Just a few tips for people wanting to build their first system or upgrade components of their current system. As well as some tricks to get more performance for less.
CPU: :good:
Stick with AMD: I’m sorry, but currently its the most efficient way to go
Look for more: Try to find the most features packed into the CPU, such as larger caches or higher clock speeds for your buck.
Compare on benchmarks: try out sites such as Tomshardware.com which have comparable benchmarks over CPU’s, mobo’s, GPU’s and other devices. This applies to nearly all PC components
Look for newer cores: Newer cores often hold better features, reduced voltage requirements, more application support, as well as maybe more stable cores for overclocking and other add ons such as a corrected and revised core interface.
Motherboard: :good:
Stick to respected Brands: Stick to high line brands such as Asus, Abit, and other kind of lines that have a very good reputation.
Look for Higher FSB numbers: the more the better as long as your CPU is supported in the motherboard
Try to find more advanced tech: look for SATA or SATA2, ieee 1394b or integrated wireless within the board, as well as newer slots such as pciex16, but be sure that your parts will match or it will not function.
Dual Channel is better: Mobos supporting dual channel RAM will boost performance compared to using single channel RAM significantly, but not all RAM is DC, you have to check the memory if it supports it, as well as the mobo.
Free stuff/Why not?: the more the better, the more features packed onto the mobo the more you get for your money.
RAM: :good:
Look for Dual Channel: This type of memory offers alot more for less, and boosts performance muchly compared to that of a single channel system
Watch your $ on Latency: CAS latency may be low, but you rarely get a HUGE performance boost out of the same RAM with lower CAS, if RAM has lower CAS at a good price, take it, but don’t waste your money.
If you want things faster, don’t get ECC, but check if your mobo supports other types as well.
Check with the Manufacturer if memory is compatible!: a common mistake, many memory modules that are not supported on a motherboard tend to give small problems or rather big ones, check up on the memory’s manufacturer website if the memory is fully compatible with your mobo.
GPU: :good:
Better performance/lower clock settings: by checking benchmarks at sites such as tomshardware.com, you can see the GPU grades, lower clock speeds practically show the cards begging to be overclocked, IF the good performance isn’t good enough.
Look for updated OpenGL and DirectX versions: currently the newest are DirectX9 and OpenGl 2.0, these higher supports allow for more applications to work on the GPU as well as more for your buck
Look for faster RAMDAC speeds as well as higher memory interfaces: These properties as well as others have equal meaning to the performance of the GPU
More Memory!: Higher memory amounts allow the GPU to work better as well as lean off your own system memory.
More Pixel Pipelines: Pixel pipelines allow simultaneous graphic renderings in the millions to billions, the more you have, the better and faster the card can perform. Sometimes these as well as vertex shaders can be unlocked with bios flashes and alterations.
HD: :good:
More for your buffer: Bigger buffers allow faster data access in certain situations, personally I recommend with Hard Drives to configure them in RAID as 0 or 0 + 1 for a great performance boost in HD tasks.
SATA? Hello: SATA is only 12mhz faster than the 133 IDE, but other alterations have been made which allow it to have superior qualities to the older ATA 133 and 100. SATA2 has 300, but its still to be modified and has not yet surpassed speeds of SATA drives except in file transfers.
RAID: Raid allows to back up data or stripe it (put certain amounts of each file on two or more disks, so both read simultaneously) this is either safe, or boosts performance in HD tasks by much.
PSU: :good:
Stick to known Names: Brands such as Antec are well known for providing good power supplies, brand names that are well known perform tests at real life temperatures and provide accurate load/idle Wattages unlike other PSUs that perform half the amount they say they do at room temperature.
Higher Wattage is better lately: If you are building a new system, I’d recommend a 400-500W PSU at least, today’s systems require much power.
ATX 2.0: more and more Mobos require ATX 2.0 PSUs if yours does make sure that your PSU is ATX 2.0 compliant, because ATX2.0 has 24 pins instead of 20 pins, If you make such a mistake, it can be fixed though with a few dollars for an adapter that makes 20 pins, 24 pins.