DeDeutsche Version

Preferred PC hardware

Remark: My preferred hardware !!

CPU
Brand Reason Link
Intel

Best for daily work / for office use.
+ quality, standards
+ very reliable
+ software (compiler, chipset drivers)
+ data sheets
- price

 Intel
AMD

Best for games / for home use.
+ cost-effectiveness
+ power
- chipsets
- loose standards cause often unstable systems.

 AMD

Mainboard
Brand Reason Link
ASUS

+ very reliable, stable
+ first class BIOS, updated frequently
+ excellent documentation

 Asus
MSI

+ comparatively cheap
+ functions
+ stable
+ well documented, diagnostic LEDs
- BIOS were kept updated, but aren't as good as ASUS.

 MSI

Ram
Brand Reason Link
Kingston + Quality
+ Compatibility
+ Lifetime Warranty		 Kingston
Siemens / Infenion

+ prime quality
+ expert support

  
Hint: Quality RAM is the key to a stable PC.

Harddrives
Brand Reason Link
Seagate

SCSI discs
+ uttermost reliable
+ technology leader, very fast
- heat dispassion

 Seagate
Maxtor

ATA/IDE Disks
+ cheap
+ quite, fast
+ big capacities
- SW (no good tools available)

 Maxtor

CD-Rom, DVD-Rom, CD Rewriter
Brand Reason Link
Plextor

CD-Rom, Rewriter
+ quality
+ audio grabbing
+ firmware
+ PlexTools (Software)
- price

 Plextor
Toshiba

CD-Rom, DVD-Rom
+ cheap
+ reliable
+ standard (Jumper always on the same place)
- website (where the heck I find something ???)

  

Graphics Cards
Brand Reason Link
Nvidia + Compatible with most games
+ Drivers
I usually use Asus cards with Nvidia chips.		 Nvidia

Controller (SCSI, IDE)
Brand Reason Link
Adaptec

Adaptec is THE standard for SCSI
For me, there is no real competition for Adaptec.
+ quality, support
+ drivers, bios

 Adaptec
Promise

IDE (Raid) controller
One recommendable IDE addon controller
+ recent BIOS, drivers

 Promise Tech

Network Interface Cards
Brand Reason Link
3Com

+ very reliable
+ driver support
I use 3Com 3C905C-TX network cards.

 3Com

Keyboards, Mice (Game controller, speaker)
Brand Reason Link
Logitech

There is no better product !!
+ processing, longevity
+ mouse drivers

 Logitech
Wingman Team

Wechseldisk
Brand Reason Link
Iomega ZIP

+ very common
+ reliable
+ excellent support

 Iomega

Screen
Brand Reason Link
Eizo

+ quality, longevity
+ professional equipping (ex. antistatic cleaning cloth ;-))

 Eizo

Case
Brand Reason Link
InWin

+ processing, no sharp edges
+ good concept

 Swiss Case
InWin
Chenbro + processing
+ room for extensions		 Chenbro

Power Supply
Brand Reason Link
Fortron/Source
(FSP)

+ very reliable
+ good price
+ components

 Fortron
Enermax + processing
+ functions (Fan control, etc)
+ Long cables		 Enermax

Compact Flash Memory (my preferred Digital Camera Storage)
Brand Reason Link
Sandisk

+ the original, very reliable
+ fast
- expensive

 Sandisk
Kingston + Lifetime warranty
+ compatibility
+ low power usage		 Kingston