Choose to buy a motherboard (end part)

To build a PC system that is right for you, it is necessary to specify the purpose of use. As mentioned in the previous section, the need for an office worker is completely different from the need for video editing or gaming.

Whether you buy a new computer or upgrade from an older one, a new motherboard is still the starting point. Choosing them must follow certain guidelines, and if you choose them correctly you won't have to worry about the possibility of upgrading later.

Building a PC as you like is much easier than choosing a set of PCs offered by the distributor (it is difficult to provide the features you need). Spend an afternoon reviewing all the equipment you need to make your "dream" PC.

Just like cooking, preparation is very important. The most important element of a PC system will be the motherboard part. Pricing and board configuration are varied, and you need to make sure that everything is right for the requirement because it will affect many other factors, including CPU and hard drive storage.

Clearly define the need to use :

* CPU : When considering performance, the most affordable option for most users is probably Intel's dual-core chip. We recommend using Intel Core 2 Duo 3GHz, especially the E8400 version. If you edit videos or want to play "heavier", then you should choose quad core chips.

* Chipset : The best option would be Intel E8400 on the P35 chipset. You should also choose boards that have specifications that match storage, audio and memory requirements.

* Memory : There should be a minimum of 2GB of RAM, and preferably 4GB if you often run other "memory killer" applications.

* Graphics : Even if you don't play games regularly, the PC also needs a graphics card that costs $ 100 or more, probably ATI Radeon HD 3650. If you're a gamer, the nVidia 8800 GT card is A fairly popular option.

* Storage : A modern PC system that lacks memory capacity is a disaster. Currently, hard drive prices tend to slow down after a long time of slow decline. You should equip yourself with a 500GB hard drive. Of course, the larger capacity, the higher the money; The smaller the capacity, the less you will save.

Notes when buying a motherboard :

* Need to select the chipset suitable for the board and suitable for the purpose of use

* Choose the required PC model: Are you a fan of handling multimedia tasks, "terrible" gamers, or just a normal office machine? These PC models have quite different features, so you need to focus on the features that you consider most important.

* Avoid using SLI / CrossFire unless you need them: PC "believers" often spend a lot of money on hardware. However, if you only intend to buy a graphics card, you don't need to spend money on these two connection technologies.

* Faithful to DDR2: Should still use this memory standard unless you need more bandwidth and higher performance. Why? Because DDR2 is much cheaper than DDR3. If you intend to upgrade later, please buy DDR2 first and then upgrade to DDR3.

* Avoid using overclocking features: Some manufacturers want to make their products more different by supporting higher memory than usual and many other advertised "terrible" features. However, you need to know that those motherboards are only for "play" people, but people are really knowledgeable and passionate about the work they do. In addition, these boards are not cheap.

* At least one high-performance PCIe slot: Even if you're using integrated graphics, it's not much more expensive to equip yourself with a board with extra PCIe x16 slots, but it can help you a lot later.