In 1989, I helped automate National Semiconductor’s chip marketing group. Instead of buying expensive PCs from the approved suppliers, IBM and Compaq, I built an entire department of computers from parts I got at Silicon Valley’s secret weapon—Fry’s Computers.
You could get anything at Fry’s, from capacitors to candy bars to PC Magazine. Setting up the workstations wasn’t easy: More than a few motherboards were DOA, and the 640KB barrier had yet to be convincingly broken. But despite the hassles, per-PC savings were substantial. Today, with basic PCs selling for less than $500, saving money isn’t the primary reason to build your own—but the case for DIY has never been more compelling.
In 1989 I had few choices for motherboards and CPUs, and case colors were limited to beige. Today you can choose from an old-style 32-bit PC, a 64-bit AMD screamer, or even a VIA Technologies solution that fits in a coffee tin. A world of color has replaced beige. Some cases are empty canvases, ready for you to airbrush. Breadbox-sized brushed aluminum, hulking black monoliths, red with racing stripes—the variety of cases is mind-boggling. Even the lowly CPU coolers are now available as undulating creations of copper and steel. Some CPUs are even water-cooled!
Nothing sets the mood for your new PC like multicolored lights. LEDs of all colors now grace fans and cables, and showcase fancy add-in boards—all visible via see-through panels that celebrate the PC’s insides.
Sound difficult? It’s not. Even if you barely know your way around a screwdriver, you can build your next computer. This issue, we present a superguide, including tips on selecting key components and directions to help you put it together. We’ve enlisted our compatriots at ExtremeTech.com to provide step-by-step instructions for building a Media Center PC. Creating your own customized PC might not cost less, but it’ll be a one-of-a-kind work of art.
Back in 1989, you had to be a real hobbyist to build a good PC. Today, the advice in issue 4 is all you need.
Starts and Stops: This issue sees the start of another regular feature, Vista Revealed. Every two weeks we’ll bring you a nifty overlooked capability of the next Windows OS. Today we look at what’s replacing the late, lamented Start button. We’ve also added two new columnists—sort of. Neil Rubenking has been doling out answers for what feels like forever in our Solutions section. Now we formalize it, with a picture and a new name, Ask Neil. Send him your vexing software questions. And as the yang to Neil’s yin, please welcome ExtremeTech.com editor Loyd Case. Ask Loyd answers your toughest hardware questions. Go ahead, try to stump our experts!
