Designing the Perfect PC

The PSU (Power Supply Unit)
The PSU is often the most exaggerated component within a PC. It’s either chosen with too-limited power (unintentionally, of course), or an excessive amount. The main misconception is the wattage rating. PSUs should not be compared with this alone because of two other underlying factors: the +12v rails and the overall efficiency. More information on these elements can be found in issue 89 of Atomic or here on this site.

Choosing a PSU
There are a few steps to follow when choosing a PSU.

What is the power draw from your system? Find out the power draw of each component at maximum load, then find a total. Seek more than this amount; an extra 50 per cent wouldn’t go astray. This ensures that future upgrades can be fitted, and that the efficiency doesn’t suffer. Factor in the efficiency of the PSU, an 80 per cent efficient 500W PSU is really only useful at 400W and under. Too much load on the PSU can cause failure.

Find a PSU with the correct wattage and 80-plus certification. This means the PSU is at least 80 per cent efficient.

Narrow down the search to high amperage (A) +12v rails.

What to research?
Research the amount of rails, efficiency, amperage, and wattage of PSUs in your price range. Online reviews and computer forums are informative sources to guide you.

The Optical Drive
Optical drives are simple to choose, there’s usually only one decent one at any particular time. For the last few years this has been the Pioneer range. This may change; the only way to select the best is to look at reviews and forum opinions. Apart from this, the write speed, firmware, and build quality are the main factors of performance, accuracy, and durability.

The Case
The case defines which components will fit (i.e. form factor), how many components will fit, and the quality of cooling if using air alone.

Cable management features: Some cases allow cabling to run under the motherboard, or they supply channels for cables to run through. Neater cables help improve airflow.

Number of 5.25in bays: These can be converted to 3.5in bays for extra HDDs if need be.

Cooling/Airflow: Computer components need constantly circulating air to keep from overheating. Fan placement is important, as well as the number and wind pushing power (cfm) of the fans used.

Form factor: As stated above, the form factor defines the size of the components that will fit. e.g. ATX is smaller than E-ATX.

In the end, case choice comes down to personal preference. Match the size of the components with the case. If the case is too small, then choose a larger one, otherwise look into smaller components.

Overall Component Selection
There are many peripherals to cover, so the following will explain a general method of component selection.

Take note of the specifications and outcomes you desire. With this information you can easily sort through the several products on offer. Research and sort through reviews, benchmarks and forum opinions. An example for a GTX280 GPU would be to search “GTX280 review” or “GTX280 benchmark” in a search engine.
Ensure that the products are compatible with existing components. This includes drivers for the OS or physical connections such as ports and expansion slots.

Searching for components is often complex because of the array of pricing across several stores. A solution to this is using a retail search engine such as StaticICE.

If you’re still stuck between a few products, search for comparisons. An example is “GTX280 vs 4870”, which in this case is comparing the GTX280 with the 4870 GPU. Often forum threads will show up in the results – use this to compare user opinions.

Select, of what’s left, the cheapest component with suitable warranty/support.

Putting it Together
Before purchasing your shiny new components it’s important to consider their compatibility in terms of size, specifications, and power requirements – as outlined above. If in doubt, ask. The members of the Atomic forums are willing to help, just be polite and informative regarding your question.
When you’ve chosen all the parts, bought them, and examined their pretty boxes – it’s time to build it! There are many guides on the internet to, well, guide you, or you can ask the kind gentlegeek at Atomic for some assistance. Just remember to have fun while constructing your awe-inspiring rig!

And as always you can find fantastic advice on the latest gear in our forums, so head over, sign up and start asking the locals!