Entry 2: Meeting with Dave
I met with Dave on Sunday, March 3rd at his house. When I got there he already had a computer out on the table and by the end of the meeting he had three. For the most part, the meeting was an overview about what the different components do for the computer and how the parts can be upgraded to make them either faster, more efficient, and have an overall smoother experience. I learned that lots of the parts relate to each other and some rely on each other, so it is crucial that you keep track of all your parts throughout the buying process. Here are some of the questions and answers in the meeting: (the Q and A's are not direct quotes, just a summary of what was said)
Q: I am already have the motherboard that I'd like to use picked out and ready to order. I was wondering if there are any components that I will not be able to use because of a cheaper motherboard.
A: The CPU has certain prongs or connectors on the bottom of the chip that need to match with the receivers in the motherboard. The motherboard should have a description of what it is compatible with. Another component that is directly connected with the motherboard is the memory. Depending on the quality of the motherboard that you have it will have more or less memory slots. The memory handles what the computer is currently running compared to the storage which is everything that is not currently being used. The more memory, the higher the capability of the computer is. This means that not only the memory has to be up to speed but also the other components. The computer is like a chain, it is only as strong as its weakest link. The power supply is another piece that you are going to have to keep in mind during the buying process, it may even require some calculation. Power supplies may have different types of plugs that may not match with the outlet of the motherboard. There are also different variants of power supplies. Some power supplies might not have enough power to power the rest of your computer, and that's where the calculations come into play.
Q: Is there anything specific to look for when buying a case?
A: The cases vary is size and you should get one that fits the size of your motherboard. Another thing to think about is any possible expansions in the future. For example if I wanted to upgrade to a graphics card or get a larger cooling system than I would have to account for that when I am choosing my case.
The rest of the meeting was talking about the mechanics of the storage component and what quality I will need in order to just build a bare bones computer. Lots of the information that he gave me I already knew, but it was still beneficial. Towards the end of the meeting he also let me know that he will look through his stack of computers that he had and let me know when he finds one that I could take apart and play with.
Moving on... The Biostar Motherboard and the case are on their way!!😁
Next weeks goals are to finally get my hands on a computer, buy or borrow the CPU, and buy or borrow the RAM.
Q: I am already have the motherboard that I'd like to use picked out and ready to order. I was wondering if there are any components that I will not be able to use because of a cheaper motherboard.
A: The CPU has certain prongs or connectors on the bottom of the chip that need to match with the receivers in the motherboard. The motherboard should have a description of what it is compatible with. Another component that is directly connected with the motherboard is the memory. Depending on the quality of the motherboard that you have it will have more or less memory slots. The memory handles what the computer is currently running compared to the storage which is everything that is not currently being used. The more memory, the higher the capability of the computer is. This means that not only the memory has to be up to speed but also the other components. The computer is like a chain, it is only as strong as its weakest link. The power supply is another piece that you are going to have to keep in mind during the buying process, it may even require some calculation. Power supplies may have different types of plugs that may not match with the outlet of the motherboard. There are also different variants of power supplies. Some power supplies might not have enough power to power the rest of your computer, and that's where the calculations come into play.Q: Is there anything specific to look for when buying a case?
A: The cases vary is size and you should get one that fits the size of your motherboard. Another thing to think about is any possible expansions in the future. For example if I wanted to upgrade to a graphics card or get a larger cooling system than I would have to account for that when I am choosing my case.
The rest of the meeting was talking about the mechanics of the storage component and what quality I will need in order to just build a bare bones computer. Lots of the information that he gave me I already knew, but it was still beneficial. Towards the end of the meeting he also let me know that he will look through his stack of computers that he had and let me know when he finds one that I could take apart and play with.
Moving on... The Biostar Motherboard and the case are on their way!!😁
Next weeks goals are to finally get my hands on a computer, buy or borrow the CPU, and buy or borrow the RAM.
Great update! Sounds like Dave is an awesome resource.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's cool that you're building your own pc while trying to keep it cheap. That's going to be interesting to see at the end of this project. I think that this person Dave is really helpful. He seems to know a lot. I would also say for when looking to get a power supply, be careful of which one you choose so the power supply doesn't burn out and potentially explode. I would just say have fun with it and I can't wait to hear some of these deals that you get for your pieces to the pc.
ReplyDeleteMeeting with Dave was a great idea. It is better to learn all that you can before you actually build your computer to minimize error. You seemed to learn a lot – I know I did reading this post! Will you be meeting with him again throughout the project? It is useful to have such a good resource so close by. My brothers (Michael and Ryan) built a computer a few summers ago, so if you have any more questions throughout the building process I can put you in touch with them. Great post! I can’t wait to see the final product!
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