Computer?

[asterroc]

I need to buy a PC. I attempted this last summer w/ help from kelsin, but I never got off my @$$ to actually buy it. I thought Newegg.com sold whole computers, but apparently they don't. I do not need a monitor or other peripherials, just everything that goes in the case. So what do I need to get, and do you have recommendations for which one? I will be installing Win XP on it (possibly Vista), MS Office, Firefox, and assorted games. I want to be able to play Starcraft 2 when it comes out.

I feel like these are the parts I need for a computer.

* Case
* Motherboard (is the processor typically integral to this?)
* DVD R/W
* Hard Drive (100+ GB)
* Video Card
* Sound Card
* RAM (1+ GB)
* USB slots (2 minimum, 6 ideal - are these usually integral to the motherboard?)
* Wireless card (Bluetooth not required)
* Power supply
* Fan

What parts am I missing, and what do you recommend for each? I'm counting on YOU, sirroxton, and maybe kelsin since I'm thinking of converting the old box to linux. ^_^ I'm hoping to order this next week, in the same order as a conure-cam.

Comments

[sirroxton.livejournal.com]

Price. The OEM price advantage for budget boxes is huge. That advantage shrinks a bit for enthusiast systems, but that's not what most people need.

2400XT = $40-$50
2600XT = $70-100
3850 = $130-$160

First off, notice that Dell is stiffing you on the price of the 2400XT. They charge $100 for it. (Buying video cards from OEMs is the equivalent of buying popcorn in the theater. The theater's margins on ticket-sales are super low, but they make up the difference at the snack counter.)

The 2400XT is a little underpowered for gamers, although it'll probably run Starcraft 2 acceptably well. That title is expected to not have really high requirements.

The 2600XT is a mainstream gamer's card, and should play all upcoming games acceptably well.

The 3850 is a high value mid-range card. You won't need to make trade-offs between resolution and antialiasing.