First off, I'll cover some of the background information, I'm 17 and am allowed ~$500 - 600 for building a decent computer. I'm trying to find something that will be fast enough to run modern games, but also fairly cheap. At the moment I'm pretty set on ATI's 790GX chipset, as well as a 7750 BE Kuma CPU. I'm definitely going to be getting 4GB of RAM, and no less than a 500gb HDD. I am not exactly sure on the PSU, but I'd prefer modular for easier cable management. As for the video card, I probably won't be able to buy one until two weeks have passed after I buy the main hardware to get the computer running (Have to wait for the next paycheck ;x) but, if the total hardware comes to under $400 with a graphics card, then I should be able to get it. At the moment I already have the case bought because it was on sale with a huge discount at a local warehouse.
Ok, so here is what I am thinking:
Case:
Thermaltake Armor +MX (Already have it sitting in my room, so it can't be changed)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133062
Motherboard:
Biostar TA790GX XE
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138140
CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 BE Kuma
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300
RAM:
G.SKILL PI Black 4GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209
HDD:
WD Caviar Black (500GB - 1TB, whatever I can afford in the end; maybe another brand as well? Not sure.)
PSU:
The one I have in mind is an OCZ Fatal1ty (550w Modular for $45 after rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022
DVD Drive:
Pioneer Black 20X DVD+R (It's IDE, should I go SATA?)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129023
I don't know if it matters but, the thermal paste I was going to get is this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835202006
And if I could somehow fit in a Media Card Reader & maybe a fan controller, that would be pretty good.
Anyways, I had one kind of stupid question.. the only thing I don't know how to assemble on the computer is probably the easiest thing... the case fans. The case has 3 fans all with 4 pin molex connectors; I have no idea how to get them connected and running without a fan controller, and last I checked you can only put 3 pin connectors into the mobo. Would I plug them into each other then into the power supply? I really doubt it but, hey, that's why I'm asking lol, if someone could just briefly explain how to do this it'd be great.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice. ^^
EDIT: Oh, a little background on the games I play, since I don't really know how much of a graphics card I would need.. I play FPS's like COD: WaW, and also games like WoW, and Requiem Bloodymare if you've heard of it, and some other free MMORPG's that aren't usually too graphically demanding (My Laptop's intergrated graphics can handle most of the games I play, and its a few years old. Some of the games like Bloodymare Requiem and CoD aren't playable on my laptop though. I guess I'm kind of looking for something that would let me play the majority of the games I like on high settings without lag, but also if I got a card that could handle some newer games I would probably start playing the newer games, one of the cards I saw but wasn't sure about was this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102822
EDIT(2): Also our router and modem are out in the living room, so I would need a wireless card, but I'm not sure how good of one I would need, my computer is on the same floor as the wireless router, and about 40 - 50 feet away from it, I also have an xbox 360 in my room, and if there was some kind of other type of router, I'm sure there may be one but I haven't been able to found one, maybe something like.. the router picks up the other routers wireless signal, then I can route cables to both my 360 and my computer, maybe theres a firmware mod that allows this or something? Any information on this would be great, or should I just buy a wireless card for my PC and an Adapter for my 360?
EDIT(3): Lots of edits, sorry ><, I keep thinking of more stuff I forgot to originally post... but, should I go with 32 bit or 64 bit vista? I know there was a lot of problems with 64 bit back in XP, but I'm not sure how 64 bit is with vista, thanks.
Ok, so here is what I am thinking:
Case:
Thermaltake Armor +MX (Already have it sitting in my room, so it can't be changed)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133062
Motherboard:
Biostar TA790GX XE
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138140
CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 BE Kuma
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300
RAM:
G.SKILL PI Black 4GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209
HDD:
WD Caviar Black (500GB - 1TB, whatever I can afford in the end; maybe another brand as well? Not sure.)
PSU:
The one I have in mind is an OCZ Fatal1ty (550w Modular for $45 after rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022
DVD Drive:
Pioneer Black 20X DVD+R (It's IDE, should I go SATA?)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129023
I don't know if it matters but, the thermal paste I was going to get is this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835202006
And if I could somehow fit in a Media Card Reader & maybe a fan controller, that would be pretty good.
Anyways, I had one kind of stupid question.. the only thing I don't know how to assemble on the computer is probably the easiest thing... the case fans. The case has 3 fans all with 4 pin molex connectors; I have no idea how to get them connected and running without a fan controller, and last I checked you can only put 3 pin connectors into the mobo. Would I plug them into each other then into the power supply? I really doubt it but, hey, that's why I'm asking lol, if someone could just briefly explain how to do this it'd be great.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice. ^^
EDIT: Oh, a little background on the games I play, since I don't really know how much of a graphics card I would need.. I play FPS's like COD: WaW, and also games like WoW, and Requiem Bloodymare if you've heard of it, and some other free MMORPG's that aren't usually too graphically demanding (My Laptop's intergrated graphics can handle most of the games I play, and its a few years old. Some of the games like Bloodymare Requiem and CoD aren't playable on my laptop though. I guess I'm kind of looking for something that would let me play the majority of the games I like on high settings without lag, but also if I got a card that could handle some newer games I would probably start playing the newer games, one of the cards I saw but wasn't sure about was this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102822
EDIT(2): Also our router and modem are out in the living room, so I would need a wireless card, but I'm not sure how good of one I would need, my computer is on the same floor as the wireless router, and about 40 - 50 feet away from it, I also have an xbox 360 in my room, and if there was some kind of other type of router, I'm sure there may be one but I haven't been able to found one, maybe something like.. the router picks up the other routers wireless signal, then I can route cables to both my 360 and my computer, maybe theres a firmware mod that allows this or something? Any information on this would be great, or should I just buy a wireless card for my PC and an Adapter for my 360?
EDIT(3): Lots of edits, sorry ><, I keep thinking of more stuff I forgot to originally post... but, should I go with 32 bit or 64 bit vista? I know there was a lot of problems with 64 bit back in XP, but I'm not sure how 64 bit is with vista, thanks.