One of the biggest factors in recording is your computer, you need the power to run sessions with few to zero hang ups. In my opinion, this is the fourth most important consideration beside your mixing console, monitors and AD/DA converters.
Luckily, computers are getting cheaper and more powerful, which means great news for you native users that cannot afford Pro Tools or simply find another DAW comfortable. The rest of my personal background is that of a technical one, I have been performing PC repair for many years now, have worked for Acer and have pleased many friends and family with my expertise in troubleshooting and building skills.
This will come down to two simple options: Are you a DIY kind of person or are you not? If you are, then heed my words well, if not, I will give you a list of good manufacturers to choose from in which you can customize your options to your price margin and power margins.
1. AMD or Intel? I have used both extensively, however I have been sticking with Intel for a while, the new i7 and i5 cores are powerhouses! AMD's Phenom processors are quite sturdy too! This will come down to price, AMD CPUs are tend to be much cheaper than Intel CPUs, however the i7 will be a good friend for native systems.
2. Motherboard: AMD or Intel, you will need a compatible motherboard for your particular CPU. You cannot put an AMD CPU into an Intel motherboard and vice versa. Things that you will want to look for in a motherboard are:
Is the motherboard compatible with the CPU you have chosen? (Pentium, I7, X2, etc)
RAM slots/max memory supported/memory standards
USB/Firewire ports
SATA ports
CPU slots (single or dual CPU motherboard)
If you plan on running a PTHD (Pro Tools HD) system, I recommend snagging a good ASUS or TYAN dual i7 motherboard-- power for days! If you plan to run a native recording program such as Reaper, Cubase, Nuendo or Sonar, snag a dual AMD CPU motherboard, you will have plenty of power and track/insert count.
As for RAM...get as much as you can afford, a good bet is 12GBs if possible.
Hard drives are super cheap now, so grab a couple 1TB hard drives and RAID 0 them, you will have even more speed by having the drives read and write in tandem. The Pro Tools manual and Digidesign will tell you that RAID drives are not recommended, however I do not have issues with my RAID 0 configuration when using Pro Tools. If you're weary about it, it's fine not to RAID them too! Use one for your main system and plug ins and the other to record the sessions to and you will be just fine as well.
Power supplies: I recommend a 550W and higher PSU for stability, dual 12V rails is a minimum. They have quad AND hex 12V rails now as well, however I wouldn't take it that far. Dual minimum, quad maximum. If you decide to go the dual CPU route, you will most likely end up with a server motherboard, in which you will want a server ready PSU.
The case is up to you, however I recommend a full tower ATX case for those of you going a single CPU route with good ventilation and as quiet as possible. Those of you going server/dual CPU route will need a server case with good airflow, quietness and ventilation as well.
Manufacturers of good standing: Motherboards:
ASUS
Gigabyte
TYAN
EVGA
Intel
DFI
RAM:
OCZ
G. Skill
Mushkin
Super Talent
Patriot
Crucial
Kingston
PSU:
Thermaltake
Antec
OCZ
Silverstone
Rosewill
For those of you who would rather buy a pre-built, check out the following manufacturers:
Acer
Cyberpower PC
Alienware
Dell
By following this guide and making informed decisions, you will save a LOT of money building your own!
