Build a Computer Project

Your options are an entry level ($300 maximum), mid range ($600 maximum), or gaming computer ($1,200 maximum). This project is worth 20 points but since building an entry level system for $300 is much harder than a gaming system for $1,200 you will have the opportunity for five bonus points.

Make sure you have all the parts needed to use this computer and submit a copy of the final document to the Dropbox in D2L. Use one of the following websites (or one of your choice) to help you choose parts to build a customized desktop or laptop computer:

Tiger Direct

New Egg Tom's Hardware

Price Watch

PC Part Picker

A great video to get you started: How to Build a Computer - Choosing Your Parts The following required parts (you may have others) are not in any particular order; however, some items must be chosen first because they will dictate subsequent parts. For instance, what type of Motherboard will dictate your RAM options. Please note that some items may be purchased as a package, such as the Motherboard and CPU; just make sure to note it. It will be assumed that you will use Windows 10 so you do not have to include it in the price. The computer should be powerful enough to support the following (but do not include the price of the software in your budget):

Windows 10 Professional Operating System

Microsoft Office 2016 Professional

Adobe Suite At a minimum you must include a description, seller, hyper-link (or PDF attachment if you get a unique quote), and price for each part in a table similar to whats below. Creating something in Excel, because it will be easy to sum the prices, is probably the best option. Item Description Seller Link Price Tower Case Rosewill Dual Fans MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case FBM-01 Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-MicroATXTower-Computer-FBM

Build a Computer Project Fall 2017

ATX Tower (or mid-tower) Case ATX is the typical form factor used for motherboards by todays modern desktop computers. Basically, if your motherboard is ATX, you need an ATX case (and power supply).

A case has space for a power supply (often times one is included, although it may not be enough watts to power your system. The front has space for the optical drives. You can also customize your case, adding things like special lighting if it pleases you. Power Supply The power supply is a key component of a desktop computer. You need enough watts to power your entire system internal parts. Cases often come with a built-in power supply, although typically 300 watts or less. If youre using a powerful CPU and a high-end video card, you might need to install your own. Some people prefer to install their own regardless of their system needs--they enjoy the comfort and reliability of a hand-picked power supply instead of a generic built-in. You can calculate your power needs using an online power calculator.

CPU The most popular CPUs are made by Intel or AMD. If you want to use more than 3GB of RAM in your system, its best to go straight to a 64-bit CPU (32-bit CPUs cannot address large amounts of RAM). Of course, youll need an OS in the 64-bit version as well to take advantage of the extra RAM. That said, you can pick an Intel Core i3, i5, & i7 or other CPU configurations. Be sure to choose a CPU sufficient for your needs.

ATX Motherboard The motherboard you get needs to match the socket your CPU will fit. So, if you pick an Intel CPU, youll need a motherboard with a chipset compatible with that specific CPU. Likewise, if you choose AMD, youll need a motherboard compatible with that specific CPU. Motherboards can include on-board USB ports, an audio card, a network card (Ethernet) and sometimes an integrated graphics chip.

RAM The amount of RAM you need really depends on your specific needs. Generally, 4GB minimum memory should only be used if youre using the system for very light tasks. Graphics/video Card For some, the integrated graphics chip that comes on the motherboard may be sufficient for their needs. That said, graphics cards can easily be added and upgraded on an available port on the motherboard (typically a PCI-Express port). There are a wide range of video cards, typically ranging from 128MB of memory on up. If you use the on-board integrated graphics chip, youll probably be borrowing from system memory. If the on-board chip is configured for 128MB of video RAM, youd subtract the 128MB from the total memory, leaving whats left as available to your operating system.

Build a Computer Project

Example, your system has 1GB of RAM, but uses on-board integrated graphics at 128MB. You would only have 896MB of RAM available to the operating system. Sound Card For some, the sound card on the motherboard may be sufficient for their needs. That said, sound cards can easily be added and upgraded on an available port on the motherboard (typically a PCI-Express port). Unlike graphics cards there arent as many options. Hard Drive You want a decent size hard drive so try to find the sweet spot between price and size for your system. Remember, youre on a budget. Optical Drive Its highly likely that you will need at least one and perhaps two drives depending on your needs. Keyboard and Mouse These can be as basic or full featured as you feel you need. Monitor The type of monitor(s) will likely depend on the computer you choose.