Lab

Barebones kits

It's often better to build your own PC rather than buy one pre-assembled. You'll have more control over the size of the case and the exact specifications. You can opt for the latest components or use parts cannibalised from an existing computer.

If you're daunted by the thought of getting your hands dirty, don't be, as a barebones kit can make the whole process much easier. You'll get a case with a motherboard and power supply usually pre-fitted, so you don't have to start from scratch. Detailed instructions are also provided to help you fit the other components. Barebones kits are often much smaller than standard PCs, so they'll take up less desk or floor space.

This month we've gathered together nine barebones kits. So, whether you want to build a PC for office work, gaming or recording TV shows, we'll help you pick the right one.

Don't miss our Labs test of processors next month, when we'll be reviewing all Intel's and AMD's latest models.

Choosing a barebones kit is easier if you know what you want to do with your PC once it's built. Some kits are designed for general-purpose use, such as office work and browsing the web. These kits tend to be inexpensive but are ill-suited for gaming since they typically don't have enough room, or often even a PCI Express x16 slot, for powerful graphics cards.

A few barebones kits designed for gaming not only fix these shortcomings but may also support technologies such as CrossFire, which pairs two graphics cards together for better 3D performance, and Dolby Digital Live, for better audio in games.

Some barebones kits are designed for use as a media centre PC. These allow you to record your favourite TV shows and manage your media collection using a remote control. They tend to be quiet and small, with video and audio outputs to hook up your TV and audio equipment. They also tend to have front-mounted displays for showing information such as the currently selected TV channel or music track being played. Our reviews tell you which kits are suitable for each job.

Builder's trade

Barebones kits tend to be small and easy to build, but the smaller they are the less room they'll have for internal upgrades. It's important to choose one with enough space for the disks and expansion cards you'll want to fit in future. Most barebones kits use non-standard motherboards, so they can't be replaced if they don't have the features you want. Some kits also use custom heatsinks and fans, which also can't be replaced if they're too noisy. The full specifications of each kit are listed in the table on page 106.

Three of the kits here support Socket AM2 processors, such as the AMD Athlon 64 X2. Five support Socket LGA775 processors, such as Intel's popular Core 2 Duo. Only one accepts Socket M processors, which are designed for use in laptops, such as the Core Duos and certain versions of the Core 2 Duo range. The processors that can be used by each kit are also listed in the table. Check the manufacturer's website for a full list of supported processors before you buy, though, to avoid any disappointment.

All the kits in our group have at least two RAM slots, but some have four, which is useful since you might otherwise have to dispose of your existing memory to fit more. The amount of memory and the memory speeds supported vary from kit to kit; the full details are listed in the table. All the kits here use standard desktop DDR2 DIMM modules, except HFX's mCubed, which uses DDR2 SODIMM modules designed for laptops. Seven of the kits support up to 4GB of RAM and two support up to 8GB, although this is of little use currently as 32-bit versions of Windows can only use around 3.5GB.

Graphic novel

All the kits in our group apart from Shuttle's SX38P2 Pro come with an integrated graphics chip, so there's no need to buy a dedicated graphics card unless you want to play 3D games or use more than one monitor. Each kit has a VGA socket for connecting a monitor, while some also have DVI connectors. Three also have HDMI ports for hooking up a high-definition TV, although these can also be used to connect a DVI monitor using an HDMI-to-DVI adaptor. MSI's Media Live is the only kit in our group to have S-video, composite, component and SCART outputs, so you should have no trouble connecting it to a TV or projector.

A dedicated graphics card is a necessity for playing 3D games. All the kits in this round-up apart from HFX's mCubed have a PCI Express x16 card slot. However, Asus's P3-P5G33 only has room for a half-height card, MSI's slot is blocked and none of the barebones kits here has space for double-slot cards.

Powerful graphics cards will need additional power via a six-pin PCI Express power connector. Most of the barebones kits in this group lack such a connector, so you'll need a molex-to-PCI Express power adaptor, which is available from www.maplin.co.uk for £4. Our reviews tell you which barebones kits can take a graphics card, and how easy they are to fit.

Storage space

Due to their small size, none of the barebones kits in our group can accommodate as many hard disks and optical drives as a tower PC, so you'll need to choose your storage components carefully. Six of the kits in our round-up have space for two hard disks and one optical drive. Five of the kits in the group have built-in memory card readers.

MSI's Media Live and the mCubed lack a standard 5¼in optical drive bay since they come with slot-loading DVD writers for laptops. The mCubed uses a 2in laptop hard disk, but these are more expensive and have lower capacities than their 3in desktop counterparts.

All the barebones kits in our round-up come with instructions to assist in the assembly of your PC, but some are clearer than others. Our individual reviews point out which kits are simple to build and which are frustratingly difficult.