New Builder Advice

[rider19]

I'm looking into building my first PC (I've been a long-time Mac user, but in the interest of making myself more marketable, I'm trying to get PC savvy too). I'm not new to computers at all, I just feel like this is a good way for me to familiarize myself with the ins and outs of the PC side. I'm only looking to spend $350 or less including the OS (probably going to be XP Home or Pro). This is what I've been thinking about doing so far:

I'm mainly going to be using this computer for things like web-surfing, MS Office, and maybe some very light gaming. As such, could anyone provide me with some general recommendations as to what I should purchase? If you could tell me which brands are good, bad for RAM, mobos, graphics cards, etc. that would be really great. Also, if anyone has any good site recommendations for purchases that would be good too.

Thanks.

 

[FghtinIrshNvrDi]

Windows XP will cost about 90 bucks... so that leaves you with not very much money to build with. If I had to point you to one site for the rest of eternity, I'd say go to www.newegg.com

Ryan

 

[The_Tobes99]

i recommend going AMD but you save yourself a cool $30 getting a Celeron, for very light gaming 512MB of ram would be fine, by that what games do you inted to play?
PM me for more detailed help.

 

[rider19]

Is it better for me to go Athlon 64 and a cheaper mobo, or stay with a sempron and get a better mobo for overclocking?

 

[The_Tobes99]

do you have a monitor keyboard & mouse?

 

[The_Tobes99]

OK ive been looking onto this on newegg & the best i can do with everything you need minus monitor keyboard & mouse is $500
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819104208
Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127179
Case & PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129150
Graphics
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130210
Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144122
Optical Drive aka DVD Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827136071
RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231026
OS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102059
This works out to be $500

Add a phillips 17" CRT monitor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824133104
& a keyboard & mouse
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823109156
Overall for quite a decent PC you are looking at $650, you do want quality & that cpu will provide you with overclocking potential.

 

[NosBoost300]

hrm i suggest to just get a mobo with onboard graphics, that'll save some money, maybe an ati xpress 200, then just get 512 stick of ram... and put in a lil cheapy sempron in it

 

[Apokalipse]

OK ive been looking onto this on newegg & the best i can do with everything you need minus monitor keyboard & mouse is $500
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819104208
Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127179
Case & PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129150
Graphics
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130210
Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144122
Optical Drive aka DVD Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827136071
RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231026
OS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102059
This works out to be $500

Add a phillips 17" CRT monitor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824133104
& a keyboard & mouse
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823109156
Overall for quite a decent PC you are looking at $650, you do want quality & that cpu will provide you with overclocking potential.

I'd get this, except change the motherboard and CPU to:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128262
Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M Socket 754 - $54

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819104245
Sempron 64 2800+ socket 754 - $75.50

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835116003
Thermaltake Crystal Orb - $8.99
because a video card without a fan on its heatsink runs HOT (I know from experience) and often artifacts even when on the desktop!

 

[The_Tobes99]

that vga fan isnt compatible with the video cad apokalipse,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835110103
here we go this has a review from an fx5200 & has good score for only $5 more
or what about PCI slot cooling?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835192007