How to transform a regular desktop PC into a high-performance gamer’s Mod PC.

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Joel Durham (Farmington NY), has been a PC gamer pretty much all his life. From his first Atari 2600 to his TRS-80 and his Commodore 64, gaming always came first for Joel in the realm of computing. Joel has freelanced full-time for such markets as ExtremeTech.com, PC Magazine, PC Gamer, Computer Gaming World, GameSpot.com, and more. He also took the telecommuting seat of Senior Technical Editor for CNET’s Gamecenter for that site’s final year of existence, doubling traffic to his section in a year’s time. Edward Chen (New York, NY) - a web programmer for one of the largest communications companies in the world. Mr. Chen is the founder and web master of GideonTech.com: a case modification website.

Rev it up, take it into overdrive, and transform your ordinary desktop PC into a cool looking, high-performance gamer’s mod PC. Learn to acquire and install the latest CPUs, the largest hard drives, and the fastest RAM. Plus, tweak sounds and video cards so applications and games look and sound better. Also explains physical modifications including painting and lighting design.

Improve the skin and heart--the box and inner components--of your PC. Authors Joel Durham, Jr. and Edward Chen show you how to customize your machine to gain power, prestige, and excitement. Learn to improve performance and upgrade components with the latest CPUs, the largest hard drives, and the fastest RAM. Discover physical modifications such as painting, lighting, windows, and specialized controls. Build Your Own High Performance Gamers’ Mod PC is a complete, illustrated step-by-step guide to the skills, tools, and accessories you’ll need to build a juiced up box that will help you enjoy gaming even more.

• Improve the looks and performance of your PC
• Tweak video and sound cards so applications and games look and sound better
• Customize your box with neon, LED, Electro luminescent lights, and more
• Design and create case windows
• Add exciting switches, controls, and other custom features
• Apply professional painting techniques
• Learn from more than 200 photographs and illustrations

Rev it up, take it into overdrive, and transform your ordinary desktop PC into a cool looking, high-performance gamer’s mod PC. Learn to acquire and install the latest CPUs, the largest hard drives, and the fastest RAM. Plus, tweak sounds and video cards so applications and games look and sound better. Also explains physical modifications including painting and lighting design.

A review of the Build Your Own Pc book
I have recently purchased the Build Your Own High Performance Gamers Mod Pc book.

At first inspection the book looks well presented with good quality photos and as your would expect nicely broken down into simple chapters. A usefull feature of this book is the what you should need page. This tells you exactly what you need to build and mod a pc.

Looking through the book there are chapters about all the different parts of a pc Eg motherboard and cpu. These chapters are well presented and simple due to the big diagrams and bullet points. Another use feature is the advice as to which computer hardware(parts) would be good to use. This is good for people with little knowledge of building a computer. But this book is not just pictures when needed the book goes into detail but still explains simply. This is very much a step by step guide.

The only problem I found with the book is the lack of modding information. The three catogories in the modding section are painting, adding a window and lighting. So if you brought this book with modding in mind then your money would be best spent elsewhere.

Overall this book is very good. If your a beginner and brought this book im sure with limited IT knowledge you could build a great pc.

Best Book for Upgrading and Building on the market
This is simply the greatest book for its kind on the market. It has evry bit of information you could want to know. The book recomends parts and each company’s tendencies. In the Modding Part and Building Part, the directions are so detailed and contain many pictures of what you will run into. This is the best computer book I have ever read and bought. All other books are inferior. Even if you are not Building, Upgrading, or Modding your PC. This is a book to have. The information is must-know for all gamers and professionals.

Best Book for Upgrading and Building on the market
This is simply the greatest book for its kind on the market. It has evry bit of information you could want to know. The book recomends parts and each company’s tendencies. In the Modding Part and Building Part, the directions are so detailed and contain many pictures of what you will run into. This is the best computer book I have ever read and bought. All other books are inferior. Even if you are not Building, Upgrading, or Modding your PC. This is a book to have. The information is must-know for all gamers and professionals.

Wires, what wires?
I bought this book expecting to have everything explained, in a simple manner. This was true until it came time to wire together the parts. If you ask me, the hardest part of building a computer is the wiring, it’s pretty complicated. This book tells you how to install the parts themselves sans the wires. I had to figure out all of the wires on my own: the book told me how to install only about 2 of the wires. I ended up mostly using the instruction booklets that came with the parts. I ended up even having to call tech support!!! After the wiring was set up it came time to install the OS which believe it or not the book has no instructions on. If you are looking for a book to help you build a computer don’t get this one!!!

Wires, what wires?
I bought this book expecting to have everything explained, in a simple manner. This was true until it came time to wire together the parts. If you ask me, the hardest part of building a computer is the wiring, it’s pretty complicated. This book tells you how to install the parts themselves sans the wires. I had to figure out all of the wires on my own: the book told me how to install only about 2 of the wires. I ended up mostly using the instruction booklets that came with the parts. I ended up even having to call tech support!!! After the wiring was set up it came time to install the OS which believe it or not the book has no instructions on. If you are looking for a book to help you build a computer don’t get this one!!!

Good but not Great
This book would be very good for someone new to the computer building world but does not offer much to anyone with average knowledge. Most of us know what a PSU does and how memory is installed. But if your new to building a cpu, then this is a good source of information.

Good but not Great
This book would be very good for someone new to the computer building world but does not offer much to anyone with average knowledge. Most of us know what a PSU does and how memory is installed. But if your new to building a cpu, then this is a good source of information.

Great for beginners
This book makes great uses of friendly text and informative pictures and really shows how a PC is put together. I’ve never built my own PC before but now I feel like I can do it easily, and I’m already getting parts and putting them together. The mod stuff is really cool but I don’t have some of the tools you need to do it, so I can’t comment on how easy modding is with this book.

I just wish the book had a chapter on installing Windows, it kind of leaves you hanging after talking about the hardware side. Otherwise, great book!!

Great for beginners
This book makes great uses of friendly text and informative pictures and really shows how a PC is put together. I’ve never built my own PC before but now I feel like I can do it easily, and I’m already getting parts and putting them together. The mod stuff is really cool but I don’t have some of the tools you need to do it, so I can’t comment on how easy modding is with this book.

I just wish the book had a chapter on installing Windows, it kind of leaves you hanging after talking about the hardware side. Otherwise, great book!!

Good Book For First Time Computer Builders
I found this book to be very knowledgeable and it guided me to building my first comp.

The pictures are a big help so you can actually see how things go together and view the correct way of doing it.

I felt the book could have been a bit more informative on the exact step-by-step method for building a comp. I was somewhat confusing weather to hook up the DVD, CDRW, and/or tape drive before or after you hit the power button for the first time. The book made you feel like you boot up the BIOS before you hook up the DVD, CDRW, etc. which may or may not be correct but it doesn’t really make sense. I hooked up everything then booted up the system so the BIOS recognized everything. It worked perfectly!

The modification section was informative but there should have been more detail for wire clean up to make the inside look pretty as well. There also should have been step-by-steps on how to hook up case lighting, the best positioning, fan hook ups, etc.

Overall I think it is a good book to purchase to better understand how to build a comp and to modify it to your liking.

Good Book For First Time Computer Builders
I found this book to be very knowledgeable and it guided me to building my first comp.

The pictures are a big help so you can actually see how things go together and view the correct way of doing it.

I felt the book could have been a bit more informative on the exact step-by-step method for building a comp. I was somewhat confusing weather to hook up the DVD, CDRW, and/or tape drive before or after you hit the power button for the first time. The book made you feel like you boot up the BIOS before you hook up the DVD, CDRW, etc. which may or may not be correct but it doesn’t really make sense. I hooked up everything then booted up the system so the BIOS recognized everything. It worked perfectly!

The modification section was informative but there should have been more detail for wire clean up to make the inside look pretty as well. There also should have been step-by-steps on how to hook up case lighting, the best positioning, fan hook ups, etc.

Overall I think it is a good book to purchase to better understand how to build a comp and to modify it to your liking.

A review of the Build Your Own Pc book
I have recently purchased the Build Your Own High Performance Gamers Mod Pc book.

At first inspection the book looks well presented with good quality photos and as your would expect nicely broken down into simple chapters. A usefull feature of this book is the what you should need page. This tells you exactly what you need to build and mod a pc.

Looking through the book there are chapters about all the different parts of a pc Eg motherboard and cpu. These chapters are well presented and simple due to the big diagrams and bullet points. Another use feature is the advice as to which computer hardware(parts) would be good to use. This is good for people with little knowledge of building a computer. But this book is not just pictures when needed the book goes into detail but still explains simply. This is very much a step by step guide.

The only problem I found with the book is the lack of modding information. The three catogories in the modding section are painting, adding a window and lighting. So if you brought this book with modding in mind then your money would be best spent elsewhere.

Overall this book is very good. If your a beginner and brought this book im sure with limited IT knowledge you could build a great pc.