This popular Build-It-Yourself (BIY) PC book covers
everything you want to know about building your own system:
Planning and picking out the right components, step-by-step
instructions for assembling your perfect PC, and an
insightful discussion of why you'd want to do it in the
first place. Most big brand computers from HP, Dell and
others use lower-quality components so they can meet their
aggressive pricing targets. But component manufacturers also
make high-quality parts that you can either purchase
directly, or obtain through distributors and resellers.
Consumers and corporations alike are opting to build rather
than buy PCs to ensure high quality and compatibility.

The new edition of Building the Perfect PC shows you how to
construct a variety of top-flight systems with the latest
technology, including AMD Socket AM-2 and Intel Core 2
processors, that are Vista- and Linux-ready. The book
includes several new options, including:
A Budget PC you can build for approximately $350 that
offers performance and reliability similar to that of
mainstream systems
A full-blown media-center system that runs Linux and
MythTV or Windows MCE with multiple tuners and HDTV support
A fire-breathing high-performance gaming system
A fast, low-power, low-heat, low-noise, Small Form Factor
system (the size of a shoe box)
A low-cost SOHO (small office, home office) server system
with a 2 terabyte (2,000 GB) disk subsystem that's suitable
for a residential environment rather than a server closet
Regardless of your technical experience, Building the
Perfect PC will guide you through the entire process of
building or upgrading your own computer. You'll use the
latest top-quality components, including Intel's Core 2 Duo
and AMD's Athlon X2 CPUs. And you'll know exactly what's
under the hood and how to fix or upgrade your PC, should
that become necessary. Not only is the process fun, but the
result is often less expensive and always better quality and
far more satisfying than anything you could buy off the
shelf.