computer building advice

[ultimamax]

I want to build a computer. I've been thinking about it for years now. I have a $1200 budget, which includes the keyboard and monitor. I want some input.
-What should I look out for in the names of the products? What do all those numbers mean exactly?
-What are some decent companies to look out for?
-How much of my budget should go towards each part?
-How do I get to be more knowledgable on this kind of stuff without constantly asking the forums?
-How do you guys know whether a certain part is stuffty?

Also, if you want to recommend a certain build/part, go right ahead and I'll check it out. I'm using NewEgg to order parts but you can link me another site.

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[Demian]

1. What do all those numbers mean exactly?
2. What are some decent companies to look out for?
3. How much of my budget should go towards each part?
4. How do I get to be more knowledgable on this kind of stuff without constantly asking the forums?
5. How do you guys know whether a certain part is stuffty?

1. Part name. Since companies make hundreds of video cards they need some random numbers in the product names to distinguish them. Nobody is creative enough to come up with hundreds of unique names.

2. AMD makes most of the consumer GPU and CPU's. If plan on 3D modeling Nvidia might be a better choice for the GPU. Brand doesn't really matter.
3. $400-$500 GPU and $200-$300 CPU.

4. Constantly ask forums and eventually realize it isn't that hard. I relied pretty heavily on a Finnish board for a few years but I eventually realized that this hardware thing wasn't so hard after all. Nowadays I just drop by boards to ask people if my parts are good and compatible with each other.

5. Magic for all I know. I'm not that good with hardware.

[Nickelob Ultra]

-How do I get to be more knowledgable on this kind of stuff without constantly asking the forums?
YouTube videos are a good start.  There's plenty of video tutorials from gaming community/hardware sites.
-How do you guys know whether a certain part is stuffty?
Look at the reviews, ALWAYS.  Avoid a product if it has 3/5 stars or less.

[YayFun]

I shop on Amazon and only buy parts that have 4 stars or more.

[KoopaScooper]

Certain brands you should stray from include: Diamond Multimedia, Sparkle, refurbished PNY, Foxconn, Logisys (specifically their power supplies,) and plenty that i can't remember right now

[Ben Grapevine]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hDr8

[Kalphiter]

Certain brands you should stray from include: Diamond Multimedia

woops

[ultimamax]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hDr8

For me? :D
Thanks broheim. I forgot to mention I need to save some cash for Windows 7, but that'll probably come out of my own wallet. Once I research this hardware stuff I'll take a look back at this setup and try to see if it's right for me. I might change it a bit.

[Shy_Guy]

For me? :D
Thanks broheim. I forgot to mention I need to save some cash for Windows 7, but that'll probably come out of my own wallet. Once I research this hardware stuff I'll take a look back at this setup and try to see if it's right for me. I might change it a bit.

There other free OS out there.

[Ben Grapevine]

For me? :D
Thanks broheim. I forgot to mention I need to save some cash for Windows 7, but that'll probably come out of my own wallet. Once I research this hardware stuff I'll take a look back at this setup and try to see if it's right for me. I might change it a bit.

Yeah for you.  I am getting most of those components, I just added things like a case + etc. because I am only upgrading my current one.

[KoopaScooper]

you don't need a sound card unless ultima is an audiophile

[ultimamax]

you don't need a sound card unless ultima is an audiophile

I don't really care about sound quality too much.

[KoopaScooper]

I don't really care about sound quality too much.

in this case onboard audio is fine, you don't need that sound card

[Ethan]

If you want, I'll get you a parts list for your budget in a jiffy, I just need to get on my computer as I'm on my phone at the moment.

[ultimamax]

If you want, I'll get you a parts list for your budget in a jiffy, I just need to get on my computer as I'm on my phone at the moment.

Sure.