Since you say you're unfamiliar with those terms, I recommend you buy something that's already put together from somewhere like Dell. If you go to their web site you can customize a computer to be like you want it. I'd go with an Intel processor with no more than 4 cores. I also recommend you get it with Windows 7 because I don't think you'll like Windows 8 on a desktop PC. If nothing else, going through the configuration process will give you a good feel for what the costs are.
Good luck.
So I'm planning on my building my first computer some time soon, so I just wanted some general questions answered before hand. I plan on gaming heavily on this build (Guild Wars 2, Skyrim with possible mods, etc.) and I'm looking to play on at least mid settings. Also, this is just a tower, I plan on using my 20 inch HDTV as my monitor, is this a good idea? Now, keep in mind, I know close to nothing about computer hardware or software and I'm looking to learn more about it, so what's better than hands on experience right? These are the statistics I sort of know so far:
At least
1 GB of Ram for a video graphics card
4 or 6 core processor
6 gb of ram for memory
at least 1 highspeed optical drive
the most recent operating system
a liquid cooler
hard drives
I got these specs off of a site that was talking about the general build of high end gaming computers, but that's prebuilt. What am I missing? Obviously a case, a motherboard, a cpu, heat sink. I just need some help on what all this means and how all this fits together. Why do some people use multiple graphics cards? How much would a decent build cost? What are some reliable sites to order from or stores? How about brands and such? References to other forums, pictures, and helpful threads would be great! I know there are other issues like compatibility and such. Any information would be great guys(:
Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic