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[MadMalkavian]

Redacted because I should be sleeping.

[Owlbread]

I'm not going to build a new computer. I don't trust myself to do such a thing without breaking something or wasting money. Money might be something a normal person doesn't have to worry about but when you live on $866.40 USD a month it's kind of important that you don't take any chances with your money. I'm sorry but no amount of pep talk or coercion will convince me that it would be a good idea to do such a thing.

Your choice, I live on less than that and I spent nearly £2000 of savings on a computer and assembled it myself. You won't break anything (it's just like lego for adults), but it's your choice.

[MehMuffin]

I built a computer for the first time last week (I've barely even held a screwdriver before, I can't change a plug let alone a motherboard) and I'm using it right now to post this. It is not nearly as hard as you think, and I had a lot of money on the line too if I messed up. Just get some very, very patient friends who can talk you through it step by step, take anti static precautions and just work your way through it.

Honestly, don't underestimate yourself. Building a computer is something everyone should do at least once, I think. It helps you to understand what's inside your computer, and you don't feel like going inside it is such a big undertaking, and best of all your computer will be exactly the way you want it and you will save money.

Most of the parts are also less easily damaged than most guides make them seem. When I built mine with help from one of my friends we realized at the end that my case (NZXT Switch 810) which we had been using for grounding the whole time didn't have conductive paint, and didn't actually ground. And the static didn't break anything at all.

[Aklyon]

Carefulness is still a good idea, but some guides do exaggerate. In general, you want to make sure things are in there securely but not break them pushing.

[Owlbread]

The only thing you really need to remember is to put your little brass standoffs onto your case before you screw in the motherboard. That sounds technical and scary, but they're just little brass screw-like things that you put into your case then screw your motherboard onto them so that it isn't touching the case. It isn't difficult and it's nothing you should be afraid of, but if you don't do that you could damage your motherboard. There's almost nothing else like that though, that's about the riskiest operation to do.

I'm sure people here will be more than willing to talk you through it step by step, and hell, if you can't do it get someone you know to help you. It's simple enough that a child could do it with an adult's assistance/supervision, so I'm sure you will be able to do it too.

[MadMalkavian]

I'm sure people here will be more than willing to talk you through it step by step, and hell, if you can't do it get someone you know to help you. It's simple enough that a child could do it with an adult's assistance/supervision, so I'm sure you will be able to do it too.

I have to be honest with you. I don't trust the people here at Bay 12 to help me with such a thing. I don't trust most people in general to help me with anything. Most of the time I don't even ask for help when I could really use some because I don't trust people. I maybe trust my mother enough to ask for help but outside of her I don't ask people for help unless I'm really stuck on something.

It's a thing that I am working on getting past, though the same thing is also why I don't have friends or even know anyone. I'm isolationist and borderline xenophobic at worst, standoffish and unwilling to trust at best. Probably has something to do with my PTSD but like with the other things I am diagnosed with it's going to take me a lot of my life to work on these issues so I can trust people. I'm not used to having nice things or getting help or being treated kindly because of how I'm used to receiving just the opposite in my dealings with other people.

I just want to get a computer that will do what I want it to do. At this time that would be The Sims 3, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a handful of "obscure Japanese games" and maybe recording Let's Play videos for me to upload on Youtube. Maybe World of Darkness Online or The Elder Scrolls Online as well. I just want a computer that does what I want it to do and without the complicated bullshit involved with building one from scratch.

I mean, I've been stuck with a computer from 2001 since 2008 and I don't know heads or tails of these newfangled things that people talk about these days. I don't think I could learn either because thanks to my Autism I have a really hard time understanding most anything that doesn't click the right way with my brain. This newfangled stuff doesn't click.

I'm sorry for letting this out but I think it has to be said. I'm going to lie down now as I've had an emotionally exhausting day and I need to rest before I start feeling suicidal again. Have a good afternoon.

[Owlbread]

-snip-

[Bauglir]

Yeah, that's fine. It seems weird to have nearly a page of people telling you how easy it is to build a new computer when you've said that's not the point and you're not interested in doing it.

[Alastar]

I suppose much comes from MadMalkavian stating s/he's living on a somewhat tight budget.
You can live cheaply and have nice things, but that may require working on certain skills, with corresponding risks.

Can't afford ruining meals as I learn to cook -> keep buying overpriced  junk food
Can't afford ruining something building my own PC -> keep buying overpriced weirdly put-together computers, to be replaced when a component fails/becomes obsolete.

*

For computers, this used to be a no-brainer, but no more. The average off-the-shelf PC is ok-ish value for money these days, building your own is most interesting for people who know exactly what they want to spend their money on.
Some examples: Pre-assembled near-silent builds tend to be priced as premium products, if that matters to you building your own is much cheaper. If you care about a nice responsive system in everyday use instead of raw power, spring for a Solid State Drive... doesn't apply much to gamers on a budget. You may have obscure needs (Dwarf Fortress is limited by a fairly odd metric - RAM latency. If you want to run non-Windows operating systems, you may pick hardware based on how well it's supported there).

Of course, much of the time you can satisfy many of your needs in a pre-assembled build. I'd advise against Alienware though - they are still living on the reputation from a bygone era.

*

Last but not least: Even if you don't build your own,  get comfortable replacing some components. More RAM is often a cheap high-impact upgrade, graphics cards obsolete much more quickly than CPUs.

[MadMalkavian]

Yeah, that's fine. It seems weird to have nearly a page of people telling you how easy it is to build a new computer when you've said that's not the point and you're not interested in doing it.

I think it's weird that I ask for help with Firefox and Flash and what I get in return is advice on how to build my own computer that I didn't even ask for. It's just a reminder to me though as to why I should keep my mouth shut sometimes.

I suppose much comes from MadMalkavian stating s/he's living on a somewhat tight budget.
You can live cheaply and have nice things, but that may require working on certain skills, with corresponding risks.

Can't afford ruining meals as I learn to cook -> keep buying overpriced  junk food
Can't afford ruining something building my own PC -> keep buying overpriced weirdly put-together computers, to be replaced when a component fails/becomes obsolete.

Money is indeed very tight for me. I'm unable to work due to both some brain and nervous system stuff as well as due to some psychological problems. The result is I live on about $866.40 USD a month. Sure, I now get some additional benefits which make money less tight but that only comes up to about $200 a month which I could save for such a thing. Add in the factor that is my representative payee, whom I have because I am unable to manage my own money, and things get interesting. She is helping me save up for a new computer, but at this time I have half the mind to say fuck it and just buy an XBOX 360 or some sort of console system because computers are too damn complicated these days.

For computers, this used to be a no-brainer, but no more. The average off-the-shelf PC is ok-ish value for money these days, building your own is most interesting for people who know exactly what they want to spend their money on.
Some examples: Pre-assembled near-silent builds tend to be priced as premium products, if that matters to you building your own is much cheaper. If you care about a nice responsive system in everyday use instead of raw power, spring for a Solid State Drive... doesn't apply much to gamers on a budget. You may have obscure needs (Dwarf Fortress is limited by a fairly odd metric - RAM latency. If you want to run non-Windows operating systems, you may pick hardware based on how well it's supported there).

More stuff that I don't know nor understand. Once again more reason why I shouldn't take the risk of building a new computer myself.

Of course, much of the time you can satisfy many of your needs in a pre-assembled build. I'd advise against Alienware though - they are still living on the reputation from a bygone era.

Then I do not know who to purchase from as outside of Alienware the only brand I know is Compaq. This however is something I can research.

Last but not least: Even if you don't build your own,  get comfortable replacing some components. More RAM is often a cheap high-impact upgrade, graphics cards obsolete much more quickly than CPUs.

I can do upgrades but only as far as the video card. I don't trust myself with RAM.

[Tellemurius]

Alright what is the cheapest price and the highest price you would pay for a PC and would you want it as a laptop or desktop?

[MadMalkavian]

Alright what is the cheapest price and the highest price you would pay for a PC and would you want it as a laptop or desktop?

Well I'll have $300 saved up by September 1st so $250 is about what I could pay if I get it next month. Otherwise I'll have $500 saved up in October, $700 saved up in November, and $900 saved up in December. If I get a computer in October I could spend about $450 at most, while if I get one in November or December I could spend about $650 or $850 at most. I say this because of course I would have to factor in the shipping and handling as well as various taxes for the computer itself.

I would like for it to be a desktop but a laptop is also doable if it can play the games I will want it to play. I want to be able to play The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and The Sims 3 as those are the only professionally developed PC games that have come out in the past five years which I want to play. Everything else I want to play is on the XBOX 360, the PS3 or the 3DS.

Now I can do upgrades if I have to. To rephrase myself earlier I'm comfortable upgrading parts as long as I can research what needs to be done and such. In fact my original plan was to get a computer from TigerDirect for $200-$250 and just upgrade the video card later, but my payee advised me against that. I might be able to convince her that it's a good idea but I did say to her in case if I forget to not let me change her mind on this subject.

Anyways thanks for your help and I'm sorry if I was kind of an asshole the past day or two. I've been dealing with some depression stuff but that's no reason to take it out on you guys.

[Owlbread]

I think people understand now that you've made it clear that you have autism, so we're not going to get frustrated with you or think you're an asshole.

[Tellemurius]

dual core with GT630 graphics 550 bucks http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227495


Quad core with Internal graphics 640 bucks http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227479

That top one will get you started right away with a small gaming machine while the bottom one you will need to put a graphics card.

Frankly at 550 bucks its a good start build into modern times but you would need to upgrade both the power supply and graphics card if you want to start pushing over 720p graphics down the road but this will let you play skyrim at least will need to tone it down some for good framerate. but hell upgrading from a old machine 10+ years you'll know the difference.
(note do not get that rebate for the pc unless you are getting the extended warranty, fun fact with rebates as you turn them in it voids the warranty)

[MadMalkavian]

dual core with GT630 graphics 550 bucks http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227495


Quad core with Internal graphics 640 bucks http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227479

That top one will get you started right away with a small gaming machine while the bottom one you will need to put a graphics card.

Frankly at 550 bucks its a good start build into modern times but you would need to upgrade both the power supply and graphics card if you want to start pushing over 720p graphics down the road but this will let you play skyrim at least will need to tone it down some for good framerate. but hell upgrading from a old machine 10+ years you'll know the difference.
(note do not get that rebate for the pc unless you are getting the extended warranty, fun fact with rebates as you turn them in it voids the warranty)

I'll keep those in mind. Thank you for the recommendations and such. I hope I can be patient enough to save up the money for one of them. Part of why I haven't gotten a new computer yet is I have problems with being patient with the whole saving money bit, especially when I don't have much to begin with and especially when my perception of time is really off due to various memory problems and such. Have a good day.

I think people understand now that you've made it clear that you have autism, so we're not going to get frustrated with you or think you're an asshole.

It still wasn't any excuse for me to be mean to you guys or have that kind of hostile tone with my posts. It wasn't the right thing to do, and I was taught that you're supposed to do the right thing in life. I still think my apology was necessary because of that. However thank you for your understanding. I appreciate it.