Quick Google 'DIMM definition': Dual Inline Memory Module. But you don't worry about how many pins, if you get a motherboard with 169 pins, then you are buying DIMM with 168 pins. No other way around that.
First figure out what processor you want, then get the best motherboard for it, then get the case and memory. There is a magazine called Computer Shopper. When I started buying computers I would look through it. Plenty of companies selling complete systems would list their components, so you can see what went with what. Or, with the same idea, they would list just a motherboard and again offer packages with 'these types of processors' and 'those types of memory' and this case and so on. Plus they have articles which describe components. And I'd say that the companies that advertise there are more reputable then others. I'm way behind the times on chipsets but you can see buythe prices what MAY be better. Take this with a grain of salt. I remember a chipset a few years ago that looked great but turned out to be horrible. There is a company called Market Pro which has traveling computer sales. It's like a flea market, lots of different vendors at one place. The can be very very confusing at first but the prices aren't bad. You have to know what you want before you walk in, then throw it away because no one place will have exactly what you want. If you can put a whole system together by yourself then these places are great, like a buffet. A motherboard here, memory there, processor from that places. Get it all home and put the jigsaw puzzle together. There is a sale in Timonium, MD this weekend. I'm going there Sunday for a new monitor and games, maybe some books. Kevin T. Good luck
