Just wanted to ask a few questions about building your own computer?

http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/

Good Questions! Yes there are some parts that don't work with others..then there are parts that don't work WELL with others! Graphics cards...If their PCIe x16 will work with mother boards that have a PCIe x16 slot...Hardware will work with the 32 or 64Bit OS It's usually the programs that may have a problem! Your choice of video card(s) will help determine how powerful your PSU should be. I like to use the 20% rule..that is..say your video card says it take at least 420W of power...I add 20% so 420W + 20% = 504W you could go with 500W or for a bit more safety a 550W Computer cases come in various sizes but the most often used case is the ATX mid tower case This case will take the MicroATX (slightly shorter boards) and the ATX (standard size board) IF you decide on an ATX "extended" board (slightly longer than standard board) you would need a full tower case. Gamers tend to use the full tower case as it allows for more fans and more drive bays. I am not a happy camper with "combo" deals. I find at least one or two of the items does not compliment the other parts, or, you may find a great CPU and RAM with a rather week mother board or, a solid mother board/CPU combo but the RAM may leave a lot to be desired! I would rather buy separately and get exactly what I want...not what someone else thinks I should have with a combo deal or a pre-built machine. Building a computer from scratch today is not that hard at all just a matter of assembly..HOWEVER..knowing WHAT parts to get to make the best machine for you is the real trick! Pick out what YOU want..then bring the list back to use here on Answers. We can suggest things for you or tell you what will, or wont, work and weather it will be what you expect performance wise!

My first attempt at building a computer from individual parts was with a kit. I would recommend doing that first to get your feet wet. You won't save a ton of money either way if you just look for a deal. I'll answer your other questions anyway. -Do certain parts not work well with each other? For instance: do certain graphics cards not work with certain motherboards? It depends on connections. If your motherboard has slots for PCIe express then you can not use an AGP card. -How can I determine whether the parts are compatible with 64-bit Operating Systems or not? (This might be one of those 'stupid questions'. I'm sure most high-end parts are.) The only thing that affects 64 bit OS directly is the CPU. When you buy a CPU it should tell you what it supports and what kind of socket it needs on the motherboard. -How do I determine how large my power supply should be? There are a lot of charts out there that will tell you the amount of power each component you will have in your box will consume. You PSU should be big enough to support all of them with room to spare. You should also be aware of the number of connections (molex, sata, etc) and you should have a connection that fits your motherboard, etc. -How do I determine how big my computer case should be? Well, how much of what do you want where in your box? Do you need tons and tons of hard drives? Lots of 5.25 bays for DVD burners or whatever. How much room do you want your box to take up? This is mostly a preference thing. I like really big cases on anything I build, but if I need a small box, I generally buy something really small and cheap. -Is it better to just buy one of the pre-built computers on Newegg (the 'DIY computer combos')? This is what I originally intended to do, but then figured that buying all of my own parts might be better to maximize performance. Those DIY kits are usually tailored to a specific need like gaming or graphic arts or whatever. A kit will contain all compatible parts and you won't have to spec out each part of your would-be system to make sure they are compatible. Also your parts arrive all at one time, which is more fun than waiting an extra week for something like a motherboard to show up and you have to just sit around looking at all your newegg boxes... grinding your teeth, waiting to start building :) Best of luck to you. Building is quite fun and addictive!

most parts work fine together, just make sure you get ddr3 ram for a motherboard supporting it and dont get pci and pci-e slots mixed up. im pretty sure all hardware should work fine with a 64 bit os newegg has a calculator for that, just search power supply calculator in newegg thats up to you, a mid tower should be plenty but a full tower will give you a lot better airflow as it is much bigger go ahead and buy your own parts, it will give you a much more personalized rig for your purpose

1. order a motherboards/processer combo deal at newegg.com they have processers and motherboards that work togather better, almost all motherboards have a PCI slot for a grapic cards only the super old motherboards dont so dont worrie about that. 2. Any part is compatible with 64 or 32. 3. When you choose a grapic card find out its min power supply, then get a power supply 100 or more watts above. 4. Depends how big the parts are, most ppl manage with just an average, but if you are really building a kik *** comp you should get a big one to prevent overheating. 5. lol just saw this question, like i said newegg has well fit combos for processer and motherboards, also prebuilts cost more and you can build one for alot less and same or better performance. hope i helped! good luck bro 4. Depend how powerfull of a comp you want

1st, let me say that your questions are not stupid at all...they are thought out and well to know questions if you are planning to buy your own parts. I'll take them how you give them. 1. Not all components will work with all other components. There are different connection methods, speeds, etc that need to be taking into consideration. For example if you buy an AGP video card and your motherboard only has PCI and PCI-x slots, then you will not be able to utilize that. Another example is memory. There are several different memory styles, DDR, DDR2, DDR3, ECC, Non-ECC, etc. and then speeds of the memory PC-2700, PC 5500, etc...you need to be sure that your components will work together. You can aquire all of those specs off the motherboard that you select to use, as it will be the deciding factor in what you can and can not use. 2. As for your hardware in 64bit OS. The only true 64bit hardware will be your CPU. The rest will simply need drivers required for a 64bit OS. I will however caution that the only real use for a 64bit OS at this point in time is Server Side or high end number crunching. Most games and standard home software are not 64bit apps. They will work on a 64bit OS (mostly) but they are 32 bit apps, and will have less issues running on one. Check your games and apps to find out what is truley 64 bit that you require before leaping onto a 64bit OS. 3. Power Supply size is determined by the input required by your hardware. Typically your video card will recommend a specific size if PCI-x. Remember you can never have to big of a Powersupply, so when I talk to ppl, I simply tell them when in doubt, get the biggest you can and it will only save you from having to upgrade later on. 4. Your computer case should be determined soley on how you want it to look. Just be sure that you have enough expansion ports (3.5 and 5" bays) for the HDs and Optical Drives as well as any other front accessible hardware you want. ie: Midi Devices, multicard readers, temp control units, etc. 5. When it comes to a pre-built DIY system compared to a fully customized ordering all parts individually, I say do only what you feel is best. You will get more customization out of the ordering your own parts, but you may end up with some that aren't compatible with each other. It's a gamble and should be dealt with upon your comfort level. I will tell you that I have been building them for many a year now (nearly 2 decades) and I still ocassionaly get the pre-built DIY computers (aka barebones systems), depending on what my needs are at the time. If they have something that works for what I want to do, I get it so there is less thought involved. If not I customize all out. Enjoy your endeavor, and if you run into snags or have questions feel free to contact me via email and I'll try and help the best I can online.

1. Yes, some cards don't work with certain motherboards. 2.I don't know about that, i'm still a novice at this also. 3. You should be able to check somewhere in the details of your parts. But usually the more powerful your components are, the more of a supply you'll need. 4. That depends on how much you have. If you have a sound card, dual graphics card, extra RAM built-in, and/or extra fans you'll need a bigger case. If you don't have those, then a smaller case if fine. A bigger case is also easier to upgrade. By the way, none of your questions are stupid. Also newegg always sells out of their good stuff. you should look there and at www.tigerdirect.com if you need something they don't have. (I found the same processor there for about $20 cheaper at Tigerdirect)