Lifehacker has a great piece called “The First-Timer’s Guid to Building a Computer from Scratch.”

The cost point these days is a hard one to pin down.  In some cases, getting a Dell or HP might end up being cheaper once software is accounted for, but you have limited to no control over what parts are used to build.  Though I still feel that when getting a mid to high range machine, self building is far cheaper.  Yes, desktops are far less portable then a laptop, but you get way more bang for your buck.  Plus with smartphones etc – I have found less and less need for a laptop and have gone back to preferring the raw power of a desktop.

Plus – this point from the article sums up my opinion”

It gives me a deep sense of satisfaction every single day when I press the power button on my tower, watch it light up, and know that I plugged in the wire that goes from that light to the motherboard. Building your PC takes the mystery out of what’s going on inside that black box you spend hours on per day.

Now I have been tinkering/building/fixing/supporting/etc computers for well over a decade so it is safe to say I am over any trepidation on cracking open a case or installing parts.  Still, there is that sense of accomplishment when hitting that power button after a build and the computer booting up.  Now that I am also doing Hardware reviews, the constant thought is, ok how would this make this machine better for a reasonable cost?  Is the cost worth that benefit?  Balance that against what an equivalent machine from a name brand would be, along with the lost experience of not doing it yourself – and decide what the best route to go is.

Really, with a little research and grabbing parts at the right time, I feel I was able to build a better machine for cheaper, than I would have been able to purchase.  Plus, I was able to have exact control (within budget limitations) of what brands/parts I installed.  I was able to go through reviews for each of the parts I was selecting, debate them, and come out with my own preference and build with that.

Myself, being the editor of SuperGeekBlog, it probably was a given before this article what route I went.  In the process though I have discovered that it is really easier than ever for even a novice to build their own machine.  Part vendors have really gone in the last few years to making parts far easier to work with and install.

As always, please feel free to leave thoughts or comments!

I like this post because it is geared for the average user.  Tech guys, IT Pros, etc generally know about heat issues and how to solve them (or should), but we often forget to mention them to others.  Or if we do, we tend to either leave it too vague or far too specific.  This article does a good job at breaking it down and keeping it simple while giving some links to those who want to know a little more.

Generally though for the average home PC, just making sure to blow the dust out of it from time to time will be the biggest lifesaver you can give to your PC.  Take a look at the back of your computer near the power supply.  Notice a dust buildup back there?  If so, just imagine what the inside looks like.  Like the article explains, dust acts like a blanket insulating the components of a PC.  The hotter they run, the shorter you can expect them to last.  The worst is fans though, dust can gunk up, slow down, and eventually stop a fan.  If this happens to your CPU fan – yea you get the idea.

Head on over and check it out – if you aren’t aware of heat issues, it will be worth your time.  Of course from time to time here on SGB, I will also cover the more advanced topics as well such as aftermarket CPU coolers, case fans, etc for those a little more brave.

The first and easiest is to automate your wallpaper.  John’s Background switcher is hands down the best for this.  It also is able to be installed without admin permissions.  So if you work in a corp environment where your machine is locked down, this will work for you as well.  Integrates with a bunch of online places as well, so you have quite a bit of flexibility.

Lifehacker has a great article on 5 different desktop customizations that you can do.  From embedding files into your desktop to gui modifications.  I am a fan of apps or widgets like Rainmeter. I like to know what my machine is doing.  It is a great indicator if something is impacting performance.

After a view mods like that you can move to the higher impact modifications.  Full gui replacement ala Stardock.  (Though I am not even sure if it is worth it on Vista.)  Widgets are another way to get your tweak on without worring about going deeper than you are ready to.  Yahoo widgets is a nice application form.  They also have quite the library of different widgets for all sorts of purposes.  I am a fan of the stock one, and use a widget to monitor CPU/RAM as opposed to Rainmeter.  Tweaking gets down to personal preference.  A lot like the extentions one uses in an alternative browser like Firefox.

Try a few things out and get more out of your computing experience!

Let Me Google That For You allows the user to see the search term you used, an animation showing how to hit “search on google,” with the funny quip “was that so hard”, and finally ending with the google results.

Warning – only use this with people who might have a sense of humor.