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Building Computers for the Weekend Geek, part 2

In this followup to part 1, we'll be going over the remaining components that are essential to building a system from scratch. Grab your thinking cap and your anti-static wrist strap, and let's get started!

Intel Core i5-2300 CPU/Processor

When it comes to performance, Intel has been the one to beat for quite some time. The Core i series Nehalem CPUs provided a fantastic boost in performance over the Core 2 line. The new Sandy Bridge CPUs look to provide another boost, but is the leap as dramatic? Today we'll be taking a look at the Core i5 2300, which fills the lowest slot in the i5 range for this generation. Let's see just how well this middleweight CPU manages to hold its own.

MSI P67A-GD80 Motherboard

MSI is determined to take the lead with the new generation of Intel CPUs, and toward that end they've sent us their flagship P67 board, the P67A-GD80. Make no mistake, this board is aimed squarely at the performance-hungry. With features like automatic overclocking, premium solid-state capacitors and enough I/O ports to choke a horse, this board is poised to take the market by storm. MSI's swinging for the bleachers here, let's see if they hit a Grand Slam or a foul ball.

Cooler Master NotePal U3 Laptop Cooler

Naming your company Cooler Master makes a declarative statement: we make coolers, and we are the best at what we do. The NotePal series looks to extend that legacy to laptop coolers—a class of product littered with failures and disappointments. Today we'll be looking at the NotePal U3, a cooler designed to handle the largest of laptops.

OCZ 750W Fatal1ty Series Power Supply

Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel has had his name and gaming handle splashed across a lot of hardware over the past few years. Today we'll be looking at his latest entry in branded gear, brought to us courtesy of OCZ. The OCZ 750W Fatal1ty Series power supply builds on OCZ's already solid reputation by bringing several interesting features to the table.

Thermalright HR-02 CPU Heatsink

Thermalright produces a small, but carefully crafted selection of high-quality components, all centered around a single core competency. Today we'll be looking at one of their larger coolers to date, the HR-02. Aimed at the enthusiast and overclocker crowds, this cooler seems geared to tackle the hottest CPUs on the market. Stick with us as we see just how Right the Thermals are on this beastly cooler.