Definition of Computer terms.

[heyimnoah]

So, I'm currently investing in building a gaming computer as I have heard you get better performance for a cheaper price. This is my first time ever doing anything like this so I'd like to see if you guys could tell me some things that a newbie might mess up on. And also what some terms mean (ex:Ti, GHz).

Thanks.
~Noah

 

[Math Geek]

you're going to have to be more specific. there is too many things to know to just start rambling.

probably the better way to go would be to ask for suggested builds for your budget and then ask some questions about the parts. there is just to many things to define to just start typing......

 

[jbseven]

Its true that you can get more performance for the same price (or less) by building your pc yourself. Unfortunately there's far too many things to know and far too much to go into here. But you can start by reading up as much as you can on online articles here.

If you have any, more specific inquiries, just post here and we can help get you up to speed.

 

[ComputerSecurityGuy]

Well first the ones you asked for:
GHz: The clock speed of a processor. A 1GHz CPU has a cycle every nanosecond. Comparing clock speed is only useful when comparing between same family CPUs, e.g. an FX-8320E has a slower clock speed than the FX-9590 and is slower, but an i7-5920 has a slower clock speed but performs better. Some people overclock to gain extra performance but this requires more power and thus better cooling. GPUs also have clock speeds but they are even fuzzier, but RAM is very similar though.
Ti: A term used by NVIDIA to describe a more powerful model of a same number GPU. An example is the GTX 750 Ti, which is better than the GTX 750. The equivalent AMD extension is X, so an R9 280 does worse than an R9 280X.
CPU: Performs general tasks, these days just about everything but actual graphics. Some games utilize the CPU more than others but your graphics are usually the bottleneck. The more cores a proccessor has the more things it can perform simultaneously but things do not scale perfectly. A Pentium dual-core will outperform an FX-6300 hecta-core at web browsing, for example. The two manufacturers are Intel and AMD and each has a solid fan base.
GPU: Does graphics and rendering. The GPU has its own local RAM and runs only graphics in most cases. This is most of the work involved in games. AMD and NVIDIA are the two graphics card companies and have a fan base but tend to be less divided than in CPUs. There are integrated graphics in some CPUs but Intel iGPUs are very low performing and AMD iGPUs while vastly better only perform at the level of sub-$50 discrete cards.
RAM: Stores things the CPU needs to access quickly. Most people only need around 4GB but 8GB is recommended especially at today's prices.
Storage: Two main categories, HDD and SSD. SSDs are smaller, much faster, but more expensive. HDDs are larger and cheaper but slower. Those with enough money buy both.
Motherboard: This is what everything plugs into. Your CPU, your RAM, etc. It is important to make sure that your motherboard is compatible with all your other parts and supports Windows.
Case: Holds everything together and hopefully looks nice.
PSU: Powers everything. Get a nice one if you have money. A bad PSU can try everything. 80+ rates PSUs based on efficiency, and PSUs with better 80+ ratings tend to be higher quality.
Hope this helps!