[sclug] Custom-built PCs

[Alex Butcher]

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012, Ian Park wrote:

> Thanks to all of you who've provided suggestions. I now have the basis for 
> further research - Aria, DN UK and PC specialist look likely candidates. I am 
> rather wary of going the build it yourself route, because of concerns about 
> making sure the CPU is adequately cooled - I'd much rather leave the 
> attachment of the heatsink to a professional!

It's a doddle with modern CPUs (Intel, at least); buy a boxed CPU and it
comes with an Intel approved heatsink/fan.  Follow the instructions and you
can't go wrong.  It even comes with a thermal compound pad pre-applied to
the base of the heatsink.

Now, if you're planning on overclocking, or want a super-quiet machine, the
stock fan probably isn't ideal.  But if you don't care about those things,
it's fine (and the other fans in the PCs I build drown out the CPU fan
anyway...)

> Ian

HTH,
Alex