Need help choosing components

[Technoid]

(I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this, if it isn't, sorry!)

I'm going to build a computer to play Mirror's Edge and Call of Duty: World at War on. And probably Adobe Flash, and recording gameplay, and stuff like that.

First of all, don't tell me to get a i7 and the ASUS board they released yesterday just because it's the best. I don't want the best, I'll be building that system later. This one will sort of be a test, so that I know what I'm doing and don't mess up a thousand bucks. I know what my plans are, I just need help picking the components.

Keep it under $300, I don't want to be bankrupt when I'm ready for my $1,000 system.

Anyway,

I'll only do Intel and NVIDIA stuff for the CPU and GPU.

A friend recommended a Intel Pentium G860 for the processor, but I don't know much about it, I'll just do it unless anyone thinks something else would be better.

I have no clue for the motherboard.

For the graphics card, I don't know about the manufacturer, maybe MSI? For the GPU I'm figuring a GeForce 9000 something, or (up to) a GT 440, or something like that. My friend said a 550 Ti, but it seems like it's unnecessarily new.

For the RAM, 4 GB, but I don't know what brand or whatever. I think I'll do Crucial Ballistix.

For the PSU, I want it to be modular if possible. I was thinking a OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W 80 PLUS?

I don't know about the case.

I'm using pcpartpicker.com for a reference to parts and prices and stuff. Here's what my friend got: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ttsB and here's what I got: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tCes

[truenorth]

I will be commenting on only one hardware item of your intended build. I would suggest that you investigate using an SSD drive instead of the choice you currently have made. I do note your upper price range so that might preclude your options there. However given the intended use (gaming) the speed advantage could greatly enhance the performance for that purpose. To help you asses the various offers here is a link to a testing web site that has performed comparison tests.
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/storage/best-ssd-10-of-the-top-ssds-on-test-994095
truenorth

[Technoid]

I will be commenting on only one hardware item of your intended build. I would suggest that you investigate using an SSD drive instead of the choice you currently have made. I do note your upper price range so that might preclude your options there. However given the intended use (gaming) the speed advantage could greatly enhance the performance for that purpose. To help you asses the various offers here is a link to a testing web site that has performed comparison tests.
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/storage/best-ssd-10-of-the-top-ssds-on-test-994095
truenorth

Thanks, but I don't really want a SSD. I think they're more unreliable than a HDD, and if you lose your data, can you recover it like a HDD? And I heard that you can't keep on read/writing to it, like a HDD, it's more like a CD. Is that just for older ones or something? And I don't really understand how a super-fast drive would help performance with gaming, besides for maybe loading stuff, but isn't that to RAM? I figured it was more in the GPU, CPU, and RAM than the drive? Well it doesn't exactly matter, I just like HDD's better. I might look into a hybrid for my next one, aren't those HDD's with a SSD cache?

[BC_Programmer]

I think they're more unreliable than a HDD

But they aren't- I mean, to be fair, the actual storage cells of the memory of an SSD will probably die long before a magnetic platter is no longer able to hold a charge, but what typically causes a failure in a magnetic platter drive is generally related to the mechanical components- head crashes, motor failures, etc. Most magnetic platter drives die long before the use of an SSD would start to encounter issues with storage cell write cycles.

and if you lose your data, can you recover it like a HDD

Presumably, you are asking if you can use tools like 'recuva' to recover files if you delete them by accident or something.

But here's the thing. This is sort of a shallow argument against SSDs, because data recovery is not a data backup. If you keep a proper backup of your data, you aren't going to need to recover anything to begin with, and if you aren't making backups, you should be. Relying on a Recovery program to restore data when you lose data is analogous to not avoiding dangerous situations because you can always go to a hospital.

And I heard that you can't keep on read/writing to it, like a HDD, it's more like a CD.

This is false. I would imagine in the large majority of cases, the actual failure rate overall is no different. SSDs can be written and read from immensely faster than a magnetic platter drive.

And I don't really understand how a super-fast drive would help performance with gaming, besides for maybe loading stuff, but isn't that to RAM?

Games don't load everything all at once. Usually data is loaded into the game as it's needed.  It usually depends on the game itself, however.

[Technoid]

Presumably, you are asking if you can use tools like 'recuva' to recover files if you delete them by accident or something.

Which means yes?

But here's the thing. This is sort of a shallow argument against SSDs, because data recovery is not a data backup. If you keep a proper backup of your data, you aren't going to need to recover anything to begin with, and if you aren't making backups, you should be. Relying on a Recovery program to restore data when you lose data is analogous to not avoiding dangerous situations because you can always go to a hospital.

I doubt everyone backups every single thing on their drive.. And you can forget to back it up, unless it's automatic. Then it can crash after you've changed something, before it backs it up.

This is false. I would imagine in the large majority of cases, the actual failure rate overall is no different. SSDs can be written and read from immensely faster than a magnetic platter drive.

I wasn't talking about failing. You know how you can write a file to a CD, and then you can't change it? I thought it was like that.

Games don't load everything all at once. Usually data is loaded into the game as it's needed.  It usually depends on the game itself, however.

Yeah, but that doesn't answer my question. How would a fast hard drive make it faster? Doesn't it have to do with RAM?

We're getting kind of off-subject here, I've never used a SSD in my life, and I've never had a HDD fail in my life. So I'm just going to use a HDD.

[truenorth]

As a contributor to this thread i had thought that you came to us asking for our assistance. Which i obviously mistook that you were seeking comments on the components that you have intended to purchase (otherwise there is not a great deal of benefit of having listed them). I am sorry that i misunderstood that basically it appears that you really only wanted affirmation that your choices were the best or correct ones. Please accept my humble apologies and good luck with your computer. truenorth

[Technoid]

As a contributor to this thread i had thought that you came to us asking for our assistance. Which i obviously mistook that you were seeking comments on the components that you have intended to purchase (otherwise there is not a great deal of benefit of having listed them). I am sorry that i misunderstood that basically it appears that you really only wanted affirmation that your choices were the best or correct ones. Please accept my humble apologies and good luck with your computer. truenorth

No no no, that is what I wanted. We were just getting into a big discussion about SSD's, and nothing else. That's what I meant by off subject, we were just concentrating on SSD's, which I simply wasn't going to get anyway.

[Technoid]

Anyone?

[Salmon Trout]

Anyone?

After the way you (a) asked your question and (b) treated the replies you got, do you seriously expect any more answers? (Other than ones like this, of course!)

[Technoid]

After the way you (a) asked your question and (b) treated the replies you got, do you seriously expect any more answers? (Other than ones like this, of course!)

The only thing I see is a no to a SSD, and a miscommunication with truenorth. What did I do wrong?

[TheWaffle]

If u are building it for practice why not use a kit?
 www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7535052&CatId=31&SRCCODE=MDOTTD&MobileOptOut=1
This one is cheap and has everything but a hdd and an os.
P.S. When you build this practice computer put linux on it; if u aren't framilular with linux. It'LL be good for u.

[Technoid]

If u are building it for practice why not use a kit?
 www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7535052&CatId=31&SRCCODE=MDOTTD&MobileOptOut=1
This one is cheap and has everything but a hdd and an os.
P.S. When you build this practice computer put linux on it; if u aren't framilular with linux. It'LL be good for u.

That's all AMD stuff. I want NVIDIA and Intel. And I don't know if Mirror's Edge will work on Linux, but I think I might dual-boot it. And it's not just for practice, I want it to play a few games, so I want to pick the components myself.

Thanks anyway, though 

[patio]

My only suggestion here...and i do it with reservation...is if you're planning on building a gaming rig for 3 Bills...even if you're just practicing would be to save some more money...then start...

[Technoid]

My only suggestion here...and i do it with reservation...is if you're planning on building a gaming rig for 3 Bills...even if you're just practicing would be to save some more money...then start...

I don't think I understand.. 

[patio]

My point was it's kinda tough to build a decent gaming rig for that amount...