OK, backup a second. Are you connecting directly to a PC or are using an audio interface?
You really want to use an audio interface between your instrument and the PC. The reason why is because of the two issues you mentioned: latency and noise.
Latency can be more difficult to resolve, because your hardware is going to dictate a lot of it: how fast your PC is, how good your interface is, etc. The issue is that the sound system on a PC is designed to only work one way at a time. When we record, we typically are playing back at least one track while recording another. Hence, PC hardware is nowhere near adequate for how we record.
Even if you are using an interface you can have latency because the default software sound system can't keep up. So in many cases you can make up the difference with better software. Assuming you are using Windows, you don't want to use the default audio system (Directsound, WASPI, WDM, etc.). Instead, download and install asio4all =>
http://www.asio4all.com/ (it's free, no catches).
You'll have to then set your DAW to use ASIO (in Reaper its Options =>Preferences=>Audio/Device=>Audio System). ASIO will give you options to help compensate for latency. It's a fine line though...reducing the buffer size will help eliminate latency, but going to low will cause your playback and/or your recording to skip. So the better your hardware is, the higher you can keep you buffer setting. Bottom line, you want to use the best hardware you can afford. In other words, don't expect ASIO to help if you are using a 10 year old PC and a $25 interface.
Noise is the easier. If you are jacking directly to the PC, get an audio interface. The preamp in computers are "consumer level". That's a nice way of saying they are craptacular, so they will almost always have noise. Audio interfaces have much better preamps and will be much quieter.