First time computer builder.

[Thorny]

Hey so this is my first time building a custom computer and i want a bit of advice on it, i was thinking of starting with a barebones to make it easier either:
https://www.aria.co.uk/Systems/Bund...ome+&+Office+Barebone+Bundle+?productId=42650
OR
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/barebones/Novatech/BB-6404GA.html

i'm pretty sure the second is better but is it worth the extra £40 or would it be cheaper to build it myself out the the parts on the gladiator triple core?

for other parts i was thinking:

500GB hard drive
good graphics card maybe a Radeon HD 5750 or GeForce GTS 450 (what would be recommended?)
windows 7 home premium 64 bit
optical drive, doesnt really matter as long as it plays dvds,cds and rewrites.

i want to use the computer for gaming mostly but it be games like spore, starcraft 2 and dawn of war of which i think any of the barebones packages will do.

any tips/hints you can give for a person making there first computer is appreciated.

 

[muckshifter]

keep looking ... stay clear of "cheap" motherboards that say "with onboard graphics" in both cases I didn't read any further.

Welcome to the forums.

 

[Thorny]

what motherboard would you recommend? or can you show me a list of what would be good? also why is onboard graphics bad if you add a graphics card?

 

[muckshifter]

Simply put, integrated graphics are for companies who buy in bulk and need capable 2D (most basic 3D) yet extremely cheap and uniformity, and individuals who couldn't tell the difference between chalk quality and cheese quality.

Anyone who cares about graphics, which most people frequenting this forum do, would not use integrated graphics for their needs, unless it's for mobility use, and even then they'd weigh the options.

It's not about being a snob, it's about true useability. We here are enthusiasts, and even on the low end, we want something capable.

Will a P3-667 with 128MB PC100 RAM, 10GB 4KRPM HD, CD-Rom and a Kyro 400 be 'good enough for most day to day non-gaming activities', damn sure!

I'll pass on "what to buy" as there are capable systems, which will cost more, that will do a much better job, even from the companies you have linked.