c
 



  
   


  

 
 

  
 
     

 
  

|
’

 
 
  

 |

A computer is a programmable machine that receives input, stores and manipulates

data/information, and provides output in a human readable useful form. A computer system
in contemporary usage refers to a desktop system, including the computer itself (aka "The
System Unit" or "The Box") and all the peripheral devices needed to operate it, usually
including:

@| x
|
, usually mounted in a tower (vertical) case, including components: the

CPU or central processing unit; a mother board or mainboard, including a BIOS; A
graphics card; a sound card (often build onboard, ie. into the mainboard), a variety of
disk ports to serve hard drives, disk drives and optical drives, a variety of peripheral
ports, including USB ports, legacy serial and parallel ports, legacy psx, and SCSI; and
LAN ports, either ethernet or firewire. A hard drive (sometimes more) is included for
long-term data storage. The case also contains a transformer power supply and a
number of fans to keep the internal components cool while operating.
@| |
, typically either a CRT or an LCD flatscreen. Now a days, CRT is not
found in stores.
@| A set of ›

› to hear sound.
@| A 
, typically a standard 104-key QWERTY keyboard.
@| A ›
, typically a three button mouse with scroll wheel.

Other peripherals can be added to the system to augment its functionality. Common ones
include:

@| A 

|
 to connect to wireless networks.
@| A 
 |
 to connect to wireless peripherals.
@| A 
 for a direct connection to an internet service provider.
@| A 

 to produce (paper) hardcopy
@| A ›
 to input data from hardcopy

all these pieces, pulled together comprise a personal 
|› ›
.

’
  



  
 
 
 
 
    
    
 
 
 


      
   


  

   
Considering Acer usually labels its design-forward products with its Gateway brand these
days, I was surprised at the Acer Aspire M5800's glossy good looks. Inside, its components,
while not all top of the line, are quite powerful and impressive for the $800 asking price.
With a quad-core Intel Q8400 processor and generous 8GB of speedy DDR3 memory, this
system provides enough PC muscle for all users other than hardcore gamers (who will want a
better graphics card) and professional video editors (who will get speedier rendering times
with a top-of-the-line Core i7 CPU). Minor quibbles (like a fair amount of bloatware) aside,
this is a powerful system; it also has some room inside to grow with you and is available for a
price that's impressively affordable for the level of performance it offers.

|
’
 
     





     |

’ar from a typical black tower, this system's case has large, glass-like (plastic) eject buttons
for the optical drive bays, a brushed aluminum face, and a keyboard with a large corner-
mounted volume wheel and angular media buttons. It all looks good, without being over-the-
top like the design of too many gaming PCs, and it's one of the most design-forward desktops
we've seen since the Lenovo IdeaCentre A600. The large eject button for the Labelflash-
equipped DVD+/-RW drive was quite finicky, though, not activating the drive unless we
pressed the button straight on from the center, or quite forcefully from an angle.

The wired keyboard and mouse also have some design panache, including lots of silver
accents, though the sharply angled media buttons on the keyboard definitely won't appeal to
everyone. Also, the large volume wheel on the upper right feels a bit cheap: When it's
spinning, you can feel plastic scraping on plastic. At this price point, I also would have liked
to see wireless peripherals.
 |
’
    
 
   
   

!   


! 
 |

The top of the case offers some surprises, including a flip-up compartment for holding
phones and other devices that charge via USB. And a generous four USB ports (along with a
headphone and microphone jack) sit in front of the compartment, making connecting devices
quite easy. In front of that, to the left of the large power button, hides a flip-up media card
reader that has a very handy dedicated Micro SD card slot, so you won't have to dig for an
SD card adapter when you want to load media or files onto your cell phone or other device
that uses the tiny cards.

Around back, things are similarly impressive. Though we're uncertain how many consumers
will use the fiber-optic S/PDI’ audio jack or the land-line modem, it's nice to know they are
there. And the plethora of more traditional ports includes six USB ports, PS/2 keyboard and
mouse ports, six-chanel analogue ’ireWire, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, and DVI. An
eSATA port would have been nice, as well as speedier 802.11n Wi-’i (a slower 802.11g card
occupies an expansion slot), both can be added with upgrade cards if necessary. You can also
get faster wireless connectivity with a Wi-’i dongle.

Inside, there's room for at least two additional hard drives, though the 750GB drive this
system ships with will be spacious enough for many. There's also a free optical drive bay²a
good place to put a Blu-ray drive, so you can put the system's media connectors and controls
to good use. There is one free PCI Express x1 slot, though its closeness to the graphics card's
cooler will make getting anything substantial into it difficult. The two standard PCI slots are
occupied, but the fax modem occupies one, and can easily be removed if not needed. The
same can be said for the Wi-’i card. The 450-Watt power supply should easily be capable of
handing a few extra components.
 |
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  &
'
 
       
 |

Thanks to its powerful processor and ample amounts of RAM, the M5800 excelled in testing,
bringing previously high-end performance down to a midrange desktop price level. On all
tests, the Acer system beat out the $900 Gateway DX4820-02; though to be fair that system
ships with a 23-inch Gateway monitor. On 64-bit CPU-centric Cinebench test, the M5800
scored 11,125 to the Gateway system's 10,848. On our Windows Media 9 and iTunes
conversion tests, the the Acer's scores of 3 minutes and 3 seconds and 3 minutes and 16
seconds, respectively, beat the Gateway, though not by more than seven seconds. Still, the
Gateway's speeds on these, and most other tests, are the fastest we've seen on a system that
isn't equipped with a much more expensive Core i7 CPU. On my PCMark Vantage test,
which takes total system performance into account, the Acer again beat out the Gateway
system by a small, but noticeable amount, scoring 5,877 to the Gateway system's 5,511.

|
’
(!   
 
  

 
 !!'

  
 
 '
  
 |
Where the Acer M5800 pulls ahead, however, is in gaming. With its Nvidia GTS230 graphics
card (similar to a 9600 GSO card, but with 1.5GB of video memory), the Acer M5800
managed an impressive 117.2 frames per second (fps) on our DirectX 9 Company of Heroes
test running at 1,280x1,024 resolution. The Gateway system, with its weaker graphics card,
topped out at 28fps on the same test. The Acer continues to offer playable frame rates all the
way up to a resolution of 1,920x1,280 in the same Company of Heroes DirectX 9 test, still
managing 53fps at that resolution. But at that same resolution in DirectX 10, the Acer system
dropped to 21fps and managed 26fps when we reduced the resolution to 1,600x1,200. So
while this system is certainly capable of serous gaming, those wanting to play at high
resolutions with the maximum available eye candy will want to upgrade to a more powerful
graphics card or choose a system built from the ground up with gaming in mind, like
Gateway's excellent ’X6801-03.

|
’
) 
 * ! 

    |

The only real quibble we have with this Acer system is the amount of unnecessary
preinstalled software (more affectionately known as bloatware). Annoyances include Acer
Arcade Deluxe, Cyberlink MediaShow and PowerDirector, eSobi, and a few others. A full
version of Microsoft Works 8.5 is included, though the much more useful Microsoft Office is
only included as a 60 day trial. The unnecessary programs are a nuisance but can be
uninstalled, and if they help bring down the price of the system, they're not all bad.

There are definitely more powerful systems available, particularly those with Intel's
unmatched Core i7 processors. But those systems cost several hundred dollars more, and for
users other than professional video editors or extreme gamers, they don't offer enough of a
real-world performance boost to warrant their high prices. ’or those looking for a stylish
mainstream performance system at an impressive price, the Acer M5800 is a great choice,
despite its relatively minor flaws, so is my choice too.


©!
 
  
  
 
  
  

  "  

After doing some research and investigation I came to the conclusion that the Acer Aspire
M5800 is a pretty neatly configured system that suits my course and personal needs as well.
So here I am going to list out the components of Acer Aspire M5800 computer system and
some other hardware components that we need in order to meet the specified requirements in
this assignment.

’ollowing are some of the main components I would be looking into briefly in this
assignment.

@| Central Processing Unit

@| Main Board (Mother Board)
@| Memory
@| Video Card
@| Drive Controllers
@| Secondary Memory (Hard disk drives)
@| Optical Storage
@| Input Devices
@| Output Devices


@| ! 
# $%!#$&

The CPU of Acer Aspire M5800 is "Intel® CoreŒ2 Quad Processor Q8400 (4M Cache, 2.66
GHz, 1333 MHz ’SB)". This processor was launched by Intel in the 2nd quarter of 2009.
’ollowing table displays more specifications.

' 
 |
Launch Date Q2'09
Processor Number Q8400
Number of Cores 4
Number of Threads 4
Clock Speed 2.66 GHz
L2 Cache 4 MB
Bus/Core Ratio 8
’SB Speed 1333MHz
’SB Parity No
Instruction Set 64 bit
Embedded Options Available No
Supplemental SKU No
Lithography 45nm
Max TDP 95W
VID Voltage Range 0.8500V-1.3625V
1ku Bulk Budgetary Price $163.00
|||
#

  


TCASE 71.4°C
Package Size 37.5mm x 37.5mm
Processing Die Size 164 mm2
Number of Processing Die Transistors 456 million
Sockets Supported LGA775
Halogen ’ree Options Available Yes
|

 (   |
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology No
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology No
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) Yes
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology No
 AES New Instructions No
Intel® 64 Yes
Idle States Yes
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology Yes
Intel® Demand Based Switching No
Thermal Monitoring Technologies Yes
Execute Disable Bit Yes

This CPU is best utilized for professional video and graphics work, and doesn't help game or
normal load performance. ’rom which we can derive that this is a very suitable processor for
Information Technology Course needs.

@| 
c
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 &

The Acer Aspire M5800 has an Intel G43 chipset with a ’ront Side Bus speed of 1333 MHz,
Which is almost more than enough for our needs.

The Intel® G43 Express Chipset, when combined with the Intel® CoreŒ2 processor family,
delivers new technologies and innovative capabilities for digital home consumers. With
major advancements in video, graphics, responsiveness and scalability, the Intel G43 Express
Chipset allows your PC to be the center of home computing, communications, and
entertainment.

The Intel G43 Express Chipset, with the Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 (Intel®
GMA X4500), includes built -in support for smooth high definition video playback without
the need for add-in video cards or decoders. Intel GMA X4500 comes with Intel® Clear
Video Technology, a combination of video processing hardware and software technologies
designed to enhance the visual experience.

In addition to video, the Intel G43 Express Chipset delivers optimized 3D graphics
performance and support for Microsoft DirectX 10, Shader Model 4.0 and OpenGL 2.0.
These graphics enhancements deliver the performance and compatibility you need for
entertaining everyday gameplay for the most popular game titles. The Intel G43 Express
Chipset includes support for the latest PC operating systems, including Microsoft Windows
Seven.


|


|
Manufacturer : American Megatrends Inc.
Version : P01-A0L
Date of Manufacture : Thursday, March 19, 2009
Plug & Play Version : 1.00
SMBIOS/DMI Version : 2.60
(EE)PROM Size : 1MB

|


|
Can be Updated/’lashed : Yes
Can be Shadowed : Yes
Is Socketed : Yes
Supports Plug & Play : Yes
Supports ESCD : Yes
Supports Enhanced Disk Drive : Yes
NEC PC-98 Spec Compatible : No

 |
 
|   |
Supports APM : Yes
Supports ACPI : Yes
Supports Smart Battery : No

 |   |
Supports Selective Booting : Yes
Supports CD/DVD Boot : Yes
Supports PCMCIA/CardBus Boot : No
Supports LS-120 Boot : Yes
Supports ZIP Boot : Yes
Supports i2o Boot : No
Supports ’ireWire/1394 Boot : No
Supports BIOS Boot Block : Yes
Supports Interactive Network Boot : No

 
 |
|
Notice 224 : SMBIOS/DMI information may be inaccurate.
Tip 212 : BIOS can be shadowed so check whether it is.
Tip 211 : BIOS is flash-able and socketed so it can be upgraded when needed.
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the
tip.

’
 

 

©
©
|| | Supports the Intel® CoreŒ2 Duo and Intel®
|| CoreŒ2 Quad processors with Intel®
Virtualization Technology¸1, and Intel®
Celeron® processor.
| | |
 || The PCI Express 2.0 provides 16 GB/s
bandwidth for platform graphics.

!| | |" || Updated Graphics Memory Controller Hub
(GMCH) backbone architecture that
 improves system performance by optimizing
the use of available memory bandwidth and
reducing the latency of the memory accesses.
Ñ#$

|ÑÑ | | Delivers up to 12.8 GB/s (DDR2 800 dual
 ||
Ñ#$

|ÑÑ | |
6.4 GB/s) of bandwidth and 16 GB maximum
supported memory size for faster system
responsiveness and support of 64-bit
computing.
Delivers up to 17 GB/s (DDR3 1066 dual 8.5
 || GB/s) of bandwidth and 8 GB maximum
supported memory size for faster system
responsiveness and support of 64-bit
computing.

!| | | ’acilitates easier upgrades by allowing
 $
|| different memory sizes to be populated and
remain in dual-channel mode.

!|$
| %
| 3D enhancements deliver the graphics
"   |&'(|| performance you need for entertaining,
everyday games and improved realism with
support for Microsoft DirectX* 10, Shader
Model 4.0, and OpenGL* 2.0. Intel GMA
X4500 also supports the highest levels of the
Windows Vista* experience.

!| |)
% | $
|| Video processing hardware and software
delivers enhanced high-definition video
playback, sharper images with advanced de-
interlacing, and ProcAmp color controls.
 ||
$|Ñ 




| HDMI delivers uncompressed HD video and

 %
|
 |*Ñ+,| uncompressed multi-channel audio in a single
Ñ
 |
%|Ñ)|| cable, supporting all HD formats including
720p, 1080i and 1080p. This chipset also
supports the DisplayPort* interface with up
to 2560 x 1600 resolution.

!|
$|Ñ 




|"%
-|| Integrated audio support enables premium
digital surround sound and delivers advanced
features such as multiple audio streams and
jack re-tasking.

!| 
|  | With additional hard drives added, provides
 $
- || quicker access to digital photo, video and
data files with RAID 0, 5, and 10, and greater
data protection against a hard disk drive
failure with RAID 1, 5, and 10. Support for
external SATA (eSATA) enables the full
 SATA interface speed outside the chassis, up
to 3 Gb/s.

!| 
%| . | Intel's latest data protection technology
 $
|| provides a recovery point that can be used to
quickly recover a system should a hard drive
fail or if there is data corruption. The clone
can also be mounted as a read-only volume to
allow a user to recover individual files.

!|  |/0 | Intel® Remote Wake Technology allows
 $
|| users to remotely wake up and access the
home PC over the Internet while in energy
efficient sleep mode. This unique feature
enhances many existing usages such as
remote media access, remote downloads,
Instant Messaging, and receiving VOIP calls.

!|
| || Intel's innovative NAND cache designed to
improve the responsiveness of applications,
application load times, and system boot
performance. Intel® Turbo Memory, paired
with the Intel G43 Express Chipset, also
allows the user to easily control the
applications or data in the cache using the
new Intel Turbo Memory Dashboard
interface, boosting performance further.
 
|""|*""+| |

|| High-speed storage interface supports faster
transfer rate for improved data access with up
to 6 SATA ports.
""|| SATA interface designed for use with
external SATA devices. It provides a link for
3 Gb/s data speeds to eliminate bottlenecks
found with current external storage solutions.
""| |Ñ

 || Enables individual SATA ports to be enabled
or disabled as needed. This feature provides
added protection of data by preventing
malicious removal or insertion of data
through SATA ports. Especially targeted for
eSATA ports.
1| |Ñ

 || Enables individual USB ports to be enabled
or disabled as needed. This feature provides
added protection of data by preventing
malicious removal or insertion of data
through USB ports.

!|2
| | Intelligent system fan speed control
  $
|| algorithms use operating temperature ranges
more efficiently to reduce system noise by
minimizing fan speed changes.

@|  %)&


The Acer Aspire M5800 has an astonishing 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM.

’irst and foremost, DDR3 is not just a faster version of DDR2. In fact, the worst piece of
misinformation I see spread in enthusiast forums is how DDR3 simply picks up speed where
DDR2 left off... which is as accurate as saying an airplane picks up where a kite left off.
DDR3 does improve upon the previous generation in certain shared areas, and the refined
fabrication process has allowed for a more efficient integrated circuit (IC) module. Although
DDR3 doesn't share the same pin connections or key placements, it does still share the
DIMM profile and overall appearance. ’rom a technical perspective however, this is where
the similarities end.

’
 *
@| Now supports a system level flight time compensation
@| Mirror-friendly DRAM pin out are now contained on-DIMM
@| CAS Write latency are now issued to each speed bin
@| Asynchronous reset function is available for the first time in SDRAM
@| I/O calibration engine monitors flight time and correction levels
@| Automatic data bus line read and write calibration

  *
@| Higher bandwidth performance increase, up to 1600 MHz per spec
 @| DIMM-terminated 'fly-by' command bus
@| Constructed with high-precision load line calibration resistors
@| Performance increase at low power input
@| Enhanced low power features conserve energy
@| Improved thermal design now operates DIMM cooler

ÑÑ
 


Efficiency is a double-edged sword when we talk about DDR3, because aside from
fabrication process efficiency there are also several architectural design improvements which
create a more efficient transfer of data and a reduction in power. All of these items tie in
together throughout this article, so for you to understand why DDR3 is going to be worth
your money, you should probably also know why it's going to deliver more.

# !

So lets begin with power: at the JEDEC JESD 79-3B standard of 1.5 V, DDR3 system
memory reduces the base power consumption level by nearly 17% compared the 1.8 V
specified base power requirement for DDR2 modules. Taking this one step further, consider
that at the high end of DDR2 there are 1066 MHz memory modules demanding 2.2 V to
properly function. Then compare this to the faster 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM modules operating
at 1.5 V nominal and you'll begin to see where money can be saved on energy costs -
conserving nearly 32% of the power previously needed. The reduced level of base power
demand works particularly well with the 90 nm fabrication technology presently used for
most DDR3 chips. In high-efficiency purposed modules, some manufacturers have reduced
current leakage even more by using "dual-gate" transistors.

ÑÑ
 

The SDRAM family has seen generations of change. JEDEC originally stepped in to define
standards very early on in the production timeline, and subsequently produced DDR, DDR2
and now DDR3 DRAM (dynamic random access memory) implementations. You already
know that DDR3 SDRAM is the replacement for DDR2 by virtue of its vast design
improvements, but you might not know what all of those improvements actually are.

In additional to the logically progressive changes in fabrication process, there are also
improvements made to the architectural design of the memory. In the last section I extolled
the benefits of saving power and conserving natural resources by using DDR3 system
memory, but most hardware enthusiasts are not aware of how efficiency is now also extended
into a new data transfer architecture introduced fresh in DDR3.

One particularly important new change introduced with DDR3 is in the improved prefetch
buffer: up from DDR2's four bits to an astounding eight bits per cycle. This translates to a full
100% increase in the prefetch payload; not just the small incremental improvement we've
seen from past generations. Remember this important piece of information when I discuss
CAS latency later on, because it makes all the difference.
ÑÑ

Even in it's infancy, DDR3 offers double the standard JEDEC standard maximum speed over
DDR2. According to JEDEC standard JESD 79-3B drafted on April 2008, DDR3 offers a
maximum default speed of 1600 MHz compared to 800 MHz for DDR2. But this is all just
ink on paper if you aren't able to actually notice an improvement in system performance.

So far, we discussed how DDR3 is going to save the average enthusiast up to 37% of their
energy costs consumed by system memory. We also added a much larger 8-bit prefetch
buffer to the list of compelling features. So let's cinch it all together with a real ground-
breaking improvement, because DDR3 has introduced a brand new system for managing the
data bandwidth bus.

 |  0| 
 |

ÑÑ | %|  |
 | ||0| % |
 |
0|  |
ÑÑ #|| 100 MHz 10 ns 400 MHz PC3-6400 6400 MB/s
ÑÑ #©|| 133 MHz 7.5 ns 533 MHz PC3-8500 8533 MB/s
ÑÑ #© || 166 MHz 6 ns 667 MHz PC3-10600 10667 MB/s
ÑÑ #©|| 200 MHz 5 ns 800 MHz PC3-12800 12800 MB/s

ÑÑ
   


So let's pause for a moment to recap what we've covered: DDR3 RAM modules can conserve
up to 32% of the energy used on system memory, while at the same time saving money on
maintenance costs for enterprise HVAC systems. The data prefetch buffer has doubled from
only 4 bits per cycle to a full 8 bits with each pass. ’inally, the ’ly-by topology removes the
mechanical limitations of physical line balancing by replacing it with an automatically
controlled and calibrated signal time delay. Not just a speed improvement, like some would
like you to think.

    ÑÑ
  
When I first began this article, it felt to me like this kind of information should be required
reading for anyone who considers themselves a hardware enthusiasts or overclocker. Even
after discussing the topic with some of my colleges, it was clear that the misconceptions had
already entrenched themselves deep into the everyman. I can't give up hope, not yet, because
if you've made it this far into the article then you've probably picked up a thing or two about
the technology.

Retracing my key points, there are a few important major features worth mentioning again for
those who like skipping to the end (statistically 70% of visitors). To begin with, DDR3 RAM
modules can conserve up to 32% of the energy used on system memory, while at the same
time saving money on maintenance costs for facilities HVAC systems. Next on this list is the
data prefetch buffer; which has doubled from only 4 bits per cycle to a full 8 bits with each
pass. Then comes the new ’ly-by topology that removes the mechanical limitations of
physical line balancing by replacing it with an automatically controlled and calibrated signal
time delay. After that comes latencies which are lower in rate than the previous curve, and in
some cases offer 50% better timings per MHz. ’inally, we have all of the extra perks.

So as a convincing review of DDR3 memory as a whole, I believe that this review is pretty
convincing to whom trying to decide on whether to use DDR3 or DDR2.

’ollowing are some information about the Memory Controller installed in the computer
system.|

Location : Mainboard
Error Correction Capability : None
Number of Memory Slots : 4
Maximum Installable Memory : 8GB
BANK0 - DIMM0 : 00 00000000 AssetTagNum0 DIMM Synchronous 2GB/64 @ 1.07GHz
BANK1 - DIMM1 : Empty
BANK2 - DIMM2 : 00 00000000 AssetTagNum2 DIMM Synchronous 2GB/64 @ 1.07GHz
BANK3 - DIMM3 : Empty

@| ‰ !
 %+  
,(-.&

The Acer Aspire M5800 has Nvidia GTS230 Graphics Card installed into the PCI Express
2.0 Slot. Ge’orce GT 230M GPUs deliver up to 30 times better performance¹, accelerated
GPU features in Window 7, and built-in NVIDIA® PhysX technology enabling hyper-
realistic gameplay (Which is not that important for our purposes).

Ge’orce GTS 230M GPUs let you fully enjoy the new visual capabilities and features built
into Windows 7 ± Microsoft¶s next generation operating system. Experience a new class of
GPU-accelerated video and image processing applications built with Microsoft¶s new
DirectCompute API.

Take advantage of NVIDIA® CUDAŒ technology with accelerated applications and

experience new multimedia capabilities. ’or a Professional Graphics Designer or Animator,
this is a highly recommended Graphics Card that can cater their needs. Automatically clean-
up video from your camcorder with vReveal from MotionDSP and easily edit HD movies
with GPU-based applications like PowerDirector 7 by CyberLink.

This Graphics Card cost a bit more than $150. So this card a worth investment compared to
its awesome performace.

@| Ñ ! 

With Acer Aspire M5800 Computer System, Comes a fine drive configuration for a day to
day running normal usage computer.

’ollowing are some basic information about the drive controllers in M5800.

Ñ
0|
 |

Model : Acer ICH8R (ICH8) SATA RAID Controller

Interface : SATA
Revision : A1
Maximum SATA Mode : G2 / SATA300
RAID Support : Yes
RAID Enabled : Yes
Channels : 6
In Use Channels : 2
Port : G1 / SATA150
Port : G1 / SATA150
(These information is based on the default setup of the computer system from the shop its
assembled)

""|
%|Ñ|

|

SATA vs IDE? What's the difference and what's better? This page will explain the
differences and the pros and cons of each cable. SATA or IDE? ’ind out what is best. I found
that SATA is better in each and every way.
  |

The SATA cable or Serial ATA cables are only 7 pins wide compared to the IDE Ribbon
Cable which is 40 pins. The SATA cables are also longer then the ribbon cables (some up to
1m) which make them more useful in large cases. The PATA or IDE cables are only 45cm
long and can connect two hard drives to the motherboard while the SATA cable connects
only one hard drive to the motherboard.

 %|

The next step in IDE vs SATA is to work out the data transfer speeds. IDE (PATA) transfers
data from the speeds of 5MB/sec up to 133MB/Sec (ATA100/133). SATA however data
transfer speeds range from 150MB/sec to SATA II which doubles it to 300MB/sec.

3 |

IDE vs SATA in the aspect of jumpers again goes the way of SATA. With the IDE cable you
need to always mess around with the jumpers since their may be two hard drives or two CD
drives or one of each on the one cable. With SATA there is only the one cable so there are no
jumpers to mess around with. If you are new to computers then a SATA hard drive will be
easier to install.

|

In summary of SATA vs IDE, the SATA cable is smaller, faster and therefore better. It can
reach further then a IDE cable and will also reduce the obstruction to air cooling which IDE
cables can contribute to. The cables also transfer data much faster (more crucial if you have
two or more hard drives) and are easier to install since there are no jumpers. The only
downfall of the SATA is that they easily fall out of their positions and that you can only have
one drive per cable.

So I chose a computer system that has high end drive controllers.

@|  
 

The 750 GB Serial ATA-300 is more than enough for our storage needs. This computer
system can be used for multimedia file storage also, as it has a large storage capacity that is
more than required for a college student for his college stuff. The hard disk included is WD
RE2, 750 GB Serial ATA Hard disk.

The following are some key features of the drive included in the computer system.

|
A |   |

  
 - Designed and manufactured to provide server-class reliability in high
duty cycle environments. With 1.2 million hours MTB’, these drives have the highest
available reliability rating on a high-capacity drive.

 

 - Up to 750 GB of storage packed with server-class features and low cost-per-
gigabyte value.

’
 - With 3 Gb/s data transfer rate, native command queuing (NCQ), and 16 MB cache,
these drives deliver optimum performance.

/ - Active Power Save delivers best-in-class seek mode power consumption
through an advanced WD firmware which conserves power in active seek modes without
degrading performance.

)Ñ" 
 "    %(/')& - Significantly reduces drive fallout

caused by the extended hard drive error-recovery processes common to desktop drives.

)
  
’ ’
 %)’’& - Provides enhanced vibration tolerance by
optimizing operation and performance when the drives are used in vibration-prone, multi-
drive systems such as rack-mounted servers or network storage.

#   

 )  %#)& - WD RE2 drives employ PMR technology to
achieve even greater areal density.

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The Acer system has a DVD RW / DVD-RAM drive. So why did I chose a system with a
DVD-RAM drive? Why not DVD-ROM. Well following information will help you through.

A DVD ROM is designed to be read only. This means that once the data has been encoded,
the disc is in a fixed state and cannot be changed. This makes it highly suitable for storing
data which would not need to be overwritten or changed, as is the case with a film. In
addition, a DVD ROM is readable in almost any type of machine, from a computer to a
conventional DVD player. This means that the disc is more widely accessible for users.

The data on a DVD RAM can be rewritten numerous times over the period of its life, and for
this reason the discs are favored for data storage. Typically, a DVD RAM is housed in a
protective cartridge, due to the higher cost of the disc. Some systems have difficulty reading
DVD RAMs, but support for them is almost universal on computer systems made after 2000.
A DVD RAM uses a type of technology known as phase change on the physical disc to store
the data. The disc has a special layer of material made from a mixture of metals which is
highly responsive to heat. When the laser makes contact with it, one temperature will cause
the alloy to be crystalline, while a higher temperature will turn it amorphous. Thus, it is
possible to record binary data onto the disc for playback, and to erase the data and write over
it later.

If cared for properly, a DVD RAM is estimated to be able to last up to 30 years, and through
at least 1,000 rewrites. The write speed for a DVD RAM is fairly high, and very accurate
thanks to high quality disc defect management. DVD RAMs are frequently used in
camcorders and digital cameras to house a high volume of data which can be transferred to
another medium before the disc is overwritten.

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In our case, a lot of input devices are not necessary, as we are using the computer for general
usage purposes. I have included a Graphics Tablet in the Input Devices as it is necessary for a
professional Graphics Designer.

’ollowing are the Input Devices I have in my chosen computer.

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A mouse is a necessary device to interact with a computer system, and this is most widely use
interaction device. This device is sometimes known as a pointing device also. In the Acer
system I chose a USB wired mouse as it is convenient for me.

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I am using a QWERTY Keyboard for my system as it is the widely used type of keyboard
and it is wired with a USB jack.

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The Intuos4 pen provides 2,048 levels of pen tip and eraser pressure sensitivity, tilt
sensitivity, is batterly-free and cordless, and features a programmable DuoSwitch and soft
grip. It also comes with a cordless, programmable 5-button optical scroll mouse. The tablet
features a 4-way touch ring, 8 ExpressKeys, and comes with a pen stand. With Intuos4, you
also have the option of purchasing additional programmable accessories. (’ootprint ~15x10")
This is one of the best tablets a graphics designer could have as of now. The cost of it comes
to about $350.00.
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One of the most important component of the computer is output devices as it is used to
display the processed information in a way human can understand. So without an output
device a computer system is almost useless.

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I have an Acer H233H 23'' LCD Monitor installed on my system.

The Acer H33H is a 23-inch monitor with good performance and a low price. ’or many of
you, that's as much of the review you need. ’or the rest, the Acer H233H not only includes
DVI, VGA, and HDMI connectors, but it also includes the required cables for each--a
welcome novelty we hope more vendors start including. The display has built-in speakers and
performs well when playing games and watching movies. The Acer H233H is a great,
cheaper alternative to the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370. The Acer has good performance,
but it's not quite in the same league as the XL2370.

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The 23-inch Acer H233H is a 16:9 aspect ratio monitor with a glossy screen, black bezel, and
a foot stand. The oval-shaped foot stand is 10.6 inches wide by 7 inches deep. The distance
from the bottom of the bezel to the desktop is about 2.6 inches. The back of the panel is a
smooth, black matte and it is relatively flat. The panel measures 1 inch thick with its
connection options and ventilation system adding another 1.5 inches of thickness, bring the
full thickness to 2.5 inches. The panel's full width measures 21.7 inches. The angular bezel
measures 0.8 inch wide on the sides and the screen has a slightly frosty matte finish.
Unfortunately, the Acer's screen height isn't adjustable and there isn't a screen rotation or
pivot option for portrait mode. Its capability to tilt back 15 degrees is its only ergonomic
feature.

The Acer can be connected via its HDMI, DVI, or VGA port. In a rare move by a monitor
vendor, Acer includes cables for all three connections as well as an audio cable for the built-
in speakers. All of the monitors connections sit on the back right of the panel and are easily
accessible, as they aren't tucked into the monitor too far. On the back of the H233H are four
holes for mounting the display to a wall, VESA-style.

The onscreen display button array is aligned horizontally in the lower right hand corner of the
bezel and includes the power button, a left and right button--which double as volume control-
-as well as a menu, Auto, and a preset shortcut button. Each button emits a white light from
an internal LED, which is great if you are calibrating the monitor in a dark room. To the left
of the OSD array is the power button that emits the same light.

The OSD includes five presets: User, Text, Standard, Graphics, and Movie. It also includes
controls for brightness, contrast, color temperature, and the capability to change the color
temperature and the red, green, and blue values individually. Navigating the OSD has a short
learning curve; however, it's not quite as easy to use as Dell's OSD.

The Acer H233H's 16:9 aspect ratio supports a "’ull HD" 1,920x1,080 -pixel native
resolution. This continues the trend of monitor vendors moving toward 16:9 from 16:10
because high-definition content--in particular 1080p movies--can fit onto a 1,920x1,080-pixel
screen in full-screen mode without stretching the image.


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Resolution: 1,920x1,080 pixels

Pixel-response rate: 5ms
Contrast ratio: Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 40,000:1
Connectivity: HDMI, DVI, VGA
HDCP compliant? Yes
Included video cables? HDMI, DVI, VGA
Brightness: 300 cd/m2
Backlight: CC’L

Panel Type: TN

 
 |

We tested the Acer H233H connected to a computer via its DVI connection. The display
posted a composite score of 87 on CNET Labs' DisplayMate-based performance tests,
coming in much lower than the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370's score of 96. While the
H233H performed well overall on the DisplayMate tests, there were a couple areas where it
disappointed us. ’irst, the display had a hard time displaying dark gray and instead crushed
much of it to the point that they were not only indistinguishable from black, but also from
other shades of gray. This indicates you'd lose a lot of dark detail when watching a movie on
the display. The Acer's Dark Screen performance elicited disappointing glances from us as
well. During this test--which is just a plain, black screen--the clouding or backlight bleeding
was obvious and overt.

The H233H achieved a brightness score of 251 candelas per square meter (cd/m2) and has
pretty good contrast ratio of 818:1. By comparison, the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 posted
a brightness and contrast ratio of 344 and 1,008:1, respectively.

We used the H233H's Movie preset to check out "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" on DVD and several
1080p movie files from Microsoft's WMV HD Showcase. We also compared it with the same
movies playing on Samsung's XL2370. In both Kill Bill and the 1080p movies, we found that
the XL2370 and H233H were nearly identical in their color accuracy. Each monitor delivered
fairly deep colors that didn't over-saturate many bright scenes. ’or example, one scene
includes an abundance of clouds that each monitor displayed brightly, while retaining the
clouds' detail. The XL2370's clouds were noticeable brighter though, thanks to its high
maximum brightness.


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The system's Sound Card is integrated into the mother board with an astonishing 7.1 channel
surround with which you can produce high definition audio. I have also used a 2 channel
speaker system.

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Some of the Software I might need in the course of study are explained in the following.

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’or every widows based computer system it is very important to have an Antivirus Software
as it is necessary to protect my computer from viruses and other kinds of malicious activities
which cannot be detected without a good antivirus software.

My number one choice of antivirus software is Kaspersky Internet Security 2010. ’rom my
past experience I have come to a conclusion that KIS has the highest detectable rate and it
guards itself well so viruses cannot attack it. It costs $79.95 for a one year license.

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’or a student, Microsoft Office Professional is one of the most essential software package.
Professional Edition of Microsoft Office Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, One
Note, Publisher and Access. This product is available for $500 from Microsoft.

With Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, you get a wide range of powerful new ways to
do their best work from more places ± whether they¶re using a PC, Smartphone or web
browser. ’rom insightful updates to Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook, to new server
integration capabilities that make it easier for everyone to track, report and share vital
information, Office Professional Plus 2010 offers the complete package through familiar,
intuitive tools.

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Locating the information you need is faster and easier in Word 2010. With the new and
improved ’ind experience, you can now view a summary of search results in a single pane,
and click to access any individual result. The improved Navigation Pane provides you a
visual outline of your document so you can browse, sort, and find what you need quickly.

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Word 2010 redefines the way people can work together on a document. With co-authoring,
you can edit papers and share ideas with others at the same time. You can also view the
availability of others who are authoring a document with you and can easily initiate a
conversation without leaving Word.

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Post your documents online and then access, view, and edit them from most any computer or
your Windows Mobile-based smartphone. With Word 2010, you can take advantage of a
best-in-class document experience across multiple locations and devices. Microsoft Word
Web App. Edit documents in a Web browser when you¶re away from your office, home, or
school without compromising the quality of your viewing experience. Microsoft Word
Mobile 2010.Stay current and take immediate action using an enhanced mobile version of
Word specifically suited to your smartphone.

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With Word 2010, you can apply formatting effects such as shadow, bevel, glow, and
reflection to your document text as easily as applying bold or underline. You can spell-check
text that uses visual effects, and add text effects to paragraph styles. Many of the same effects
used for images are now available to both text and shapes, enabling you to seamlessly
coordinate all of your content.

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Word 2010 offers you more options to add visual impact to your documents. Choose from
dozens of additional SmartArt Graphics to build impressive diagrams just by typing a
bulleted list. Use SmartArt to transform basic, bullet-point text into compelling visuals that
better illustrate your ideas.

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New picture-editing tools in Word 2010 enable you to add special picture effects without
additional photo-editing software. You can easily adjust pictures with color saturation and
temperature controls. You also get improved tools for easier and more precise cropping and
image correction, to help you turn a simple document into a work of art.
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After working on that document for awhile, did you accidentally close it without saving? No
problem. Word 2010 lets you recover draft versions of recently edited files as easily as
opening any file, even if you never saved the document.

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Word 2010 helps you work and communicate effectively across different languages.
Translate a word, phrase, or document more easily than before. Set separate language settings
for ScreenTips, Help content, and displays. And, get additional assistance for English as a
second language with English text-to-speech playback.

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Capture and insert screenshots directly from Word 2010 to quickly and easily incorporate
visual illustrations into your work. When you use a tablet-enabled device such as a Tablet PC
or Wacom tablet, you get improved tools for formatting ink as easily as you format shapes.

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Word 2010 simplifies how you access features. The new Microsoft Office Backstage view
replaces the traditional ’ile menu to let you save, share, print, and publish your documents
with just a few clicks. With the improved Ribbon, you can access your favorite commands
even more quickly by customizing tabs or creating your own to personalize the experience to
your work style.

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With Sparklines, a new feature in Excel 2010, you can create small charts in a single cell to
quickly discover patterns in your data. It¶s a quick and easy way to highlight important data
trends such as seasonal increases or decreases, saving you time.

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Excel 2010 delivers a new and exciting filter enhancement for your PivotTables. The Slicer
feature provides you with a rich visualization of your PivotTable view so you can
dynamically segment and filter the data to display precisely what you need. With the new
search filter, you can spend less time sifting through large data sets in your tables and
PivotTable views, and more time analyzing.

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Post your spreadsheets online and then access, view, and edit wherever from just about any
computer or your Windows Mobile-based smartphone. With Excel 2010, you can take
advantage of a best-in-class spreadsheet experience across multiple locations and devices.
Microsoft Excel Web App. Edit documents in a Web browser when you¶re away from your
office, home, or school without compromising the quality of your viewing experience.

Microsoft Excel Mobile 2010. Stay current and take immediate action when necessary using
the mobile version of Excel specifically suited to your Smartphone.

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Co-authoring through the Microsoft Excel Web App makes it possible for you to edit the
same spreadsheet with others simultaneously from different locations. You can see who¶s
working on a spreadsheet with you at the same time. All modifications are instantly shown
and flagged so you can see where others are editing and who those editors are.

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Conditional ’ormatting in Excel 2010 gives you more control over styles and icons,
improved data bars, and the ability to highlight specific items in a few clicks. You also can
display data bars for negative values to more accurately illustrate your data visuals.

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Quickly gather more insights with the ability to display different data views directly in a
PivotChart, independent of PivotTable views, to analyze and capture the most compelling
picture of your numbers.

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Excel 2010 simplifies how you access features. The new Microsoft Office Backstage view
replaces the traditional ’ile menu to let you save, share, print, and publish your spreadsheets
with just a few clicks. And, with the improved Ribbon, you can access your favorite
commands even more quickly by customizing tabs or creating your own to personalize the
experience to your work style.

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The PowerPivot for Excel add-in, a free download, provides groundbreaking technology such
as streamlined integration of data from multiple sources and lightning-fast manipulation of
large data sets with up to millions of rows. Business users can effortlessly publish and share
analysis through Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, and have other users enjoy the same
Slicer, PivotTable, and fast-query capabilities when working on their Excel Services report.

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Power users and analysts rejoice! With the new 64-bit version of Excel 2010, massive
amounts of information are easier to analyze than ever before. Analyze large, complex
datasets greater than the 2-gigabyte file size of previous Excel versions.
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SharePoint Server 2010 and Excel Services integration lets business users share analysis and
results across their organization by publishing spreadsheets to the Web. Build a business
intelligence dashboard and share sensitive business information more broadly with
coworkers, customers, and business partners in a security-enhanced environment.

I hope that is enough. I am not going to explain other softwares with its never ending
advantages. I hope this is convincing enough.

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Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft. It

can be used to develop console and graphical user interface applications along with Windows
’orms applications, web sites, web applications, and web services in both native code
together with managed code for all platforms supported by Microsoft Windows, Windows
Mobile, Windows CE, .NET ’ramework, .NET Compact ’ramework and Microsoft
Silverlight.

Visual Studio includes a code editor supporting IntelliSense as well as code refactoring. The
integrated debugger works both as a source-level debugger and a machine-level debugger.
Other built-in tools include a forms designer for building GUI applications, web designer,
class designer, and database schema designer. It accepts plug-ins that enhance the
functionality at almost every level²including adding support for source-control systems (like
Subversion and Visual SourceSafe) and adding new toolsets like editors and visual designers
for domain-specific languages or toolsets for other aspects of the software development
lifecycle (like the Team ’oundation Server client: Team Explorer).

Visual Studio supports different programming languages by means of language services,

which allow the code editor and debugger to support (to varying degrees) nearly any
programming language, provided a language-specific service exists. Built-in languages
include C/C++ (via Visual C++), VB.NET (via Visual Basic .NET), C# (via Visual C#), and
’# (as of Visual Studio 2010[3]). Support for other languages such as M, Python, and Ruby
among others is available via language services installed separately. It also supports
XML/XSLT, HTML/XHTML, JavaScript and CSS. Individual language-specific versions of
Visual Studio also exist which provide more limited language services to the user: Microsoft
Visual Basic, Visual J#, Visual C#, and Visual C++.

Microsoft provides "Express" editions of its Visual Studio 2010 components Visual Basic,
Visual C#, Visual C++, and Visual Web Developer at no cost. Visual Studio 2010, 2008 and
2005 Professional Editions, along with language-specific versions (Visual Basic, C++, C#,
J#) of Visual Studio 2005 are available for free to students as downloads via Microsoft's
DreamSpark program. The 90-day trial version of Visual Studio can be downloaded by the
general public at no cost.