Secret page

shhhh.

Hardware

Processors

Manufacturers

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

Overclocking

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

FSB

overvolting (list of standard voltages for cpus?)

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
• RDRAM (RIMM)

(current)

• DDR
• DDR2

(future)

• DDR3

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)

Overclocking

Setting of speed (will cover in bios or overclocking section

Heatsinks (ramsinks)

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

Motherboards

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 lianli 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

Cache

2,8 or 16MB

Speeds (RPM)

Common speeds are

• 5400rpm
• 7200rpm
• 10000rpm

RAID

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks

Most common RAID levels: RAID0 RAID1 RAID3 RAID5 RAID6 RAID10/01 RAID50

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.

Cooling

Extreme Cooling

Pros/cons of Watercooling Pros/cons of Refrigeration

Cases

Types

standard ATX Upside down ATX (notes about not BTX) BTX

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

Joysticks

eurgh

Gamepads

xbox/xbox 360

Adaptors and connectors

how to make plug A go into socket B

Graphics Tablets

wacom, NEXT!

Card Readers

handy.