No matter what happens with the technology involved, there is always one problem that plagues the DIY system builder: choices. Since we, the power builders, are usually building for exactly that reason, it’s ironic that it is also our main problem. The first and largest problem that we have to deal with is what CPU we are going to use. This dictates the next question that we are going to be faced with, which is what motherboard are we going to mount the CPU and all of the other components to? After years of helping people choose motherboards, there are a few simple lessons that I’ve learned. Here are some tips from an old pro at motherboard selection:

[Read more →]

Whether it’s to install a new graphics card, add RAM, upgrade your hard drive, or slap in a new power supply, sooner or later you’ll open your PC’s case and plug something into your motherboard. If you haven’t looked inside a PC in the last year or two, you may not recognize everything there. For starters, most new motherboards include PCI Express x16 and other new connectors. Here’s a tour of today’s motherboard.

[Read more →]

If you don’t want to spend big bucks on a new PC, consider upgrading your old system’s motherboard and CPU. This can boost the machine’s performance and give you access to the latest technologies. It can also save you hundreds of dollars.

What you won’t get is a new hard drive, optical drive, or operating system, though the new motherboard gives you the option of upgrading these components later. When you do it yourself, you choose the make, model, and cost that serve you best, rather than settling for what’s preloaded in an off-the-shelf machine.

[Read more →]