RAM: Get at least 256 megs of DDR Ram SDRAM Highly recommend you get 512MB DDR Ram is the type you want for a socket 478 motherboard (with Pentium 4/Celeron CPU). If you want to browse a selection of cheap memoryclick the DDR ram icon on the left and browse through the full range of memory selection. If you want to know about the other types of memory out there, check out my computer memory guide here

Hard Drive: Get at least a 40 gigabyte hard drive. Click the left hard drive to get the fast 80 GB Seagate7200 Hard Drive Highly recommended. You always need more so buy as much as you can afford. Buying a bigger dirve costs only a little extra. I always recommend people to get a 80 GB drive like the one above. If you want to browse a range of Hard Drivesclick hard drive icone on the left. The hard drive is where your installed programs are stored. Lots of data storage space means that you can have a wide variety of different software programs at your fingertips. If you want to know more about hard drives installation then check out the hard drives installation guide here

CD Writer: Any CD writer faster than 32 speed is fast enough. I found this CD writer for only $29.99 click the left CD writer to find out more. CD writers are very handy if you want to share large lots of digital pictures or video. DVDwriters/burners have recently dropped dramatically in price. If you want to browse a selection of cheap CD and DVD drives click CD writer icon on the left. You must have a CD ROM drive to install Windows and other applications. With CD writer drives so cheap it makes sense to simply get a CD writer and use that as your CD ROM.

Graphics Card: Get at least a 32 megabyte AGP card Get the very fast, cheap and reliable ATI Radeon 9200 128MB AGP graphics card here on the left. AGP graphics cards are the best but your motherboard needs an AGP slot. AGP graphics card is only really important for playing games. Case and power supply: Get a minimum 300 watt power supply. Click to buy this cheap Midtower Case. Get a nice large tower case that has enough room for additional drives for future expansion of your computer system. Check out Guide to Cheap Computer Cases for more information.

Sound Card: Get a Soundblaster Live by Creative labs. They are the most common and most compatible brand. Click the sound card icon for more choices. Monitor: Get at least a 17 inch computer monitor TDV Vison FV171-Multimedia 17-inch LCD! Intensify your visual experience with the FV171 multimedia 17-inch LCD with its bright display and sharp text. Its compact integrated speakers and slim design will minimize desk clutter. User friendly menu buttons are conveniently located for image or volume adjustment. Ideal for a wide range of applications at an affordable price For your eyes get a 17" LCD screen like the one pictured on the left. LCD sreens are much easier to read from than the bulky CRTdisplays. If you want to browse a range of cheap monitors & LCD's click LCD/monitor icon on the left to browse through the full range of selections. I've got all the details on how to select a good cheap computer monitor that suits your needs here. Guide to cheap computer monitors. Keyboard and Mouse: If you are going to be spending a great deal of time infront of your computer using your mouse surfing or doing graphic design, I high recommend you to get a new optical mouse shown on the left. the Logitech combo which includes a cordless mouse and matching keyboard. Click the icon and buy the best cordless keyboard and mouse combo here. Keybords are pretty much all the same. If you do a lot of typing then spend more. I recommend you get the Logitech keyboard pictured above. I know a guy who got one and it works great. The keyboard has great key action and the mouse is precise. The best part of all is that there are no cords to clutter up your desk. Now you have seen a list of "cheap" computer parts. They are common in all clone computers. I think you are now ready to see how to build your own computer. Get ready. It is easy! Once you see how easy it is to assemble cheap computer parts into a computer you will be convinced. I would think you would like the idea to become an independent computer user. Remember it will save you money. It will win you friends.