard that includes a dual core processor. A single core processor will simply not be able to provide the performance you need for serious gaming or video editing. The prices of these dual-core enabled motherboards has come down quite a bit since they were first introduced, so you should be able to find a compatible motherboard at a decent price.
3. Install the motherboard in the case and make sure it is fully seated. Determine how much memory your motherboard can hold by visiting the manufacturer's website, then purchase as much memory as you can afford. Locate the memory slots on the motherboard and insert the memory modules firmly in the slots. Make sure the retaining slips come up and hold the memory in place.
4. Choose the largest hard drive you can afford. If you will be installing lots of games or doing any video editing, you will need plenty of storage space, so always err on the side of too much storage. The price of storage has come down quite a bit in recent years, so you should be able to find an affordable 500 GB, 750 GB or 1 TB drive.
5. Insert the hard drive in one of the hard drive bays in your computer's case, then secure it with screws. Attach one end of the flat gray IDE cable to the back of the hard drive and the other end to the IDE controller on your computer's motherboard. Attach the power cable from your computer's power supply to the power port on your hard drive.
6. Choose a quality DVD burner; you may want to choose one of the new Blu-ray burners. Insert the DVD burner in a free bay on your case and secure it with screws. If the IDE cable attached to your computer's hard drive has a third connection, attach that middle connector to the back of the DVD drive, otherwise use another IDE cable and connect the other end to the secondary IDE slot on your computer's motherboard. Also attach a power connection from your computer's power supply to the power port on your DVD drive.
7. Insert a video card in a PCI slot on your computer's motherboard. You can find the PCI slots by looking for a series of rectangular white slots. Insert the video card into the PCI slot and secure it with a screw. For a gaming or multimedia computer, you may want to choose a video card with duel heads; this will allow you to connect two monitors. Dual monitors can be a real productivity booster for gaming and multimedia computers.
Tags: your computer, hard drive, gaming multimedia, computer motherboard, secure with, video card