this could acually be a long discussion. If you feel you are a noob then just take it slow. I would suggest going to a site like
www.memoryexpress.com and using thier system configuator. this doesnt mean you have to buy from them it is just an easy way to layout a new machine. it is the best system configuator i have come across. that price range may be hard to meat if you are using it mostly for gaming and want future overclocking capabilities.especially if you need a monitor. you can buy good OEM machines bundled with monitors and then keep it for a year untill you research biulding a bit more. then when you are ready you have confidence and a good monitor. sell the OEM to offset.