The AnandTech Guide to PC Gaming Hardware

Anand Lal Shimpi has turned a fledgling personal page on GeoCities.com into the world's most visited and trusted PC hardware site. Anand started his site in 1997 at just 14 years old and has used his uncanny hardware knowledge and writing ability to transform his site into a site that industry heavyweights turn to daily. Anand has been featured in USA Today, 48 Hours, and Fortune Magazine. He also has appeared on ZDTV (now TechTV) and CBS. His site¿www.anandtech.com¿receives more than 50 million page views and is read by more than two million readers per month.

Introduction.


1. The Central Processing Unit: The Heart and Soul of the PC.


Introducing the CPU. Moving In: A Look Inside the CPU. Players Betting Chips in the CPU Game. The Gamer's CPU.



2. The Chipset: The PC's Crossing Guard.


Introduction to the Chipset. North Versus South. Today's High Performance Chipsets.



3. The Motherboard: Low Rent Housing for the CPU and Chipset.


Blueprint for the Typical Motherboard. Not a Component to Skimp On: Choosing a Motherboard. Popular Manufacturers and Their Boards. Looking Forward.



4. Memory: Your PC's Scratchpad.


The Role of System Memory. Memory Types: It's Dynamic. Future Memory Technologies. How Does Memory Impact Game Performance? Memory Modules. Memory Sizes. Why All Memory Isn't Created Equally.



5. The Video Card: A Gamer's Heart and Soul.


The Graphics Card's Key Role in Game Performance. Building a 3D Image. Efficient Use of Memory Bandwidth—Making $1 Out of $0.15. Performance in 3D Graphics. Performance and Quality in 2D Graphics. The Contenders.



6. Sound: Waking Up the Neighbors.


Analog Versus Digital. Sound Cards and Other PC Audio Solutions. AMR/CNR/ACR Cards. Sound in 3D. What Makes for Good Sound? Sound Card Recommendations. Speakers.



7. Storage: The Slowest Part of Your PC.


Why You Need Mass Storage Mediums. Hard Disk Storage. Interface Influences on Performance. RAID: Tool for Professionals Only or Useful Gaming Hardware Technology, Too? Optical Storage. The Future of Storage.



8. Networking: Gamers Unite.


Networking and Multiplayer Gaming. Specialty Networks. Setting Up a Gaming LAN. Getting Online. Setting Up Your Game for Network Play. The Future.



9. Cases and Cooling: Living in Style and Keeping Your Cool.


The Importance of Cases. Chassis Construction. CPU Cooling.



10. Monitors and Input Devices: Your Sense of Sight and Touch Restored.


Monitors. What to Look for in a Monitor. Monitor Brand Picks. Input Devices. Keyboards. Mice. Joysticks and Gamepads.



11. Putting It All Together: Break Out the Hammers and Duct Tape.


Building Your PC. Tools for the Job. Putting It All Together. Installing Peripheral Cards. Installing Storage Devices. …and You Are Done!



12. Upgrading: Feeling the Need for Speed.


I Once Was a King. Upgrade Paths. Help! My Computer Feels Slow. My Programs Feel Slow. My Games Are Running Slow.



13. Operating Systems and Device Drivers: Making Your Hardware Work.


From MS-DOS to Windows XP: The Role and Evolution of PC Operating Systems. Hardware Compatibility. Installing the OS. Drivers and OS Updates.



14. Tweaking and Overclocking: Turbo-Charging Your PC.


Overclocking: Getting What You Didn't Pay For. Overclocking Your CPU. Overclocking Your Video Card. Other Tweaks. Benchmarks—Grading Your PC.



15. Troubleshooting: Something Is Wrong with My Baby.


The Mental Game. Symptoms and Solutions.



Index.