Dell Computer Replacement Parts (Source: crav3n.com)

In some Dell desktop computers the motherboard may also have just one special expansion card slot, in which only a special circuit board can be installed, thus rotating expansion slots in a 90 degree angle in low-profile Dell computer cases. If you replace such a mainboard with a standard one, then you'll not be able to install any expansion cards, unless you cut some metal from the back of the computer case of course.

Users – who like brand name computer cases and high performance – can replace the internal parts of an older Dell computer with the industry's latest parts. This is possible because the size of computer parts hasn't really changed and the power consumption is also in about the same limits. For example in an old Dell small form factor computer case with a 200W power supply you can install an LGA1155 motherboard and a strong quad core Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, so applications will run a lot faster. Using a motherboard and processor with a power consumption level very close to the power supply's maximum is not recommended, but can run safely after you adjust the power limitations of the processor. On Intel platforms the TurboBoost technology is responsible for managing the power, and on most motherboard it's user-adjustable from the BIOS or from the software suit provided by the manufacturer.

Dell Computer Replacement Parts (Source: regex.info)

Having a Dell computer with a BTX motherboard can mean a lot of problems, as you have very few choices for a replacement, just 1 to 3 on the most recent computer models. On the BTX motherboard everything is mirrored when compared to the ATX standard. Honestly I can't say why manufacturers have designed such computer parts, as there's no real improvement done to the airflow (cooling), noise reduction or computer part placement. The only logical reason for the standard change is to make it harder for users to replace components, a sneaky deed in which Apple is the master at this moment.

Hard drives are mandatory parts of most computers, as the operating system needs to start and run from a reliable storage device. They are also important for personal storage, as the internet is not secure enough yet for storing your most treasured personal files.

With the recent problems on the HDD market prices have gone up, so users think twice before purchasing a new hard drive and hard drive manufacturers have changed strategies. Seagate for example has phased out its energy efficient line of hard drives, as they proved to be too slow and save just about 50 cents/month on the electricity bill.

1tb 7200rpm Hdd Seagate (Source: algogensystems.com)

Today one of the best choices for a large hard drive is the Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200RPM hard drive, which costs just $125 at newegg.com. What's special about this unit is the structure, as it's based on a single platter and two heads. This translate into less material, lower manufacturing costs, faster operation, increased efficiency and longer life. I think this last one is the most important, as single-platter drives tend to wobble less, so the motor's bearing lasts longer.

Other specs are also quite good: 64MB cache and SATA 3 interface. Of course you also need a fast enough computer with at least a SATA 2 controller, in order to take full advantage of these features, but the drive performs significantly better than older ones even in desktops with simple SATA 1 controllers.

1tb 7200rpm Hdd Seagate (Source: laptopkeyboards.org)

The Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200RPM hard drive costs $10 more than the previous model, mostly because it's a two-platter HDD unit and manufacturing costs are higher. It is also very fast, equipped with 32MB of cache and a SATA 3 interface.

Recognizing the HDD's slight shortcomings, newegg.com decided to continue selling for this higher price, but also give a free DVD burner with it. I don't know how appealing this offer is to average users, but it may be a wise purchase for those who are putting together a new computer or have no optical drive.

In reality however the user with the best chances is the one who knows the basic info of every part he wants to buy, without restriction to specific brands.

Computer Parts Info (Source: mswhs.com)

Usually hard drives are the computer parts that have the least relevant information printed an their labels. In the picture above people with a good eye can easily find the capacity and the “Made in Thailand” phrase. Unfortunately the rotation speed, cache size and interface type are not shown, and can only be looked up on the internet by the hard drive model, which in this case is HDS5C4040ALE630. After a bit of searching you find out that in fact it's a 5400RPM drive with 32MB cache and SATA 3 (6GBPS) interface.

Microprocessors and video cards are much easier to identify, as they usually come in retail boxes, on which the most important information is clearly specified. For example a dual core Intel Core i3 processor has a small white sticker where the main technical information is shown, like the exact part number, frequency, power consumption, socket type, generation and class. Video cards also come with the model, frequencies, memory size and memory bus painted (or on a sticker) on the circuit board and also on the retail box with huge color letters

Computer Parts Info (Source: hardwareheaven.com)

Motherboards and power supplies are harder to read, because they connect to all internal and almost all external components of a computer, so every little detail counts. On the motherboard you should look for socket type, expansion slot types and the different kind of ports available.

The power supply should be chosen last, as it has to provide enough power to all computer parts on the appropriate wires. In low-end systems with cheap parts you don't need to pay attention the power supply, but gaming systems and workstations require large amounts of power for the video card and/or microprocessor. Without having a specific configuration in mind, in my opinion for these two types of computers you never buy a power supply under 550W with less than two 12V rails (or one, but really powerful, >35A).

All Parts Needed To Build A Computer (Source: i.techrepublic.com.com)

This solution is far from a high-end gaming computer, but nevertheless packs enough processing power for WEB browsing, office applications and playing FullHD videos. You can also take your computer anywhere (including all your important documents), because it's a smartphone.

Another solution for building an efficient computer may be offered by laptop parts. All you need is a laptop motherboard, processor, some memory, laptop hard drive, an AC/DC laptop adapter and the computer is ready. One might argue that a laptop connected to the same LCD-TV or monitor and wireless input devices shown in the picture above will produce the same – or better results, but then you're not building anything, are you?

All Parts Needed To Build A Computer (Source: dell-laptop-battery.com)

This solution will deliver much more processing power, depending of course on the amount of money you're willing to spend. Whichever the case may be, laptop parts are almost as fast as their desktop counterparts, but much more efficient.

To build a computer from desktop parts is the easiest and most complete solution. It will run any desktop operating system, applications and games you want. That being said I also have to mention that desktop parts are not efficient at all. An average assembled desktop system consumes about 100Watts of power when it's not performing any tasks, while a laptop with a similar performance level needs just around 10Watts while in idle. This difference is not at all negligible if you want to make a responsible choice.

This processor features four processing cores running at 3.4GHz, automatically overclocked to 3.8GHz by Intel's TurboBoost technology, when needed. Consuming up to 95Watts of power, this processor is one of the most efficient high-end models available.

Acer Computer Parts (Source: images.highspeedbackbone.net)

Strangely enough Acer has chosen a barely mid-range video card for this desktop, the nVidia Geforce GT 530 with 2GB of on-board memory. This allows the user to run most applications at pretty decent speeds (including CAD software), buck lacks that extra horsepower that's needed for 3D gaming in high resolutions and high image quality.

By default 8GB of DDR3 system memory is installed, which is enough for most applications and games with the page file disabled. On the other hand video editing and 3D modeling may ask for up to 16GB memory (RAM + page file). In my experience 8GB of memory is enough for the average user, as it can boost even the performance of low-end computers, based on Celeron, Pentium, Athlon or Llano processors. I have recently purchased a Celeron G530 dual core processor and the cheapest LGA1155 motherboard from Asrock, and I have to say that the extra 4GB (4+4 total install) of memory makes all the difference while multitasking in Windows 7.

As for internal storage, Acer has installed a standard high-end part in this desktop, a 2TB 7200RPM SATA hard drive – to be more exact. Removable storage consists of a lot of USB ports and the internal 16X DVD burner. Yes, a lot of recent DVD burners can climb up to 24X reading and writing speed, but in reality there's very little difference in MB/s, so it's better to use slower and quieter units.

Acer Computer Parts (Source: images.highspeedbackbone.net)

A pleasant surprise is the 450Watt power supply inside this stylish desktop computer case. The total power consumption of the installed parts stays at 200-250Watts on average, so the 450Watt power supply is more than enough. It needs to be said that Intel and nVidia chips tend to exceed the official TDP for a few seconds from time to time, so this is why the extra 200Watts o power is needed in this desktop. I'm not saying that AMD chips behave much better when it comes to power consumption, but they are known to stay within the official limits (at least 5% lower then the maximum allowed).

The Acer Predator AG3610-UR10P desktop computer costs 1050 USD with the parts mentioned above (at newegg and tigerdirect), and will serve you well if you don't want to run the latest games in the highest detail.

It's hard to say what the main problem was with Gateway computers, mostly because the success of a manufacturer depends on a lot of calculable factors, but also on luck. What I can say for sure is that most Gateway computers today are very much like the products of other manufacturers, but with their own exterior design and quality.

Gateway Laptop Computer Parts (Source: static.gateway.com)

In the picture above you see a Gateway laptop from the most recently released laptop series, the ID series. There are four models available from the ID series, three have a 14” form factor while the fourth is based on a 15.6” display panel. They all have price tags between 629 and 699 USD and they also feature almost the same basic internal parts.

The ID47H03u model comes with a 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M processor (second generation), integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 video chip, 4GB of DDR3 system memory and a standard 500GB laptop hard drive. Other important parts include a 6-cell 6000mAh battery pack, which can last for up to 8 hours, Wi-fi, DVD burner and a multi-in-one memory card reader. This 14” laptop also features a USB 3.0 port and Gigabit Ethernet for fast data connections with peripherals and networks. If we consider all these standard laptop computer parts, then the $699 estimated retail price is reasonable for this configuration.

The cheapest Gateway ID series laptop configuration, the ID47H06u, is based on pretty much the same laptop computer parts as the previous configuration, except for the microprocessor which is a Core i3, so it lacks the TurboBoost technology and operates at a fixed lower frequency. Interestingly enough this configuration also includes a Bluetooth module, even though it's price is just 629 USD.

Gateway Laptop Computer Parts (Source: static.gateway.com)

The 679 USD Gateway laptop configuration is based on a Core i5 processor and 15.6” display panel, but it also features Bluetooth. This is a bit surprising, as it seems that this laptop outranks all the others from the same series. Yes, it is a bit bigger than the others, but has all the features and a fast Core i5 processor.

All in all these Gateway laptops are built with some great mid-range laptop parts and their prices are also decent, so I recommend purchasing any one of them, if you don't mind using the integrated graphics solution. Their battery life is above average (by ~50%) and that also means low power consumption, 65Watt max is what the power brick's description says.

Logitech Wireless Keyboard And Mouse (Source: clickmaldives.com)

Tired of the feeling that something's missing in my input devices, I have finally decided to go for a bit more expensive solution, the Logitech MK220 wireless mouse and keyboard kit. The kit wasn't too expensive, taking just $35 out of my pocket, but still it's the largest amount I have ever spent on a keyboard and mouse. My previous keyboards mentioned above cost less than $10 each, while the mice even less, not more than $5 each.

I won't lie, the MK220 wireless keyboard and mouse kit from Logitech is the cheapest wireless kit from this manufacturer and it clearly shows. When I first put my hands on the keyboard and mouse I was surprised to find many imperfections on the edges of larger plastic components. Both on the keyboard and mouse there were small and sharp bits of plastic sticking out where the top and bottom parts meet. This is very disturbing, considering the fact that none of my previous cheap keyboards and mice had this problem.

After I carefully removed these annoying pieces of plastic with a cutter and installed the batteries (included in the retail package) the devices instantly came alive. There was no need for installing drivers or switching something on or off, just pure plug and play.

Logitech Wireless Keyboard And Mouse (Source: theitdepot.com)

My first impression quickly faded, after I tried out the keys, mouse movement and buttons. I have to say that everything works perfectly. The keyboard's keys aren't as silent as I hoped, but are easy to press and the overall feel of typing is very pleasant. It takes some time to get used to the compact keyboard layout of this specific Logitech keyboard, as most function keys are moved to the top and their size is significantly reduced (below 40% of a standard key). The manufacturer corrected this problem by raising these keys about 2mm above all the others, so they are actually easier to find and press than on standard keyboards.

Users who have never used wireless mice or keyboards may find the mouse very heavy, as it uses two large AA batteries. Nevertheless you can easily get used to it and forget all negative aspects of the mouse, as it works perfectly. You don't need to switch it on and off (like many wireless input devices require), as it has an auto sleep function that will make sure that battery life is extended up to 2 years in the keyboard and up to 6 months in the mouse.

All in all I definitely recommend this Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse kit to anyone who's not offended by small plastic impurities and does want dependable wireless input devices.

Most people still use these large projectors (seen in the picture below) because they require a lot of power for large surfaces or simply didn't hear about the latest developments in this field.

Computer Projector (Source: trendygadget.com)

This is a so-called professional computer projector, capable of displaying 1024 x 768 pixels with a 210Watt light bulb on a surface 1 to 11 meters away. Contrast ratio is at about 500:1 and the lamp life is limited to just 2500 hours in standard mode or to 3500 hours in ECO mode. Fortunately the lamp can be replaced many times before the projector becomes unusable, although manufacturers usually don't specify such time estimates.

Such professional computer projectors have a lot of signal input options from analog S-video and VGA to digital HDMI or DVI. Some are capable of producing signal on their own from a network attached device or USB storage device.

Computer Projector (Source: kitguru.net)

In the picture above you see a much more advanced computer projector, based on LED lighting. Most characteristics match those of the light bulb based models, except for the brightness, which is usually about 10 times lower, just 200 lumen in the case of the ASUS P1. Lamp life is also different on LED-based projectors, as these advanced light sources don't generate a lot of heat. This particular LED projector model can function for up to 30,000 hours with less than 20% brightness loss at the end, but it can be used a lot more until it becomes non-functional. The power consumption of such a projector is just 50Watts, while smaller models require around 8-10Watts, so they are a lot more economical than light bulb projectors.

Acer's SK-9625 keyboard is a traditional wired keyboard, compatible with USB ports. It also offers a few Internet related and multimedia control keys and one special, yet extremely primitive volume control wheel.

Acer Keyboard Sk-9625 (Source: img1.classistatic.com)

The first analog TV and radio sets already had this exact same feature (volume or channel tuning wheel), so what Acer has put on its keyboard isn't a new invention at all. What I have to admit is that quick volume control is very important in offices and homes today, but unfortunately on this Acer keyboard there's only partial volume control, as the MUTE button is missing.

The rest of the keyboard looks and feels pretty standard, although the keys are slightly thinner than average. Because this Acer keyboard was released such a long time ago, today you'll only find it used or if you're really lucky – in an unopened retail box for a high price.

Acer Keyboard Sk-9625 (Source: 3ctown.com.tw)

Despite all the innovations manufacturers try to force into keyboards, the Acer SK-9625 keyboard can still satisfy the typing needs of the average user. The QWERTY keyboard layout dominates the market and I don't think it should be in any other way. Laptop keyboard usually have a slightly different layout when it comes to function keys, but you can get used to them, assuming that you don't buy a new laptop frequently.

Trying to replace typing with voice recognition is also unrealistic, as a person who talks for 8 hours in one day will surely suffer some kind of throat problem. Typing on the other hand can be continued even for 10-14 hours / day, assuming that the user sits in a comfortable chair in an adequate position.

Computer Case Mod Parts (Source: hardwaresphere.com)

This transparent Plexi glass desk is a very good example for a modified computer. As you can see all the internal components are mounted between the two horizontal panels of the desk. The designer used a lot of LED illuminated computer fans, so the computer/desk wold look cool. He also decided to use liquid cooling, but the truth is that even air cooling can be very efficient when the parts are laid out like this. Because you have a lot of space, you can place silent fans and vent holes wherever you think they're needed like next to the graphics card, microprocessor and so on. The desk's top panel can remain intact as the air's movement can be very well controlled inside this computer case design. You could also point all ventilation holes toward the back, so the user won't get hit by warm or cool air flows.

Computer Case Mod Parts (Source: geek.com.mx)

In the picture above you see a more conventional computer case with basic mod parts. It's also made with transparent Plexi glass, LED illuminated cooling fans and a couple of so-called Neon lights (today they are actually filled with other gases, not Neon).

This design doesn't have any significant advantages over a standard ATX case, but it gave the designer the freedom to put fans wherever he wanted and also to make compartments of the appropriate size for the components he wanted to install.

Computer Case Mod Parts (Source: img392.imageshack.us)

Personally I've been thinking about installing brand new high-end components into an old AT desktop. This is very easy, but I also would like to empty two identical CRT monitor cases, saw off opposite sides and glue them together, so a 16:9 aspect ratio LCD can fit inside. The key is to find a CRT model which is based on an almost flat tube, so the LCD will fit inside without any drastic modifications to the cases' structure. This could be an ideal solution for users who don't want to abandon the good old computer and monitor designs, but can no longer use such old computer parts.