Chips N Dip.

Looking to buy a hot new computer, but waiting for that price fall of current hot goodies? Don't wait! Go forth and buy! Those "current hot goodies" will be obsolete by the time their prices fall, just ask nVidia's GTX280, if it could speak..

A good, capable PC today will cost you anything upwards of (just) Rs. 20000. Not including a high-end graphics card (known henceforth in this post as "gfx card"), or any add-on cards for that matter! It really makes sense to opt for those "17???" offers you see in the classifieds, because if you do, you'll end up with a decent system, and, if budget permits, you can also obtain a good gfx card upwards of 6000. Just make sure the processor (CPU) is a dual-core or, if need be, a quad-core. And, for the uninitiated, "CPU" means the Central Processing Unit - a tiny chip beneath the "fan" on the inside, not the entire shebang that weighs about a tonne.

Since I've met quite a few people who want PCs, but don't know what to opt for, or fear being victims of sheer highway robbery, I've thought up a config that would fit most budgets, both new or upgrade. So here goes...

Firstly, the cabinet. The good old "dabba" is a vital pick, and choosing a bad model will leave you wanting for a lot more, but when you realise it, it'll be too late. Always pick a very spacious one, and keep upgrades in mind, especially space for an additional hard drive, gfx card or any other card. Make sure you have easily accessible USB ports up front. For a gaming PC, pick a wide cabinet, that has good cross ventilation ie. space for exhaust fans (yes, 2) at the back and vents up front for installation of an intake cooling fan (more on that later).

The power supply (SMPS) unit is a crucial part too. Make sure it is at least 400W, because almost everyone will eventually have to buy a gfx card and an additional hard drive. If you're gaming, and have SLI/Crossfire and RAIDed hard drives on the list, check the gfx card manufacturer's power requirement for the same. A 600-800W one would do for Crossfire or SLI, but 3-way SLI with newer cards requires more or less, 1100W, and that would cost well over 12000. Also check that it has a pair or three of secondary power connectors, which big gfx cards need.

Motherboard - Any gamer would swear by Asus. Overclocking and expandability options are second to none. Well, there are options out there, but way too expensive. Depending on your config, pick an AMD/nVidia/ATi chipset model for running AMD processors, or an Intel/nVidia chipset for running Intel processors. Then consider -
(1) The number and speed support of RAM slots - 4 slots supporting DDR2 at speeds of 667/800/1066/1200 is ideal.
(2) PCI-e x16 slots - for your graphics cards, and if they support SLI or Crossfire.
(3) SATA ports - hard drives and optical drives go here. Look for at least 4.
(4) IDE port - you just get 1 nowadays, but that takes 2 devices, so it's cool. And you only need it if you want to transfer your old CD/DVD burner, or have some old stuff lying around.
(5) USB ports - very important, more is better. Look for 6 rear ports + support for the 2 front ones.
(6) LAN - it's usually standard, but just make sure it's there and your not conned.
(7) Audio - onboard audio is usually good enough. 6 channel (5.1) is standard, but good boards offer 8 channel (7.1).
(8) eSATA - it's still pretty new, but if it replaces USB eventually, make sure you have a good number of those ports too..
(9) PCI-e x1 slot - there's one, but your gfx card will hide it anyway.. That's bad if you want an audio card though, cos you're gonna have to make it fit right there.

CPU - Go AMD. They're cheaper and more reliable than comparable Intel counterparts, and they don't overheat. They have an array of very affordable dual-cores, and reasonably priced triples and quads as well.. An Athlon64 X2 6000+ is a great deal. The 6400+ is good too, but it's power hungry (125W)! Quad-wise, an AMD Phenom 9750 goes head on with Intel's Q6600. Higher models like the 9850 or 9950 from AMD and the QX series from Intel will be expensive, but well worth it. Go for a triple core (AMD 8000 series) if you want more than 2 cores, but if your not willing to pay for 4.. :)

RAM - Always buy two identical units, and slot them in matching colors - this is dual channel, where they are both used simultaneously and you effectively get 2x bandwidth, which translates to 2x speed! 512MB is a strict no-no. For a 1GB setup, it's 2x512MB. But ideally, go for 2x1GB DDR2-800 units, or 4x512MB DDR2-800 units for a 2GB setup. Opt for Transcend, or if you want fancier ones, Kingston or Corsair. If you have a 64-bit operating system to match your processor, it can handle 4GB (4x1GB or 2x2GB) and 8GB (4x2GB) as well, though high speed versions (above 800) might not be available, or if yes, will be very expensive.

Hard Drives - Space - more is less! And it's Seagate. Go for a Barracuda 7200rpm 160GB SATA primary disk - for your operating system and programs. A secondary disk can be used to dump your music and games 250GB or more would be nice.. For gamers, the 10000rpm Western Digital VelociRaptor comes in 150 and 300GB capacities - ideal for RAIDing. A 500/750/1000GB Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm with a 32MB buffer would make a good secondary drive. For those on the move, but who need major capacity, opt for the Seagate FreeAgent Desktop, available in the above mentioned capacities. And if you have a money-growing tree, there's the SSD option...

Optical Drive - A 20x Super-Multi DVD burner. No compromise. It's cheap and effective. Buy 2 if you want to copy discs directly.

Additional Storage - A Transcend/Kingston pen drive in 2/4/8/16/32GB capacity. from Rs.500-8000...

Monitor - Pick one you like, an LCD is better cos it eats less power and hurts your eyes lesser too, apart from the crisp picture quality. A 17" screen size is ideal for regular home use. Gamers go for a 19" or larger screen, if your looking for high-resolution gaming. But make sure you go for a good gfx card too...

GFX card - Onboard video is pathetic. It may sound good with designations like GeForce 7 and 8, but the last 3 numbers tell the tale, 100, 200 and 300 are base models and won't remotely give you the performance you're looking for. An XFX nVidia GeForce 8600GT with 512MB of RAM is good for non-Crysis high-resolution gaming. AGEIA PhysX cards are no longer available, you have to opt for a GTX.

Audio card - Creative SoundBlaster series has been and still is the best out there. If you're really into sound editing or engineering, get a good card, it's worth the money spent. For regular users, the onboard system is good enough - provided it's giving it's output to a good set of speakers.

Speakers - 2.1 for basics, or 4.1 or higher for more involving sound. Creative, Logitech, Altec Lansing or Artis are good picks. Bose, only if you have the moolah.

Keyboard - Logitech, Microsoft or the good old TVS Gold "unbreakable". Avoid "multimedia" keyboards that offer a million functions, they'll all stop working within a month. And warranty doesn't cover much anyway.

Mouse - A Logitech or Microsoft 2 button with scroll wheel. Optical is good, but some users may experience cursor resetting. If you're looking for precision, opt for a Logitech PS/2 mouse. Gamers, a Logitech G series or Razor Lachesis with a high dpi count will be ideal.

UPS - APC or Champion 800Va should do fine. Gamers with SLI/Crossfire need to visit an electronics store and ask for a home inverter for 2 tubes + 2 fans + 2 computers + 1 AC and plug their rig into it once it arrives. No wiring necessary.

Oh, and a USB Bluetooth dongle is a handy add-on too..

Cooling (no, I didn't forget) is very essential. Make sure you have an intake fan mounted at the front of the cabinet, and an exhaust fan, mounted in line with the CPU cooling fan. If you have a gfx card, a second exhaust fan should be fixed in line with the gfx card's fan or heatsink. Fatal1ty gfx card owners should religiously follow this.
A liquid cooling system for CPU and GPU, and also for RAM is good, if you're gonna be gaming for long stints..

For reviews, check out Tom's Hardware or Guru3D.

NewEgg offers good listings and reviews, and helps if you wanna cross check prices.

So there, a normal to extreme config.. Well, hope it's been of some help.. :)

* The opinions expressed are solely that of the author. It's my blog, I'll say wtf I want!