Building Off Barebone Computer...

[shatteredv3]

Found a barebone computer that looks good, but this is my first time building so I'm not sure I have everything needed and whether or not anything is compatible. The barebone computer is this one.

Comes With:
CASE: PowerUp Black ATX Mid-Tower Case with Clear Side and 450-Watt Power Supply
PSU: (See CASE)
MoBO: Biostar P4M900-M7 FE Motherboard (Chipset: VIA P4M900CD)
CPU: Intel Pentium D 940 3.20GHz OEM Processor
RAM:
-Crucial 2048MB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz Memory
-Crucial 1024MB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz Memory

I am getting (no idea if any of this is compatible I am totally guessing here):
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green WD6400AACS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (bare drive) - OEM
VIDEO CARD: ???
SOUND CARD: ???
OS: Windows XP/Vista
F/HS: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
DVD DRIVE:
SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD Burner - OEM

Need recommendations on Video Card and Sound Card. Just need something that's good enough to run say... WoW. And am I missing any components?

[Masaki 7-11]

I wouldn't go with that type of barebone kit, it uses low quality power supply and motherboard which could cause problems later on. I recommend building a computer off of a parts list made from scratch. Looks like you will be using this computer for gaming, do you plan on using it for anything else? If so please list what else you will use the computer for. What kind of budget do you have? For a gaming rig that can run WoW properly on anything up to and including a 22inch, it will be about $450 (including the operating system and not including tax/shipping).

[shatteredv3]

Thanks for the response. I'd go up to $600, but the less the better of course. Don't think I will be using the computer for much else... WoW, web surfing via Firefox, and Microsoft Office/Word/Powerpoint for school. Oh and Bittorrent too, if that counts at all. The only reason I wanted a use a barebone kit was because I'm not sure I can properly install a motherboard, processor, and all that. Can you recommend another kit from tigerdirect.com or newegg.com maybe?

[Masaki 7-11]

Originally Posted by shatteredv3 Thanks for the response. I'd go up to $600, but the less the better of course. Don't think I will be using the computer for much else... WoW, web surfing via Firefox, and Microsoft Office/Word/Powerpoint for school. Oh and Bittorrent too, if that counts at all. The only reason I wanted a use a barebone kit was because I'm not sure I can properly install a motherboard, processor, and all that. Can you recommend another kit from tigerdirect.com or newegg.com maybe?

It isn't very difficult to install a motherboard, processor, ect. especially if you don't have trouble reading instructions. I built my first computer by printing off instructions and putting the parts together as instructed (I got the parts checked first for quality and compatibility). If you do encounter any problems while building it yourself, you can also post here for advice. Here is a list of parts that should provide you with a good fast computer (I haven't included any barebone kit(s) as most if not all of them have poor quality power supplies, low performance motherboards and limited upgrading options. Here is the parts list:


LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model iHAS120-04
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106263
$23.99

Antec Sonata III 500 Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129024
$129.99

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136218
$74.99

ASUS M3A78 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131340
$80.99

POWERCOLOR AX3870 512MD3-PH Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131095
$89.99

mushkin Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 996521
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820146112
$36.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5000DOBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103211
$59.00

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3 English for System Builders 1 Pack CD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116511
$89.99

Subtotal: $585.93

[Doom]

I'll second the motion that putting together a PC on your own isn't nearly as tough as it seems. I think you'll be happier (and learn a lot more) in the process. Consider the following:

- Everything is pretty much standardized. If you use the parts list from Masaki... all the components match up perfectly. If you put together an Intel sysytem... there are two notches in the chip and two notches in the the CPU slot... so you can't miss!
- There's a step by step instructional of the main pcmech page. I also recommend the book "Building a PC for Dummies" which was my bible and got me started.
- You get a lot more for your money by staying away from a barebones kit. Most of them have sub-standard graphics capabilities that are fine for just browsing the internet and typing word...but if you want to play any type of game now or in the future, your money is much better spent on the full deal.
- I found that 90% of the challenge to my first computer build was picking out the parts for what I wanted. Masaki has hooked you up with a good list so that's pretty much done.
- If/when you build on your own...go slow. "Have you ever seen a turtle fall?" was one of the most helpful quotes from folks on this forum when I built my first. Next up...read all the instructions, get all your materials together and block off an afternoon.
- It's much easier to upgrade if you do a full build on your own since every component is controlled by you. You can also ensure that all of your components are of high quality.
- Spend the paltry $5 to get a mini tool kit with some precision screwdrivers and a pair of tweezers (needle nose pliars are nice too). It makes the process easier than using bulky things.

Next up...take a look at the Cooler Master CM 690 case (it's also cheaper). I just built a rig using it and was really impressed. It is a very simple case to install into, has plenty of space and cooling, features toolless installation and was a breeze to wire.

[shatteredv3]

Don't I need a sound card... or is that included in one of the items you listed? Thanks for the help, will let you know how it turns out when I attempt to build this PC in a few weeks. Still waiting on one of my scholarship checks to come in so my university will refund me $1000.

[Masaki 7-11]

Although the Cooler Master CM 690 is less expensive than the case I recommend, it does not come with a power supply, if you include a 500w earthwatts power supply with the CM 690, it will come to about the same price as the Antec Sonata. For a more simple build, I found the Antec Sonata to be really easy to work with, quiet and dust free.

The motherboard comes with a built in sound card, it is of decent quality and you won't notice an improvement in sound if you compare it to a better sound card unless you have a lot of experience with many different sound cards and if you use higher quality speakers/headphones.