Posted:
22.oct.2005

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Design & Build your own PC Computer

Building your own PC can be a blast. So when friends ask advice on how to design a computer for themselves, I simply modify the components you see listed in the grid below (scroll down) to reflect a system that corresponds to their particular needs and budget.

Most of us want a computer that's zippy, versatile and (most of all) stable. We don't mind paying a little extra, if it will buy us features & performance we can actually use. So I try to be a responsible capitalist by factoring economics into the selection process.

But you might've noticed the site's subtitle: Indulge your Technolust, which means I tend to select components found at the radder end of the performance-vs-value spectrum.

It's impossible to design a system that's right for everyone, just like it's impossible to design a car that's right for everyone, because everybody is different, and we all have different needs, wants & checkbooks. But if you found your way to RADIFIED, there's a good chance your needs are similar to mine.

For example, minimizing noise is certainly a factor these days, altho not my main concern, as it is with some. I tend to be more of a stability freak.

If noise bothers you, do like I do and put your PC on the floor, under your desk. Keep it away from your ears. Surround it with pillows, or other sound-deadening material. If your home has hardwood floors, cut a swath of plush carpeting and slide it under your rig.

Replace noisy fans with quiet ones. Install acoustic wall tiles behind the PC (where most noise originates from). Or splurge on a silent case. Use earplugs. Get creative. Because it doesn't matter how quietly your rig runs, if it won't run reliably.

Aesthetics is also a factor, which means our rig has to *look* cool .. so (naturally) it must be BUH-LACK.

The particular system detailed below was designed for a friend who does graphics & video work by day, before turning it over to the kids at night for online gaming (versatility).

I tried to select items listed "in stock", but this data changes daily. I like Newegg. (Heck, everybody likes Newegg.) They have competitive prices and ship F-A-S-T fast.

For an extra $2.99, they'll rush your order. It usually takes 2 or 3 days for the FedEx man to show up at your doorstep .. with all those beautiful boxes. Even without the rush, they still ship fast. Sometimes you receive the items the next day. Heck, I can't send a letter to my next-door neighbor that fast.

Newegg's impressive reseller rating is posted here. More importantly, they have a lenient return/RMA policy. I know people who actually broke stuff, and Newegg *still* took it back, even after the allotted time. If you've ever done business online, you know how rare this is.

CrazyPC is a good alternate to use for those times when Newegg is out-of-stock. Their similarly-impressive reseller rating is posted here. CrazyPC is based in Michigan. They charge state tax only on items shipped to a Michigan address. Newegg is based in California, Tennessee and New Jersey. Only orders shipped to those three states are taxed. Another highly rated vendor is Monarch.

The Black Beast 2006

Note: links for DRIVERS (where applicable) have been coded into the COMPONENT column. Some COMPONENTS listed below (such as MEMORY, GRAPHICS and SOUND CARDS) have *two* items listed. Select one, based on your particular needs.

Method behind the Madness

I did much research prior to selecting the components you see listed for this system. (My eyes are burning.) The following describes the method behind my madness.

UPDATE - This section grew too large for this page, so I moved it to a page of its own. If you're interested in how I came to the decisons I made, see here:> Black Beast 2006 Component Selection Considerations

For more info, here is a Google search pre-configured for the query-string: how build design own home pc computer