by Joe Roberts

Created on: May 06, 2008   Last Updated: April 13, 2009

Building your own computer is a very rewarding experience that is akin to playing with very expensive Lego. It can seem intimidating at first, however almost all the parts are designed to fit in only the correct places, so provided you don't use too much force, you're generally pretty safe. Perhaps the biggest threat to your hardware is a potential build-up of static electricity on your person. This can cause a short on sensitive electrical equipment you touch, so avoid static-prone materials for your clothing and working environment. Also try touching your computer case regularly to discharge any possible charge. Keeping that in mind, you're well on your way to building a machine tailored to your needs and saving a significant amount of money in the process.

The most important thing to keep in mind is research, research, research. By spending time planning your computer, you allow yourself the chance to discover new information that you may not have picked up on at first which could have a significant impact on how good your computer turns out. This is especially true in regards to the constant march of technological process. Often just waiting that little bit longer will see a new product come out that will offer much better value for money or at least push prices of current equipment down significantly. There are many good computer hardware based websites out there offering in-depth reviews on practically every piece of computer hardware released. Remember: Google is your friend. If you don't know where to start, try getting a list of available hardware from your preferred computer hardware store and try entering "*hardware name* review" into a search engine where *hardware name* is replaced with a specific brand name and/or model.

The CPU is the heart of the computer, also making it a significant potential limiting factor as it provides the raw grunt in any task the computer performs. The two major producers of CPUs are Intel and AMD. Due to the healthy nature of competition one side will regularly release a product that significantly outdoes the others for a time. Currently Intel is in the lead with their Core2Duo range. These offer the best performance and power efficiency to cost ratio. There are many models available, so going to a review site such as tomshardware.com that provides charts showing performance of most models against each other in a variety of tasks is the best way to choose the best CPU for whatever tasks you have in mind for your future

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