› Task
Your task for the next few class periods is as follows: working in groups, generate a list of components you would buy to build your own PC. Assume you are starting from scratch: you need all the components from the case to the power supply to the CPU. Below is a list of components you will likely need for your computer. The list isn't exhaustive; there may be many parts you want that are not on the list. Nor are you obligated to have everything on the list; if you don't think you will need a particular part then omit it. Be careful, however, a computer that doesn't have the equipment you need is less useful than one that is over-powered. It will be a balancing act to identify the components you need.
- case
- power supply
- motherboard
- CPU
- heatsink and fan
- thermal compound
- RAM
- hard drive
- floppy drive
- optical drive(s)
- video card
- sound card
- NIC
- keyboard
- mouse
- additional cables
- other peripherals
- operating system / other software
You will be spending some time initially learning more about each type of component you will be selecting for your computer. For example, while we have discussed video cards in class, we have not weighed the pros and cons of the major video GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) chips. Are Nvidia- or ATI-based cards better suited for your computer? Should you choose an Intel or an AMD chip as your CPU? There is a lot of background information you will need to be familiar with in order to make good choices when selecting your parts.
Since one of the key reasons for building your own computer is customization, each member of your group will be tasked with designing a PC for a particular need. Each system has a budget associated with it, as well. It would be nice if you could spend unlimited dollars and build the biggest, baddest computer on the block. However, since most of us do not have unlimited funds, concessions will have to be made. You may be forced to choose between a faster video card or a faster CPU. Who the computer is being built for will determine where those dollars are spent.
After you have selected your components, you will present your computer to the class. You can choose to create a PowerPoint slide show if you like, but it is not necessary. You will, however, need to be able to justify why you selected each component. If you chose video card A over video card B, you should be able to explain what your reasoning was. There may not be a right or wrong answer, the important thing is that you've put some thought into your selections and you have some sort of rationale behind them.
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