Reccomendations for motherboards

I like NewEgg, too. Sometimes on motherboards TigerDirect has better prices. It is hard to beat Micro Center if you also buy the processor there because they consistently undercut everybody on the processor price (Core I7 4770K at $249 without any mail-in rebate nonsense) and bundle a significant discount on the motherboard with purchase of a processor.

But check out the features. Do you want built-in wireless and/or BlueTooth? How many USB ports do you need of each type? Do you want Thunderbolt? How about those PCI slots of various types? How many drive bays? This is just up to your preference and how you anticipate your future needs may evolve.

They all take DDR3 1600 RAM and the brand of RAM doesn't much matter, but when you think about overclocking things get dicier. For example, some take DDR3 2000 and some don't (although most now take DDR3 2133).

And then there is the form factor. ATX is larger and easier to work with, and will sometimes have features that are not preset in the mATX version of the same model number Furthermore, if you are getting a full-size case, like your Cougar, then the cutouts on the back will generally be in the right place with an ATX and may be offset for an mATX, which can complicate matters if you ever need to replace the CPU cooler bracket.

Most of the work in building your own computer is in the planning and choosing of your components. Putting it together is comparatively easy and a bit fun, and the satisfaction you get when you first power it up and all the little lights go on and the BIOS trademark displays on your monitor for the first time and it all works is really quite remarkable, even when you've done it quite a few times before.

And you wind up with a Falcon Northwest for the price of an HP. I'll never buy anybody else's computer again.