I am giving up Dell...

[demonofaj]

Well, it's me, the adolescent we all (may) love to hate with developing soldering skills. I've recently..erm...kicked my 2400 so hard for failing on me when my report was due, I dent the case and, wasn't good with mom and dad. Well, I've convinced them now to get a new PC. And about the report...ran to friend's house, typed it on his sister's friend's computer, long story short, almost got screwed over by the female educational-wise grim repear herself. OK, so back to my computer thing. I convinced them to get a new comp, but recommended custom build, mom was reluctant, but dad was impressed by some of my portables so he agreed (until my exams are over which are in October). As long as a I make a list. Well, before I make teh list, I just want to say, that I bought the computer in 01, and have been going five hears...with 2 GhZ, 256mB RAM and more crap. Here is my compiled list.

Considering all of your choices, I finally got enough courage, to get a fairly good gaming PC, and working one. Also, I am hoping that it can play Battlefield Two at fairly high settings, all the source games at fairly high settings, and up coming games at a moderate level. Well, correct me in this if I am wrong. Also, it's a multimedia center, meanign burning of all formats and I"m a budding flash artist, that too, and YTMND, Imageready, the whole 'shebang', this is a graphics orientated computer, so if you find a flaw in some place, find it in the depths of your hear to correct me :P

Graphics Card: New EVGA 7900 card for 300, Thanks Sam! (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130034)

Central Processing Unit: I have picked this new Dual Core processor, for less the cost! Also, it's AM2 socket. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103751)

RAM: New DDR2 2Gig RAM! (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220095)

Motherboard: I picked the Asus one hearing it's superiority, thanks VB! Update! I have picked a new one with AM2 socket, as par to my new processor, and now accepts DDR2 RAM! (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131013)

Sound Card: Once again, am not sure, so check please :-D, but includes a copy of Splinter Cell :-) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102175)

Modem Card: Found one, just updated, but is it good for like Dial Up Internet Access, is it good? (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16825117112)

Hard Disk Drive: Well found a great new SATA one! (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136003)

Disk Drive: Well, I could find this, but remember, I need one that is practically all around burner and reader. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827140014)

Case:
Nice 100$ case, need help on how to implement it, like are their punch out holes so you can proplerly mount or what? (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811233003)

PSU: Thanks for the PSU, xelion (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103512)

In the end, should be about 1500, so far it's 1309.94...1310...actually screw it, with proper fans and a PSU, 1450.

Well, thanks again guys, but I still need helping getting a PSU for those stuff (if all of them are right for me) and a nice case. When I mean nice I mean well, eye candy, like a small neon bar, and I really want a see through one for both techno-savviness and just as a failsafe protocol if anything goes wrong :P . And some fans/heatsinks/cooling items. Thanks again guys and I really appreciate the help you've given me.

OK, ignore the other crap with mushiness, it was from another forum. I just need a response from you guys, on whether I nailed the lists part down, and if this is good enough to play BF:2 (which I have NEVER Playn before_ on fairly high settings. Also, be good for PC games to come. So, just tell me if it's good, improvements are welcome but not really recommended, because I've overhauled this list more than 14 times as advice from other forums. Thanks again people. :)

[mills]

I built my PC in 2003 and it still holds up very well today. It only cost me about 550 and that was including a 17" crt.

640mb RAM (512 + 128 stick I got for free)
2.4ghz intel processor
I bought a new video card for 150 later on.

[unwinddesign]

Seems like a pretty good rig, but you could do better for the price.

Get DDR2 RAM and a socket AM2 motherboard/processor. Socket 939 is on its way out, and DDR2 smokes DDR in the face. Plus, it's cheaper, and down the line, it'll really piss on DDR.

Secondly, replace that Enermax PSU with a Seasonic S12. They're the only way to go in terms of good, clean, efficient and best of all, SILENT power. I assume if you're going after a Whisper that you don't want your rig that loud. Get the Seasonic S12. They're the best, and offer a friggin' great warranty.

[diskoboy]

I order all my PC stuff from Newegg. Wise choice..

Sounds like a good setup to me.... I have an X2 4400 and I love my dual-core investment... My games run flawlessly. And the CPU stays cool as a cucumber.

You can never go wrong with an Nvidia gfx card.. I'm SLi'ing 2 7800gt's

This is the ram I use -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145594

If you want a good sound card - Go Sound Blaster X-Fi.

If you're willing to spend a tad more - go for an FX-(at least) 60 CPU.

Oh - and if you're building it yourself... Don't worry about soldering. There isn't really any required. :D

[unwinddesign]

Avoid that RAM. It's overpriced, and the bastards sent me a DOA stick of it. Would reboot my system after 12 hours. Had to wait two weeks to send both sticks off, leaving me without a computer. They work flawlessly now, but for the coin they cost, they just aren't worth it.

I'm talking about the Corsair diskoboy pointed out. I'm not being critical -- it works awesome for most people, and Newegg's RMA process, even at 2 weeks, is the fastest in the biz -- but I don't like that I got a screwed up stick when I dropped $270 at the time. I have that exact RAM set, btw.

But if you insist on getting that RAM, then get the DDR2 version. I kid not.

And no soldering is required for a PC. It's pretty much all just "plug this piece into slot X" type of stuff. Easy, really.

[diskoboy]

Actually, unwinddesign is right.... Stay away from that ram.

Most Mobo's don't read this ram's correct timings straight out of the box. And unless you're good at overclocking, fixing the timings maunally can be confusing.

I'd stick with your original choice.

[demonofaj]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies guys, and I guess you're right about DDR2 RAM and a new Socket motherboard/processor, well, I'm on the hunt again :D

Hunt done, for now...lol, well, about the PSU, can someone give me a link, and links to cooling devices. :)

[diskoboy]

I use the Athlon X2's stock heatsink. It works quite well! Most mobos nowadays have heat spreading pipes on the chipset, as well to help keep your whole PC nice and cool.

The stock heatsink has heat spreading pipes, and the temp on my PC has never gone above 75 degrees Farenheit.

Just remember the Arctic Silver 5!!! That stuff is a godsend!

You may wanna google for step-by-step instructions on how to use the AS5.

[demonofaj]

Awesome, and also, is my list good/great :-D, and err...can I get a guide on how to overclock ;-)