Buying Computer Hardware- Done your Duediligence? (INTERNAL)

"Want a fast PC but spend the least AND include the option of gaming?"

40 hours of research (reading reviews and buying parts) brings below my compilation of computer parts (with lowest price since start of 2008) fit for a mid-end PC. This blogs includes things to lookout for when buying computer hardware.

BEFORE we know HOW to buy, I will explain WHY we buy~ what gives?

These are some reasons people choose to buy quality parts, a computer that is:

- in working order (no halts, etc)
- fast and multi-task efficient (less limitations),
- silent
- low heat (add up to 4 degrees C to room temp.)
- looks good
- lasts long (more than warranty claims)
- other

So WHAT are we buying? ~Computer terminology using a subjective human analogy...

CASE= The Skin, the outer protection and heat dispersal.
MOTHERBOARD= The Organs, combines computer functions (cables=nerves)
FANS/COOLING= The Water in the body (sweat, etc), disperses heat (air).

POWER SUPPLY (PSU)= The Blood flow, provides energy to the computer-body.
CPU= The IQ of the Brain, the speed of processing information.
RAM= The capacity of the Brain, the short-term memory of the brain.
HARD DISCS (HDD)= The capacity of the Brain, the long-term memory of the brain.

SOUND CARD= The Vocalchords/Tongue, improves voice quality.
VIDEO CARD (GPU)= The Eyes, improves vision output.
OPTICAL DRIVES (CD/DVD/Floppy/etc)= The 'Ears', learning and comprehension.

TV Tuner, Microphone, Router, etc= The Tools, adds or enhances computer-body functions. The common term OC (Overclocking) involves the increase in computer voltage to computer parts (accelerlation). ~What happens when we overheat from exhaustion? We don't die easily but computers can get sick. Note: Modern Motherboards (Gigabyte/ASUS/MSI) integrates sound and video devices so sound cards and video cards are not essential.

~You know what they represent. To realize its importance, you can estimate the consequence if a part listed above contains defects. Similarly, the analogy applies when such a part functions optimally (better quality= better outcome).

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"HOW COMPUTERS ARE PRICED"
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Aside from the usual premiums retail stores feed on, computer parts price (including online) depend on US-AU dollar exchange rates. A simple 'mistiming' a week could mean $50 AU difference- thus, computer prices are never stable. I recommend to buy from computer stores as shopping center retailers usually charge premiums of up to 120%. Implicitly, prices are subjected to vary much more (lower) after 'financial crisis'.

"HOW TO BUY"
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A disadvantage to buying online is the warranty claim. In store, you can usually go back within the 1st year (1 year labor) and to the manufacturer afterward (2-3 years parts). Online is usually cheaper to compromise shipping fees/service but personally, I would not choose to buy online far far away if the price difference is less than 10% of the store purchase price (exclude shipping). Parts that require extra attention to this rule will be noted below.

Computer parts that are identical have different prices at different stores and can change on a daily basis. If the prices on the website you are viewing are not updated daily, DO NOT assume the same price! To be smart and safe, check if current price of the item AND the contents in the package by emailing the sales manager! This will give you the edge to something legally binding *(proof) even if the company is 'shady' and 'update' the page you saw (and you don't always print it out/save the webpage offline).

If in Australia, my usual procedure will be:

1. Check MSY for the computer component type if no preference (note price).
2. Check Staticice or Pricespy for the price range of that item (set price range).

If in New South Wales:

- Check Skycomp for a more extensive list (note price).
- Look for deals from CCPU (Carlingford, Parramatta) or Orange IT (located at Capitol Square, Sydney).

Computer parts are the same but the store services can vary dramatically! ~Remember:

- If visiting the store, ALWAYS email the store to check for item availability. The rule is first come first served!

- Before pickup, the store WILL usually notify you that the item is ready. If you're anxious, email them for updates after 48 hours.

- With Ebay deliveries, ask for a TRACKING NUMBER for the package if available. Always keep good communication...if anything goes wrong, Ebay officers can see that you have done your duediligence and thus have better chances of claiming losses.

"THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OEM (Direct from manufacturers)"
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Note that some deals may label 'OEM', which usually translates to a shorter warranty/without bonus material such as software, etc). Your best bet is to compare the original (non-OEM) with OEM and see if it justifies price differences.

Be extra careful when buying on Ebay with OEMs. In the worst case, you may pay for a faulty item (or useless in 14 days). Most computer parts doesn't do international warranty, especially on second hand materials: analyze your risk before purchase!

"COMPUTER PARTS- INSIDE THE CASE"
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You can buy ALL-IN-ONES for $500 AU pre-built by Sydney Computer Stores if your only desires are Microsoft Office and Watch movies or anime and not interested in following technology. Otherwise, below will be something that will last a 5 good years without any technical issues with hardware.

Up to $1,200 AU, The internal chassis.
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"Price excludes operating server (OS)- Recommend Windows Xp Pro Retail as Windows Vista is still developing and requires demanding computer parts." If you buy OEM for your OS, it will operate for your first computer. If your computer halts or fails afterwards, consider your OS OEM useless- price difference is approx. $100AU, make your choice.

~Most links below lead to quality reviews, take note of the date. Some links lead to an image of the product if reviews are scarce- check product homepage for updated details.

The Case
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Cases are expensive. Why would you pay a 'shell' for the price of Motherboards? The purpose of the case is obviously 'to protect your computer investments' but whats often overlooked is the its ability to disperse heat (larger case+good design=better airflow). In simple language, heat= risk to device malfunction (reduce lifespan)+noise(parts work harder). Note the recommended case is a FULL SIZE (very large). For the same price with similar qualities, try the ANTEC P182 case (MEDIUM SIZE ATX-standard desktop size).

Recommend ($200)- Coolermaster HAF (Rc 932-Full Chasis), 2 years warranty.

CPU
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Modern times have technology up to 4 cpu cores (quads/i7 cores). Quad cores and i7 cores are both currently very expensive. Modern software cannot optimize 4 cores thus the choice for 2. i7 has the advantage over Quads as it can auto-overclock a single core when the other three are not in use. Though the i7 is the best option, it requires speical motherboards/rams which totals 3 x the cpu price. Core 2 duo is still the sweet spot, most cost/quality efficient ratio.

Recommend ($250)- Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (3.0ghz, 1333fsb, 9x multiplyer), 3 years warranty.

CPU Cooler
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CPU coolers come with the CPU chip but are rather mediocre. By installing an aftermarket cooler, you will find silence when your computer is multi-tasking. The quality of the cooler is often scanned by the metal type in the order of the best to worse: Silver >Copper>Aluminium. The cooler with the best heat dispersal is the best heat conducter. If Silver is 100% (Extremely expensive), Copper (Affordable) will be 90% efficient, followed by Aluminium (Afforable, similar price to Copper) around the 60% mark.

Recommend ($75)- Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme, 2years warranty (Copper). Require a 120mm fan (not included).

Motherboard
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There are motherboards that a similarly priced in the Gigabyte P31, P35 series and are also good quality. P45 are the newer boards and have extra features that prolong the life expectancy of the hardware. Check the link for finer details.

Recommend ($140)- Gigabyte Ep45-DSL (Stable 45nm, 1 pci expressx16, 775 socket), 3years warranty.

RAM
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Most computers running on Windows XP require only 1-2 GB average quality RAM to do office stuff and watch media. If you do video processing or run Windows Vista, it is recommended for 4 GB of generic RAM. Advanced RAM is only useful for overclocking.

Recommend ($70)- 4GB kit Kingston 800 (2 x2gb), usually lifetime warranty.

PSU
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There are many power supplies that claim big numbers 500, 700, 1000 watts etc. Buying one of these is a big no no UNLESS it claims to have a '80% plus efficiency'. The catch of the low prices is reflected by their testing which are usually carried under 25 degrees C (not tested correctly). Most computers are at least 25 degrees when over 60% work load (watercooling or expensive mods are an exception).

Recommend ($140)- Corsair HX620 Modular, 5 years warranty.

Soundcard
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Fish around Ebay of so for the recommended card in OEM form unless you compose music. The extra attached module in the RETAIL version (meaning not OEM) is often useless for non-muscisians as it serves to connect audio output to keyboards/mixers. The sound quality in comparison with intergrated sound from modern motherboards is like watching a music video vs in a live concert. Sounds are much more crisp especially acoustic instruments (guitars), the bass is wider (r n b) and the clarity during mult-instrument playback is unmatched (I'm a piano tutor). However, to fuller enjoy these sounds, you must have a decent set of speakers or headphones.

Recommend ($105-ebay)- Xfi Xtreme Gamer Fatality OEM (card only), 1 year warranty.

Videocard
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A very controversial piece of electronic device when it comes to preference. If all you do is office stuff and watch videos in computer formats (most of us), integrated video will suffice- save the money. In fact, video cards are noisy, expensive (30db plus underload-brushing teeth loudness) and produce a lot of heat. If on the other hand you like to watch HD DVDs, BLU RAY, own a 22" or larger monitor and like to play modern computer games, you require a video card as motherboards will stress to handle the damage.

Go for a wider BUS more than RAM capacity (256 bit/s at 512 RAM is better than 128 bit/s at 1 GB RAM). Video card prices drop dramatically when newer ones arrive (every 3 months) so if you can wait, you can save $100-200 AU on the same card in 6 months time. Also, take note that video cards are often made by different companies but are re-branded under NVIDIA and GEFORCE- this matters as quality can differ.

Recommend ($170)- 9800GT Geforce, 3 years warranty.

DVD-Burner
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Almost everybody with a computer has digitally burnt a CD/DVD/other. A word of mouth is to burn at slower speeds (4x) for optimal data transfer (less data loss). To be anal, the disc brand matters! Less data loss is associated with product-matched burner to disc or with quality discs. For example, the Pioneer 216 mentioned below can burn CDs flawlessly at 48 X using TDK branded CDs (rare for burners) but less optimally for DVDs (TDK). So for quality outcomes, I can sacrifice burning DVDs at 4 x whilst enjoy 48 x flawless on CDs (as transfer rate on DVDs is much faster than CDs...The rate 1X/2X/4X/16X/48X etc mean different speeds for CDs and DVDs).

Recommend ($30)- SATA Pioneer BK216 OEM (use TDK cds, Pioneer DVDs), 1 year warranty

Hard disk drive storage
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The bigger the better huh...well smaller ones are quiet and produce less heat (less likely to die). Think of the capacity range: 50GB to 1.5 TB. The newest 1.5 TBs are still in customer experience experimental stage. Choose 7200rpm spin speed or faster and 16MB/32MB buffer, otherwise you are doing yourself a disservice with current technology standards. Also, avoid cheap external HDD casings as their quality often reflect the price.

~Note that windows runs faster and more efficiently when the OS runs on a separate HDD (Put the storage data on another HDD). 10,000rpm HDDs are recommended for super fast OS or gaming where data transfer rate is crucial.

Recommend ($120)- Western Digital 750gb, 16mb buffer, 7200rpm, 3 years warranty.


There are extra options (expensive)
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- Watercooling, Blu-Ray, 74gb WD raptor 10,000 rpm HDD, Card readers ($20)
- SLI technology with Video Cards, change the motherboard to one that supports 2 pci-express or more!

See my other review "Computer Accessories - Done your Duediligence? (EXTERNAL)" for
details on keyboards, mouse, speakers, monitors, etc.

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Computers are expensive- end story. But asking a shop to diagnose the issue of your broken pc can cost $30 +, fixing at $50 + and $100 + per hardware that has malfunctioned (and buying from the same shop can be costly.~ Do your maths! (or fix it yourself!)

All the best with computer shopping.

Red-Energy.

Does this help? I would love to hear your thoughts.