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Building Computers: Do It Yourself to Get The Perfect Machine
By Michael Quarles
The perfect machine, for game play, video editing, or whatever use you have in mind, can come only when all the major and minor parts have been carefully selected. It is a union of chips, circuits, and drives that are exactly right together.
Often, this cannot be had from the major computer manufacturers. If you want such a machine, you may have to build it yourself.
Why is this perfect union so hard to find? One answer lies in the demands of mass production. Perhaps the best illustration I can give has to do with motherboards.
A large manufacturer has the advantage of buying parts in quantity, thereby getting them at a reduced price. They may buy thousands of a certain motherboard, using them as the platform for several different PCs.
This sort of standardization has great advantages on the production line. Using the same board for different models means fewer setups, easier stocking by material handlers, and the increased speed that comes from having everything fit together exactly the same way every time.
All of this is good for the production process, but do you really want the same motherboard for a home PC, and a video editor that will cut an hour long documentary? I dont think so.
As with the motherboard, manufacturers buy CPUs in quantity to keep costs down. Most will buy either Intel or AMD, but not both. Each brand has its good points, each with models that excel at different tasks. However, there are some jobs I prefer an AMD for, and others that are best done with Intel chips. Few manufacturers give you a choice. If they do, it will not be across their entire catalog.
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