The current most popular operating system for desktop computers is Windows 8, which is the latest offering from Microsoft.

You can still buy Windows 7 if you prefer the interface, but because Windows 8 was just released we do not recommend going with any other OS to ensure future compatibility with all hardware and software. Earlier versions of Windows are not as well optimized to take advantage of current computer hardware, but there are a number of different currently supported Windows versions that serve the needs of different kinds of users.

Many cases actually come with an atx power supply pre-installed. If your computer is going to be used primarily for low-end applications, such as office work and web surfing, this power supply will typically suffice; however, high end gaming PCs will require power supplies with higher power output. If you’re using a high end graphics card, you should pick at least a 500W power supply; multiple graphics card configurations could require 750W or even 1000W. There are also modular power supplies, which allow you to only attach the connectors your PC uses.

Choosing the right PCIE Video Card depends a lot on what you want to do with your computer. If you are just using your PC for desktop computing, Internet browsing, and the like, then using your motherboard’s on-board graphics should be enough. If you plan on running multiple monitors or doing any PC gaming, however, you should select a graphics card. Most graphics cards support multiple monitor outputs, so getting a cheap video card just for that won’t set you back much, while PC gaming has higher requirements served by a high end graphics card.

High end gaming graphics cards tend to be more expensive, but they make the biggest difference when it comes to high end gaming performance. There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting a graphics card; a low end graphics card which will handle light gaming and video applications typically costs under $100, but a graphics card for gaming will run you $100 to $200, with a high end graphics card capable of running the latest games on high settings costing $200 or more.

Most graphics cards today use DVI and HDMI output. Graphics cards that allow for more than two monitors usually have DisplayPort outputs. Most monitors don’t support DisplayPort natively; if you plan to run a multi-monitor set-up, you may need to get one or more DisplayPort adapters or Mini DisplayPort adapters.

Most desktop computers today use hard disk drives for storage; however, a new kind of storage drive, the SSD or solid state drive, is quickly gaining popularity. While hard drives offer more storage space at a lower price, solid state drives are more reliable, and perform much more quickly.

Many PC users install both an HDD and a SSD in their PCs – the solid state drive can be used to run the operating system and programs, while the HDD is used for storage space. If you don’t have a need for storage space or keep most of your files online in “cloud” storage, having an SSD alone is a good choice, but if you have need for expansive local storage and price is an issue, using a desktop hard drive by itself is still a viable choice.

The bottom line is: if you want the most storage space for the money, go with a standard desktop hard drive, but if you want the fastest boot-up and access times, go with an SSD. If you want the best of both worlds, buy one of each and setup your SSD as your boot device and the standard hard drive as your storage device.

For laptop hard drives, the discussion is much the same. Although laptops use 2.5 inch drives instead of 3.5 inch drives. Because most SSDs already come in the 2.5 inch form factor, you’re actually safe going with most SSDs in laptops.

Intel Silvermont (notice it’s not Silvermount, but Silvermont!) is here and signals Intel’s entry into mobile. While the world collectively says ‘it’s about time’, it’s important to understand that even though Intel is new to the mobile game, their technology is years ahead of all the major competitors. This includes ARM.

Intel’s already bragging that their Silvermont processors offer up to 3x the speed of any chip out on the market OR up to 5x the power efficiency. Because Intel is manufacturing on the 22nm process and using tri-gate transistors, these types of efficiencies are now achievable and Intel is going to be the first to market with them. Silvermont processors have been released for mobile phones, tablets, & other devices and will work their way into ultrabooks and some data-center devices in the future. Who knows, they may use some of the architecture or principles in low power desktop processor designs in the future as well.

This is definitely a bold move by Intel into the mobile market and represents a huge growth area for them.

Intel announced that the release date for their all new Haswell line of processors will be June 3rd – June 4th at Computex. Haswell is the widely anticipated update to Ivy Bridge and people are already touting it’s highly efficient characteristics and next generation speed.

Haswell will be built on the 22nm process and promises enhanced video performance built into the chip – taking onboard graphics to the next level.

According to a press release by Enermax, your power supply may or may not be able to support one of the upcoming Haswell’s lower power consumption features: the advanced power consumption C6/C7 modes Intel is touting. According to Intel, while in these ‘power conservation’ modes your processor will draw as little as .05 Amps. To actually achieve this remarkable efficiency your power supply will have to be able to support low load modes.

Enermax has a list of compatible computer power supplies on their website. While they have cautioned that not all power supplies will support zero load and offer stable voltage levels under low-load configurations, they have also acknowledged that some already on the market actually will (look for one that can output 0.05A on the +12V rail).

Because power supply makers may not have tested or spec’d out low-load efficiency, you may want to err on the side of caution and buy a new Haswell compatible power supply.

For more information read the Enermax article.

If you’re having a hard time finding a good case for your new Galaxy S4, it’s because the case market is slowly lagging behind the release.

But worry not! Our batch of Otterbox Samsung Galaxy S4 cases is coming – expected by mid to the end of May.

Check back to our cell phone cases category or send us an email if you’d like to be notified when the galaxy S4 cases are available for sale.

Buying ram involves two basic questions – what type of RAM do I need for my computer and how MUCH memory does my computer need? Making sure you have enough RAM is one of the most effective ways of making sure your PC runs smoothly – computers without enough memory will run very slowly when you run multiple programs or work with large files. Most modern desktops use DDR3 RAM for memory. When you build your own PC, it’s important to get a good amount of memory. With Apple now using the same basic hardware configurations as PCs, memory buying has become a lot easier – so if you have a Mac desktop you can buy standard desktop memory or if you have a Macbook you’ll want to buy basic laptop memory.

While laptop memory and desktop computer memory are physically different in size, the software you’re running accesses them in the same way so a memory boost serves as a great upgrade no matter what computer you have. Laptop RAM modules are often referred to as SODIMMs, Notebook Memory, or Laptop Memory. It’s easy to visually spot the differences between laptop and desktop ram, as laptop memory is much shorter in width. Laptops also have the same DDR3, DDR2, or DDR1 categories that desktops have so it’s important to know what type of memory your computer takes. It’s safe to assume all modern computers operate on DDR3, but you can always give us a call to verify your model.

A modern PC or Mac will need at least 4GB – 8GB of DDR3 RAM, while a high end gaming PC will need up to 16GB or more. Most modern motherboards support 16GB to 32GB of RAM.

RAM actually runs faster if you use multiple modules, as compared to using a single module of the same capacity. For example, two 4GB modules of RAM run better than a single 8GB module. This is because of a technology called ‘channeling’. You may have heard of dual channel memory? That’s what we’re referring to.

If your motherboard is Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) compatible, choosing XMP-Ready RAM can give you a dramatic boost in speed. Check your motherboard’s specifications to determine XMP compatibility.

In an incredible (and inevitable) shift in the technology market, today marks the first time that Google’s market capitalization has grown past Microsoft‘s. A lot of factors have gone into Google becoming one of the premier technology companies we have ever seen, but this milestone is definitely a “biggie” for them as Microsoft was always the behemoth they measured themselves against.

The future for Google looks bright and full of risk & innovation – Google glass is upcoming and reviews are mixed on how industry changing that will be. And Microsoft is re-inventing itself as well. We’ll see which company holds this title going forward and which can grow at a faster clip. Obviously with Google’s Android the sky has been the limit – but don’t count Microsoft out just yet. Windows 8 was tagged an initial flop but sales of their operating system software have been better than expected. They only can go up in the tablet/smartphone industry and the PC market is expected to rebound at least a bit.