Popular Myths in Computer Building
One of the hardest things for me to get others to achieve on their first build has nothing to do with the actual components or technique; it is to get them to overcome preconceived notions they have about this or that component. They read X is better than Y in some article, and now, it's stuck in their brain. I do have certain brands I tend to like above others, but I've been building these things long enough now to see trends change. Today's "facts" become tomorrow's untruths on a fairly regular cycle. The following are some things I've heard or discussed directly or through forums with a number of people that are patently wrong. Try to avoid these when putting together the components for your build.
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Intel processors are better than AMD processors (for gaming) This is a rumor that at least is not completely false. It is true (currently) that at the very top end of the cost scale, Intel processors have a measurable advantage over AMD processors. That is, if you're planning on spending at or over $280 for the CPU alone (with a similar budget for a motherboard), than one of the Intel Core i7 processors is the one to pick. However, if you're budget limit for the CPU is around $150, picking Intel or AMD becomes less clear cut. The best approach is to figure out the maximum you're willing to spend and then figure out the best CPU - Intel or AMD - that's within that budget.
Tom's Hardware is one of my favorite sites for doing research when working up the specifications for a new system. Recently, they added a Best Gaming CPU for the Money monthly column. Thats a great place to start. It should be noted that Intel as the correct answer at the top end was not always true, and it's also likely to not always remain true. There were a couple full years prior to Intel releasing the Core 2 duo series where AMD had the better line of CPUs. I don't know that AMD has it in them to do that again, nor am I sure that they need to. They seem to be content to beat Intel at certain price points in upper-middle to low-end performance CPUs.
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Nvidia graphics cards are better than ATI graphics cards (or vice versa) This is very much the same argument as the CPU one above. Similarly, if one must have the absolute best video card and price is not object, the answer is Nvidia .. today. Check back often.
Not to sound like I'm getting paid by Tom's Hardware (but hey, if you're from Tom's Hardware, let's talk), there is a Best Graphics Card for the Money article also updated monthly. Additionally, they have added charts for high-end graphics cards (i.e., expensive) and mainstream graphics cards (i.e., what most people actually buy). Find those by going to the main graphics card area and finding the latest.
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Larger power supplies use more power If you think you've seen this before - at Yahoo answers, perhaps, that's because it's one of my answers there. It wasn't the first time (or the last) that I'd heard this one, so I'm putting it here in all its glory.
Computer power supply units (PSUs) are on-demand current draw devices. That is, they only supply as much power on the various voltage lines (3.3 V, 5V, 12V, etc.) as the components in your PC require. As such, if you were to replace your current power supply with a larger rated one (without changing any other components in your system), the difference in the current draw should be negligible. More than that, if you replace an old, poorly-designed 300W PSU with a new, more efficient 550W model, it's even possible the current draw will be decreased not increased due to increased efficiency. Efficiency is a measure of heat generation and a ratio of power consumption from the wall socket compared to the power delivered to the computer components.
Power supplies tend to operate most efficiently when they are being driven at 50 - 75% of their rated max. Let's say you've been adding hard drives over time (even external ones if they are powered by the USB port) and have upgraded your video card as well. The 300W power supply was fine at the beginning, but now, you might be using 260W as a worst case. (It won't always draw that much, but when playing a video game that is driving the graphics card and the CPU hard, it may stay at that draw for extended periods of time.) Your 300W PSU is being forced to operate at 87% of its rated max. A 550W PSU on the other hand would only be operating a 47% of its rated max. The 300W power supply - because of the loss in efficiency converting 120V AC current to 3.3V, 5V, and 12V DC current when loaded above 75% - may require more current from the wall to deliver 260W than the 550W supply would require to do the same. (It's more complicated than this in that it matters how much current is needed by each of the voltage "rails" such as 12V compared to 3.3V rather than just the total power. I've also ignored talking about thermal design power altogether.)
That said, most people tend to upgrade their P/S when they add components with a higher current draw - and most often that's a new video card. Some of the very high end graphics cards now require 250W or more when they are running full out. Put a pair of those in an SLI motherboard and you see why 1000 W supplies are needed. (You are potentially at 50% load of the P/S with the graphics cards alone.) So, if you do upgrade your graphics card, chance are you probably will draw more current from the wall. If you want to verify or measure this, purchase a cheap Kill-A-Watt power meter and check the amperage used before and after replacing the power supply. The difference should be barely noticeable.
When I was in college, a required course for all incoming freshman was a class on how to take college-level classes. One part of that was how to improve your scores on multiple choice and true/false tests. One of the in-class assignments was to take part a final exam in a subject none of us had taken using only the techniques learned in the class. What we had learned is that the presence of certain words in a true/false question or in one of the answers in a multiple choice question almost always makes the question false while others make it almost always true. In multiple choice questions, the presence of those same words in the answers almost always eliminates or includes those answers. Words & phrases like, "always, invariably, permanently, without exception, consistenly" almost always make an question or that choice of the answer false. Conversely, words like, "typically, often, usually, commonly" almost always make the question or that choice true. The idea on multiple choice questions is to eliminate as many of the choices as possible so that only one or two are left. Basically, it comes down to, "Be careful with absolutes. They are often absolutely wrong." The same thing is true when researching components for a new build.
