Helloo guys!

i am thinking of making my own computer maybe during my spring break or when i get home afterschool (homework first of course)
i have NO idea how to make one so is making one really hard? and what do i need to build one too?
and just wondering but is building your own computer cost more then to just buy it from the store?

I direct you to this: http://lifehacker.com/5151369/the-first+timers-guide-to-building-a-computer-from-scratch

Basically when it comes down to it building a computer it cheaper;

You don't get charged for the manufacturing fees and other fees you get charged for that most people don't even realize;

Also when you buy parts online you could probably even get past all of the shipping fee's

A couple sites to check out would be newegg.com ; tigerdirect.com ; microcenter.com they all sell pretty cheap parts just remember to buy all compatible parts;

The draw backs to building a computer is you dont get your warrenty in ONE place; For most people buying computer from OEMs are just easier while people like me cant stand them :P

Its really a toss up on which is better; that answer really relies on who is asking the question

A very good link,Tet.

Over the years I have built more than my share. I dont agree that it is cheaper, if you look
there are some descent systems out there that include everything you need for a fair price.

And if someone just wants a basic system, thats the way to go. But I assume Pie you want a gaming system. That's where building your own is better. But there are numerous problems you can run across. Lets start with a motherboard first you need to know what processor you are going to use, then choose a board for that chip.  Then find a board that has everything you need, are you going to use SLI or Crossfire, how many PCI slots do you need. Are you going to run RAID now or in the near future, so how many SATA ports do I need. How much ram does the board support and is that enough for my needs. And after that you need to make sure the board gets decent reviews ( Cheaper is not better).

This is just part of it,dont get me wrong I am all for building your own. But be prepared
for a learning experience that can be frustrating at times. The upside is typically you can upgrade individual components as needed easily and not need to upgrade entire system.
Proprietary systems are limited in what you can upgrade and can be a bit more expensive to do so.  

And for goodness sake if you build your own do yoursef a favor a buy a full tower case.
You will have plenty of room to work in, plenty of airflow and plenty of room for video card. Video cards are getting HUGE.

If you decide to build I can give you some tips to help. But basically do your homework now for each component and make sure they all will work together and determine your cost.

Couldnt have said it better myself Falcontx.  I have build a few systems myself and it can be very frustrating when you have dicovered that the boards' BUS speeds are lower than what you thought, or it doesnt support enough RAM. I lean towards buying a good PC that has loads of expand possibilities and then expand when funds allow.  This is not infinite of course, but then it wouldnt be if you built you own system.

I think you need to cosider what you want out of the PC and your knowledge base, however there are always loads of friends (us included) that might be able to answer your questions.

Good luck

Hey thanks for all the replys guys!
i guess i shall start with knowing the pieces of a computer and checking the price budget ect..
and thanks for the link tet! it really help me out a lot!

It's basicly just plugging in all the parts together. Then loading all the drivers. Like Falcon said boards go with a particular chip. And pick how many slots you need. Get a video and sound cards. Motherboard fan. How many case fans. You want quite. Heat sync goop some chip fans come w the goop in place. It's like a $1 to buy some. So not a big deal. CHoose your case.
Your windows OS. You can go w Linux but it's a pain in the a@# for drivers. Then you may get obscure error messages getting it all up. So have a working computor up so you can google
the error messages.

But it isn't hard. Takes a couple hours. Plugging the usb, fans, Case lights. and power supply to all motherboard hookups. And your done. Badda zing badda zoom.

Your next one will take half the time.

Biggest advice I can give you before buying components is DO YOUR RESEARCH. Look on Newegg.com for parts, read the reviews. Learn which components would be compatible with the motherboard you want. Get someone who is knowledgable about it to help you out with picking the parts.

How will i know if the cpu fits with the motherboard?

OK Pie to be honest if you have to ask this question, building a pc might be a bit much
for you to take on until you educate yourself a bit more about pc components.

To answer your question by socket type. Do you have any computer geek friends, if so
you may need their help. I love to see someone build their own pc, but without a certain amount of knowledge it can be frustrating and   a bit daunting especially if you run into  the odd problems.

Such as a bad ram stick, power supply not supported by your board or video card. Asus can be picky about power supplies. Intel boards are picky about ram timing. The gtx 260 video card needs a certain amount of voltage off the 12 volt rail to operate properly. If ya lived near me in Texas I would love to help you. But over the posting here there is only so much help we can do. I dont want to sound negative, but
I dont want someone to waste their money and being frustrated  either.

Now a way to get into building pc's is to start with the basics, find old computer parts and basically build a  simple internet pc. Old parts are easy to come by alot for free or cheap. Once you can do this then building a game machine will be  a bit easier.

The website http://www.techimo.com is a good place to start. Their forums are a Godsend.

Building a PC is cheaper because you choose your components. If you tried to buy a retail computer with that kind of spec, it would cost you a bundle. Some stores will even put the parts together for you.

After you build it make sure  to post photos and specs.

GOA.Luke*BK*

might i suggest intel, tho?

You can peruse tigerdirect or new egg. Decide what processor you want.  Read reviews. Then you select a board for that processor. That's how you know what board goes with what processor. Decide on a processor. Then get a board that goes with it.

When you order you can ask for recommendations as far as power supply, how much ram, what kind of ram, # of fans etc. You need to read a bit to educate yourself
on components and board features.

The rest is plugging it in. The errors you may run into you investigate. Not insurmountable. Every error you figure out makes you more knowledgable for future endeavors. Then everyone thinks you're a genius and you get lots of girls and big muscles.