Skip to Content

How to Build Your Own Computer

Fri, 03/13/2009 - 13:41 — youngbill
 How I Selected Components - Objective: Cool (Reliable)
 
  • High-efficiency power supply (less heat)
  • Low-power components (45nm CPU)
  • Good CPU cooler
    • Stock Intel cooler
    • Better cooler, CPU 10°C cooler
  • Lots of fans, heat pipes, and radiators
  • Even my RAM has radiators
 
Keeping the computer cool improves reliability because electronics last longer when cool. Hot electronics may perform poorly and fail soon.
 
I purchased a high-efficiency power supply that costs more than the low-efficiency power supplies used in most purchased computers. Also, I favored low-power components. Both choices generate less heat, helping to keep my computer cool.
 
CPUs run hot, hence require a cooler. The photo on the left below shows the small, stock cooler Intel provides with the CPU. This cooler is made of aluminum with radiators and a small fan. Heat flows from the CPU to the radiators by conduction through the aluminum material.

For $27 I purchased a larger, better cooler (photo on right below) that reduced the CPU temperature from the low 40s to the low 30s °C.  The larger cooler uses six heat pipes (copper colored) to move heat from the CPU to the radiators. Heat pipes move heat much more efficiently than conduction in aluminum. The better cooler has more radiators, larger radiators, and a larger fan than the stock cooler.

Stock Intel CPU cooler

Heat pipe CPU cooler

When you look inside the case, you want to see lots of fans (I have 9), heat pipes, and radiators. Heat pipes on the motherboard move heat from hot spots to radiators. Lots of radiators on the motherboard help to keep it cool. Even my RAM has radiators.  

Corsair RAM memory modulesRAM memory cooling fans
 
The gold-colored strips along the bottom of the RAM are the contacts which slip into a slot on the motherboard. The black fingers sticking out along the top are radiators to remove heat from the RAM. This was the first RAM I had seen with radiators. It caught my attention because of my objective for a cool computer. I Googled the brand name and found a positive review reporting good over-clocking capability. List price was $140. I found it on sale for $100 and purchased online.
 

The RAM arrived and, to my surprise, in the box was a small, three-fan module that mounts on top of the RAM and blows air over the RAM radiators. I was pleased to learn that these fans are low noise. I found a review of this RAM where the reviewer had tested with and without the fans. The fans reduced the RAM temperature about 10°C.

 

Comments

Build your own laptop

zcorker - 04/11/2009 - 23:15

I am new to this group and hope another round of computer building gets under way.  I would like to learn how to build a laptop.  Is there a laptop sig on here?

 

 

How to build a laptop

youngbill - 05/24/2009 - 20:49

Many laptop manufacturtes use components designed just for their laptop.  There is not a large market for generic laptop components as there is for desk top computers.

However, it is possible to build a laptop computer.  Google "build a laptop", or something like that, to learn details.  Since there is not a large market for generic laptop components, as there is for desktop components, you probably will not save money by building.  In fact, building may be more expensive than buying since you will not get volume discounts on the components.

Some laptop vendors, for example Lenovo, allow custom builds on their website.  You can select components from a list of avaiable components.  My wife needs a new laptop soon and I may take this approach.

 



Theme by Dr. Radut.