Building a Computer Minimum Configuration

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 Subject: Recommended Configuration for Additional Requirements The following memo provides a recommendation of a system configuration that will provide me with the following key benefits.

These include not having cables cluttering my desk, having a monitor that produces high-quality images and not cause eye strain, speakers that produce stereo sound for better audio quality and a keyboard and mouse that are easy to work with. This system will also support superior quality of sound playback from audio clips and computer games, and will have expansion slots in the event additional peripherals or devices are going to be added later on.

This system also provides for quick upgrades of memory and disk storage, ensuring its long-term value as a computing platform. Specifications include an Intel Core i5-2300 Processor1 2.8GHz with Turbo Boost2 2.0 Technology running at 3.1GHz. The system will be configured with Microsoft Windows 7 Home operating system to support the multimedia requirements as defined. The memory configuration will be expandable to 16GB, and initially configured with 6GB of DDR3 Dual-Channel 1333 MHz Memory.

The initial configuration will support a 1.5TB SATA hard drive with the ATA disk controller down on the motherboard to save on costs. The motherboard has Intel HD Graphics 20008 chipsets integrated in, and there are 4 additional PCI slots available if and when the need arises for a more powerful graphics controller and processes. Also included in the baseline configuration is a16X DVD+/-R/RW Super Multi-Drive optical drive and Microsoft Office 2010. The motherboard is configured so that one PCI-E x16 and three PCI-E x1 slots available for future expansion.

The system will have ten USB 2.0 ports, (2) PS/2 Ports, one HDMI port, and three audio ports. All of these options are supported on the baseline configuration of the motherboard. Table 2, Recommended PC Configuration Pricing Analysis shows the costing of each component and the total cost to create the expandable, higher-end system at $926 compared to $664.99 for the lower-end unit that did not have the expandable motherboard and additional functionality of supporting additional DR3 Dual-Channel 1333 MHz Memory.

Table 2: Recommended PC Configuration Pricing Analysis Component Cost Intel Core i5-2300 Processor1 2.8GHz with Turbo Boost2 2.0 Technology running at 3.1GHz $177.00 Systemboard with Intel H67 Express Chipset $357.00 6 GB of DDR3 Dual-Channel 1333 MHz Memory $82.00 1.5TB SATA hard drive $120.00 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port) networking adapter Chipset included on motherboard 16X DVD+/-R/RW Super Multi-Drive $40 Windows 7 Home Premium $70 Microsoft Office 2010 $60 Cabinet $60 Keyboard and mouse $20 Total $986.00 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.