Building a computer w/ $1,200 budget..PLEASE HELP ME!!

I need to build a compatible computer on paper w/ a $1,200 budget. I dont really know to much about getting all the right components to make it compatible and able to work so I'm looking for a little helpconfused .I need to have the following components, and no onboard parts:

* Motherboard (PCI Express)
*CPU
*Memory
*Heatsink/Cooling
*Hard Disk Storage
*Optical Storage
*Video Card
*Sound Card
*Network Card
*Power Supply
*Case

And money left over to get a:
keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, and OS system.


Can someone please help me out?!
Thanks guys.

 

You are going to need to let us know what you will be using the computer for. But to start, you might try this:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 - $187
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115005

MSI Motherboard - $82
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130059

1GB OCZ Memory - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227117

Seagate 320Gb HDD - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148140

Pioneer 16X DVD Writer - $40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129001

19" Widescreen Viewsonic Monitor - $149
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116065

Antec Case with 400W PSU - $105
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129163

And depending on whether you play games or not, for a video card:

If you do play games, Sapphire Radeon 1950XT - $300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102082
or, a Geforce 8800 GTS - $300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130082

If not, a Geforce 6200 LE - $40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127270

The motherboard has onboard sound and ethernet. There really is no reason to worry about these. If you want to get a couple extra fps, then go with a dedicated sound card.

 

Whoops, forgot the operating system. You might have to get some less expensive items to fit it in there:

Windows Vista Home Premium - $120:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116202

or Windows XP MCE 2005 - $110:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116171

 

i just plan on using this for home office and personal use...:wave

 

Hey your help has been great I like the post you got up of all the components, I want to run with it...I'm still a little confused about all the specs so I have made up an excel template....do you think you can fill it out for me to make things a little easier on me as well as better understand all the components....thanks again for your help...heres the template I've made up:
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5899/untitled1copytz5.jpg

 

For $1200.00, you would be better off getting a OEM Package deal, due to the Monitor is going to break your budget, along with a decent video card. To build a decent system that you will not outgrow in a year, you need to be looking at least a $2000.00 budget.

 

yea i understand what ur saying...but right now im not worried about out growing a computer...i just need the links below filled in to my spreadsheet to get a better understanding...can u help me with that?

 

Not really, due to Just stating for Home/Office use is a very wide explanation, due to home use can entail playing games part time, browsing the Internet, sending Emails, so on. For Home Office work, it tends to be Work @ Home, creating intense spreadsheets, using multiple programs @ the same time.

Most of the time, most parts that are chosen by persons not familiar in building a system, are low budget video cards, and the user tends to spending more money in upgrading, which ends up costing more, then you would of spent on a decent system.

OEM systems such as Micron PC's are pretty much the best out there and are the oldest OEM manufacturer out there http://www.mpccorp.com/ Just to let you know, a friend of ours built a system that is Vista Ready (not capable), and it was over $2500.00 for the system, due to he plans on keeping it more then a couple of years, and not having to worry about building an under-rated system.

 

No offense, but if you aren't able to fill in the spreadsheet yourself, are you sure that you have the know-how to put the computer together?

 

Hmmm. I am trying to think of the best way to help you here. In thinking, I don't think that it will help to fill it out and tell you to exactly what to get. There is nothing wrong with that, per se, but I don't see that helping you realize your stated objective- to learn more about the components that make up a computer. I think it may be most helpful to understand what these things are, how they fit together, and how a computer works specifically. This will take considerable research, but you can be well enough off in a week or so to build something and know why you are selecting the components you are. See, what you are essentially asking is how a computer works in general and all technologies explained in one post! It is not so simple- it takes some time and experience and at the very least RESEARCH! You can fill in that spreadsheet just by going on newegg.com and looking at the specs. What you want/need is the technology and its application explained now. I would have to write a book to give all of it to you.

As far as the personal choice of components- The right way to do that is to decide what you want to use the machine for exactly and then make it fall into the budget as best you can with an eye toward "upgradeability," as I call it. Brownizs is right when he says you don't want to build a dead-end machine and you have to know how you want to use it or we can't help much. I would recommend (in that budget) a budget Core 2 machine with SLI capability for superior performance in gaming and all around computing, but if it is just for opening e-mails and such, maybe you would want to go with a budget processor like Celeron and cheaper board so you can spend more on monitor, ect., for example (not what I would do...). That is why you need to know what everything does, advantages and disadvantages of certain setups and components, what components help tailor your system to excel in the area you want it to, and what is important to you, ect.

I would recommend reading on the subject of building a computer, how to books/ google, and much of which you want to know is on this forum, as well. There is a really good thread that a member here started who is building her first PC. Here is the link.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=116772

It may be a big help to spend an hour or so reading that. It details a lot of the specifics of building a rig and some of the questions someone who is newer may have. After a bit of research, we may be able to give better advice.

 

Yea my teacher had demonstrated how to install all the parts...I'm just having trouble filling out specs for this asssignment. Thats all, I just need the specs shown out so I can understand how to read one for an upcomming test. If you could help me it would be very much appreciated.

 

Trust me I've done research and testing, I've read up to 13 chapters of this stuff.

 

So, you basically came here for homework, and not for personal use. Sorry, but you will be better off paying attention to the assignment, and doing the research on your own. Just look over the specs on the different machines that MicronPC, Dell, HP, Gateway, IBM have, and you will quickly realize that their machines are pretty much the same in Processors (majority higher end are Intel Dual Core (Microsoft & Intel are hand in hand), about the same type of memory (DDR2 400mhz, 512mb min. standard), Video chipsets are pretty much the same, with the exception of the higher end Media PC, or game systems that Dell sells. OS is Vista now, with the exception again of Vista Ultimate in the higher end.

Just throwing together figures in a mish-mash to complete an assignment, if the instructor teaching the class understands how computers work, he or she will quickly realize that you did not do what you where supposed to do. Putting together a computer system, takes more then 20min's of throwing components together, due to the outcome will be realized, that the CPU does not fit the Motherboard, the motherboard does not have SATA, but the hard drive you chose is SATA, there is no AGP, or the Power supply is under-rated for all of the components.

 

Not to be harsh, but if you can't fill that out then you didn't pay attention in class at all. That is terribly easy. Just find stuff that is compatible at very least and go with it if you must. I have missed a day or two (or 3 or 4 or 5) when I was in college and what I did was just read the text. It works wonders. You might be pulling an all-nighter.

 

And we know how all nighters feel, especially if you also work 40 hours a week, and go to school. Makes for a fun work day the next day.