Lay a foundation for top-of-the-line performance by selecting a great motherboard
and CPU; then complement those with fast memory and a high-def graphics board.
Motherboard: First, be sure to pick a motherboard that works with the other parts of
your system: Your case will determine whether you pick ATX or MicroATX-and you
will need the right socket for your processor. The graphics board should work with any new motherboard's PCI Express slot; but for best compatibility, purchase one
with a like-brand on-board video chip set. (Or avoid on board video entirely.) The
standard assortment of PC ports should be fine, but get gigabit ethernet for high-
speed, wired video transfers over a home network. I went with the Asus M3A32-MVP
for compatibility and for its silent heat-pipe design (to provide extra cooling).

Processor: Quad-core processors are becoming main stream, but they draw a lot
of power and generate ex- cessive heat. Certain video editing programs do take
advantage of the four cores, but I'm aiming for a lower target. You could build a
good system with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 or other, similar chip-gamers
take note-but I decided to choose something that was less powerful and a lot cool-
er. The AMD Athlon X2 BE 2400 works well for home theaters because its peak
draw of 45 watts helps keep the fans quiet. Whether you go with an Intel CPU or an
AMD model, you'll definitely want a dual-core processor to handle multimedia tasks.



Install the processor by lifting the socket arm, setting the chip carefully in place,
and lowering the lever-no pressure is needed. CPU cooler: The CPU you
buy should come with its own heat sink and fan, but those bundled components may well generate too much noise for an entertainment Pc. Give them a try if you can, but don't hesitate to consider a replacement.

You can buy liquid cooling components that are com¬pletely silent, but you should avoid that route because of the maintenance required, not to mention the risk of leaks. Instead, opt for a quiet variable-speed fan attached to a heat sink. And double check the specific model for processor and case compati¬bility. The Zalman CNPS9500 CPU cooler fits with my system's other components and with the PC case, and it runs quietly when turned down.

When installing the CPU cooler on your system, apply an even, paper-thin layer of thermal paste over the pro¬cessor's surface, and then Power supply set the cooler in place. Try not to let the cooler slide back and forth over the CPU while you are seating it.