First Time Building - Quiet, budget computer

[UsernameTaken]

I am looking for a low-budget, quiet PC. I will most likely run some form of Linux, and possibly dual boot with Windows. It will be used for surfing, IM, word processing, and BitTorrent as well. I'm thinking for the CPU this will be fine and might even be a little bit overkill. 1 GB of RAM will be just fine, correct? The only gaming I do is emulation of things like GameCube, etc. It is nothing special, I am just replacing a laptop with a desktop so I can give the laptop to someone who needs it more. This will be my first built computer and I am a little nervous but moreso excited. I know I will have trouble with partitioning the HD and doing things with the BIOS etc, but other than that I think I will be fine as long as I don't break any components Any tips for new builders would be appreciated.

 

[Meithan]

Yup, an Athlon X2 3800+ is enough, and a cheap option. 1GB of RAM should do, too. Since you're not gaming, you could get a low-end card, like a Radeon X1600 or a GeForce 7300. They're still good enough to let you play most current games, and they're around $50.

In order to further help you, I need to know how much you're willing to spend. I'll gladly propose a build, based on Newegg items.

Also, don't worry, putting it together is very easy. I'm at my fourth build, and I've never had any problem.

 

[KBlair]

Usually, the loudest stock part (Unless you buy your case/fans from a cheap unknown manufacturer) is the fan on the video card. If you're not happy with the loudness of that fan, you may want to purchase an after-market cooler for the card.

 

[infiltrator7]

Also, make sure that you buy some nice fans from newegg or somewhere else that got good reviews for sound. I bought a couple of no name fans, and my computer is kind of loud.