I want to build a computer... where to begin?

[bubbasmith99]

I did a search but surprisingly there were no threads for "beginning" computer-builders. I want to build a really nice, fast desktop and I want it to have all the features I crave but MOST IMPORTANTLY I want it to have as small a form factor as possible (i.e. a really small case).

Can anybody suggests any sites or discussion boards out there that give advice on this sort of thing?

 

[TommyVercetti]

Head on over to newegg.com and check out the user submitted suggestions. They are great, and I am sure you will find something you want. For the smallest form factor, you would probably be interested in the Shuttle SN41G2

http://www.amdzone.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1259

 

[Greyd]

A little old, but this should do. I used this when learning how to build one. Any other info you can ask around here.

Text

They also have tutorials on other items at the same website.

 

[hevnsnt]

how about this thread?

What kind of processor do you think you want?
What do you plan on doing with it?

tell us all about it, we can work it out here

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Greyd
A little old, but this should do. I used this when learning how to build one. Any other info you can ask around here.

Text

They also have tutorials on other items at the same website.

Got excited for a second seeing July 11... only to realize it was a dynamically generated date and not the date of the article. I wish hardwarecentral would do new reviews. I had a summer job back in 1999 and I read ALL of their articles and that's what got me into hardware... everything I knew was from hardwarecentral. Even the article you linked to is May 1999.

 

[Electric Amish]

You need a budget as well.

If I had the money, I'd go with a Shuttle SFF box. Add an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card, a Hercules Fortissimo III sound card, an LG "SuperDrive" DVD/CDRW, floppy drive, 512mb+ RAM, and your processor of choice.

amish

 

[Greyd]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Greyd
A little old, but this should do. I used this when learning how to build one. Any other info you can ask around here.

Text

They also have tutorials on other items at the same website.

Got excited for a second seeing July 11... only to realize it was a dynamically generated date and not the date of the article. I wish hardwarecentral would do new reviews. I had a summer job back in 1999 and I read ALL of their articles and that's what got me into hardware... everything I knew was from hardwarecentral. Even the article you linked to is May 1999.

Hahahha. I did the same thing. When I worked, I would read all their articles and learn everything from them. Yeah I wish they would update - it was a great site.

 

[bubbasmith99]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
how about this thread?

What kind of processor do you think you want?
What do you plan on doing with it?

tell us all about it, we can work it out here

thanks for being so willing to be helpful....

well i ditched my desktop for a laptop (inspiron) a while back and now i want a desktop again

these are musts for me:

--small form factor
--plenty fast processor (but from what i understand i can probably get supremely good performance by using a dual processor setup from some older generation processors rather than shell out the big bucks for a pentium 7 or whatever is out there now)
--sufficient hd space (i figure trolling the HD forums looking for one of those "Boiling lava hot!! 120 GB HD w/ 8 MB $49 AR/AC/APM/YMMV woot!" should do the trick... it'd be nice to have two of those things.
--lotsa ram. the more the merrier, right?
--i dont do major hardcore gaming but i'd like to pop in a few games now and then and try them out
--phat speaker/sound system
--wireless internet/bluetooth!!
--the full complement of ports and accessories (firewire, usb, etc.etc.)

of course i'm looking to do all this at as low a cost as possible. preferably spend no more than 500 on all the different parts....

i have tons of peripherals right now (ipaq 2215 w/ bluetooth, lg vx6000, 15 gb gen 3 ipod, canon s400... plan to get a digital video camera soon) so i want a nice homebase wherein they can all play together

so, all that mumbo jumbo out of the way, where do you think i should start? i believe the processor/mobo is the most important piece of the puzzle, is it not? where can i go to find out about dual processoring (i.e. RAID and whatnot)

 

[Nitemare]

Buy a cube if you want the smallest form factor

Listen to EA

 

[Mr N8]

Another thing to check out is PC Mechanic BYOPC guide.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: bubbasmith99

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
how about this thread?

What kind of processor do you think you want?
What do you plan on doing with it?

tell us all about it, we can work it out here

thanks for being so willing to be helpful....

well i ditched my desktop for a laptop (inspiron) a while back and now i want a desktop again

these are musts for me:

--small form factor
--plenty fast processor (but from what i understand i can probably get supremely good performance by using a dual processor setup from some older generation processors rather than shell out the big bucks for a pentium 7 or whatever is out there now)
--sufficient hd space (i figure trolling the HD forums looking for one of those "Boiling lava hot!! 120 GB HD w/ 8 MB $49 AR/AC/APM/YMMV woot!" should do the trick... it'd be nice to have two of those things.
--lotsa ram. the more the merrier, right?
--i dont do major hardcore gaming but i'd like to pop in a few games now and then and try them out
--phat speaker/sound system
--wireless internet/bluetooth!!
--the full complement of ports and accessories (firewire, usb, etc.etc.)

of course i'm looking to do all this at as low a cost as possible. preferably spend no more than 500 on all the different parts....

i have tons of peripherals right now (ipaq 2215 w/ bluetooth, lg vx6000, 15 gb gen 3 ipod, canon s400... plan to get a digital video camera soon) so i want a nice homebase wherein they can all play together

so, all that mumbo jumbo out of the way, where do you think i should start? i believe the processor/mobo is the most important piece of the puzzle, is it not? where can i go to find out about dual processoring (i.e. RAID and whatnot)

I don't know if you'll be able to go SFF at $500 with those requirements.

amish

 

[heartsurgeon]

here you go...

check out this site

Arstechnica.com

they have reasonable recommendations for a variety of systems (high end, low end, etc)

plus they have a step by step DIY primer..

you should fine this site useful

 

[Lonyo]

Maybe a mATX solution with quite a lot built onto the motherboard (nForce 2 with Barton/XP1700+?) would be small and not require much extras, but you'd have the option of about 3 PCI slots and possibly more freedom of choice.