Computer Dual
2010
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 BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB Wi Fi 7in Black Tablet Computer Dual Core Touchscreen $251.43 Time Remaining: 27d 7h 18m Buy It Now for only: $251.43 |
 PRO DELL OPTIPLEX 745 DESKTOP TOWER COMPUTER PC WIN 7 3GB DUAL CORE 3 GHz DVD $129.99 Time Remaining: 10h 44m |
 Used Pentium D 300GHz Dual Core Desktop Computer System 2011 $94.99 Time Remaining: 23d 17h 23m Buy It Now for only: $94.99 |
 PRO DELL OPTIPLEX GX620 DUAL CORE 28 GHz DESKTOP COMPUTER PC WIN 7 2GB 17 LCD $179.50 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 13h 49m |
 AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core AM3 Gaming PC Computer 4GB RAM HDMI Windows 7 Pro $489.00 Time Remaining: 20d 9h 7m Buy It Now for only: $489.00 |
 Apple MacPro Mac Pro Tower Computer A1186 8 Core 3GHz 30GHz Xeon Dual Quads $1,025.00 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 45m |
 DUAL TWO 12 BRIGHT COLD CATHODE COMPUTER CASE NEON LIGHT TUBE KIT CCFL BLUE $9.75 Time Remaining: 18d 19h 57m Buy It Now for only: $9.75 |
 emachines Desktop Computer PC EL1360G UW11P Dual Core Windows 7 4GB Memory $89.00 (14 Bids) Time Remaining: 18h 59m |
 Dell Desktop Computer Optiplex GX620 Dual Core 340GHz 4GB RAM DVD RW XP PC FAST $219.99 Time Remaining: 4d 16h 38m Buy It Now for only: $219.99 |
 DELL OPTIPLEX 745 DESKTOP TOWER COMPUTER PC WIN7 4 GB 18 LCD DUAL CORE 3 GHz $134.99 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 11h 47m |
 Lot of 6 Dell GX620 SFF Computer Dual Core 28GHz 1GB Combo Drive $325.50 Time Remaining: 29d 11h 15m Buy It Now for only: $325.50 |
 Acer AX1430 UD30P Desktop Computer With AMD E 450 Dual Core Processor Fast $71.00 (18 Bids) Time Remaining: 17h 47m |
 Dell Optiplex 755 Desktop Computer Dual 18 GHz 2 GB Ram 80GB Hdd Dvd Windows 7 $169.97 Time Remaining: 20d 10h 32m Buy It Now for only: $169.97 |
 Acer AX1430 UD30P Desktop Computer With AMD E 450 Dual Core Processor Fast $53.00 (7 Bids) Time Remaining: 17h 54m |
 4 Pin PWM to Dual 2 PWM Connectors Computer Case Fan Power Y Splitter Cable $4.25 Time Remaining: 22d 15m Buy It Now for only: $4.25 |
 Dell Inspiron 1545 Laptop Notebook Computer 156 Windows 7 Dual Core DVD Multi $190.50 (14 Bids) Time Remaining: 16h 15m |
 Intel Pentium Dual Core 30GHz Computer System with Windows Xp Pro Preinstalled $169.99 Time Remaining: 18d 14h 41m Buy It Now for only: $169.99 |
 DUAL 12 COLD CATHODE COMPUTER CASE MOD NEON LIGHT TUBE KIT CCFL GREEN $9.75 Time Remaining: 2d 19h 29m Buy It Now for only: $9.75 |
 Lenovo ThinkPad T410s 2924 WQE Intel i5 Dual Core 24GHz Laptop Computer $427.00 (14 Bids) Time Remaining: 15h 41m |
 12 DUAL UV BLACK COLD CATHODE LIGHT KIT CCFL PC COMPUTER Logisys 2 Tubes $5.95 Time Remaining: 1d 23h 8m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 |
 PRO DELL OPTIPLEX 745 DUAL CORE 3 GHz DESKTOP TOWER COMPUTER PC WIN 7 1 GB DVD $119.99 Time Remaining: 2d 15h 17m |
 eMachines Micro Tower Desktop Computer AMD Dual Core HD HDMI Graphics Out Win7 $225.00 Time Remaining: 28d 16h 43m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Dell Inspiron 545 Pentium Dual Core 26 GHz 4GB RAM 631 GB HDD Desktop Computer $126.00 (28 Bids) Time Remaining: 20h 50m |
 Dell Optiplex 745 Windows XP Pro 34 GHz Dual Core 2GB 80GB Desktop Computer $115.00 Time Remaining: 27d 13h 54m Buy It Now for only: $115.00 |
 New emachines Desktop Computer PC EL1360G UW11P Dual Core Windows 7 4GB Memory $80.00 (19 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 14h 55m |
 Dell GX620 SFF Desktop Computer PD Dual Core 28Ghz 4GB 160GB DVD Rom XP Pro $169.99 Time Remaining: 19d 19h 54m Buy It Now for only: $169.99 |
 HP Pavillion AMD Dual Core Desktop Computer p2 1119 $86.00 (11 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 16h 49m |
 DUAL 12 BRIGHT COLD CATHODE COMPUTER CASE NEON LIGHT TUBE KIT CCFL UV PURPLE $9.75 Time Remaining: 7d 18h 13m Buy It Now for only: $9.75 |
 Lenovo ThinkCentre M58 Intel Pentium Dual Core Desktop PC Computer 7244 A33 $80.00 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 16h 49m |
 Dell Vostro 200 Tower PC Computer Dual Core 150 GB $150.00 Time Remaining: 28d 16h 7m Buy It Now for only: $150.00 |
 APPLE MACBOOK PRO NOTEBOOK LAPTOP COMPUTER 4GB DUAL CORE 24 GHZ 133 MC374LL A $799.99 Time Remaining: 3d 18h 58m |
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 BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB Wi Fi 7in Black Tablet Computer Dual Core Touchscreen $177.11 (20 Bids) Time Remaining: 13h 46m |
 New YAMAKASI CATLEAP Q270 LED SE 272560X1440 WQHD DVI D Dual Computer Monitor $318.90 Time Remaining: 20d 30m Buy It Now for only: $318.90 |
 Dell Optiplex 745 Intel PD Dual Core 4096MB 320GB Windows 7 Pro PC Computer WiFi $269.00 Time Remaining: 2d 6h 59m Buy It Now for only: $269.00 |
 Apple Power Mac G5 2 GHz Dual Processor 15 GB RAM Computer A1047 $31.00 (10 Bids) Time Remaining: 20h 32m |
 Dell Optiplex 330 Desktop Pc Computer Dual Core 2 GB Ram 80gb Hdd w Windows 7 $169.97 Time Remaining: 20d 10h 15m Buy It Now for only: $169.97 |
 Gateway E 475M Laptop Computer Dual Core Model No QA1 Core 2 Duo BIOS $0.99 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 4m |
 One HP dc5750 Windows 7 Home 22 GHz AMD Dual Core 2GB 160GB Computer $135.00 Time Remaining: 29d 16h 18m Buy It Now for only: $135.00 |
 Dell Inspiron Duo iD 3487FBR Intel Atom Dual Core 15GHz Laptop Computer PC Red $147.52 (23 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 7h 36m |
 Tyan Computer S2882 Socket 940 Dual Opteron Motherboard $24.00 Time Remaining: 27d 19h 24m Buy It Now for only: $24.00 |
 Gateway W340UI Laptop Computer BIOS Dual Core $1.25 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 11h 39m |
 Fast Dell Latitude D620 Laptop Notebook Computer Dual Core Wireless DVD Windows $194.97 Time Remaining: 6d 6h 59m Buy It Now for only: $194.97 |
 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF Dual Core PD 32ghz 1gb Computer Pentium D No Hard Drive $59.99 Time Remaining: 2h 54m |
 Dell Optiplex 745 Fast Intel Dual Core 30GHz Refurbished Desktop Computer DVDRW $219.99 Time Remaining: 4d 10h 34m Buy It Now for only: $219.99 |
 Dell Inspiron 1545 Laptop Computer Pent Dual Core T4400220 Ghz 4 GB Mem $250.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 17h 58m |
 New YAMAKASI CATLEAP Q270 SE 27 LED 2560X1440 WQHD DVI D Dual Computer Monitor $318.90 Time Remaining: 22d 8h 46m Buy It Now for only: $318.90 |
 HP Pentium 4 Processor Desktop Computer w Dual Acer Monitors Mouse Keyboard $51.00 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 4d 9h 42m |
 Used Pentium D 300GHz Dual Core Desktop Computer System 2011 with 2GB memory $114.99 Time Remaining: 23d 9h 52m Buy It Now for only: $114.99 |
 BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB Wi Fi 7in Black Tablet Computer Dual Core Touchscreen $167.62 (25 Bids) Time Remaining: 13h 30m |
 Dell Optiplex 745 Intel PD Dual Core 4096MB 250GB Windows 7 Pro PC Computer WiFi $259.00 Time Remaining: 2d 6h 59m Buy It Now for only: $259.00 |
 RED 12 DUAL COLD CATHODE LIGHT KIT CCFL ULTRA BRIGHT PC COMPUTER LOGISYS $9.95 Time Remaining: 7d 23h 31m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 Intel Core2Duo E8400 30 2Tb HDD S775 Dual Core Desktop Computer System PC $555.60 Time Remaining: 8h 36m |
 AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core AM3 Gaming PC Computer 4GB RAM HDMI Windows 7 $489.00 Time Remaining: 19d 2h 32m Buy It Now for only: $489.00 |
 Intel Dual Core E6700 266GHz 2Tb HDD S775 CUSTOM Desktop Computer System PC $461.80 Time Remaining: 8h 36m |
 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF PC Core 2 Duo 2ghz 1gb Dual Core Computer No Hard Drive $67.99 Time Remaining: 21d 18h 22m Buy It Now for only: $67.99 |
 Intel Dual Core E5700 30GHz 2Tb HDD S775 Desktop Media Computer System PC $443.10 Time Remaining: 8h 36m |
 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF Dual Core PD 32ghz 1gb Computer Pentium D No Hard Drive $59.99 Time Remaining: 22d 11h 54m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 Intel Dual Core E6500 293GHz 2Tb HDD S775 Desktop Media Computer System PC $451.90 Time Remaining: 8h 36m |
 Dell optiplex 745 dual core used refurbished desktop computer xp pro loaded $169.99 Time Remaining: 25d 11h 13m Buy It Now for only: $169.99 |
 Intel Core2Duo E7400 28 2Tb HDD S775 Dual Core Desktop Computer System PC $504.30 Time Remaining: 8h 36m |
 SUPER FAST DELL DESKTOP COMPUTER PC DUAL CORE 2GB RAM 80GB HDD DVD XP PRO $129.99 Time Remaining: 9d 13h 49m Buy It Now for only: $129.99 |
 One or LOT of Dell OptiPlex 745 XP OFFICE Dual Core Desktop Computer PC $175.00 Time Remaining: 6h 26m Buy It Now for only: $195.00 |
 Dell Latitude D630 Laptop Notebook Computer Dual Core Wireless DVD w Windows 7 $244.97 Time Remaining: 20d 9h 20m Buy It Now for only: $244.97 |
 Adlink Dual Xeon SBC Single Board Computer NuPRO 900A $49.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4d 12h 49m |
 DUAL TWO 12 BRIGHT COLD CATHODE COMPUTER CASE NEON LIGHT TUBE KIT CCFL PURPLE $9.75 Time Remaining: 19d 13h 55m Buy It Now for only: $9.75 |
 Acer Aspire S3 951 6646 Intel i5 Dual Core 160GHz 133 Laptop Computer $450.00 (29 Bids) Time Remaining: 15h 39m |
 BLUE 12 DUAL COLD CATHODE LIGHT KIT CCFL ULTRA BRIGHT PC COMPUTER LOGISYS $9.95 Time Remaining: 27d 17h 52m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 New YAMAKASI CATLEAP Q270 SE 27 LED 2560X1440 WQHD DVI D Dual Computer Monitor $349.00 Time Remaining: 21d 23h 53m Buy It Now for only: $349.00 |
 Lot 2 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF Dual Core PD 32ghz 1gb Computer Pentium D Warranty $129.99 Time Remaining: 5h 35m |
 eMachines T5212 Desktop Computer Dual Core 2GB 200GB MS Office Windows 7 Ultimat $129.90 Time Remaining: 26d 13h 38m Buy It Now for only: $129.90 |
 ASUS K52F 156 HD LED HDMI DVD RW Notebook Laptop Computer Dual Core 3GB 320GB $138.06 (8 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 19h 15m |
 INTEL E5800 32GHz DUAL CORE CUSTOM GAMING PC COMPUTER SYSTEM NEW $383.00 Time Remaining: 7d 22h 29m Buy It Now for only: $383.00 |
 Doublesight DS 224STA Adjustable Dual Monitor Stand Computer Screen Holder Black $9.99 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 18h 37m |
 LOGISYS 12 DUAL UV BLACK COLD CATHODE LIGHT KIT CCFL PC COMPUTER CCFL $9.95 Time Remaining: 22d 10h 54m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 Doublesight DS 224STA Adjustable Dual Monitor Stand Computer Screen Holder Black $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 5m |
 GATEWAY GT5404 DESKTOP PC COMPUTER DVDRW 1GB MEDIA CARD READER INTEL DUAL CORE $69.99 Time Remaining: 6d 12h 13m Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 Wireless HP DC7700 Desktop Computer Dual Core 30GHz 2GB RAM DVDRW WiFi Win 7 $119.95 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 16h 51m |
 Dell Desktop Computer Optiplex GX620 Dual Core 340GHz 2GB RAM DVD XP PC FAST $179.99 Time Remaining: 4d 18h 45m Buy It Now for only: $179.99 |
 Dell Inspiron Duo iD 3487FBR Intel Atom Dual Core 15GHz Laptop Computer PC Red $157.50 (23 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 15h 38m |
 WHITE 12 DUAL COLD CATHODE LIGHT KIT MOD CASE PC Computer CCFL Very Bright $9.95 Time Remaining: 18d 1h 23m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 Lot 5 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF PC Core 2 Duo 2ghz 1gb Computer Dual Core +Warranty $339.99 Time Remaining: 4h 21m |
 AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core AM3 Gaming PC Computer Desktop 4GB RAM Windows 7 Pro $489.00 Time Remaining: 14d 10h 44m Buy It Now for only: $489.00 |
 HP Pavillion AMD Dual Core Desktop Computer P6 2100 $113.50 (9 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 16h 50m |
 Gateway ZX6961 500GB G620 All In One Computer Intel Dual Core 23 26 Ghz $539.00 Time Remaining: 28d 11h 52m Buy It Now for only: $539.00 |
 YAMAKASI CATLEAP Q270 SE 27 LED DVI D Dual Computer Monitor ONLY USA SALE $319.60 Time Remaining: 12d 20h 55m Buy It Now for only: $319.60 |
 HP Pavillion AMD Dual Core Desktop Computer p2 1119 $24.54 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 16h 50m |
 35mm Plug Female to Dual Mic Audio 35mm Male Adapter+Gift For Computer PC $5.99 Time Remaining: 11d 18h 26m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Dell PowerEdge Server 2950 Dual Core Xeon 30GHz 4GB DDR2 DRAC 5 Computer PC $99.99 Time Remaining: 4d 12h |
 4 Pin Male Computer Power Supply to Dual Serial ATA SATA Power adapter Cable 6 $2.99 Time Remaining: 29d 19h 6m Buy It Now for only: $2.99 |
 HP Pavillion Slimline Computer S3200T Dual Core 2GB Ram 240GBHD Vista NR Look $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4d 11h 2m |
 Dell Optiplex 740 Desktop Computer Dual Core AMD Athlon 64x2 26Ghz 2Gb FSXSCF1 $75.00 Time Remaining: 25d 16h 35m Buy It Now for only: $75.00 |
 Lot 4 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF Dual Core PD 32ghz 1gb Computer Pentium D Warranty $254.99 Time Remaining: 8h 9m |
 Dell Tower PC Computer Optiplex 745 PD DC Dual Core 30GHz 1GB 80GB Ready to Run $127.95 Time Remaining: 29d 13h 47m Buy It Now for only: $127.95 |
 Apple MacBook Pro Laptop Computer 133 24GHz Dual Core $632.00 (22 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 18h 50m |
 Gateway ClientPro E 4610S 3 GHz Dual Core 2GB 80GB Computer NO Operating System $37.50 Time Remaining: 28d 10h 20m Buy It Now for only: $37.50 |
 COMPUTER SYSTEM 990412 INTEL PENTIUM DUAL CORE 32GHz $122.50 (19 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 18h 49m |
 FAST DELL DUAL CORE 34 GHZ DESKTOP COMPUTER PC WIN XP PRO DVDRW DVD BURNER KBMS $159.99 Time Remaining: 18d 10h 38m Buy It Now for only: $159.99 |
 Compaq Presario AMD Athlon II Dual Core Desktop Computer CQ5600F $65.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 17h 22m |
 2 HP dc5700s dc5700 SFF PC Core 2 Duo 2ghz 1gb Computer Dual Core No Hard Drive $131.99 Time Remaining: 25d 15h 30m Buy It Now for only: $131.99 |
Computer Dual
Hardware For Custom Gaming Computers – Guide By Centaurus Computers
If you want to purchase a new custom gaming computer you will have a lot of options to choose from, almost every custom PC website offers multiple upgrades but little or no explanation. In this first part of the Custom Gaming PC buying guide you will learn about motherboards, processors, CPU cooling and memory. Next part will give an insight on videocards, cases, cooling, power supplies and more.
When you pick computer with a cheaper processor it will most likely come with low budget motherboard, expensive processors are paired with advanced motherboards. It is done for the whole purpose of the balance between CPU and MB - you don't need SLI or CrossFire with cheap AMD CPU so why spending your money on it? All motherboards differ by the CPU socket type they support, memory configuration and extra features like number of USB ports, integrated GPU (video), SLI or CrossFire support.
AMD Motherboards:
AMD 740G- basic board usually MicroATX with standard limited number of features - Phenom II support, 4-8 USB ports, single PCI-e, 100Mbps Ethernet, 2-4 memory slots (4-8Gb RAM), basic sound system with 5ch support. Good for basic computer, onboard video (ATI Radeon 2100) is low level and usually deactivated for discrete videocard.
AMD 760G - practically same as 740G but with better CPU support, Gigabyte Ethernet, 6-8 USB ports, Integrated video - ATI HD 3000, may have HDMI port, 8ch sound system.
AMD 770- most popular board due to the low price and any features possible included. No onboard video but CrossFIre support available, all AMD CPU supported, 4 memory slots - up to 16Gb RAM, 8-12 USB ports along with FireWire. HD sound with Optical and/or Coax SPDIF. Full size board with DDR3 support.
AMD 785G - latest in integrated GPU boards, ATI Radeon 4200 chipset onboard, all possible features included - eSATA, up to 16Gb RAM, CrossFire available, 6-8 USB ports, DDR3 support, HD sound SPDIF and HDMI output.
AMD 790X - almost same as AMD 770 but with DDR3 and CrossFire as standard features, plus USB 3.0 and SATA-III available. Most advanced motherboard with most features and best speed in gaming and heavy load applications.
Intel Motherboards:
Intel G41- very basic board usually MicroATX with limited number of features - Core 2 Duo/Quad support, 4-8 USB ports, single PCI-e, 100Mbps Ethernet, 2 memory slots (4-8Gb RAM), basic sound system with 5ch support. Good for basic computer, integrated Intel video GPU is useless and usually deactivated for discrete videocard.
Intel P43/45 - very good designed board with many modern features, up to 16Gb RAM with DDR3 possible, single PCI-e, full LGA775 CPU support, 6-10 USB, Gigabyte Ethernet, fast northbridge and effective overclocking.
Intel H55- great board for LGA1156 processors with lots of features available. Onboard video through Intel Core i3/i5 CPU with HDCP support, Intel i3/i5 CPUs supported, 4 memory slots - up to 16Gb RAM, 8-12 USB ports along with FireWire. HD sound with Optical and/or Coax SPDIF, DDR3 and HDMI onboard.
Intel P55 - it is an analog of H55 without video ports but full i5/i7 LGA1156 support, CrossFIre available, fullsize board, DDR3, eSATA, optical SPDIF.
Intel X58 - most advanced Intel board with all possible features as well as SLI and CrossFire support, 3 channel DDR3 memory, lots of SATA and USB ports, LGA1366 Intel i7 CPU support with future additions to LGA1366 line projected - very good investment in the future of technology.
Intel® Core™ i7processors deliver an incredible breakthrough in PC performance. They are the best desktop processors on the planet. You'll multitask applications faster and unleash incredible digital media creation. And you'll experience maximum performance for everything you do, thanks to the combination of Intel® Turbo Boost technology² and Intel® Hyper-Threading technology (Intel® HT technology), which maximizes performance to match your workload. Works with X58 boards with all features possible SLI/CrossFire and triple channel RAM.
Core i5 Quad Core can match i7 performance with similar clock speeds and basically same feature set, but will be a cheaper option because they employ P55 motherboards instead of expensive P55. You loose 3 channel RAM for regular dual channel, limited CrossFire (16x + 4x PCI-e vs X58 dual 16x speed), and almost non existent SLI support. Otherwise same features so in most cases it will be on par with i7/X58 combo, but will loose in heavy multithreaded applications with lots of RAM usage and in heavy gaming with multiple videocards used. Still a very good option considering a few hundred dollars saved and less heat from the CPU which is great for overclocks.
Core i3 and i5 Dual Core with Video Core integrated - require H55 motherboards which are not expensive and have nice features and options but mostly no CrossFire or SLI support and only dual channel RAM. Processor itself is much faster than previous generation dual cores but looses greatly to most quad cores in multithreaded applications and gaming. With it's low price they are great for media centers (with Intel integrated GPU core and HDCP support) and budget gaming machines. Also i3 and i5 have very low heat generated and can be overclocked at extreme levels with proper cooling - they don't look so bad at all then.
AMD AM3 processors used in our computers is highly effective and cost efficient. You can choose from the variety of dual, triple and quad core processors for any budget level and you can be sure that you will get adequate performance. AMD has got much better with AM3 CPUs when it comes to features support and heat generation, as well as standard instructions and optimization. High end AMD Quad Core processors can be as effective or even better than i3 and i5 processors for a smaller price. Plus you always have a choice of much cheaper motherboards that bring the total price down significantly. DDR3 memory standard is highly developed on AM3 boards, CrossFire is a standard feature on 790X and many 770 motherboards, although all of them are lacking SLI support but that is offset by great videocards ATI has recently released. And since ATI is owned by AMD you can be sure of the great level of integration achieved through so called platforms like Spider or Fusion. It is a really great combination of price and performance.
CPU Cooler: With some amount of luck and strong determination it is possible to overclock all of the processors to some extent. Most of the time you can overclock CPU at about 10-30% rate (Centaurus Computers gives guaranteed overclock on every PC). That also depends heavily on what CPU Cooler have you selected: with stock one do not expect miracles, but with any upgraded cooler you will see major increase in MHz. Better coolers can better dissipate heat generated from increased load after overclock. Basically, if you want a better processor, you can upgrade it, or you can select better cooler and we will overclock your CPU to the higher level PLUS you will see lower temperatures and hear less noise.
EXAMPLE: Intel i7 920 with Xigmatek Dark Knight works on 3.6Ghz easily vs stock 2.66Ghz - load temperature under 60C.
And most important - temperature levels. Stock cooler will do the job but it will be pretty hot and can be noisy. Aftermarket coolers can drop temperatures down significantly and are generally almost silent. Heat is a processor's enemy because it shortens it's lifespan and greatly influences reliability levels.
What about water cooling? Are you ready to check your system for leaks every month? Do think you can drain and fill it up again and clean every year? Most people would say no, but then there are closed circuit water coolers like Corsair Hydro that make things easier for everybody. Basically you don't have to refill it at any point and since it is closed circuit it should have no leaks unless it's damaged. And Corsair Hydro does really good job in cooling - usually within or above temperature levels achieved by most expensive air coolers. That comes at a price though, so we would not recommend it to everyone, but it is available as and option.
RAM Amount depends on what are you planning to do with your computer. Most popular memory today is DDR3, today it has perfect combination of price and performance. Most popular size - 4Gb (or 4096Mb). Basically Windows XP uses about 256Mb for itself, while Windows 7 can take about 1Gb and even more. So you can play with 2Gb memory on Windows XP but you will need at least 4Gb for Windows 7 to feel really comfortable with gaming.
DDR - Double Data Rate , then number 2 or 3 stands for generation. DDR2 800 means that memory works at 800MHz and it's second gen, that is double 400MHz (DDR2= 400x2). When you select DDR3-1600 that means that memory works at 1600Mhz and it's 3rd gen, also it helps a lot while over clocking, since this memory can take more load. This is a great upgrade for those who need more speed.
DDR3 memory with higher frequency will give you an advantage in games and some applications, but only if you have a good processor and video card. Just keep in mind that every computer should be well balanced. For a computer with ATI 5770 and 4Gb RAM it is better to make an upgrade to ATI 5850 than getting 8Gb RAM upgrade - that is if you plan to run games on it. But a general rule of thumb says that more RAM is better, and though 4Gb is enough for most users 6Gb like with i7 and X58 boards standard becomes more and more popular - it works in triple channel and greatly increases data bandwidth.
32bit limitation - with Windows 32bit editions you will see a limitation on your memory size if you have 3Gb or more. For example, if you install 4Gb memory on 32bit machine you will probably see only 3Gb or up to 3.5Gb. Windows 64bit does not have that limitation. BUT Windows 64bit can give you some troubles with old drivers and applications that are not optimized for 64bit processing. Our advice is to choose Windows 64bit if you have all new hardware and do not plan to add anything that is not compatible with it, or Windows 32bit if you have old peripherals to add or old software that needs only 32bit Windows.
We will continue this hardware guide in the next edition – you will learn about modern videocards, power supply requirements, hard drives and DVDs, cases and cooling! Centaurus Computers www.CentaurusPC.com
About the Author
www.CentaurusPC.com Alex Raven – senior engineer @ Centaurus PC. Custom gaming computers with unmatched performance, speed, reliability and customization. 3 year warranty on every computer, free FedEx shipping, fastest building times and lowest prices. Dominate the game with Centaurus Computers gaming machines! www.CentaurusComputers.com
If i make my computer a dual boot system, can i still access files from both OS's?
i currently have vista, but i'm thinking about making it dual boot with vista n xp. If i boot in xp, can i still access all my files and programs such as word that are installed on the vista OS partition?
Files yes--undoubtedly. Programs--probably not, certainly not a more powerful program like MS Word.
Just make sure that each OS/partition has the programs needed to open up the files you want. In other words, you will need to have a copy of MS Word installed on each partition, in order to open up .doc files when you have booted up into each partition.
One thing I'd recommend--use Paragon Partition manager (free for trial use) and create a third partition for your docs and other files. That way, regardless of what you want to do with Vista or XP or another OS, your files will remain separate on their own partition. If they are locked onto the same partition with VIsta, reinstalling Vista (or installing any other OS) will blow away all those files, too.
How To Dual Boot A PC With Windows 7 & Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat
