Building the Perfect PC

Final Words

This system went together easily, or would have if we’d used the right motherboard revision. Actual construction took about 90 minutes, which we spread out over several days as we photographed each step. If this is the first time you’ve built a system, leave yourself a full weekend to build it, install software, and so on.

One thing we did wonder about. The Antec Super LANBOY case is so light that we worried about its strength and durability. Well, there’s only one way to find out, and better us than you. After we’d shot several images of Mary lifting and toting and holding the LPPC, we decided to see just how it would stand up to some weight.

Robert had little doubt that, at 110 kilos, if he stood on top of the case he’d crush it flat. Mary, at about 50 kilos, might be a different story. So Robert suggested to Mary that she stand on top of the case. Mary hesitated at first, thinking that anything that light wouldn’t be able to hold her weight. It did, though, as you can see in Figure 5-64, without so much as a crinkle in the case or even a slightly bowed panel. This is a tough case.

We did all the usual stuff—updating the BIOS, installing the OS and service packs, updating the drivers, installing applications, and so on. But what we really wanted to know was how fast the system would run. It’s a screamer, both for general use and for running UT, Quake, and other graphics-intensive games. We’re still rotten gamers, but at least now we’ll lose with panache.

Robert wanted ...