Technology is always evolving, fast. The computer that you bought last year is now obsolete and you are planning to get a new one. Before you walk into the store and pay big bucks to the retailers for the latest PC in town, check out this guide on how you can get a better computer, with more juice and power, without breaking the bank.

For those of us who are not geeky in nature, the easiest (and the most expensive) way of getting a computer is to walk into the retail store and pay for the computer on the shelf. The truth is that, the price of that computer is often twice (or more) its actual cost price. To make it worst, that expensive computer you are getting may not even be the latest model. By selling you an older model, the retailers are making sure that you will have to go back again the next year to upgrade your PC. If this sound familiar to you, stop for a while and think, how can I get a better computer with paying an extra dime for what it should cost?

Build Your Own Computer

It may sound like a complicated task meant only for the geek, but apparently, it is not. With a little research and effort, anyone can build their own computer. The biggest benefit of building your own computer is that you can pack a beast into the computer case for only a fraction of what you are going to pay in the retail store. To make it even better, you can mix and match the different hardware and customize the computer to suit your needs and not the other way round.

The difficult part of building your own computer lies in the sourcing of the various hardware. There are different brands and models of motherboard, CPU, RAMs, hard drive etc and they are all interdependent. Choosing the best combination will require you to do plenty of research. As usual, Google is your best friend. Make full use of it for your research. Once you overcome that, putting them together is just a piece of cake.

Buying the hardware

The essential parts that make up a computer are the motherboard, CPU (with cooling fan), Memory RAM, hard drive, computer case, power supply, keyboard, mouse and monitor. Optional parts include the graphics card, sound card, wireless adaptor (if your motherboard doesn’t come with it), DVD-ROM, extra cooling fans, speakers and various gaming controllers if you are into gaming.

You will want to invest in the motherboard, CPU and RAM. This is the backbone of your computer. The motherboard will determine which type of CPU and RAM you can use. The CPU will determine the speed of your computer and the RAM determines the response time of your applications. My order of preference: first choose the CPU, follow by the motherboard, and then the RAM.

Rule of thumb: don’t get the latest release of the CPU. They might boost the highest speed and latest technology, but they are often very expensive and most of the OS and software are not optimized to fully utilize it yet. Instead, go for the second (or third) best, but choose a motherboard that allows you to upgrade the CPU in the future.

As for the RAM, if possible, fill it up to the maximum that your motherboard can support. If not, try to get a minimum of 8GB RAM. You won’t regret on this.

Use Linux Rather Than Windows

If you are not looking to buy a new computer, but are thinking of boosting the performance of your existing PC, you might want to consider switching your primary OS to Linux (my recommendation is either Ubuntu or Linux Mint for middle to high end computer, and Lubuntu for low-end computer). In my experience of using both Linux and Windows, I have found that Linux has always outperformed Windows in terms of speed, stability and hardware compatibility. This is not to say that Linux is better than Windows, but just that the way that Linux is built makes it suitable for all type of hardware, particularly a low-end computer. If you are building your own computer, using Linux also means that you will save up money on getting a Windows license, so it is killing two birds with one stone.

However, switching to Linux is not as easy as it seems. You have to prepare to learn everything from scratch as the user interface and inner working of Linux is significantly different from Windows. Ubuntu has made it easy to use, but still, it is different from Windows. In addition, if you have a particular software that you need and it is only Windows compatible, switching to Linux is definitely not a good idea. In this case, the best solution you have is to optimize your Windows for the best performance.

Optimizing your OS and Regular Maintenance

Last but not least, your computer will work best if you maintain it regularly and optimize it for the best performance. In Windows, this means clearing the Recycle bin, un-installing unnecessary programs, cleaning up the registry and temporary folders, removing unnecessary services from startup etc. You will be surprised how much speed you can gain by cleaning up you computer regularly. If necessary, reformat your hard disk and re-install Windows again. That will clean up everything and give it a brand new life. The same applies to Linux as well.

Other than that, you should also clean up the internal of your computer (hardware). Open up the computer case and vacuum the internal clean. Keep it dust free and you will find that the fan is no longer as noisy and the CPU is no longer heating up as fast.

Image credit:
Desktop Computer by BigStockPhoto
Hands Installing Computer Parts by BigStockPhoto
two businessmen passing each other money by BigStockPhoto

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1. Don’t Listen to Websites Promising to Speed Up Your Computer

In most cases, you’d probably land on a pop-up advertisement promising that your computer will run much faster after you try out their software. I assure you that this is a gimmick intended to make you pay money for software that only takes up space on your hard drive. If you really want to make your computer faster, you’re going to have to pay some real bucks to get its hardware in shape.

Everything running on your computer depends on the hardware to run smoothly. Go to your local computer store and ask for a quote on a hardware tune-up. Most likely, if you bought your computer less than two years ago, the process will be painless and inexpensive. Make sure they don’t get cheap and install a bunch of low-grade parts on the PC just to give you a temporary boost in speed.

The software you really need to make your computer run faster comes with Windows already. Disk Defragmenter is one of them. All computers running a Windows version above 3.0 can defragment their drives, and you’ll find the defragmentation utility in the Accessories sub-menu of your “Start” menu. The utility finds files on your hard disk that have been scattered all over the place and puts them all in one place, making them easier to find.

Other third-party utilities might speed your computer up efficiently, also, but don’t listen to the pop-up ads that advertise a utility that can speed up your computer. Use things like Tune-Up Utilities or something you can purchase from your local computer store.

2. There Are Two Types of Memory on Your Computer

This might be rather rudimentary, but there are cases when people can’t distinguish between random access memory (RAM) and storage. Both types of memory store things, but RAM only does this temporarily.

RAM stores everything you’re running right now, at this very second. This page you’re reading, for example, occupies a certain space in your RAM and will disappear once you close the page. Active components of every program are committed to this memory. A computer’s RAM takes the form of small cards that sit in slots on the motherboard.

Storage is the kind of memory that stores everything your computer has, like installed programs and the operating system. This memory often resides in the hard drive or solid state drive. Both devices have the same purpose, but are designed differently. A hard drive has multiple platters that spin, and read/write heads that manipulate and retrieve data. It’s sort of like a vinyl record player that can also write to the record. Solid state drives are designed with flash memory, much like the memory on your digital camera or phone.

3. Windows UAC and Security Isn’t Enough

Sure, Microsoft can boast about how its product has immense security and how you are less likely to get infected by a virus, but that doesn’t eliminate the possibility of a virus finding its way to your computer. You should always install an anti-virus application on your computer to keep it safe from threats, particularly one that regularly updates its database. There are many mixed reviews about anti-virus software, so you’ll have to do a little bit of homework to find out which one is right for you. Our favorite is Microsoft Security Essential though.

Try to avoid buying an AV from a company that’s not reputable. Do a Google search for “anti-virus review.” You’ll see a whole bunch of reviews related to many different anti-virus programs. Even better, search for “top 10 antivirus software.” Just so you know, BitDefender hits the top for 2012 and it’s affordable, priced at $30. That’s much better than paying insane prices for a computer repair after an infection.

4. Windows Update is Your Friend

Some people might tell you to turn off Windows Update because of bad experiences they’ve had. DON’T DO THAT! Microsoft usually releases an update within a week of discovering a new vulnerability. By updating your computer regularly, it keeps your computer running with tighter security that others might not have. If you don’t feel comfortable turning on automatic updates, at least let Windows prompt you when new updates are available so you can pick and choose them individually. Some of the updates released by Microsoft plug up serious security holes in the operating system.

A Final Word

I remember when I was much younger and got my first computer with Windows 95. It was something exciting, an unadulterated realm where I could do practically anything I wanted. There was only one problem: My computer became infected with all sorts of viruses after only a month, and I remember all the trouble I went through to get it cleaned up. Everything started running slower after a while, and I had no clue why. With the tips I mentioned above, you’d fare much better than I did and probably wouldn’t go through as much trouble. Happy computing/Windows-ing/whatever you do!

Photo Credit: flickr

In actual fact, the SD card that I am reviewing today (Samsung microSD card) is far from indestructible. It can be easily destroyed if you place it in the fire or grind it in the grinder. But what makes it different is its high durability that can withstand water, shock and magnet. Once again, that was what I were told. Let’s find out if it is true.

First of all, this Samsung brand SD card is available at MemoryZoo.com and if you visit their site, you can see the big word ‘Indestructible Memory‘. I got myself an 8GB micro SD card (Class 4) and run it through several tests to see if it is really as good as it sounds.

This is the photo of the SD card still in the packaging. Notice at the bottom of the package where they specify that it is water, shock and magnet proof? We shall see…

A close up of the SD card:

The front of the SD card:

The back of the SD card:

The Tests

Before we carry out the rigorous test, the first thing is to transfer files in and out of the SD card and insert it into several devices to make sure that it is working and all the files can be read from the card. Simple stuff.

Here comes the first test. With data in the SD card, I place the SD card in a glass of water for half a day.

Next, I took out the SD card, dry it and test it on several devices. It mounted itself as per normal and all the data were intact, readable and writable.

Water proof test: Passed.

For the second test, I place the SD card beside a magnet. Since this is a small magnet (that is the only one I can find in my house), I placed it for one full day before I test it again on several devices again. The SD card functions as per normal.

Magnet proof test: Passed

The last test that I did was to tape the SD card to a tennis ball and throw it around.

Is the card dented? No. Is the card still readable/writable? Also No. In this test, the SD card failed to survive. While the physical shape remains the same, the card is no longer accessible by any device.

Shock proof test: Failed

Conclusion

How many times do you test the claims made by manufacturers (or marketers) when you purchase a product? In this case, the SD card was stated as water, magnet and shock proof, but the fact that it doesn’t survive the shock test prove that you can’t believe everything that is stated.

Other than that, if you don’t see yourself throwing the SD card around, it can still be a good product. It may not be the cheapest (or best) option, but at least you know it can survive if it get into the water.

Check out the SD card at MemoryZoom.

lspci

This standard system utility will show you much of what you’ve got internally. Yes, the name of the command is a combination of ls, the standard command to list files, and PCI, the peripheral connection. Despite that, it doesn’t show only PCI devices and you can expect your results to include AGP and onboard components like your USB chipset.

It’s often helpful to pipe the results of lspci through grep, so that you can filter out just the parts you’re looking for. Use lspci -v or lspci -vv for additional output.

Pros: Built in to virtually any Linux OS, quick and easy, thorough output.

Cons: Somewhat limited in the types of devices it can display.

hwinfo

While lspci does more than just PCI, it doesn’t tell you anything about your hard disks, CPU, USB devices, etc. If lspci can’t handle it, hwinfo probably can. This application performs a much more thorough scan to determine what bits you’ve got connected to your PC, and provides a LOT of info by default.

As seen in the screenshot, you can use --short to provide more concise output, and --devicetype to list a specific type of information.Some of the more useful device types include:

• bluetooth
• camera
• cdrom
• cpu
• disk
• gfxcard
• ide
• memory
• monitor
• netcard
• partition
• printer
• scanner
• scsi
• sound
• usb
• wlan

Pros: Extensive output, very large device type support

Cons: Requires root privileges on many systems. Also not included in many base Linux installs. It should, however, be in the standard repositories of most major distributions.

lshw

This tool comes in two forms, a command line version and a GTK graphical front-end. Testing for this article showed it to be somewhat less comprehensive than hwinfo, but makes up for it with a useful GUI (lshw-gtk) and the ability to output the results to HTML/XML.

Pros: Graphical frontend, particularly useful output options.

Cons: Produces very little output without root access, and even with root it doesn’t match up to hwinfo in raw power.

/proc

We’ve covered the information treasure trove that is /proc previously, so we won’t go into much detail here. Suffice it to say that the “files” in /proc aren’t normal files, and most of them contain constantly-updating data about the state of the system. To get information about your CPU, for example, you can just view the contents of /proc/cpuinfo, as shown here.

Pros: Found on virtually all Linux systems, requires no external applications whatsoever

Cons: No easy way to perform a all-in-one scan, and may not contain all the info you wish.

Bonus – dmesg

While not exactly a hardware probing tool, you can you dmesg to find out some info about hardware events. All it does is display the contents of the system log, which saves info about various system events. For example, if you’ve got a USB thumbdrive you just plugged in, your system saves some info about it to the log. dmesg displays that log and can show you, among other things, the name of the device.

Conclusion

Each method described here has its own advantages, but hwinfo seems to take the crown for most comprehensive. In particular, hwinfo’s ability to quickly and easy show connected drives and partitions stands out as useful to me. Whichever method or combination of methods you choose, you should be ready to find all the info your system can provide.

Image credit: kodomut

What is Thunderbolt technology

I am sure you must have heard of and used a USB port before (unless you are still using a 486MHz PC). A USB port allows you to plug in a device to your computer and instantly access it from the system. Each USB port only allows one device (while you can use a USB hub to extend it to support multiple devices, it is still theoretically a one-one connection) and everytime you buy a new laptop, you have to wonder how many USB ports it comes with. Thunderbolt eliminates all these problems and adds a new dimension to how you connect your external devices to your computer.

Thunderbolt technology is a new breakthrough technology that work like (much better than) the USB port, but allows you to daisy chain multiple devices (up to 6 devices) together. All Thunderbolt devices use the same connector (unlike USB technology that uses a male – female type of connection), so you can connect one device to another with interoperable cables. You just need one Thunderbolt port to chain them all, and you don’t have to worry how many USB ports your computer comes with, and whether you need a USB hub or not.

The true advantage of Thunderbolt technology

The ability to daisy chain multiple devices together is only a small part of what Thunderbolt can do. The true advantage of Thunderbolt technology is the communication speed between itself and the connected devices. The Thunderbolt technology can transfer data at the rate of 10Gbps (compared to USB 2.0 – 120MBps and USB 3.0 – 400MBps). To illustrate how fast it is:

• it take a mere 30 seconds to transfer a full-length HD movies (around 1.5 – 2.5 GB in size), or
• a mere 10 minutes to transfer a year of continuous MP3 playback.

That is how fast Thunderbolt technology is. What makes it even better is that it is bi-directional, which means that you can transfer and receive data at the same time, both with the same 10Gbps bandwidth. Best of all, the last device in the daisy chain will enjoy the full bandwidth as well. Imagine the massive library of music and videos you have in your computer, you can now transfer them in/out at lightning speed.

Using Thunderbolt port for your monitor?

In today’s technology, you still need a dedicated port to connect your monitor to the computer. Be it the obsolete VGA, or DVI or the latest HDMI connection, there is still no way you can connect your HD-capable monitor to the USB port.

The Thunderbolt port utilizes the DisplayPort protocol to deliver high display performance on your PC. With the use of adapter, it can also support the existing VGA, DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI interface. This means that you can now hook up your monitor onto the Thunderbolt port and enjoy HD performance.

How will the Thunderbolt Technology benefit you?

End user will definitely benefit from the fast transfer speed that comes with Thunderbolt. You can now backup your terabytes of data in seconds, or even do video editing and get it to sync on the fly.

In today’s technologies, the more powerful your computer is, the bigger is the size of the computer terminal. With Thunderbolt technology, a powerful computer can now come in small-form factor. You no longer need dedicated slots for graphic card, sound card or even a Gigabit ethernet card. All these hardware can now exist as external devices and hook up via the Thunderbolt port. Your next netbook, or mobile device could just be the most powerful computer in the world. Imagine a dual-core (or quad-core) iPad with a Thunderbolt port; you could hook it up with an external graphics card and HD-capable monitor and use it as a high end gaming machine. How does that sound to you?

Image credit: Eli Hodapp

Most people are unaware of the components that go into building a personal computer. You have probably heard words like “motherboard”, “CPU”, and “RAM”, but have little idea about what they mean, how they affect the speed at which information is processed, or how many files you can store at once. In fact, you have probably never seen the inside of your computer casing (unless your PC failed and you had to call tech support to come in and check it out). However, even the layperson can add memory to their computer with relative ease (and that doesn’t mean replacing your computer, either). With just a few simple steps, you can get exactly what you need to ensure that your computer functions properly to meet your current and future needs.

1. Determine the kind of memory you need. There are two types of memory you may want to add – RAM (Random Access Memory) and hard drive space. RAM is easily accessed by the CPU (Central Processing Unit). Generally, the more RAM you have, the faster is your PC. The more hard drive space you have, the more files you can store.

2. Determine if you can add memory. Before you can add memory, you need to see if you have the space to do so. Many computers come with additional empty slots in the motherboard reserved for RAM. To check how much RAM you currently have, simply access your Start menu, enter the Control Panel, and then go to the Systems tab. From there, you should see a heading for RAM that will tell you how much installed memory you have. Then you can check it against the owner’s manual, which should reveal the computer’s capacity for RAM (in other words, how much free space you have available).

3. Buy new memory cards. RAM can be purchased in a variety of sizes in the form of physical cards, and if you write down the model of computer you have, a retailer should be able to tell you what kind of RAM to purchase. The next best way is to remove your memory card from your computer and take it with you to the store as a sample. Once you have your new RAM, it’s time to install!

4. Turn off your computer and unplug it before installation. This may sound pretty self-evident, but you’d be surprised how many people skip this crucial step. Avoid possible injury from electrocution by ALWAYS unplugging electronics that you’re working on.

5. Open case and install memory. From there, installation is a snap. Simply open up your computer casing (you generally need a screwdriver to do this) and find the slot for memory. Although it will probably be labeled, it could have a variety of titles (usually matching the type of memory card). An easier method to find the slot is to simply see where the memory card fits (it should be readily apparent).

6. Boot up and check for install. Once you’ve inserted the card, plug your computer back in and boot up. Follow the instructions listed in step 2 to once again check your RAM. If it is installed correctly, the added memory should be reflected in the control panel.

Of course, you may simply need more storage space, not more speed. This problem is easily solved by simply purchasing an external hard drive or offloading older files to disc (those that you don’t access often but wish to save) and then erasing them from your hard drive. Whatever the case, it’s probably a lot easier than you think to increase the memory in your PC. You don’t need to pay a professional to do it for you. By following a few simple steps, you can quickly and easily have your computer running faster or incorporate the extra storage you need.

Image credit: wwarby

1. Part 1: Knowing your CPU, find out the factors that affect its performance
2. Part 2: Intel vs AMD, which is better

There is no such thing as the “best” in CPU. What may seem the best for a casual user maybe mediocre for a hardcore gamer. For a gamer, you don’t want to have a CPU that is only good enough for word processing. What you really want is one that has a great deal of power to run the latest games out there. On the other hand, you won’t want to break the bank just to get the highest-end CPU in the market. They are often very expensive and and is ways ahead of the software technology. The more important thing is how you can strike a balance between performance and price. Here are three steps to choose your CPU.

1. Determine your budget

The last thing that you want to do is to max out your credit limit to get the most expensive CPU out there. Before you even start shopping, first determine how much money are you willing to spend on the CPU. While there is always a CPU for almost every price range, you may want to set aside about $150 – $200 for a decent CPU, and more if you are getting one for your gaming PC.

2. Select the brand

Choosing either a Intel or AMD CPU is really based on one preferences. Many benchmarking reports have shown that Intel scores better than AMD in term of performance and heat generation, but it is more expensive. If you are low on budget, you may want to choose AMD CPU since it costs at only 3/4 of the price of a equivalent Intel CPU and still give you the performance you want. Gamers may want to consider getting the AMD and ATI cpu/graphics card combination.

3. Select the model

When choosing the model, focus on the number of cores, L2/L3 cache, speed, and price. Check out forums/review/benchmarking sites to see how that particular model performs. If you are upgrading the CPU for your existing system, make sure the CPU uses the same socket as the one in your motherboard.

How to Save Money When Buying A CPU?

If you don’t have $1000 to throw around on a processor, that’s fine. There are many processors of different price range and you don’t necessary have to get the most expensive one. Here are some ways to save a few bucks.

Buy the next best processor

You don’t necessary need to get the latest processors in the market. More often than that, they are expensive and the support from other hardware is also not mature yet. You can easily save quite a bit of money simply by getting the next best (or the third best) processor.

Get a AMD CPU

For the same specification, AMD CPUs are generally cheaper than Intel CPUs. While many benchmarking reports have shown that Intel CPUs are better, the truth is that the differences is too small for you to notice.

Our recommendations

Intel: Intel Core i7 Processor i7-930 2.80GHz 8 MB LGA1366 CPU

This Intel processor features a quad core of 2.8GHz chip and a 8MB of L3 cache and is one of the popular CPU around. It uses the LGA 1366 socket.

AMD: AMD Phenom II 1090T Black Edition Six Core Processor

If you think quad cores is powerful, wait till you have tried six cores. This most popular AMD cpu features a six-core 3.2GHz chip and a 6MB L3 cache. It uses the AM3 socket and supports DDR3 RAM.

This comes to the end of this complete guide to choose a CPU. If you have any comments, opinions, questions or even doubts, feel free to leave your comment below.

When it comes to CPU, there are only two main players in the market: Intel and AMD. You may have seen reports saying that Intel is better, and on the next day, another report saying AMD is better.

You are confused…which one is better? AMD or Intel?

Both AMD and Intel CPUs are built on different circuitry and for that, it is impossible to compare apple to apple. If you were to ask me which one is better, I can only say that both are equally good and whether you choose an Intel or AMD CPU depends entirely on your needs and preferences.

Below we will discuss the unique features of each CPU brand.

Core Frequency

If you have noticed, Intel’s speed always seems to be higher than AMD. Be careful, this does not imply that the Intel CPU is better.

The higher clocker speed simply means that there are more work cycles per second, not the amount of work done per second. Intel CPU has the tendency to divide its task into many small parts for easy processing. As such, the amount of work done per cycle is relatively small. On the contrast, AMD has lesser work cycle, but it processes more data per cycle. Thus, when it adds up, the amount of work done can be quite significant.

Unless we do benchmarking to determine the performance of each AMD and Intel CPU, it is definitely not a good idea to say that a particular Intel model is better than another AMD model just because it has a higher clock speed.

Socket Type

The main reason why you can’t use an AMD and Intel CPU on the same motherboard is because they don’t have the same pin configuration. Because of the different in circuitry, the number of connection pins for both brands of CPU is also different. Even within the same brand, a specific model might use different pin configuration from another model.

The newer generation of AMD chip has 938 pins and uses the AM3 socket. Intel chip (the newer generation) has 1366 pins and uses the LGA1366 socket on the motherboard. Thus, when choosing the CPU, it is important to bear in mind the socket type used by your motherboard.

Price

When comparing an Intel and AMD CPU of about the same specification, AMD processors always come out cheaper (probably because Intel uses more L2/L3 cache in their CPUs). If you are looking to save money without affecting the performance, get an AMD processor.

Performance

As soon as AMD acquired ATI, they started to integrate the graphical processing capability to the CPU core and that effort has paid off. If you are using an AMD chip for gaming, you will generally get a better graphical performance than an equivalent Intel chip (assuming you are using an ATI graphics card).

When it comes to multi-tasking, Intel have an edge over AMD with its HyperTreading technology. However, that advantage is only valid if the software/application supports multi-tasking (the ability to split its tasks into smaller pieces).

Summary

In general, for equivalent models, Intel will give a (slightly) better performance than AMD, but at a higher price range. For gaming purpose, if you are using the AMD-ATI cpu graphics card combination, it could yield a better performance than an equivalent Intel cpu.

In the next and last article of the Hardware CPU guide, we will show you how to choose a CPU that suits your needs and won’t break your bank.

Keep in tunes.

Image credit: Wikimedia

In this three part guide, we will give you a good overview of “the factors that affect a CPU’s performance”, the differences between an Intel and AMD CPU and how you should go about choosing the the CPU that is best suited to your needs.

This is the first part of the CPU guide.

What is a CPU?

The CPU (Central Processing Unit), or sometimes known as processor, is one of the most important component in a computer system. Being the brain of the computer system, its task is to take care of all the data calculation and make sure they are processed in the fastest time possible.

CPU is not something you can see from the outside of the computer. In fact, you won’t be able to see the CPU on a fully-assembled PC. To see it, you have to remove the computer casing, unplug the wire and remove the heatsink (and fan), only then can you see the surface of the CPU. The shape of the CPU is a small square chip with lot of connector pin underneath.

The images below show the back and the top of a CPU.

How CPU works

To keep it simple, the way a CPU works can be illustrated with the following 3 steps:

1. When you click to execute an application, the raw instruction is first fetched from the hard disk (sometimes from the memory) and sent to the CPU for processing.
2. When the CPU receives the instruction, it will execute the logic and compute the result.
3. Once the CPU finishes processing, it will send the result to the respective device to output to the user.

While it may seems easy, all these 3 steps must be completed in split seconds. Delay in any of these steps will result in a lag in the computer.

Factors that affect a CPU performance

It is easy to think that the speed of the CPU is directly link to the performance of the CPU. This is only true to a certain extent. A CPU with fast speed will not be efficient if it has only a limited data to process. To achieve maximum efficiency, the hardware (especially the hard drive and memory) that are linked to the CPU must supply data as fast as the CPU speed. Failure to do this will result in a lagging computer, regardless how fast the CPU is.

1. CPU Clock Speed

The operating frequency of the CPU (also known as the clock speed) determines how fast it can process instruction.

The speed is measured in terms of Hertz, and it is usually lies in the megaHertz (MHz) or gigaHertz (GHz) range. A megaHertz means that the CPU can process one million instruction per second whereas a gigahertz CPU has the capability to process one billion instructions per second. In today technology, all CPUs run in the gigahertz range and you seldom see CPU with speed in the MHz range anymore.

Theoretically, a 500 MHz CPU is six times slower than a 3 GHz CPU and a 3.6 GHz CPU is faster than a 3 GHz or a 3.4 GHz CPU. In general, the higher the frequency of a CPU, the faster the speed of the computer.

2. Cache

Remember we mentioned above that for the CPU to work at its maximum efficiency, the data transfer from the other hardware must be as fast as its speed. The purpose of a cache is to ensure this smooth and fast transition of data transfer from the hardware to the CPU.

To understand the importance of a cache, it is necessary to understand how the whole process works. The main bulk of information comes from the hard drive. When an application is requested, the motherboard will fetch the required information from the hard drive and deliver it to the CPU for processing.

Since the hard drive processing speed is much slower than the CPU, data transfer often takes a long time. To speed thing up, the RAM is used to store temporary information from the hard drive. Instead of heading straight to the hard drive, the motherboard now checks and retrieves the data from the RAM. Only when the required information is not found in the RAM then will the motherboard go to the hard drive.

As CPU speed increased to the point where the RAM is no longer able to catch up, the transferring of information again become a serious problem. To solve this issue, a cache, which was effectively a small and extremely fast memory, was added to the processor to store immediate instruction from the RAM. Since the cache runs at the same speed of the CPU, it can rapidly provide information to the CPU at the shortest time without any lag.

There are different levels of cache. Level 1 (L1) cache is the most basic form of cache and is found on every processor. Level 2 (L2) cache has a bigger memory size and is used to store more immediate instructions. In general, the L1 cache caches the L2 cache which in turn caches the RAM which in turn caches the hard disk data. With the newer multi-core technology, there is even a L3 cache that is bigger in size and is shared among the various cores.

L2/L3 cache plays the greatest part in improving the performance of the processors. The larger the cache size, the faster the data transfer and the better the CPU performance. However, cache is very costly. That is why you don’t find 1GB of cache in your system. The typical cache size is between 512KB to 8MB. The latest Intel Core i7 Extreme Processor comes with a 12MB L3 cache, which also explains its hefty price tag of approx. $1,000.

3. Multi-Core

In the past, if you want to get a faster computer, you have to get a faster CPU. Today, this is only partially true. The reason being, CPU speed can’t increase forever. There is limitation as to how fast the transistors can run. When it reaches a plateau, you won’t be able to increase the speed anymore.

To tackle this problem, CPU manufacturers adopted a multi-core technology, which literally means putting multiple cores in a CPU chip. While increasing the CPU speed resulted in faster data calculation, putting more cores in a chip resulted in more work done at the same time.

What’s next?

This ends the first part of the CPU guide. In the second part of the series, we will cover “the differences between Intel and AMD chips” and which one you should choose.

Image credit: steve.grosbois

Tonido is a free software that turns your desktop into a personal server and allows you to access and share your files, media, calendar and apps from everywhere. Be it Windows, Mac or Linux, you simply install the software and have your own personal cloud server up and running in no time. Forget all the complicated stuffs you have heard about creating your own server. There are no technical skills required to set up and run Tonido. The best thing is – all the data resides in your own computer and there is no need to worry about security or even data loss (unless your own computer crashes).

Introducing TonidoPlug

On the other hand, if all your important data resides on your external backup drive and you wish to have your own cloud server running at all times without having to turn on your computer everytime, then TonidoPlug is the one for you.

TonidoPlug is the hardware version of Tonido. It is a tiny, low power, low cost home server and NAS device powered by Tonido software. It comes with its own RAM and CPU (and preinstalled with Ubuntu). All you need to do is to plug it into the power socket and there you are, a server ready at your beckoning. It integrates nicely with all the features found in the Tonido software and allows you to access your files, music, pictures from anywhere.

Setting up TonidoPlug

Once you have connected up the respective cables (there are only 3 cables that you need to connect: the power cable, LAN cable and the USB cable), power it up. On any computer that are linked to the home network, go to the URL: http://tonidoplug.com/ip. This will detect your Tonido Plug. In some cases where it doesn’t detect, you can enter the MAC address (at the back of the plug) to get it identified by the network.

Once the plug is detected, you will have to create a new profile for the Tonido. Those who already have an existing profile can use this method to import them into the Plug.

In the dashboard, you will find the exact same interface as the Tonido. The software available in TonidoPlug is as follow:

Many of these apps should be familiar to already Tonido users, (Jukebox, Photos, Search, Thots, Workspace). The newer apps are WebsharePro, Torrent, Explorer and Plug Admin.

Here’s a quick summary of these applications.

1. WebsharePro: All the power of Tonido Webshare, plus the ability to upload, setting upload quotas for users, zip downloads, viewing currently downloading lists, change thumbnail and photo slide show image size
2. Torrent: Download Torrent files to your plug and control torrents via your web browser from anywhere
3. Explorer: Web based File manager and browser that allows common file operations like rename, delete, copy files and folders and even uploads
4. Plug Admin: Manage your TonidoPlug hardware, recover Tonido Profile passwords, Manage attached USB drives, Share USB drives over the network for access, Monitor CPU loads etc

If you are not in your own home networks, you can also connect to your TonidoPlug via the public URL: http://yourprofilename.tonido.com:10001.

In addition, TonidoPlug is also a DLNA device, which means you are able to connect to your PS3, Xbox, or even XBMC software and stream music over the cloud.

The Tonido software is free to download and use, but the TonidoPlug comes at a price of $99.

Considering that most Web servers with the same hardware spec as the TonidoPlug can easily cost you up to $40-50 per month, at a mere price of $99, TonidoPlug is really a great bargain; not to mention the unlimited amount of storage device you can attach to it and the security issue that you never have to worry about. This is really a no-brainer deal.

Note 1: Thanks to Venkat for sending in a test unit for review and providing a prompt support for all my doubts.
Note 2: MakeTechEasier is not affiliated in any way to CodeLathe, the company behind TonidoPlug, nor do we benefit from any sale of TonidoPlug generated from this article.

Though manufactured by different companies, GPU-Z from TechPowerUp does look a lot like the aforementioned CPU-Z. The interface is eerily similar and the name is a perfect match. On the positive side, these two Windows applications bring incredible value at a price that can’t be beat – free! The pair complement each other as incredible tools to have on your belt.

Let me take you on a tour of this powerful graphics card information utility.

Also in line with CPU-Z, this product doesn’t come with an installer. You simply download GPU-Z from the TechPowerUp website, save it to a folder and run it. At the time this article was published, the current version was 0.3.2

Vista users may experience a warning from the UAC security system, which asks if you are sure you want to run the file. No worries, click Run and wait for the application to load. You should see a splash screen while the information about your graphics card is collected.

Now the fun begins. The main window is divided into three tabs. There is the Graphics Card tab, the Sensors tab, and the Validation tab.

The Graphics Card tab is the default tab that loads when the application starts. It also contains the most information about your graphics card. Everything you ever wanted to know, and more, is displayed here.

As you can see in the image below, this tab tells you which graphics card you are using, the GPU, BIOS Version, Bus Interface, Memory Type and Size, Clock Frequencies, and much more. It has everything but the kitchen sink.

This information is great for anyone looking to upgrade their video card, or overclockers looking to get more performance out of their current setup. If you are running multiple video cards, the drop-down list at the bottom lets you select the card that you want to see the details for.

Moving right along in our tour, the next tab is the Sensors tab. There is no shocker here, this tab displays sensor data coming back from your video card.  Another great tool for overclockers, you can monitor things like Clock Speeds, GPU Temperature, PCB Temperature, and Fan Speeds.

There is also an option to log the data to a file and another to continue monitoring while GPU-Z is in the background. I like the last feature because it lets me monitor the change in my graphics card temperatures when I am in full screen gaming mode.

The last tab is labelled Validation, and it allows you to submit your information to the GPU-Z website. I couldn’t find any information as to the purpose of this feature, however it does let you share the details on the web and track changes to your graphics setup.

GPU-Z is another one of those lightweight, must-have tools that just about any user can make use of.  It really goes a long way to help you understand your graphics card.  You don’t have to take my word for it though, try it out for yourself!

The information that it collects is quite detailed and is focused around you CPU, mainboard, memory and general system info about Windows and DirectX.

Throughout the rest of the post, I’m going to walk you through getting CPU-Z and harnessing it’s awesome power on your own PC.

To get started, head on over to the CPU-Z home page and download the latest version of the software (at the time this article was written, the current version was 1.50). The package comes as a zip file, so you’ll need to unzip it.  In situations like this, I tend to just create a folder on my desktop and extract the files from the zip archive into that folder.

This program doesn’t have a fancy installer because it doesn’t install itself into your system.  You simply extract the zip contents to a folder and run it from there.  When you don’t want CPU-Z any more, you just delete the folder.

Once you have the folder set up and you are ready to go, start CPU-Z by double-clicking on the cpuz.exe file.

You should see the following image on your screen while the program is loading.

Once loaded, the information is readily accessible in and easy to navigate format.  The window is laid out as a series of tabs that sort information into logical categories.  The tabs are labelled CPU, Cache, Mainboard, Memory, SPD, and About.  This can be seen in the image below.

Selecting each tab will open up a world of information, including some things that you never even wanted to know.  Try not to be overwhelmed by the data and focus in on what you want to see.

For example, on the CPU tab the average user will be interested in the Name of the CPU, Specification,  Instructions, Core Speed, Bus Speed, and Level 2 Cache size. Power users will likely be interested in the rest of the information for various purposes.

The Cache tab elaborates on the cache information from the CPU tab. I’ve never had a lot of use for this data, but it’s here and you never know when it might come in handy.

On the Mainboard tab, you will find a lot of information that is useful when upgrading or replacing components.  This covers things like the motherboard manufacturer, chipset, BIOS, and graphics interface.  From the screenshot below, we can see that I am using an nForce4 based motherboard that supports x16 PCI-Express.

What that means is that my video card is PCI-E based and not AGP. This is important to know if I was upgrading the video card.  Unfortunately for this example, CPU-Z was unable to detect my motherboard manufacturer.  This a rare occurrence and I have only ever seen the problem with this particular board.

The Memory tab is also very useful because most people that upgrade their computers add more memory. In the image above, you can see that I have 2 GB of memory in this system (2048 MB). The memory is DDR (as opposed to DDR2 or DDR3), and that it is running in dual channel mode. Most of the other info on this tab is for advanced users. I find it particularly helpful when overclocking.

To complete a memory upgrade, you would probably need a little bit more information. The SPD tab has the rest of it. This tab shows information about the memory stick in each specific slot on the motherboard. You can see the size of the chip, they type of RAM, and the frequency that it’s operating at. There’s also a timing table to show details based on the configuration.

Last, but not least, is the About tab. This tab gives details about the software and also some details about your system.  For example you can see the Windows version, Service Pack installed and DirectX version. From this tab you can also dump the data into an HTML file.

This application should be in everyone’s PC toolbox.  The data it provides is invaluable and the ease of use makes CPU-Z simple for anyone to operate.