What are good reference materials/sources of computer info?

[Bleedingyamato]

Aside from asking for help on LTT I'm hoping to find some helpful reference materials (books, websites, etc.) for learning about computer stuff.  

 

Things like how various components work, how to overclock RAM/CPU/GPU, troubleshoot problems both hardware and software, etc.

 

How much difference there is between a 7200rpm HDD and a 5400, what difference different sizes of cache on a HDD makes, how to determine relative performance between different CPUs/GPUs/RAM, and more things of course.  

 

Stuff like that.  

 

Basically I want to at least try to learn some of the sorts of things I might ask for help with so maybe I can be a bit more self sufficient.  Also, what would make me extra happy would be to have the knowledge and understanding to actually be able help others more when they have questions.  

 

Sorry if this sounds dumb to ask about.  I don't know anywhere near as much as I'm sure most people on the LTT message boards know.  That's why I want to maybe bookmark some sites, find some books/charts/reference materials, and expand my brain.  ?

 

 

[Enderman]

youtube channels like techquickie?

 

and the way you determine performance is by looking at benchmarks, not specs

[Fatelinha]

All I've learned is from youtube. LTT, JayzTwoCents, HardwareCannucks, etc... But there are also website like TomsHardware that have a lot of info.

[glitchmaster0001]

i learned from toms hardware. very good website and i would recommend it 

[Bleedingyamato]

5 hours ago, Enderman said:

youtube channels like techquickie?

 

and the way you determine performance is by looking at benchmarks, not specs

Definitely a good idea.

 

It's always confused me how to gauge how good a CPU or GPU is.  Like when a game lists a specific CPU as a recommended system spec.  How are you supposed to know if a CPU is better or worse?  Though the first time I asked myself this question was years ago before I knew anything about computers beyond how to install a game and similar basic stuff.

[Bleedingyamato]

5 hours ago, Fatelinha said:

All I've learned is from youtube. LTT, JayzTwoCents, HardwareCannucks, etc... But there are also website like TomsHardware that have a lot of info.

My problem with YouTube is there's so many people doing half asked reviews and bs videos that either don't tell you anything useful or are flat out inaccurate.  Just a week or two ago I forget if it was on the LTT forums or just browsing YouTube I'd seen a video of some idiot replacing a CPU cooler and doing EVERYTHING wrong. Using WAY too much thermal compound, spreading it around on the CPU, putting the cooler on and wiggling it along with removing and putting it back both I believe would cause air bubbles, and I think he was saying all sorts of bs inaccurate crap about hoe airflow through the case and GPU and/or CPU cooler works.  The whole video had me so close to bashing my head against a wall to forget all the stupid I'd just seen.  I hope that no one takes that video seriously...

 

Sorry.  My point is YouTube can be good but you have to have some basic knowledge about what you're searching for videos about so you can tell the difference between factual/helpful videos vs. bs nonsense.

 

LTT and JayzTwoCents along with TomsHardware I've heard of or seen videos from.  

 

Serious question: What is a "Cannuck"?  O_o 

[Bleedingyamato]

5 hours ago, glitchmaster0001 said:

i learned from toms hardware. very good website and i would recommend it 

I've heard of it but aside from the occasional forum visit from a Google search result I haven't looked there.  I'll keep it in mind though.

[Fatelinha]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=canuck canuck here for you ahaha

 

[WEEEEEE]

www.logicalincrements.com is a really good website. They have some partlists for various builds of different calibers, as well as component recommendations and detailed explanations.