Components

Selecting the right PC components for your system can be challenging for anyone. Considering the hundreds of technicalities that go behind the screen, here is a short guide to help you make the best decision.

Motherboards

The motherboard is one of the most important computer parts for your PC. Depending on what chip or processor you have, Laptop Outlet has a wide range of motherboards to choose from.

ATX, E-ATX, and XL-ATX boards are best suited for high-storage and dedicated graphic cards setups. This makes them ideal for gamers, content creators, business professionals, or other fast-paced users.

The Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX comes in a compact size, but it leaves fewer slots for connecting graphic cards and other PCIe add-in cards. They are mostly used in smaller chassis PCs that compromise on ports and connectivity.

It is also important to ensure that the sockets in your motherboards and processors are lined up. For instance, the ASUS TUF (90MB1AZ0-M0EAY0) comes with an Intel LGA 1700 socket, which is compatible with Intel desktop processors Alder Lake and Raptor Lake.

Graphic Cards

There are multiple factors to consider before purchasing graphic cards. These include GDDR RAM, clock speed, thermal design power, and compatibility. If you have a powerful PC, you can generate great results with a weaker GPU. However,  if you have a weaker PC, you’ll need a stronger graphic card to compensate for the overall performance of your system.

Memory Modules

RAM comes in the form of sticks or memory modules that are adjusted into their respective slots within motherboards. An incompatible RAM won’t fit or sit right on the motherboard.

Typically,  the storage comes in DDR form. In modern computers, motherboards are compatible with DDR4 RAM (the current generation). DDR3 was the previous generation of SDRAM. Bare  in mind that you won’t be able to interchange DDR3 with DDR4 memory modules. For instance, you cannot upgrade 8GB of DDR3 to 16GB of DDR4.

To find out the compatibility of your system, simply check the documentation of your processors, run a system profiling utility, or use an online memory compatibility tool.

Hard Disk Drives

These computer parts come with SATA (Serial ATA/SSD) or SAS interfaces. SATA drivers are used in personal computers, while SAS drivers are more suited for enterprise-class servers and workstations.

Storage capacity determines how much data you can store on your hard disk drives. Besides that, it is important to get a drive that offers faster transfer speeds and consumes less power during peak operation hours.

Cooling Fans

Make sure that the size of the cooling fans is ideal to fit in with other PC components. For a bigger chassis, a larger  fan will be required.

Check out the special features of the fans. For instance, the ASUS Aero-active (90AI00E0-P00010) is a wireless cooler for the ASUS ROG gaming phone. You can use it as a mobile holder and easily play on your phone for hours without getting interrupted.

If you are getting a cooling fan for your laptop or PC, consider its noise level, portability, power consumption, and ease of use. For mobiles, it's better to choose a wireless holder that can also work as a cooler whenever needed.

Optical Drives

Optical drives come with multiple interfaces. Depending on the type of ports you have on your PC or laptop, select the one that best suits your needs. Also, ensure to check the compatibility. For instance, the ASUS (SDRW-08D2S) works with Windows 8 and Mac. So, if you are using Windows 11, it's better to look for another optical drive that is supported by the system.

Other Computer Parts

Some other components that you can get for your system are sound cards and power supplies. If you are a gamer, content creator, or fast-paced user, check the cooling system and energy delivery efficiency before purchasing power supplies.

For users who are low on budget, refurbished components are a great way to optimise the functionality of their PCs.