1st time computer builder

[tas]

I would like to solicit all the help i can get. i'm going to build my own computer for the first time & i need help. if any of you could give me advice i'd appreiate it. like, is there any particular piece of hardware i should stay away from or any i should really use? what good reference material is available (books or websites)? any tips or recommendations. i'm a 49 year old & i'm building this for my daughter. i'm fairly proficient with computers but i would say i'm still a rank amatuer so please keep it simple so this novice can understand and please be patient if i ask a lot of questions. thank you in advance.fairly

 

[4824guy]

The most important chioce would be what motherboard and CPU you want to use. Mobo's and CPU's can be bought for a wide price range. mobo prices depend on the performace and features that it may have. Some even come with intergrated video and sound, so no additional PCI cards will be needed. Something like this would perhaps be a good idea if your only going to be using it for child or young school person and want to save a few bucks.

The mobo will determine if you need a AT or ATX PC case. These are the two types of powersupplies that are currently being made.

 

[tas]

well, the daughter i'm building this for is starting grad school this summer so i'd like it to be a fairly good machine. i was thinking of buying an "inwin q500a" case, going with a athlon 800 mhz cpu. now as i research the mbo it gets sort of confusing and i'm not sure yet which one i'd like or need. any suggestions? thanks.

 

[bub]

For a 1st time system, I would build an Intel outfit. Unless you get all components and operating system exactly right, an AMD system can be lots of bother, or so I've read on these forums.

But you're at the right place; just read all these threads for awhile and you'll pick-up on what's good AND what's not.

My $.05.
No flames please. I have nothing against AMD!

 

[AC]

building a computer is fairly straightforward, but there are so many minor details that you can overlook which can cause a lot of frustration in the end

this site has some of the most accurate, comprehensive, and unbiased reviews of computer products availiable today in my opinion

this message board is a good source for tech support (but you have to sort between the good advice and the bad ones); you have the opportunity to read about people's opinions about a particular product, but opinions can be biased, so you should carefully choose your hardware based only on accurate information (where you can get on this site)

a good computer these days doesn't mean expensive, you can check Pricewatch.com or Cnet Shopper for some of the lowest prices on the web, but keep in mind that some vendors can be shady, so you should check on them too at Bizrate.com or ResellerRatings.com.

seeing that you are building one for a college student, reliability is the key issue where performance is second. shall we assume, that your daughter is less proficient with computers than you? i myself am an undergrad in engineering with a self-assembled computer

for hardware, you'll probably want to talk to her about what she want's to do with it. you have the option of building a really inexpensive but nice computer by using integrated parts like many large computer manufacturers, or you can spend more money on individual parts to get the best of everything (and watch them depreciate)

you don't really need much for word processing, web browsing, etc., so any cpu and mb combinations should work fine, but you need enough ram for multiple applications to run at once, and i find it really nice to have a fast hard drive (it saves time by a great deal whether you are booting up, opening applications, or saving files)

i also think it would be nice to have a near silent computer, so as to allow a quiet study environment. fans and drives are the only mechanical parts of a computer, so find ones that are good but also quiet. i don't know about the case that you are getting, but you might ask people how good it is in keeping things quiet, plastic covered cases are good at dampening sound

until next time, find out what you really need, and tell us about your plans, and we'll help you along the way

 

[AC]

not to discourage you from using other parts but in my opinion i would have the following for the average college student's (non-power user) computer:
case: plastic shell, strong, light for mobility and sound dampening
power supply: 200-250W, quiet fan
cpu: at least 500MHz, cool (low heat output for less cooling requirements and thus a slower, quieter fan)
motherboard: high quality for stability
memory: at least 128mb preferably 256mb, high quality for stability
hard drive: ATA100, 7200RPM, </~9ms read seek time for speed, quiet
video/graphics: integrated for lower cost; good 2D performance, 3D optional
network/modem: good, low cost 10/100 NIC that is compatible with the network or integrated one for lower cost; or good 56K modem (if she is living off campus and this is the only option for internet access, you may want to find a really good one, or you could look for DSL or Cable services)
sound: integrated (16-bit sound reproduction technology hasn't changed much except in the 3D arena)
cd-rom/dvd-rom: fast, quiet

 

[Lvis]

I too, would suggest an Intel based system. I would also suggest you stick with &quot;brand name&quot; components. Don't use no name sound cards, video cards etc. Stick with commonly used parts on your first machine. Brand name retail parts allow you to call tech support, if needed.

Good Luck, and have fun

 

[AC]

On the issue of Intel vs. AMD:
There is really not that much difference between their CPUs (for the details you can read about them in Anand's reviews) other than cost. Theoretical performance differences are negligible when compared to real world performance.

It is true that certain AMD based systems can be trickier to assemble than Intel based systems. However these problems have been compatibility issues due to the following:
1) AMD CPUs are more sensitive to voltage variations,
2) AMD CPUs produce more excess heat than those of Intel, and
3) chipsets used by the motherboard manufacturer for AMD CPUs are by third party manufacturers such as VIA, whereas Intel produces their own.
High quality parts will take care of these problems:
1) high quality voltage regulators and capacitors on the motherboard and a good power supply will keep the voltage supplied to the CPU steady,
2) a heatsink/fan combo that is AMD certified will do the job,
3) driver support from these third party manufacturers are unparalleled because that is basically their profession and their business.
As with choosing any computer part, brand name parts tend to be of higher quality, have better drivers, and better tech support. The same rule of thumb applies to motherboards as well. I highly recommend ASUS motherboards regardless of whether you choose Intel or AMD. They have a very good history of manufacturing quality stable motherboards, so you probably won't have any problems with them at all.

However, you could build an Intel system and avoid these potential problems altogether, but it will come at a higher cost for a similar performance system.

 

[rectifire]

If you intend to go with an intel system, assembly may be slightly to somewhat easier, but the cost of the system will increase. On the other hand, if you go for an AMD system, you will get more for your money, but it's mildly possible you may have to work a little more to get your system running optimally.

But hey, if you can build an AMD system, then most likely you'll be able to build an intel one easily. It's just how much you want to take on as a first time builder.

If it were me, I'd stick with my instincts and go with what my first chice (Or in this case, your first choice) was. I'd go for it all with the AMD system, cause if any problems crept up, I'd enjoy the challenge of taking care of them (Besides, I like saving money).

Good luck!

 

[tas]

This is all very good information and exactly why i posted this. Thank you. Is anyone aware of any good resources (other than right here) to assist me in making my decision.
I know of tomshardare.com, pcmech.com, I've already checked out pricewatch.com. I'm definetly leaning towards an AMD system and all the challenges that entails but you guys have really got me thinking about buildinh Intel. Any estimate on how much monetary difference between two comparable systems? $100, $200 or $800 - $1,000. Again, thanks for all the help. I'm slowly learning a lot.

 

[wjones]

AMD system is cheaper because of the CPU cost. The rest of the parts are almost the same price for AMD and Pentium system (well, don't get cheap pentium mobo, it is worth to pay a little more for stability).
The different should be less than $100 for Thunderbird compare to PIII.

 

[AC]

Wow, wjones is right. Intel has slashed their CPU prices. This only makes the decision tougher.

 

[Rado45]

hi,

I would just like to share my experiences with building a new computer, since I just put mine together a week ago(see sig for specs). Everything went allright in the end but I just want to say that you should take your time choosing your system (is anything new going to come out very soon, for instance in your case AMD's 760 chipset). Also I would be sure that you have another computer that works fine and has access to the internet nearby (updates, patches and drivers for download, VIA drivers in particular for athlon systems), that sure helped a lot for me.
If you go for AMD, I would take the new MSI KT7 pro2 motherboard (I have the A7V, but MSI's is just as stable and cheaper). Also get a good cooler if you get an athlon at a high clockspeed, they run very hot (mine reaches 50degrees celsius sometimes, perfectly stable though).


good luck!