This is an instance which has caused many a PC builder some serious frustration – only because they didn’t know the root cause of the problem. Situation: You upgrade a component of your PC, be it the processor, graphics card or what-have-you. After the upgrade, you start getting random BSODs and you have absolutely no idea why. You think it might be...

A nice resource that Intel has is the ARK web site at ark.intel.com. On that site you can get information on CPUs as far back as the 90MHz Pentium. Modern Intel CPUs such as the Core i5-650 list a section under Package Specifications called TCASE; this lists a temperature in Celsius:But what does TCASE actually refer to? TCASE is defined literally as...

What I really like about the modern market concerning PC building is that it’s cheaper than ever to build something that truly is fast. A few notes before continuing:NewEgg will be used to list parts and prices. This is not me telling you to shop there as some of you prefer TigerDirect, eBay or other local-to-your-country vendor. I have tested...

LGA 775, also known as Socket T, is an Intel processor socket type. There are probably several millions of computers out there with 775 sockets and Intel CPUs in them. Now of course, LGA 775 is the old socket type. The newer types are the 1155, 1156 and the 1366. And while it’s true new motherboards with the 1155 socket greatly outnumber the older 775: ...

The Blu-ray rewriteable optical media format as of this month has been around for 5 years. July 18, 2011 will mark rewriteable Blu-ray’s 5th birthday. Sony introduced the first consumer-available rewritable Blu-ray drive on July 18, 2006 for the low-low price (yes, that’s sarcastic) of only $699. What a deal. Blu-ray burner drives have officially...

Put a Mac-specific RAM stick next to a PC-specific stick and they look nearly identical, so what’s the difference? The difference is that picking out proper Mac memory is determined by model while on a PC it’s determined by motherboard. If you built your PC yourself, you shop for memory based on what the motherboard supports. If the mobo’s...

The harder you work your computer, the hotter it gets. Basic, right? One of the easiest ways to keep your computer and its components cool is to purchase a computer case that is specifically designed for optimum airflow. If you’re looking to cool down your PC, here are some of the best computer cases for airflow available: Antec DF-85 Black ATX Full Tower...

Why would you still want to build your own PC today? There are a proliferation of desktop PCs, Laptops, Notebooks, Netbooks, and Tablet PCs on offer that not only give great performance but also come packaged in various impressive styles, formats and sizes to suit the vast majority of PC owners’ wants and needs. Today’s PC is without a doubt a very...

Bring a seemingly-dead laptop battery back to life, to a usable condition, although not quite like-new. It could be almost as good as a replacement laptop battery and a lot cheaper than a universal external laptop battery. Using a freezer – the same place you put your frozen peas and TV dinners – you could restore a dead laptop battery. Simply follow...

The ubiquitous Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly abbreviated as NES, launched a whole new generation of gaming in the 1980s and is a console many people still enjoy to this day – parents and kids included. Owning one is great, there are many great games for it, and fortunately there are NES console clone alternatives (like this one) if you...