To test this theory, I decided to build a custom gaming rig. The total budget for the entire build? A measly $500. This is a pretty tough challenge, but there's a reason for it. The main competitor for this build is Alienware's X51 desktop , which includes a 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 6 GB of RAM, a 1 TB hard drive, an 802.11n wireless adapter, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 645 graphics card. The price of the X51 is $699 with Windows 7/8, or $649 if you opt for Ubuntu. While this is a decent price for an entry-level gaming streaming PC setup|https://Pcbuildinsight.Com/, I definitely think that I can do better for l

Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus 500W power supply : Cooler Master is a respected brand for power supplies and cooling, so I gravitated towards their products. With a decent CPU and GPU, I predicted that 500 watts should be more than enough to power the entire system. I could've probably gone with a 400 watt power supply without any issues, but I wanted to be completely sure. At just under $45, it's not a bad price anyways. If you're unsure about which power supply to get for your custom budget gaming rig, Matt explains everything you need to know about power supplies and how to pick o

Name the folder, type the local link for the music directory and make sure it's enabled. When you click Save, the music files stored in that folder will become available to all users that connect to your new music server on your Wi-Fi network. If you have music playlists set up, such as iTunes playlists, you can point Subsonic to those folders under the " General " settings l

The custom budget build ultimately has a better CPU, a better GPU, and more RAM. It has less hard drive storage and lacks a wireless adapter. While 1 TB sounds a lot better than 500 GB, you should still be able to live with 500 GB of storage. Also, the absence of a wireless adapter isn't a huge issue, as an Ethernet connection is more reliable, generally faster, and more responsive than a wireless configuration anyw

Once you’ve accounted for these four points you can safely purchase a hardware upgrade. Yes, I know – checking all of this can be a bit annoying and will take some extra time. But it does reduce the chance that you’ll buy incompatible hardware. It will also make you more familiar with your system and with computers in general, which means you’ll have less homework to do the next time you want to upgr

There are so many great things that you can do with a Raspberry Pi, from running your own space program to building a media centre and making a beautiful digital photo frame . But what about using it as a desktop

Choosing the Performance tab option, you should two options. First is Overclock, which you probably won't need to touch. However, ensure that the GPU Memory setting is set to the default 128 MiB. You can change this, however. For instance, 64 MiB is perfect for low-intensity desktop tasks such as word processing and em

Cleaning a modern LCD screen isn't the same as cleaning an old-fashioned CRT monitor. That is because CRTs are covered with glass, while LCD displays have a softer plastic-based surface. To clean your LCD without damaging it, you need a lint-free cloth, distilled water (for dust) or isopropyl alcohol or white vinegar (for oily stains) and a bottle, ideally an atomizer. Spray your cloth with water or a 1:1 isopropyl alcohol : water mixture. Then carefully wipe the screen with the damp cl

Some of the power connections in desktops have remained the same over time, but some haven’t. The most recent examples of new connections are SATA and PCI Express. If you own a computer that is more than five years old it may not support them, and that means you won’t be able to use a SATA hard drive or a PCI Express video card without an adapter. Always makes sure that your power supply has the connectors required to accept any new hardware you might purch

A desktop computer consists of various components, each of which needs power. The power supply is responsible for managing and distributing power. It needs to have the right plugs and it needs to be able to handle the overall power demand of your desktop at l

You can also define how your users can stream music over the network to their own computers or devices. Choices include launching the user's own music players, or utilizing the embedded Jukebox player that is integrated with Subso

There’s nothing else to note about installing drivers. They install like any other software. Just pop in the CD or run the executable and follow the installation wizard’s instructions. You may need to reboot after installation is compl

Webmail can put unnecessary load on your browser as webmail apps tend to use a lot of AJAX and Javascript. Fortunately, you can use the bundled Claws Mail email client. Other lightweight alternatives include the Mozilla Thunderbird-like Icedove Mail, which you can install

You’ll also need to install your preferred Raspberry Pi operating system. While there are several alternatives of varying degrees of suitability , we recommend the latest Raspbian Jessie with the PIXEL desktop environment . Also consider a hard disk drive and other storage if you’re planning to try using the Pi as a standard desktop long-t