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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Malar" data-source="post: 1651472" data-attributes="member: 21134">The hardest part about building your own computer is selecting the appropriate parts.First, you should begin with the processor or motherboard, since those limit the options of the other parts. If you want optimum bang-for-the-buck you should select a processor a little older than the newest one. I can recommend Athlon 2800XP series for example (around 2Ghz). Then choose a motherboard that has the appropriate gadgets for you, and the right FSB-speed. There is no use buying faster components than the slowest component in the box.For example, a 2Ghz Athlon 2800XP runs with 333Mhz FSB. That means you don't need a motherboard or memory that support 400Mhz. So you will have to be certain all parts fit together. Be sure to select a fan and heatsink that are appropriate, or to be on the safe side, buy the boxed version of the processor that comes with fan and heatsink. The other stuff you can buy as bulk since you are going to throw the fancy boxes in the trash anyway.Now, if you want to play the newest FPS-type games you will probably need a kickass graphics card, but if you don't play, or you play games that do not require really high-end graphics, you can save a lot of money on this part. A Radeon 9600 runs most games today really well, and it costs only a fraction of the newest cards today. Be sure to select a case with a good power source. 350W is probably the bare minimum for today's computers. Harddrives are cheap and standardized as long as you stick to IDE-drives and not Serial-ATA or SCSI. In that case you must check that your motherboard supports them. Where I live, you can put together a good office-computer for just under 400€ (about 400$) and a little more powerful machine for around 600€ (gaming etc). Above that, you gain much less by the buck. As for assembling the machine, it is pretty straightforward these days. A screwdriver and some common sense is all that you require. The motherboard always comes with a manual and as long as you follow those instructions you cannot do anything wrong really.Beware of static discharges though. Before you touch any electronic components, always touch the computer case or some big metallic object to ground yourself. You can preferrably ground yourself by touching the radiator and the case to be on the safe side. Professionals use a grounding bracelet that is connected to something similar.In most countries you can buy an OEM version of your favourite operating system as long as you buy a new computer, (buying a mobo, processor and memory should suffice) but it will have to be done in the same purchase. Installing the OS is so easy I won't go into that <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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