I’m currently hoping that my Dell laptop survives long enough for my newegg-ordered parts to get to me for my first custom build gaming system. I’m getting one component per paycheck. The HAF 932 case should be here tomorrow.
Randall I have to tell you, my frustration is also exacerbated by the fact I quit smoking 10 days ago! My husband would like to build his own but he’s an old programmer not a techie.
Good luck with your build.
I’ve built three computers so far, and no problems, but there is a slight chance of defect, so if you’re not building it soon after getting the parts, you run the risk of having a defective part after the time to return it to Newegg. However, you will be protected by the manufacturer warranty, and can return it there.
I would suggest buying the cheapest items first, and the MOBO and CPU last if buying piecemeal.
When you buy the processor, buy name brand, not the generic, because the warranties and return policy of the manufacturer are generally better (I use AMD).
When you do build it, wear a wrist strap (as static electricty can fry a motherboard), and take your time. I just made a costly mistake when putting the heat sink on my new CPU (Phenom II triple core CPU). I had trouble securing it, the CPU wasn’t secured, and some pins broke off in the MOBO, trashing both. Lesson learned for me!
I went Gigabyte MOBO for the first time, and am very pleased with that brand-very easy to flash the BIOS. I also stick with WD drives; I think mine (Caviar Black) has a 5 year warranty.
Read ALL of the reviews for a particular component on Newegg to get an idea of what works with each component (especially MOBO/RAM); there will be a lot of tips as well as the reviews. Good luck.