Practical
Practical
Personal
Personal
Computer
Computer
Jordan Lyman
COMSC-101-0201
Spring 2020
Purpose
Needs: Wants:
• To be able to run multiple • Make music and use such
applications without lag and delay software
• To not overheat when being used for • Download and play games
more than 2 hours smoothly
• To hold a large amount of data • Store Photos and Videos without
running out of space
and storage for all my applications data
Current pc is a Surface Pro
8 tablet/laptop.
• Older model
• Slow
• Minimal Storage
• Made for portability
Operating System:
Windows 10
Home
Features:
• Built-in security software
• Ability for multiple desktops
Reasons:
• Updates frequently
• Cleaner and more efficient ways to
organize computer
• Interface that I already know and am
comfortable with
$139
Application Programs:
Ableton Live
Live 10 Intro Features:
• As stated on the site, over 1500
sounds to use
• 16 scenes, meaning more space for
your music timeline
Reasons:
• Intro version because it is a lower
price
• An upgrade to the music software I
$79 currently have
Application Programs:
Ableton Live
Live 10 Intro
System Requirements:
• Windows 7,8, or 10 (64 bit, not
32 bit)
• 64-bit Intel, Intel Core i5
processor, or AMD multi-core
processor
• At least 4 GB of RAM
Application Programs:
Unity
Personal Plan Features:
• Core Unity real time development
platform
• Bolt visual scripting
Reasons:
• Unity offers many tutorials and
practice projects to get started in
your game development
• I can test out my skills without any
$ Free financial repercussions
Application Programs:
Unity
Personal Plan (continued)
System Requirements:
• Windows 7,8, or 10 (64 bit, not 32
bit)
• Graphics card with DX10 (shader
model 4.0) capabilities
• CPU: SSE2 instruction set support
• Information found on: Unity System Requirements
Main Printed Circuit Board (PCB):
MSI Mag B460M Mortar Features:
• Supports Intel 10th Generation
• Windows 10 platform
• Micro ATX
Reasons:
• Supports Windows and Intel
• More inexpensive but still delivers
quality performance
$195
Central Processing Unit (CPU):
Intel Core i5-10400
Features:
• 6 core, 12 thread
• Thermal Design Power (TDP) 65 W
• 16 PCI Express Lanes
Reasons:
• Goes with my MSI Mortar Motherboard
• Cheaper than its counterpart AMD Ryzen
53600x
$165
Random Access Memory (RAM):
Samsung 16GB DDR4 PC4-21300
SDRAM
Features:
• Single Stick 16 GB RAM
• Memory Clock Speed : 2666 MHz
Reasons:
• Compatible with my MSI Mortar
Motherboard
• Middle Price Point while still
having good specs
$98
Storage (SSD):
Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-
2280 NVME Solid State Drive Features:
• 1 TB capacity
• Cache 1024 MB
Reasons:
• Compatible with my MSI Mortar
Motherboard
• Medium Price Point and Quality
• Don't need a hardcore 600$ SSD
$144.99 • Reviews all say this is a fast and
efficient SSD
Expansion Cards:
MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB
Video Card
Features:
• 4 GB RAM size
• Memory Clock Speed: 1455 MHz
• Built-in cooling
Reasons:
• Medium price point
• Good reviews for price in comparison
to high end counterparts
• Reviews say when paired right, it is
impressive for the price
$379
Case:
Fractal Design Meshify C
Features:
• High airflow design
• Two "pre-installed" fans
• Water cooling can be added
Reasons:
• Highly rated reviews
• I like the design of this for aesthetic
purposes
• The price is neither too inexpensive
or too expensive
$115 • Supports my motherboard
Cooling:
ML120L RGB AIO CPU LIQUID COOLER
Features:
• Liquid cooling, helps with
performance
• Silent Cooling Fan Tech, reduces
noise without sacrificing quality
Reasons:
• Inexpensive but still has good
reviews
• Fits in my more compact case
$80 • Adds aesthetic flair to my build
Power Supply:
Corsair RM750
Features:
• Fully modular cables
• Cooling fans
• PCI-e Connectors
Reasons:
• Highly praised reviews
• Compact, since my case is on the
smaller side
• Room to upgrade
~ $129
Input Devices:
SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Keyboard
Features:
• Instant Notifications on mini-display
• Multimedia controls
• RGB illumination
Reasons:
• Nice input devices are the most fun
part, I enjoy the aesthetic of this
keyboard
• Compact size makes way for space
on desk
$129.99
Input Devices:
Razer DeathAdder Essential Mouse
Features:
• 5 Hyper Response buttons
• 6400 DPI Optical Sensor
• Ergonomic form that will allow more
comfort when using
Reasons:
• Inexpensive mouse while still retaining
quality
• Good reviews and a brand I know
$29.99
Output Devices:
Arctis 5 – 2019 Edition Headset
Features:
• Surround sound
• ClearCast bidirectional mic
• Audio mix dial
Reasons:
• Headset over speakers
• Good reviews
• Brand I trust
• The look of this headset is slick
$99.99
Output Devices:
HP 32f Display
Features:
• Slim structure and design
• Full HD resolution
• Multi-port connectivity
Reasons:
• I have had this monitor before and loved
the quality
• The price is not overly expensive for
how well the monitor performs
• This monitor is large which helps to
$244.99 visualize multiple things on screen
Output Devices:
Samsung-SE450 Series-LED
Monitor
Features:
• Reduced power consumption
• Ergonomic and adjustable stand
Reasons:
• Having a secondary monitor is extremely
helpful
• The vertical adjustability of this monitor
will help with reading documents
• It is an inexpensive option for a
$129.99 secondary monitor
Cost Summary
Computer(Plus Software):
Video Card: Ableton(App):
Windows: $139 CPU: $165 RAM: $98 SSD: $144.99 Case: $115 Cooler: $80 Power: $129 $1328.99
$379 $79
Peripherals:
Secondary
Keyboard: Mouse: Headset: Monitor:
Monitor: $634.95
$129.99 $29.99 $99.99 $244.99
$129.99
Overall Total: $1963.94
Results
Lessons Learned:
One thing I learned was that there is a lot more
that goes into a computer than I knew. And to me it
seems as though the smaller details like expansion
cards and RAM and SSD are the more important
details in a build.
Intent After Building:
I would love to build this computer in the future and
research more advanced features after building it
as is. I think building a computer is all about time,
patience, and adding onto/changing bits as you go.
