Lasting Forever
I run a small tech company and have subscribed to your magazine for years. I can’t honestly say I read every magazine and every article, but I do find your build challenges very helpful. I don’t have time to research all the new hardware, and articles like yours simplify my research when it comes time to build custom machines.
However, I may have missed it, but I was wondering if you have any articles on builds that use more durable yet budget oriented hardware, that can run 24/ 7 for years without breaking down? I know the cost will increase, but I still find it hard to mix and match those kinds of parts. Any suggestions you have will be helpful!
– Edward Sheaffer
STAFF WRITER, CHRISTIAN
GUYTON, RESPONDS: I’ve not addressed this before, but it’s actually less about which components you use and more about how you treat your system. If you’re running a PC 24/ 7, the thing that’s gonna kill it is dust buildup. Make sure you regularly open up the case and give it a good blast with compressed air; go with cases that have magnetic dust filters, and clean them regularly. Keep that system in a room that stays cool, out of sunlight, and is on a hard surface above the floor— no carpets!
With regard to which parts, most well- known brands generally do build their components to last these days—just make sure you’re getting good warranties, in case a part does give up the ghost. Avoid moving parts where possible; that means
SATA SSDs instead of HDDs, motherboards without built- in fans, and integrated graphics on the CPU, rather than a GPU with its own fans. Case fans are cheap to replace; GPU cooling, not so much.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to stick with a low- power build. Get a high- quality Gold or Platinum PSU at a relatively low wattage, and eliminate power use from the system wherever possible to minimize temperature buildup. In the same view, a good CPU cooler is a must; after dust, overheating is the biggest thing to watch out for. Get a motherboard with good power management features, and avoid RGB lighting like the plague!