Building Custom Computers

Type of Computer: Gaming Computer
Estimated budget: 1600 USD

Parts:
        Motherboard: Asus P8H67-M EVO Rev. 3.0 (Intel H67 MicroATX)
Reason: I choose this motherboard, because it supports Intel core i7 and DDR3 RAM that I need for my games. And it has a big screen resolution and an HDMI port which would work great with my HDTV. In addition, it has up to 6 USB ports and 4 PCI ports which is enough for me – since I need only a few PCI ports and 6 USB ports is a lot.

        CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K (3.4GHz) QUAD CORE 95W
Reason: I run emulators that often require multi-threading, so the more core the better. Now, it support up to only 4 cores. In addition, I used to run it on my 2-core CPU, and it is only slugging a bit, I believe that four cores would result in a dramatic improvement.

        RAM: Kingston 16GB DDR3-1333 (4x4GB)
Reason: I’m a multi-tasker – I use a lot of programs at once, so I need a large RAM. Also, with 4 of the 4GB DDR3 RAM, I do not need to be so worried in case one of the RAMs do not function, I know there are three working ones left.

         Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 1GB QUIET (Asus)
Reason: nVidia is a very popular brand in the gaming sector. I had a great gaming experience with the GeForce GT predecessor, I hope that the successor give me a better sense of satisfaction. This video card supports the DirectX up to the 11 series which is the latest and a great improvement for the graphic. Also, it supports a variety of video output: VGA, HDMI, and DVI.

          Sound Card: Onboard Sound
Reason: I do not really care about the sound when I play games, so any sound card is fine. The motherboard’s sound is already a high definition type, so I do not need any additional sound card.

        Controllers (Adapter Cards): None
Reason: I do not really need any port expansion or any other addition, the motherboard provided enough.

         Networking (Adapter Cards): ASUS USB-BT211 USB 2.0 Mini Bluetooth Dongle
Reason: I need the Bluetooth technology to connect between my phones wirelessly, and, especially, I need to connect my Wii controller with the Bluetooth when I use the Wii emulator on my computer.

         Hard Drive: 1.0TB Western Digital Caviar Black (7200 RPM, SATA III)
Reason: I choose this hard-disk, because I need to store a lot of my favorite movies to watch on my HDTV and the games require quite a lot of free space nowadays.

          CD / DVD Rom: Asus 12x Blu-Ray Player SATA (black)
Reason: I need a Blu-Ray Rom to play my HD movies and to run my Playstation 3’s games on the PS3 emulator.

          Removable Drive: None
Reason: I do not think that any additional Removable Drive is needed.

           Case: Cooler Master HAF 922
Reason: As the name imply, this case is a pro in cooling the whole CPU. As a gamer, I spend a lot of hours playing games, so the CPU tends to get pretty hot. Therefore, this case would be a great help to cool off the CPU. In addition, it looks very “cool”.

          Power Supply: Antec TruePower 650W
Reason: The Website’s recommended power supply is a 560w, but I choose this one so that there are some spare supply powers. And one more reason is that it is cheaper than the one with the 560w.

           CPU Cooling: Scythe Katana 3 (Intel 1155/6)
Reason: This CPU cooling is smaller and can cool better than those of the like. Also, Scythe Katana 3 is a quiet model that I’m sure will not bother me during my usage, at least, that is what they say it is.

           Monitor: None
Reason: I intended to buy this computer in order to connect to my HDTV for a better gaming experience and to enjoy movies that I downloaded or movies that I watch online.

           Speakers: None
Reason: My TV has build-in HD-sound speakers.

           Keyboard: Microsoft Desktop 600 Keyboard/Mouse (black)
Reason: I just need a working keyboard. I already had a complete set of game control to use; I do not need the keyboard.

           Mouse: Microsoft Desktop 600 Keyboard/Mouse (black)
Reason: I choose this mouse because it is the cheapest and it is included in a combo. I have never experienced any pain while using any mouse, so a working one is fine.

Cost according to the website: $1603.65

Conclusion:
 As a gamer, a multi-tasker, and a movie buff; my computer must have a High-Definition graphic, a large memory, and many cores to do the multi-threading for my game-console emulators. I used to buy computer in a complete set, and this is the first time that I buy computer part by part. I think that this is a lot better, since I can choose all of the part and can specify it to my own liking. I have to focus on the limited budget, and try my best to build a computer that is about my budget and is suitable for me.