Secret page

shhhh.

Hardware

Processors

Manufacturers

AMD Vs. Intel - Current best of each, and best overall (also best perf/£)

Intel, AMD and VIA (most common in mini-ITX motherboards)

Sockets

Socket

• AMD A
• Intel 423
• Intel 478
• Intel LGA775
• AMD 754
• AMD 940
• AMD 939
• AMD AM2

Cores

Number of cores, performance effect

Temperatures

Reasonable temps and safeguards

Memory

Types

(obsolete)

• SDRAM (168-pin modules)

Getting old now, still turns up in older Socket A, Socket 423 and some older Socket 478 Motherboards.

• PC-66: SDR at 66 MHz
• PC-100: SDR at 100 MHz
• PC-133: SDR at 133 MHz

• RDRAM (RIMM)

Old, very rarely used, very pricey nowadays, was mainly used in some Socket 423 and Socket 478 Motherboards.

(current)

• DDR (184-pin modules)

Used in Socket 754, 939, 940 and Intel 478 Motherboards.

• DDR2 (240-pin modules)

Used in Socket 775 and AM2 Motherboards.

(future)

• DDR3

Not yet used.

Speeds

DDR

• PC-1600: DDR at 100 MHz using DDR-200 chips
• PC-2100: DDR at 133 MHz using DDR-266 chips
• PC-2700: DDR at 166 MHz using DDR-333 chips
• PC-3200: DDR at 200 MHz using DDR-400 chips
• PC-3500: DDR at 216 MHz using DDR-433 chips*
• PC-4000: DDR at 250 MHz using DDR-500 chips*

DDR2

• PC-4200: DDR2 at 266 MHz using DDR2-533 chips
• PC-5300: DDR2 at 333 MHz using DDR2-667 chips
• PC-6400: DDR2 at 400 MHz using DDR2-800 chips
• PC-8000: DDR2 at 500 MHz using DDR2-1000 chips*
• PC-8500: DDR2 at 533 MHz using DDR2-1066 chips*
• PC-9600: DDR2 at 600 MHz using DDR2-1200 chips*

*These are non-standard, generally manufacturers making memory faster than specified (mainly for overclockers)

Heatsinks (ramsinks)

Do /not/ help the memory cool, but apparently they can help keep temps stable which can help with system stability.

Motherboards

Sockets

See CPU Socket Guide

Multi-GPU

Specific technologies will be covered in depth in the graphics card section.

For a motherboard to be able to support a multi-gpu technology it has to specifically made to do so, this usually requires The motherboard to have;

A Chipset which supports your chosen technology (either Nvidia's SLI or ATI's Crossfire) A pair of Physical PCI-E 16x Slots (often only the primary slot will be 16x electronically, with the secondary being 8x electronically)

Layouts

Motherboards are often laid out similarly, but there are Differences with the placement of the cable connections, often these differences can make some motherboards unusable with some cases, also certain placements of cables can restrict airflow and impede cooling.

Heatpipes

Some makers use <<heatpipes>> for cooling components on the motherboard,

However the heatpipes used often do not work as well if the motherboard is used flat or upside-down (as in lian li v1000 etc)

Optical Drives

Types

• CD
• DVD
• HDHVD
• BluRay

Interfaces

Optical drives will talk on PATA or SATA (the latter being less common, but now coming down in price)

Hard Drives

Types

• 2.5" (Laptop)
• 3.5" (Desktop)

longitudinal perpendicular

Interfaces

PATA, SATA, Blah

Cache

2,8 or 16MB

Speeds (RPM)

Common speeds are

• 5400rpm
• 7200rpm
• 10000rpm

RAID

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks

Most common RAID levels:

Common problems

Death

Interfaces

pata/sata (maybe warrants a section?)

Video Cards

Multi-Card Solutions

SLI vs. Crossfire

Pictures and how they go together

Brands

Chip manfs. Sellers

Power Supplies

Modding

*DANGER*

Anything within this section will probably kill you and your family if you fuck up

Fan Speed mod (also fan replacement)

Cable sheathing (pffft. sheath)

Case replacements, just don't, bad chav.

Cases

Types

• Standard ATX

ATX is your bog standard form factor from the past few years. Chances are if you own a computer it's living in an ATX case

• Upside down ATX (notes about not BTX)

Some ATX cases mount the motherboard upside-down as it can allow for better cooling and cleaner airflow.

These cases are often Called BTX cases by people who don't know better, BTX is a separate standard covered below

• BTX

BTX is a new form factor designed to replace ATX while offering better cooling and better designs for components

• SSF

SSF is not a form factor, but is a terrm used to describe cases such as shuttles.

• Mini-ITX

Is a very compact form factor designed by via, often used for in-car PCs and home-theater PCs as they're low noise, very low power consumption and heat output.

Materials

alu,steel

Layouts

where stuff goes in standard and common but weird cases

Modding

windows, lights, stealthing.

Monitors

LCD Vs. CRT

Pros/cons of each

connectors

DVI,D-sub, tv stuff.

Peripherals

Keyboards

simple cheap keyboards

nice expensive keyboards

Mice

gaming mice

Wired vs. Wireless

pros, cons, blah blah blah

Joysticks

eurgh (yes, that's what she said)

Gamepads

xbox/xbox 360

Adaptors and connectors

how to make plug A go into socket B (generally a bigger hammer)

Graphics Tablets

wacom, NEXT!

Card Readers

handy.

Overclocking

Potential of given types, risks and gains, low-cost options

FSB

overvolting (list of standard voltages for cpus?)