03/04/2010 UPDATE: Added the "Cooling" section.

03/03/2010 UPDATE: Lots of minor updates. Revamped the CPU section to recommend tri- and quad-cores over duals, added Radeon 5830 info, revamped the power supply section a bit, and made a few other minor tweaks here and there.

02/16/2010 UPDATE: Reformatted a few sections and added easier-to-read part-picking recommendations.

We seem to get a lot of posts in this subforum about either building or upgrading PCs, resulting in a lot of conflicting and confusing information coming from various posters and their varying opinions. Therefore, I figured that we needed a catch-all thread with information about building or upgrading your PC.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1) Why should I become a PC gamer?

A) The PC platform offers several advantages over home consoles. First and foremost is variety: Thanks to a vast enthusiast/indie dev community, the library of PC games out there is much more open and diverse than anything that any single console manufacturer can offer. Second is the price: PC games are most often cheaper than their console ounterparts (especially when you take into account Steam sales and the like), and many great PC games can be downloaded for free. Third, customizability: The PC platform is the most flexible, by far, allowing you to run games at any number of various resolutions, with any number of harware or software enhancement (or not), and at whatever budget you can afford. A $600 hobo box and a $1500 leet-gamer rig will run the same games, though the more expensive system will have somewhat higher quality graphics. Finally, if you're an a/v enthusiast, even a budget gaming PC will be able to output high-res video that a PS3 or 360 could never dream of.

2) Why might I not want to become a PC gamer?

A) Admittedly, the PC platform isn't for everyone. First - no matter what anyone might tell you - even a budget gaming PC will be significantly more expensive than an HD console. Second, building and maintaining a PC requires some upkeep, and you'll need to tweak some config files and such here and there; if you just like your games to run without issue, then that might be a problem for you. Third, the PC platform is light on certain game genres that you might like (specifically Japanese RPGs and action-adventure games). Finally, you'll be hard-pressed to find PC games that support local co-op that doesn't require a LAN setup; if your preferred gaming setting involves a bunch of friends and a couch, then invest your money in a Wii, three extra remotes, and a copy of New Super Mario Bros. instead.

3) Okay, you've convinced me. Why should I build a PC when I can just get a pre-manufactured one?

A) Customizability and reliability. You can select and install whatever parts you want into a self-built PC. Because of that, you don't need to worry about low-quality or proprietary parts, paying for extra stuff that you'll never use, or the tons of bloat-ware that some prebuilt PC manufacturers shove into their systems. That's not to say that prebuilts are bad, and they can even beat out custom-builts on the extreme low-end, but if you're at all interested in maintaining a gaming PC, you should definitely look into building one yourself.

Take this pre-built gaming PC from iBuyPower, for example. $800 is about what you'll pay for a standard mid-range gaming PC. However, take a closer look at the parts: The Phenom II X4 is easily outperformed by Intel's Core-i5 at the same price, the GEForce 9800 GT is horribly weak for a modern system, the case is ugly, the hard drive RPM speed isn't listed (so it's probably slow), and there's no information about the motherboard or power supply manufacturers. In other words, it's overpriced and largely junk, and you could easily build something faster and more reliable yourself for the same price.

4) But isn't building or upgrading a PC difficult?

A) Not at all. Building a PC these days is no more difficult than putting together furniture from Ikea. If you can follow directions and avoid building in a place teeming with static electricity, you'll be fine.

5) Sweet. In that case, how do I decide how powerful of a system I need?

A) As a general rule, pick the hardware around your needs/wants. The incorrect approach (and the mistake that many builders, even experienced ones, make) is to approach this problem from a hardware standpoint. A builder might say, "I want a system with a quad-core processor and at least a Radeon 4870; what parts should I pick?" Again, this is the wrong approach because it doesn't take into account what you're using your system for. Instead, before you even start to look at hardware, decide what you want to use your PC for. Do you want to use it for just normal web browsing/desktop work? Decoding HD video? Do you want to play Blu-Ray discs? If you're gaming (as I'd imagine most of you are), what resolution will you be running at? Do you do a lot of processor-intensive work (i.e. a/v editing, game development, scientific simulations, etc.) or run applications that might take advantage of hyperthreading? Once you sort out these questions and anything else that you might want, then and only then should you take a look at the hardware that you want.

6) I want a system that will play modern games for 5 years. What should I get?

A) I cannot stress this enough: DO NOT TRY TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR PC. Future-proofing is an awful waste of money. Instead, buy a mid-range system now and upgrade when you need to. You'll save money and actually get better performance in the long run.

Here's an example as to why: Three years ago, if you wanted a top-of-the-line "future-proofed" gaming PC, you'd have dropped $500+ on a Core 2 Quad Q6600 and $800+ on an NVidia GEForce 8800 Ultra. Today, even a budget mid-range system will beat out that "future-proofed" system: the C2Q trades victories with a $75 Athlon II X3 435 and the 8800 Ultra is significantly outperformed by a $100 Radeon 4850. By contrast, someone who bought mid-range three years ago might have bought a Core 2 Duo E6750 ($180) and a GEForce 8800GTS ($300). This build is significantly weaker than the C2Q/8800 Ultra build, but the performance gap between the two builds has narrowed such that the difference isn't that much greater: both can still play modern games, and both will have to compromise to a certain extent on graphics settings. The difference is that the C2D/8800GTS buyer has $800+ saved up in the bank to upgrade to a Core-i5/Radeon 5770 setup that'll kick the C2Q/8800 Ultra system's butt, while the latter blew his load on top-of-the-line parts that became obsolete almost as quickly as the mid-range buyer's.

This trend has held true since the advent of the "video card wars" back in the mid-1990s, and it won't change any time soon.

7) I'm already a PC gamer, but I want to upgrade my system. When should I upgrade?

A) Only when you need to. PC parts depreciate very quickly over time, so that new graphics card that you need to play a game six months from now will likely come down in price between now and then.

THE COMPONENTS

There are 8 basic components to PCs: The CPU, motherboard, case, graphics card (GPU), RAM, hard drive, optical drive, and power supply (PSU). Depending upon your needs/wants, you may also wish to add a wireless card, TV tuner, solid-state drive (SSD), aftermarket cooler, or any number of other custom parts. Here's some advice for each of 'em (keep in mind that I have no loyalty to any brands, so keep your fanboy accusations at bay):

I) CPU

1) How powerful of a CPU do I need?

A) More and more, new big-budget games are beginning to prefer tri- and quad-core CPUs over dual-cores. A $100ish tri- or quad-core CPU will fulfill the needs of most gamers, and I don't recommend going for a dual-core unless you're on a very tight budget.

2) Should I go with AMD or Intel?

A) Intel has the best "bang for your buck" CPUs if you're willing to spend $200 or more, but AMD has the most to offer if you're on a tight budget. The Athlon II X3 440 will be the best pick for most of you, as it's cheap (under $100), stable, overclocks extremely easily, and will run most games at max settings provided you have a good enough graphics card. If you can fit it into your budget, Intel's Core-i5 750 is a higher-performance option that will run those few CPU-intensive stragglers, but most of you won't need it.

3) What about the Intel Core-i7/i3s?

A) Thanks to the Core-i5's turbo mode, the i7s are actually outperformed by the Core-i5 in games and other applications that don't make heavy use of multithreading technology. Go for the i5 if you really want an Intel quad-core; otherwise, if you buy an i7 over an i5 just for gaming, you are literally throwing money away. As for the i3s, the cheapest one (i3-530) shows a very slight increase in gaming performance over the Athlon II X3 435, but at an over $40 markup and using a socket type that - unlike AMD's Socket AM3 - won't be around in two years when you upgrade. Therefore, the 435 still claims the price:performance "sweet spot" if you're on a budget.

4) What about the AMD Phenom II quad-cores?

A) AMD's Phenom II line isn't bad; it's just overpriced. If you can afford a higher-end quad-core, the i5-750 is still your best bet.

5) Should I get an aftermarket cooler for my CPU?

A) Unless you're planning some heavy overclocking or want your system to run whisper-quiet, no. Stock cooling is perfectly effective at stock speed, and some can even handle mild-moderate OC'ing.

6) RECOMMENDATIONS

Athlon II X2 245: For gamers on a tight budget. The 245 should be all you need to play the latest games, but I'd recommend buying something better if you can afford it.

Athlon II X3 440: My standard recommendation. Cheap (under $100), three cores clocked at 3.0 GHz, and stellar overclocking potential (plus the potential to unlock a 4th core!)

Athlon II X4 635: An affordable quad-core solution for those who play a lot of quad-core-savvy games.

Intel Core i5-750: The most expensive (and highest performance) gaming CPU you'll need. Recommended if you can afford it, but don't worry if you can't.

II) Motherboard

1) What should I look for in a mobo?

A) Only what you need. If you don't need integrated graphics/Crossfire support/support for legacy hardware/whatever, then don't pay extra for it.

2) I've chosen my CPU, but I can't make heads or tales of this "socket" thing...

A) AMD's Athlon II/Phenom II line uses Socket AM3. Some AMD motherboards will also be "Socket AM2+," which means that they support both Socket AM2 (an older standard) and Socket AM3 CPUs. Intel's i5/i7 line uses Socket LGA 1156. Some older i7s and the upcoming i9 line use Socket LGA 1366, but that's a platform for CPU- and RAM-intensive work, so I wouldn't recommend it for gaming.

3) What's the difference between ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX?

A) Standard ATX mobos are full-size, and therefore often support more features than their smaller cousins. Micro-ATX mobos, by contrast, are just ATX boards with a few inches (and generally a couple of PCI slots) shaved off of them. Micro-ATX boards will work in ATX cases, but not vice-versa. Finally, Mini-ITX mobos are very small boards for the cheap workstation/HTPC crowd and are not a viable standard for a gaming computer.

4) I want to do some heavy overclocking. Should I invest more money in an "OC-friendly" mobo?

A) No. Any decent $100ish mobo these days has all of the OCing options you'll ever need.

5) RECOMMENDATIONS

ASUS M4A77TD: For Socket AM3 CPUs. A solid, no-gimmick board that should work perfectly for most gamers.

Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3P: For Socket AM3 CPUs. Another solid board, similar to the M4A77TD but with slightly different features.

Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H: For Socket AM3 CPUs. A fully featured Micro-ATX board for those of you building in small cases.

ASUS M4A79XTD EVO: For Socket AM3 CPUs. A more expensive alternative to the M4A77TD, featuring anti-surge protection for heavy overclockers and CrossFire support.

Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3L: For Socket 1156 CPUs. A solid standard ATX board (with Crossfire support!) at a reasonable price.

Gigabyte GA-P55-UD2: For Socket 1156 CPUs. A Micro-ATX alternative to the UD3L.

III) Case

1) What should I look for in a case?

A) Cases are a funny thing. There's a ton of awful ones, both cheap and not-so-cheap, with a handful of good ones sprinkled in. If you insist on being unique and researching cases yourself, look for one that's:

-Made from aluminum (cheap steel cases won't dissipate heat as well),

-Sports at least two case fans, at least one of which is 120mm and no more than one of which is 80mm (mostly due to noise concerns),

-Features a couple of USB ports on the front for your keyboard and mouse,

-Accepts standard ATX motherboards (unless you're specifically building a Micro-ATX box), and

-Accepts standard ATX power supplies (Micro-ATX PSUs are generally too underpowered for a gaming PC).

Generally, you don't want to spend more than $100 or so on a case unless you either want something that runs whisper-quiet or something in a small form factor.

2) Should I get a case with a bundled PSU?

A) Generally, no. If you're on a very tight budget, then certain case/PSU bundles can work well, but make sure the PSU carries at least a 3-year warranty. Otherwise, just buy them separately.

3) RECCOMENDATIONS

Cooler Master Centurion 5: The gold standard of budget cases. Roomy, quiet, few sharp edges, and toolless mounting, all for about fifty bucks.

Antec Mini P180: A quiet and inexpensive Micro-ATX case that's also easy to build in (as far as Micro-ATX cases go).

Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B: Sleek, stylish full ATX case with superior airflow.

Lian Li PC-V351B: A compact Micro-ATX case for those of you for whom space is a concern. About as small as you can go without running into problems.

Antec P183: The most you should be paying for a case. Runs damn near completely silent.

IV) Graphics Card (GPU)

1) Should I go with NVidia or ATI?

A) ATI currently has the best "price:performance" ratio out there. That's not to say that NVidia cards are bad; just that they're overpriced in comparison to their ATI counterparts. With NVidia pushing out their new line in a few months, however, who knows what will happen then.

2) But I heard that ATI cards had buggy drivers.

A) That hasn't been true for years. ATI really cleaned up their act with regards to drivers a while back.

3) What if I'm interested in PhysX?

A) PhysX is a dying proprietary standard supported by only a handful of games. ATI is currently at work on an open (i.e. supported by both NVidia and ATI cards) physics engine standard for DirectX 11 that will most likely supplant PhysX once released. Unless you're really interested in having slightly better physics in Mirror's Edge or Batman: AA, I'd hold off on it for now.

4) Is there any major difference between graphics card manufacturers? Are there any I shouldn't buy from?

A) Usually, no. All graphics card manufacturers build their cards to a single, standardized spec. The only thing different about the various brands of graphics cards is the cooling unit, the number and type of display outputs, and (in a few cases) the amount of RAM. I recommend that you just buy the cheapest one that you can find that has the display output(s) that you want.

The one exception, by the way, is Diamond. Diamond cards suck. Don't buy them.

5) Should I worry about DirectX 11?

A) Not right now. At the time of this posting, there's only five games that use it, only a handful more announced that will do so, and none that require it. And the one that uses it the most, Dirt 2, uses it for - gasp! - some minor tesselation and water effects. Basically, this happens every time a new version of DirectX comes out: people rush out to become ealry adopters, and then end up waiting a year or more for games to take any sort of advantage of it. By the time games start to take real advantage of DX11, the hardware will be much more affordable than it is now, and actually worth your money to boot. Feel free to grab a DX10 card now while they're affordable and worry about DX11 come 2012 when you'll need to upgrade your graphics card again anyway.

6) Should I use SLI/Crossfire?

A) Generally, when faced with the choice between two lower-priced cards in SLI and one higher-priced card, you'll always want to go with the second. There are three main reasons for this. First, driver compatibility for SLI/Crossfire across most games sucks. You'll often find yourself tinkering around with a game, trying to get it to work when a single card would do just fine. Second, running in SLI/Crossfire doesn't double your VRAM; two 1-gig cards running in SLI will only have 1 GB RAM. Third, SLI/crossfire currently has problems with microstuttering that can - quite literally - make playing a 60 FPS game be like playing a 30 FPS game. So while the drivers may improve in the future, right now SLI/Crossfire just sucks.

7) RECOMMENDATIONS

Radeon 4850: The current price:performance "sweet spot" for low-resolution (1680x1050 and below) gaming. It runs hot and it's not very safe to overclock, but it's a beast of a card for under $100. (NOTE: Buy the 512MB RAM version)

Radeon 4770: A good alternative to the 4850 if you plan on overclocking. At stock it's slightly weaker than the 4850, but OCed it significantly outperforms the latter, usually at lower power and heat.

Radeon 5750: A cooler, slightly faster, and significantly more expensive alternative to the 4850 that also possesses decent overclocking ability. It's not the "sweet spot," and it can't really handle DX11 games, but if you're looking to OC or worried about heat then the 5750 isn't a bad choice. (NOTE: Buy the 1 GB RAM version)

Radeon 5770: The current price:performance "sweet spot" for 1920x1080 since ATI phased the stellar 4890 line out (*sheds tear*). Cool, easy to overclock, and (unlike its little brother the 5750) a decent performer on DX11 games. (NOTE: Buy the 1GB RAM version)

Radeon 5830: A compromise between the 5850 and 5770 in performance, if not price. Currently price-gouged to hell and back, but it still may be worthwhile if you can find it on sale.

Radeon 5850: An expensive card for the gamer who needs to have it all. Will run everything at max settings up to 1920x1200, and performs decently at 2560x1600. Most of you won't need something this powerful, though.

V) RAM (Memory)

1) How much RAM should I get for my PC?

A) 4 gigs is all you will need for gaming. I'd go for 2x2GB sticks to ensure that you can upgrade in the future.

2) What type of memory should I get for my system?

A) That all depends upon your motherboard. Dual-channel DDR3 is the de-facto standard, though some older or micro-ATX mobos will use DDR2.

3) Is there anything specific that I should look for in RAM?

A) Look for RAM that has a voltage of 1.65V or less. Generally that shouldn't be a problem, but you should avoid cheap-O ram with more voltage.

4) What about all of those other numbers, like speed, timing, etc.?

A) Generally, you can safely ignore them. RAM with better speed and timing ratings will offer very very slight improvements over those with worse, but usually it's not worth the extra cost.

5) RECOMMENDATIONS

4 GB (2x 2GB) DDR3 memory from this list, whichever is cheapest (for most modern mobos)

4 GB (2x 2GB) DDR2-1066 memory from this list, whichever is cheapest (for certain older or Micro-ATX mobos)

4 GB (2x 2GB) DDR2-800 memory from this list, whichever is cheapest (for certain older or Micro-ATX mobos)

VI) Hard Drive

1) How much hard drive space do I need?

A) Again, only as much as you need. If you'd like to store a bunch of music/movies on your HDD, then go for 1TB or more. If you just plan to install some games, then a 500GB or 640GB one should be fine.

2) What should I look for in a good hard drive?

A) Your ideal hard drive should run at 7200 RPMs, have at least a 16MB cache, and be from either Samsung or Western Digital. 5400 RPM drives will have long boot times, and 10,000 RPM drives just aren't worth the money unless you're specifically running something that needs them. You may also want to consider drives that have only one or two platters, since 3-4 platter drives will generally be slower.

3) What about Solid State Drives (SSDs)?

A) SSDs are a nice, optional little accessory that can greatly reduce boot times or help run certain games like ArmA II that heavily stream data from the HDD. Buy one if you can afford it, but don't worry about it if you can't. 

4) Should I use a RAID array for backup?

A) Generally, no. Let me put this in caps so that those of you scrolling by will read it: RAID 0 AND RAID 1 ARE NOT BACKUP SOLUTIONS. DO NOT RUN EITHER WITHOUT BACKING UP YOUR DATA SOME OTHER WAY. The only reliable RAID array for backup is RAID 10, but that requires 4 speedy drives (think WD Caviar Blacks or Samsung Spinpoint F3s) and that can get really expensive. If you're looking for a backup solution for your sensitive data, a simple USB Flash drive set to backup your documents folder on a weekly basis is cheap and extremely reliable.

5) RECOMMENDATIONS

Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB: A fast, inexpensive boot drive. The absolute best value for your money as far as HDDs go.

Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB: A good, if slightly slower alternative to the Spinpoint F3 if the latter is out of stock.

Samsung Spinpoint F3 1GB: A bigger Spinpoint for those who need more storage space.

Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB: Again, a slightly pricier (but this time just as fast) option if you can't find the Spinpoint.

Samsung EcoGreen F2 1.5TB: A more reliable alternative to Western Digital's Caviar Green line for bulk storage. DO NOT use this as a boot drive.

Intel X25-V: The most reliable SSD out there. 40 GB should be plenty of space for Windows plus whatever other apps you need to boot quickly.

VII) Optical Drive

1) What should I look for in a DVD drive?

A) Most DVD drives these days are created equal, though ones made by Lite-On, Samsung, or Sony have somewhat better reliability than others. Also make sure that your DVD burner can write to both DVD+R and DVD-R discs; most of them can, but a few can't.

2) How about Blu-Ray drives?

A) Again, look for one manufactured by the Big Three: Lite-On, Samsung, and Sony. (At least one poster has also recommended LG drives, so take that into account as well.) Also, make sure that it's rated at least an 8x BD-ROM speed. Finally, make sure that it can play "vanilla" CDs and DVDs if you don't have a dedicated DVD drive already.

3) RECOMMENDATIONS

DVD Burners: Any recommended brand from this list.

Blu-Ray Drives: Any recommended brand from this list.

VIII) Power Supplies

1) What wattage do I need from my PSU?

A) Most first-time builders make the mistake of choosing a wattage that's way too high. In fact, wattage is one of the least important aspects of a good PSU. Unless you're running some crazy Core-i7/dual-Radeon 5850 setup, a 450 or 500W PSU will be more than enough.

2) Okay then. If not wattage, then what should I look for?

A) First and foremost, look at the warranty. The best PSU manufacturers will have at least a 5-year warranty on their products because they know that they're selling a quality product. Corsair and SeaSonic are two good ol' standbys who always offer such a warranty.

Second, look at the +12V rails. A good PSU will supply at least 30 amps across all of the +12V rails totaled together. In addition, the best PSUs for gaming rigs will often have just a single +12V rail - this eliminates the need to balance your components across multiple rails, and allows for more room in upgrading your graphics card in the future.

Finally, check to see if your PSU is modular. Modular PSUs allow you to only use the wires that you need, making them better for first-time builders who might not know how to properly orient the cables in their case. A non-modular PSU plus an inexperienced builder all too often equals a tangled rat's nest of power cables that could obstruct your case's airflow. Don't worry if your PSU isn't modular, though, as it isn't a requirement; it's just a nice little bonus.

3) RECOMMENDATIONS

Corsair 450VX: This will reliably power any basic and mid-range gaming PC.

SeaSonic SS-500ET: A nice alternative to the 450VX. Buy whichever is cheaper.

Corsair 550VX: For builds with higher-end CPUs/GPUs (Core-i5/Radeon 5850) and/or basic-to-moderate overclockers.

SeaSonic SS-550HT: A perfect alternative to the 550VX. Again, buy whichever is cheaper.

Corsair 650TX: For heavy overclockers. If you have to ask whether you need a PSU this powerful, then you probably don't.

IX) Operating System

1) Which version of Windows 7 should I get?

A) Generally, Home Premium if you don't plan on using XP Mode, and Professional if you do. XP Mode is useful for getting some older games to work, but Professional does cost a bit more. Also, look for OEM versions of Windows 7. They're much less expensive than the "full versions" and really don't offer any drawbacks to a system builder.

2) 32 or 64-bit?

A) The x64 standard has reached a point where there's really no reason not to get the 64-bit version of Windows. Most games don't yet support 64-bit instruction sets, but 99% of them will run just fine out of the box on 64-bit Windows 7, and those that don't usually just need a little tweaking.

X) Cooling

1) I'm not planning on heavy overclocking or anything. Do I need to worry about aftermarket cooling?

A) Nope. Stock cooling (as in, the heatsink, fan, and thermal paste that come with your CPU) is perfectly fine for normal use, and can even handle mild-moderate overclocking under the right conditions. Unless you're planning on a heavy OC or worried about noise, then you can safely skip this section.

2) What should I look for in an aftermarket cooler?

A) First, check out which sockets it's compatible with. The majority of aftermarket coolers will be compatible with every modern mainstream socket (usually LGA775, AM2+, AM3, and LGA1156), but some might not be.

Second, take a look at the fan. A good CPU cooling fan will be at least 92mm in size. Anything smaller and it'll probably spin fast enough to create an undesirable amount of ambient noise.

Third, once you've settled on one, do a Google search for reviews. More than any other part, you really won't know what you're getting with an aftermarket cooler in terms of performance until you check it out for yourself. A good aftermarket cooler should reduce your CPU idle temps a bit and load temps by a significant amount (at least 5 degrees C).

Finally, check out the price. Anything more than $50 or so is probably a rip-off for the average overclocker.

3) How about thermal paste?

A) Look for something non-conductive, usually ceramic-based. Conductive thermal compounds run a risk of frying your motherboard if you apply them incorrectly. As for brands, anything from Arctic Silver works wonderfully.

4) I need one or more new fans for my case. What should I look for?

A) Look for 120mm case fans from a trusted brand. I like to recommend fans from Antec, Cooler Master, and Scythe specifically, since those companies have a proven track record of providing quiet fans at a reasonable price.

5) I'm interested in water cooling. What would you recommend for that?

A) Don't use water cooling. It's horribly expensive and doesn't offer much of an advantage over air for the premium that you're paying. Just grab a nice aftermarket air cooler.

6) RECOMMENDATIONS

Cooler Master Hyper 212: The basic "I want something better than stock cooling" aftermarket cooler. Keeps your CPU frosty and includes a nice quiet 120mm fan, and comes at a really reasonable price.

Sunbeam CR-CCTF: An alternative to the Hyper 212 that doesn't require you to mount a backplate on your mobo. Ideal for those with already-built systems who want to install a cooler without dismantling their entire system.

Xigmatek "Dark Knight": A more hefty cooler than the above, but at a higher price. Make sure you have plenty of room in your case.

Scythe "Big Shuriken" SCBSK-1000: A decent, low-clearance cooling solution for those with smaller cases.

Arctic Silver AA-1.75G: The best non-conductive thermal compound on the market, and at a bargain price.

Arctic Silver 5: Thermal paste that's a step up from the AA-1.75G, but more expensive and conductive. For advanced builders only.

Scythe "Ultra Kaze": The best 120mm case fan on the market.

Antec 761345-75120-9: Another excellent 120mm case fan. Buy whichever's cheaper.

XI) Misc. Parts

1) Do I need a dedicated sound card?

A) Not at all. Integrated audio technology is much better than integrated graphics. The built-in audio in most decent mobos (including the two I linked above) will provide sound quality akin to a mid-range discrete sound card from 4-5 years ago, plus probably support digital audio output via TOSLINK and HDMI. That said, if you're an absolute stickler for sound and you can fit it into your budget, a discrete sound card isn't a bad buy, but otherwise you probably won't even notice its absence.

2) What should I get in the way of ethernet cards?

A) Integrated wired ethernet, like integrated sound, works just fine on any decent mobo. As for wireless ethernet, any Windows 7-compliant PCI or PCI-E X1 card will do you. This one is inexpensive and works perfectly on Win 7.

3) How about TV tuners?

A) Hauppauge generally has the best offerings. I recommend the WinTV-HVR-2250, as it supports Windows 7, takes up that PCI-E x1 slot on your mobo that nothing else ever uses, and features just about anything you could ever want out of such a card.

4) Is there anything nifty that I can use my spare 3.5" drive bays for? Floppy drives are so passe.

A) Grab a multimedia card reader. They're only ten bucks each and most also sport an additional front USB port.

GARCIAN'S "SWEET SPOT" BUILDS - MARCH 2010

NOTE: The following prices are based on standard (non-sale) Newegg prices at the time of posting. They may not be current.

I) Standard Gaming Box

A basic mid-range build for gamers of all shapes and sizes. This setup will play 99% of modern games at max settings.

CPU: Athlon II X3 440 - $87

MOBO: Asus M4A77TD - $85

GPU: Powercolor Radeon HD 4850 (for 1680x1050 and below) - $100; ASUS Radeon HD 5770 (for 1920x1080 to 1920x1200) - $160

RAM: 4GB G.Skill Ripjaws Series DDR3-1600 - $105

PSU: Corsair CMPSU-450VX 450W - $65

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB - $56

DVD: Samsung SATA DVD Burner - $20

CASE: Cooler Master Centurion 5 - $55

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium - $105

TOTAL: $678 w/Radeon 4850; $738 w/Radeon 5770

II) "More Power" Box

For those few of you out there who don't mind blowing a wad of cash to push insane resolutions (i.e. 2560x1600) and/or play Crysis and a few other specific games at max settings. I must stress that only a small minority of you will need this setup.

CPU: Intel Core-i5 750 - $200

MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2 - $105

GPU: XFX Radeon 5850 - $310

RAM: 4GB G.Skill DDR3-1600 - $105

PSU: SeaSonic SS-550HT - $74

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB - $56

DVD: Samsung SATA DVD Burner - $20

CASE: Antec Mini P180 - $100

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium - $105

TOTAL: $1075

III) Hobo Box

A budget computer that's able to play less graphically demanding games (Source Engine, WoW, etc.) at playable framerates on max settings, and more demanding games at reduced settings. Ideal for those of you only looking for a "light gaming" rig that'll also run circles around any basic productivity/HTPC tasks.

CPU: Athlon II X2 240 - $58

MOBO: ASRock M3A770DE - $60

GPU: Biostar Radeon 4670 - $63

RAM: 4GB G.Skill DDR3-1600 - $105

PSU: SeaSonic SS-400ET 400W - $57

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB - $56

DVD: Samsung SATA DVD Burner - $20

CASE: Cooler Master Centurion 5 - $55

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium - $105

TOTAL: $579

Nice thread. I particularly like the fact that you recommend inexpensive, decent looking, functional cases and avoid those gaudy "gamer" cases with windows, underglow and other ugly and unnecessary doodads.

Your recommendation to avoid high end components is another very good idea.

One point for correction though in the motherboard section. While Core i5/i7s do use the LGA1156 socket, older i7's and the new line of upcoming i9's use LGA1366.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161319&cm_re=hd_5670-_-14-161-319-_-Product

The HD 5670 should get a special mention as for people who don't want to build a computer it represents the highest level of performance that can be shoe-horned into a prebuilt one.

Thanks for the tip! I added a bit of info on Socket LGA1366 to the relevant section.

Only accept triple channel ram? That's incorrect. While ideally you'd want to use triple channel ram, I had my i7 920 running on a single 2gb stick of ddr3 ram just for testing purposes. IIRC, you can do single, dual or triple channel.

Strange. I just looked up the first 7 or 8 hits for 1366 mobos on Newegg, and all of them only cite support for triple-channel RAM. Which mobo were you using?

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=3103

Just because they support triple channel, doesn't mean they require it. You state in the motherboard section that triple channel is required, which is false.

edit: looks like you've corrected it.