You work in a computer store building computers. Costumers ask
you to recommend the components of their new computers that you will then build.
Please recommend computers for two of the following four costumers
using this format:
Type of Component Brand & Model Place of purchase Price
Example:
DVD Player Sony x16 / x40 Future Shop $116
This DVD player was chosen because of Sony’s record of reliability. It
is a fast drive and the price is within budget. PC Magazine states that “the
Sony DVD player is the best buy” in their July issue.
Build Easy PC is a very good resource to help you choose components and guides you on how to build a computer.
1. Home user:
Budget: $500
“I use my computer mainly for the Internet, e-mail, and word processing.
I would like to be able to edit and print photos with my new digital camera.
My children like to play games but I’m not worried if they cannot play
the newest games.”
2. Entertainment Center:
Budget: $800
“My computer is my entertainment center. I do not have a TV or a stereo.
I want to be able to play music and DVD movies on my computer with full surround
sound. I also want to burn CDS of music to play on my car stereo.”
3. Multi-Media Developer:
Budget: $1200
“I develop multi-media applications for a living including: CD-ROMs,
Web Cites, Brochures, Videos, Music, and Posters. I need to run Adobe Photoshop,
Illustrator, Premier, and
PageMaker, as well as Macromedia’s web development package. Often I need
to run several applications at the same time. I must scan client’s photos
and print high quality samples for them. I will also have to burn copies
of
CD-ROMs, DVDs, and files for the print house.”
4. Gamer:
Budget: Unlimited
“I want the ultimate gaming machine. Money is no object since I made a
fortune buying and selling dot com stock before the bottom dropped out of the
market. I want to be able to play the latest games from flight simulations to
first person shooters. I also enjoy playing older arcade games. I want great
sound and I want joysticks for the different types of games I play. I have a
different computer for office tasks so this machine will be strictly for fun.”
Each Computer Should Include At Least the Following Items:
Motherboard
CPU
RAM
Hard Drive
Optical Drives
Case / Power Supply
Video Card
Sound Card / Onboard Sound
Network Card / Onboard Network
Monitor
Speakers
Keyboard
Mouse
Operating System
Mark Sheet
| Description | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Knowledge / Understanding | ||||
| Student includes all necessary computer components. | ||||
| Student uses current technology. | ||||
| Sources are cited correctly. | ||||
| Communication | ||||
| Writing is neat and organized. | ||||
| Writing is concise and easy to understand. | ||||
| Application | ||||
| Systems are within budget. | ||||
| Systems meet users’ needs. | ||||
| Thinking / Inquiry | ||||
| Reasonable explanation for each component. | ||||
| Component choices are based on reasonable research. |
©2003 C. Whittington