Computer Internals

One look at a magazine ad for personal computers or a stroll through a computer store will both confuse and overwhelm any normal person. The sales pitch for most computer sellers seems to be to list every little performance detail, benchmark, and buzzword without offering any graspable information.

It's not that PCs are difficult. They are made up of a few different parts thrown together. The problem is that the competition is fierce. Think of it as a steady din of carnival barkers trying to get your dollar. This chapter will try to identify the key information you need and the choices you'll need to sort through.

Chip Choices

The first choice is what computer chip you want to be the brain of your computer. There are two main ...

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