Part 4: Video Card

This week I'm going to talk about Video Cards, and why they are, or aren't, an important thing for you to consider while building/buying/or upgrading your computer. If all you do is use word, Facebook, and play small flash games on the internet, chances are you don't really need to worry about your computers video card. However if you stream movies, edit photos/video, play graphics intensive video games, then you do need to seriously look into your graphics card. A graphics/video card, as you can probably deduce, handles all the graphics that your computer processes and displays. The more intense the graphic, the harder the graphics card has to work. The main reason people get the good graphics cards is so that they can play hardcore video games that require the power. I have made a previous post that goes more into details about graphics card producers and which to pick, so if you are trying to decide you should read that post as well. The average user can go out and acquire a decent video card, that will handle whatever they would need to do, for around $100. Sure it won't be able to handle great video editing or those high-end games (at least not on high settings) but it will increase the smoothness of movies and any other games you decide to play.

Part 3: RAM

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RAM is another important aspect of any computer. RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is what controls how fast your computer runs and responds. When your computer is running a program it loads it into the RAM of the system. This allows the program to access it's resources faster than if it was in the harddrive because RAM is a type of flash memory, while a typical harddrive isn't. A harddrive is composed of spinning disks called platters, and this is what the computer writes the data on to. RAM on the other hand is composed of non-moving, flash memory, like a flash drive, which allows for faster read and write speeds. This is why RAM is used to store the active program data, the more RAM, the more data that can be stored, thus the faster the computer can perform. The average user doesn't need more than 4Gb of RAM. In fact, a 32-bit operating system can only use up to 4Gb of RAM. However, with the cheap cost of RAM nowadays, there is no reason you shouldn't max out your memory, as it is relatively easy for any person to do. You can easily add 4Gb of RAM to your system for under $50, which is a relatively easy way to increase the performance of your system. If you are interested in upgrading your RAM go here :: http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/ and run the scanner tool, they will automatically detect your system specifications and recommend new RAM for your system.

Part 2: The CPU

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This week I'm going to educate you on the computers CPU. While I have already made an article highlighting the two main CPU manufacturers, this one will go more in depth about what a CPU is for, and how to decide what you should choose, if you ever need to do so. The CPU is basically the brain of the computer. It handles the processes, calculations, and effects overall system performance and stability. Most computers now come with a quad-core processor, however dual-core is still relatively popular, and you can find 6-core if you look around. More cores is better, up to a point. The number of cores is how your computer multi-tasks. For example, if you are rendering video, one core may handle the monochrome, and another core may handle effects, and another core may handle sound. It allows your computer to do more tasks faster, without putting too much stress on the machine. An average user does not need anything over a quad-core, even most power-users won't benefit from 6 or 8 cores. Most applications can only use 2 - 4 cores right now anyways, and the only reason for 6 or more would be if you are into intense 3D graphics creation or video rendering. Four cores is plenty for any computer at this time, what you want to look at is the clock speed. The clock speed (usually measured in Ghz) is how fast the CPU runs, the clock rate if you will. To have a relatively decent computer you should aim for a CPU with a clock speed of at least 3Ghz, and the more the better. Having a higher clock speed allows your computer to run things more smoothly and handle things without crashing. The highest speed you will be able to find at the moment is around 3.8Ghz, which is very fast, and while you can go higher (4.5-4.8) you need to overclock your CPU for those speeds, and that is something a regular user should not do, as it can fry your CPU or drastically decrease the lifespan.

Part 1: Motherboards

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So I have decided to make a series of blog entries about the various parts of a computer, as to educate people on why the various parts are important, which parts are more important to focus on for certain people, and how to upgrade the mentioned parts. The first part of a computer I would like to talk about is the motherboard. This is the main part of the computer that hold all of the other components. Everything interfaces with this piece of hardware, and it is absolutely required. All the various pieces attach and interface with this section of the computer, and this piece can determine what your machine can handle, and how upgradable it will be in the future. Most average consumers will never have to worry about replacing a motherboard or looking to buy and upgrade, as it is one of the more ambitious pieces to replace, and is usually only handled by someone wishing to build a computer from the ground up. A reason you might want to look into your own motherboard is so that you can have control over what your computer can handle. Your motherboard effects the CPU that you can handle, the amount of RAM you can take, which video cards you can support, and many other, smaller, things. One main thing you want to come to a decision on when buying a motherboard is which CPU you wish to use. Certain motherboards can only support certain CPU types, such as Intel sockets or AMD sockets. These range is size and type and you will have to do some research into the subject if you really wish to get serious into building your own computer, as there is no motherboard that can handle EVERY CPU socket. Quickly, in my opinion, on of the best manufacturers for beginners to look at is ASUS. From my dealings with them they have a very reliable customer support line and well made products. They are well priced, perform great, and stand up to a lot of use.

Nvidia vs. Radeon

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Yet again, another match up between companies, Nvidia and Radeon have been going at it for years over who has the best graphics card to offer. They both release newer and better graphics cards every year, switching back and forth as to who can offer the "most powerful graphics card in the world". Now, these graphics cards are of course expensive, some running up around the $500 mark, and the average computer user need to worry about these cards. In fact, most people can get by just fine buying a card within their budget, not caring about manufacturer. A great graphics card is only important if you are looking to run high end games, or do hardcore graphics/video editing. That, or, if you are just looking to have the best computer around. Both of the two major companies, Nvidia and Radeon, offer the most high end graphic cards that a person can get their hands on. Who you pick, is entirely up to you and your experiences, as neither are substantially better than the other. However, in my opinion, Nvidia is the way to go. In all the computers that I have built or fixed, I have used/recommended Nvidia as the graphics card of choice. They have performed very well for me in the past, and continue to be slightly ahead of Radeon in terms of available technology. Also, they have amazing reliability and customer support. Through my experience with Radeon graphics cards, I have had buggy driver issues as well as hardware compatibility issues, while I have had no issues of the sort with any of my Nvidia cards. I currently own a Nvidia GTX 480, one of the best graphics cards available, and I couldn't be happier with the performance. The card can run literally anything i throw at it, with no lag or crashing issues to speak of. Also, as far as price differences go, there isn't to much of a difference when you get higher up into the field. if you are willing to spend $400+ on a graphics card, a difference of $20 isn't exactly going to be the deciding factor. However, in my experience, Nvidia has always been a bit cheaper and has been able to offer cards at a better value. If you wish to check how your card stacks up, or just to see the current rankings, this website shows the ranking of the highest end graphics cards. currently Nvidia holds the top positions (they have the cards usually prefixed with GeForce or GTX) with Radeon leading behind. While there are many various opinions on this subject, I will always recommend Nvidia as the best graphics card producer around.