Gaming PCs Thread...time for a sticky / running thread?
Discussion
Bit-tech is a solid crowd, and some fantastic knowledge there. The mods/scratchbuilt PCs they make are quite amazing as well. They've made some good overclocking guides, at least for the Sandy Bridge Intel CPUs (I haven't looked at the others for fear of "I must upgrade"-itis happening... I have a Sandy Bridge i5 though so it helped me to know about those particular guides)
The subreddit, /r/buildapc, is pretty good for help with budgetting. They make heavy use of PC Part Picker to lay out builds and budget them, I used them when coming up with my PC build a few years ago.
The subreddit, /r/buildapc, is pretty good for help with budgetting. They make heavy use of PC Part Picker to lay out builds and budget them, I used them when coming up with my PC build a few years ago.
This is my current build: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/10036850
I swapped the graphics cards out about a year ago now but won't do anything else until at least Nvidia Pascal comes out.
I swapped the graphics cards out about a year ago now but won't do anything else until at least Nvidia Pascal comes out.
I just ran firestrike to see how my computer was doing. Seems a bit of confusion on the CPU front, it's meant to be running at 4.5Ghz >_<
Not sure why its still saying invalid, I have Lucid Logic removed but whatever. Not bad for a Mini ITX build.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/9202585
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/9202585
Part of the fun of PC build threads is that although your own tech expertise is undoubted, some of the recurring advice on builds is, well, slightly bonkers. There will always be "get a mahoosive PSU", "no-one needs a core-i7" and "water cool your Core2 Duo", and subtly refuting that is part of the fun.
Even the links above have a section on "which SSD for gaming?". But they don't go into the merits of SATA, M.2, NGFF and PCIe, they just worry about which brand of SATA3 SSD, so not a definitive or up to date guide.
The advice I'd give today on a top spec build (i7-6700K, ASRock Z170 Extreme 7, multiple Samsung SM951 NGFF SSDs) is quite different from 6 months ago
Even the links above have a section on "which SSD for gaming?". But they don't go into the merits of SATA, M.2, NGFF and PCIe, they just worry about which brand of SATA3 SSD, so not a definitive or up to date guide.
The advice I'd give today on a top spec build (i7-6700K, ASRock Z170 Extreme 7, multiple Samsung SM951 NGFF SSDs) is quite different from 6 months ago
For a quick "will my PSU run this" calculation - PSU calculator
Go either 6600k or 5820k - the 6700k is a total waste of money when an enthusiast grade chip like the 5820k is available - yes, the 6700k at the moment will be faster in most games, however you pay less for a 5820k and it is not a slow CPU - can still be usually clocked to 4.4+ and you get extra PCIE lanes, enthusiast grade CPU + board, 2 more cores + 4 more threads
Following on from my previous thread on a budget ITX build I've come to the following parts list:
[PCPartPicker part list](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/jCzNt6) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/jCzNt6/by_merchant/)
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
| **Total** | **£437.53**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-11-12 07:38 GMT+0000 |
My reasoning behind the CPU and graphics card is that I intend on running Linux initally for steam games. There's conflicting evidence about weather skylake kit runs well on stable Linux distributions and apparently AMD GPUs are also poorly supported.
I'm still unsure about which MB or PSU is best but these ones I've added have decent reviews. I would consider a decent modular PSU around the same price bracket though. As I've said before I gat my VAT back at Amazon so everything needs to be available from there. I'd like to order in the next few days.
[PCPartPicker part list](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/jCzNt6) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/jCzNt6/by_merchant/)
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
- CPU** | [Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i34170) | £85.99 @ Amazon UK
- Motherboard** | [Asus H81I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-h81iplus) | £52.38 @ Amazon UK
- Memory** | [Kingston HyperX Fury Red 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/kingston-memory-hx318c10fr8) | £29.94 @ Amazon UK
- Storage** | [Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz75e250bam) | £58.27 @ Amazon UK
- Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 950 2GB Superclocked Video Card](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42951kr) | £136.99 @ Amazon UK
- Case** | [Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower Case](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-rc110kkn2) | £33.97 @ Amazon UK
- Power Supply** | [SeaSonic ECO 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ss430st) | £39.99 @ Amazon UK
| **Total** | **£437.53**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-11-12 07:38 GMT+0000 |
My reasoning behind the CPU and graphics card is that I intend on running Linux initally for steam games. There's conflicting evidence about weather skylake kit runs well on stable Linux distributions and apparently AMD GPUs are also poorly supported.
I'm still unsure about which MB or PSU is best but these ones I've added have decent reviews. I would consider a decent modular PSU around the same price bracket though. As I've said before I gat my VAT back at Amazon so everything needs to be available from there. I'd like to order in the next few days.
Just putting this here, my build and score so I can be in on this thread.
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/6459212
Just been through the process picking parts for new Skylake build (although I didn't build it myself) so can try to offer some advice\assistance for anyone else doing the same.
Things I learned.
It's great to be back into PC gaming
You WILL start to obsess over the minutia of parts and performance.
I also forgot what a ballache a PC can be, despite the machine being built for me, I still had to faff around with drivers and setting up certain things how I like for several hours which is a far cry from the pick up and play of a console. Still if you are a tinkerer this may actually be fun for you and seeing a game run buttery smooth at high-res makes it all worth it.
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/6459212
Just been through the process picking parts for new Skylake build (although I didn't build it myself) so can try to offer some advice\assistance for anyone else doing the same.
Things I learned.
It's great to be back into PC gaming
You WILL start to obsess over the minutia of parts and performance.
I also forgot what a ballache a PC can be, despite the machine being built for me, I still had to faff around with drivers and setting up certain things how I like for several hours which is a far cry from the pick up and play of a console. Still if you are a tinkerer this may actually be fun for you and seeing a game run buttery smooth at high-res makes it all worth it.
I know what you mean and would consider Windows 10. I only initaially want to play HL2 and a few other games on steam and I hate how Windows tends to get slower due to service packs etc. Plus Linux is free and ive been wanting to try it for a while. What's the most cost effective way of obtaining a genuine Windows 10 license? All my computers at home are XP and I can create a bootable usb from a download.
Max budget is £500 full price at Amazon but I liked the idea of an i3 to bring it nearer £400. I was considering a locked i5 6600 last week!
Max budget is £500 full price at Amazon but I liked the idea of an i3 to bring it nearer £400. I was considering a locked i5 6600 last week!
I think I must be the only person on here so far running an AMD based setup!
FX-8350 8-core cpu at 4.0 ghz
8gb corsair RAM
AMD R9 290 gpu (Sapphire Tri-x one with the huge triple fans built-in).
I went down the AMD route purely because all my gaming rigs for the last 5-6 years have been AMD based and I've just got familiar with what's what when it comes to upgrades.
I've had it in it's current spec almost a year now and I've been over the moon with the performance.
The R9 290 card, or specifically the Sapphire Tri-x version, has been an absolute revelation. I got it cheap second-hand and it's handled everything I've thrown at it giving me 60-100 fps in most games on high settings at 1080p. In real world performance it's only a fraction off the pace of my mate's MSI 290x, and runs on average 25 degrees cooler.
This is also the first time I've had an SSD to run Windows (8) on, and I couldn't go back now- I love the fact the system boots to desktop in seconds.
Cost me a shade over £550 for cpu, gpu, motherboard, RAM, 250gb SSD, 2tb HD, (I already had case, power supply, monitor etc), and I sold off my previous AMD X2 cpu and 6970 card for £150 so it really was a pretty budget (re)build in the end.
Only thing I am changing in near future is my monitor, as I'm still running off an 8 year old Dell 24inch widescreen. I'm currently leaning towards the ASUS MG279Q 27" IPS monitor with Freesync. Should be quite an upgrade!
FX-8350 8-core cpu at 4.0 ghz
8gb corsair RAM
AMD R9 290 gpu (Sapphire Tri-x one with the huge triple fans built-in).
I went down the AMD route purely because all my gaming rigs for the last 5-6 years have been AMD based and I've just got familiar with what's what when it comes to upgrades.
I've had it in it's current spec almost a year now and I've been over the moon with the performance.
The R9 290 card, or specifically the Sapphire Tri-x version, has been an absolute revelation. I got it cheap second-hand and it's handled everything I've thrown at it giving me 60-100 fps in most games on high settings at 1080p. In real world performance it's only a fraction off the pace of my mate's MSI 290x, and runs on average 25 degrees cooler.
This is also the first time I've had an SSD to run Windows (8) on, and I couldn't go back now- I love the fact the system boots to desktop in seconds.
Cost me a shade over £550 for cpu, gpu, motherboard, RAM, 250gb SSD, 2tb HD, (I already had case, power supply, monitor etc), and I sold off my previous AMD X2 cpu and 6970 card for £150 so it really was a pretty budget (re)build in the end.
Only thing I am changing in near future is my monitor, as I'm still running off an 8 year old Dell 24inch widescreen. I'm currently leaning towards the ASUS MG279Q 27" IPS monitor with Freesync. Should be quite an upgrade!
Personally if you can, I'd wait a bit if you want Skylake, they've just been released so will carry a premium for the early adopters. I think prices may drop in the new year.
Also for £500 I'd probably be looking at a pre-built system from someone like Dell. There economies of scale mean they often do crazy offers on pre-builds and I don't think you can get close to the VFM, their margins must so low at the prices they some of those for.
Also for £500 I'd probably be looking at a pre-built system from someone like Dell. There economies of scale mean they often do crazy offers on pre-builds and I don't think you can get close to the VFM, their margins must so low at the prices they some of those for.
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