Recommended desktop computer configuration with Intel Core i3-550 processor

Building a Computer

Minimum Configuration for Essential Requirements

Purchasing

Minimum Configuration

The minimal configuration that is needed for creating presentations, preparing documents, playing multimedia games, listening to music and viewing movies, storing movies online and chatting with friends is described in this module. This configuration will also support Internet browsing both through dial-up and also through a broadband connection as well. With these goals in mind, the following desktop computer configuration is recommended.

The basis of this configuration is an Intel small form factor motherboard specifically designed to support the Intel Core i3-550 3.2GHxz microprocessor. This motherboard, designed and sold by Intel, is also capable of supporting dual-core processing, has been verified as being 64-bit compatible with the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, and has the Intel H57 Express chipset integrated on the motherboard as a hardwired, not pluggable, component. This motherboard also supports L3 cache, which is 4MB in size. The systems supports up to 8GB in RAM, uses DDR3 SDRAM configurations and has a dual channel memory architecture to increase performance at the low price point of this specific configuration.

The storage control is also down on the motherboard and includes a Type 1 x Serial ATA integrated interface. Studies on Intel ATA integrated interfaces indicate that overall dual core processor performance is enhanced by having the ATA controller wired into the motherboard itself (Peng, Peir, Prakash, Staelin, Chend, Koppelman, 2008) (CRN, 2007). ATA controllers are designed to optimize data throughput rates from inexpensive disk drives that have the standardized ATA interface on them. There is also a caching controller on the motherboard for video and graphics-intensive calculations as well. Intel designed this specific motherboard with the HD Graphics Dynamic Video Memory Technology, Version 5.0 and support for the High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). In addition, there is support for 5.1 channel surround sound and extensive support for network connectivity as well.

In terms of Internet connectivity, this system has a network adapter integrated directly into the motherboard, in addition to supporting the following types of data link protocols: IEEE 802.11b, n, and g with support for Gigabit Ethernet options on these IEEE protocols (Wong, 2007). The evaluation of IEEE standards performance assumes the majority of networks will also be running the TCP/IP protocol (Luecke, Li, Cuma, 2007). This low-end system also supports expansion slots including 1 free PCI Express Interface, and the standards interfaces for keyboard, mouse, display, audio and power. The software included with the system includes Windows 7 Home Premium, Microsoft Office 2010 started and Norton Internet Utility. The cost structure of these components is provided in the following section of the memo in Table 1, Minimum Configuration Pricing Analysis. This configuration will be capable of supporting the basic functions of creating presentations, playing multimedia games, listening to music and viewing movies, storing photographs and using the Internet via the Ethernet connections included in the baseline unit.

Table 1: Minimum Configuration Pricing Analysis

Component

Cost

Intel Core i3-550 core processor

$125.00

Motherboard supporting Intel Core i3-550 processor and Intel H57 Express Chipset

$284.99

Type 1 Serial ATA Controller

Chipset included on motherboard

640 GB Serial ATA Hard Drive

$60

DVD/RW Drive

$20

Intel HD Graphics Dynamic Video Memory Technology supporting HDMI

Chipset included on motherboard

Networking adapter

Chipset included on motherboard

Windows 7 Home Premium

$70

Microsoft Office 2010

$60

Slimline case

$25

Keyboard and mouse

$20

Total

$664.99

Module 2: Recommended Configuration for Additional Requirements

To: Purchasing

Module 3: Cost Analysis

The intent of this section of the analysis is to compare the costs of the two recommended configurations. Both systems benefit from a cost perspective due to their reliance on the latest generation Intel processes that have multicore functionality defined within them (Luk, Newton, Hasenplaugh, Hampton, Lowney, 2011). This is a strategy the company has been practicing for nearly two decades with Internet connectivity options as well (Brown, 1991). Neither of the systems are all-in-one units or in self-contained cases with closed motherboard architectures, which is common at the price point of the initial configuration at $664.99. Both configurations rely on standard Intel motherboards, which also significantly reduce costs due to this company's strategy of differentiating their product lines through continual integration of key features including video and advanced networking chipset support (Savitz, 2011). The costs of each configurations are analyzed in this section with the variations in costs of each analyzed to the component level. The costs attributable to attaining a higher level of performance and expandability in the second configuration are also analyzed as well.

Presented below is a graphical analysis of the cost differences between each configuration. The greatest contributor to the cost variations is the Dual Channel Memory followed by the difference in motherboard pricing. The Serial ATA drive is the third largest difference as the recommended PC Configuration Pricing Analysis requires 1.5TB of storage and the low-end configuration, only 640GB. An analysis of these costs is also provided in a separate Microsoft Excel file.

Module 4: Please see the attached PowerPoint presentation for this module.