I’m looking to get a PC custom built for living room

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
I'm looking to get a new pc custom built. My budget is about £1500. This would t include screen or sound as I already have those covered.

The PC will be in my living room so it must be quiet with good quality silent fans and quiet PSU and not take over the living room in terms of noise and footprint so as small as possible but not small where it’s gimping components - basically meet all my requirements.

My current PC Specs below got from you guys back in 2012 - I use upstairs as it’s too big and loud). I will be replacing this upstairs pc with a Mac Pro upstairs just for work purposes so the new PC I want will be downstairs instead.

Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K CPU @ 3.50GHz (8 CPUs), ~3.5GHz
Memory: 16384MB DDR RAM
GeForce GTX 670
120gb SSD Samsung for OS
Various HDD's with Synology NAS setup externally through ethernet.
Logitech 518 Mouse and Logitech
K200 keyboard

This current pc is OK but far too big and loud for the living room and a bit dated. I’m just gonna sell off the parts from it once I get my new PC. I can’t just move it to downstairs as it’s too big, loud and old now. I want a decent future proof one for at least 5 years or more replacement to the above as I bought my current one early 2012. It’s in a massive Inwin case. I went overboard with the case. I’d like one smaller but more powerful and modern. Again, I really dont want to build it myself dont have the time or patience and I will just get frustrated doing it.

Most importantly, I'd like a speedy PC that extracts/unzipping/copying files quickly (from the internal SSD to a NAS upstairs wired through Ethernet going up wall to upstairs). Multitasking needs to be fast and have it cope with download speeds on a 200mb internet connection. I don't know anything about processors so I'm hoping someone can advise on a good one with a motherboard that compliments it well.

I will be using it for everything but WON’T be using it to play new PC games at 4K/60fps with the best gfx cards and framerate etc. Medium settings are fine. So it will be internet browsing, sorting and using iTunes, apps have to run fast, emulation up to at least PS2(making emulation run in higher res as well) and playing pc exclusive games like strategy games latest Civ etc, maybe indie games from Steam. Basically only playing pc games that aren’t available on consoles or elsewhere.

I want a decent enough GPU that can display 4K as it would be hooked up to my 4K KS8000 65” TV downstairs through the receiver but not those top of the range Titan ones lol as they’re really for gaming at 4K 60fps lol. I want it to display in 4K at least to take advantage of the 4k screen for video files and using desktop in 4K but not necessarily playing games in 4K. VR ready with Vive would be nice though but not essential.

I'd like it pretty compact mid size to small not a big footprint, quiet as possible is absolutely a must as it will be in the living room but not be gimped with the parts due to the small size either. Being quiet is absolute must so a good quiet PSU, quiet fans, liquid cooling? (Dont really know much about pcs tbh)

With my current PC i went a bit overboard as its a massive inwin tower case and its simply too big and loud. Mobo and case support two gfx cards but I never really game on it much to take advantage of that as I only have one gtx 670 inside it.

Having said that I don't want a situation where I might be gimped so I don't want a crappy gfx card for the new pc - just a decent one that can play most new PC games on medium and play video in 4K. In terms of emulation it would need to play up to at least ps2 gen emulation at full fps with much higher res something my current pc can never really do. I'm interested in gaming on it for PC exclusives but not the latest high end graphcs cards running stuff like a Metro Exodus at 60fps at 4K - I’ll just use my PS4 for multi platform games. More into emulation and pc exclusives than anything to be honest - so pc strategy games maybe too.

It must have at least 5x USB3 ports on the front of the case or at the top or more. I want them at the back of the case too as usual for other stuff but things like iphone leads, usb sticks etc will need to easily be able to connect to the front of the case as it will facing outwards from the wall. I don't want to be reaching round to the back once everything is connected. Being able to charge or have USB ports powered while it’s off would be handy too.

HDD I'd like a SSD with 500tb or 250tb SSD as my main OS drive. Don't know which are good these days. Also a secondary 4-6tb internal as drive D:\

I'm bothered about iTunes as I have a ton of music on my 2tb internal drive D:\ drive and I wanna keep it exactly the same when i transfer it over to the new 4tb internal one in the new PC. (like keep all the playlists and paths the same as I have a lot).

I'd like a decent wireless mouse and keyboard - this is important. I don't want a fancy gaming mouse with tons of buttons but one that is regarded as the best for general use. My current one Logitech 518 is great but its wired and a bit old. It does its job but must be surely better ones out after 10+ years out there?

Not interested in new sound or speakers as I'll use my Denon and Q Acoustics 5.1 setup via receiver hooked up to it via hdmi.

Also what are the latest things people have inside their PC's that they didn't have like 10 years ago? I don't wanna miss anything out and regret it later. I'm just thinking like someone who bought a pc ten years ago as opposed to now. Internal bluetooth is a must, anything else that will just make quality of life better when using a PC these days as opposed to 2012?

Lastly, One of my biggest annoyances with my current PC and the one I had before was USB transfer rates with sticks and external HDD's connected via USB2/3 connections. It was always way too slow and it sometimes errored out transferring files. This is back before on Windows 7 and Windows 10 which I use now. Like a 30gb file could take 20 minutes copying from the standard internal HDD to a USB 3 drive. This seems like a software issue more than hardware as it happened too often on different usb sticks or usb hdd's. It happened on both Windows 7 and Window 10 so I'm not sure if there is a solution for this?

I posted about this about 6 months ago but wasn’t sure what I wanted back then, but now I know as I know you can’t get a small form factor pc for what I need it for without gimping it (quietness and 4K display etc).
 
Last edited:

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I'm afraid some of this is totally unrealistic.

It must have at least 5x USB3 ports on the front of the case or at the top or more.
PCS don't sell such a thing, and I've never seen one. Most motherboards wouldn't be able to support that many front USB 3 ports even if there were such a case.

Most USB ports are at the back. You can use extension cables to access them at the front if you need.

I'd like it pretty compact mid size to small not a big footprint, quiet as possible is absolutely a must as it will be in the living room but not be gimped with the parts due to the small size either. Being quiet is absolute must so a good quiet PSU, quiet fans, liquid cooling? (Dont really know much about pcs tbh)
You want a small, ultra quiet, very powerful PC. For £1500. Small PCs have to make compromises, often very heavy ones, to accommodate powerful components. Components like the CPU and GPU generate a lot of heat which needs to be removed from the case. This needs good airflow (i.e. a larger case with stuff crammed in less densely) or things like GPUs pressed up against mesh panels on the side of the case to feed them air. Which works, but is not quiet because you have nothing dampening the sound.

I'm bothered about iTunes as I have a ton of music on my 2tb internal drive D:\ drive and I wanna keep it exactly the same when i transfer it over to the new 4tb internal one in the new PC. (like keep all the playlists and paths the same as I have a lot).
That's up to Itunes and how it manages music libraries / how easy it is to copy that to a new system. There's no hardware that will help with that.

As discussed in the previous topic, anything below a GTX 1080 probably isn't sensible for 4k: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...pre-built-mega-quiet-pc-for-living-room/page2 (Civ 6 and other strategy titles can be very demanding on the GPU)

I want a decent enough GPU that can display 4K as it would be hooked up to my 4K KS8000 65” TV downstairs through the receiver but not those top of the range Titan ones lol as they’re really for gaming at 4K 60fps lol. I want it to display in 4K at least to take advantage of the 4k screen for video files and using desktop in 4K but not necessarily playing games in 4K.
Any GPU including a CPU's onboard graphics will be fine to display the desktop and play videos in 4k. If you're happy to play games at 1080p on medium settings you would be looking at a GTX 1050 ti sort of GPU. But rather than spend £150 on that, just swap in your old GTX 670 because it's in the same performance ballpark as a GTX 1050 anyway.

Quiet = Fractal Define case + Noctua cooler + RMx PSU

The only fan that's going to be silent is one that's switched off. The RMx PSU's fan will usually be silent as it is semi passive meaning it can cool itself generally without using its fan, at least under the kinds of load conditions you're likely to subject it to. The other fans are quiet, but will be audible in a quiet room.

You can always replace the case fans with after market PWM case fans. If you intend to do so, make sure your motherboard has suitable headers before purchase.


e.g.


Case
FRACTAL DEFINE S BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor i7-8700k (3.7GHz) 12MB Cache
---FREE PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Battlefield 1 & More! w/ select Intel CPUs!
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NONE, I ALREADY HAVE A GRAPHICS CARD
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
4TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 5400RPM, 256MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3400MB/R, 2300MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KK3-00002]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,345.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/eX69!PFKET/


USB 3.0 = USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB 3.1 below)

2 x USB 3.1 front / top
2 x USB 2.0 front / top

2 x USB 2.0 rear
4 x USB 3.1 rear
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 type A rear
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 type C rear

This is one of the more generously USB-ed motherboards outside of workstation or extremely expensive hardware.

The main compromise above versus what you ideally want is the case size. I'd suggest this is the compromise to make.
Fractal Define S: 451mm x 233mm x 520mm (Approx H x W x D)

Note that the Define R6 has a built in 3-speed fan controller such that you can turn the fans down using a small switch at the front of the case. Set down from 12V to 7v, the fans are much quieter. The Define S is a smidge larger:
465mm x 233mm 543mm (Approx H x W x D)
With Define R6 and no side window: £1,373.00 including VAT and delivery - Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/Gv9QE6ZdBv/
 
Last edited:

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
For mini ITX:


Case
FRACTAL DEFINE S NANO GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Eight Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.35GHz/20MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X470-I GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.1, 6Gb/s)
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NONE, I ALREADY HAVE A GRAPHICS CARD
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
4TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 5400RPM, 256MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3400MB/R, 2300MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-L9i Low Profile AM4, Super Quiet CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
GIGABIT LAN PORT + Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi excluded on H310I-PLUS)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KK3-00002]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,240.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-sff-gaming/2vCKtEhzcX/



Fractal S Nano: 330mm x 203mm x 400mm (Approx H x W x D)
Which ultimately is not much smaller than some desktop towers

The PSU is not as quiet and the CPU cooler is nowhere near as effective. The motherboard has fewer USB ports and the front lacks any USB 2.0 ports (no 3.2 Gen 2 Type C)

2 x USB 3.1 front / top

4 x USB 3.1 rear
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 type A rear
 

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
I'm afraid some of this is totally unrealistic.

PCS don't sell such a thing, and I've never seen one. Most motherboards wouldn't be able to support that many front USB 3 ports even if there were such a case.

Most USB ports are at the back. You can use extension cables to access them at the front if you need.

You want a small, ultra quiet, very powerful PC. For £1500. Small PCs have to make compromises, often very heavy ones, to accommodate powerful components. Components like the CPU and GPU generate a lot of heat which needs to be removed from the case. This needs good airflow (i.e. a larger case with stuff crammed in less densely) or things like GPUs pressed up against mesh panels on the side of the case to feed them air. Which works, but is not quiet because you have nothing dampening the sound.

That's up to Itunes and how it manages music libraries / how easy it is to copy that to a new system. There's no hardware that will help with that.

As discussed in the previous topic, anything below a GTX 1080 probably isn't sensible for 4k: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...pre-built-mega-quiet-pc-for-living-room/page2 (Civ 6 and other strategy titles can be very demanding on the GPU)

Any GPU including a CPU's onboard graphics will be fine to display the desktop and play videos in 4k. If you're happy to play games at 1080p on medium settings you would be looking at a GTX 1050 ti sort of GPU. But rather than spend £150 on that, just swap in your old GTX 670 because it's in the same performance ballpark as a GTX 1050 anyway.

Quiet = Fractal Define case + Noctua cooler + RMx PSU

The only fan that's going to be silent is one that's switched off. The RMx PSU's fan will usually be silent as it is semi passive meaning it can cool itself generally without using its fan, at least under the kinds of load conditions you're likely to subject it to. The other fans are quiet, but will be audible in a quiet room.

You can always replace the case fans with after market PWM case fans. If you intend to do so, make sure your motherboard has suitable headers before purchase.


e.g.


Case
FRACTAL DEFINE S BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor i7-8700k (3.7GHz) 12MB Cache
---FREE PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Battlefield 1 & More! w/ select Intel CPUs!
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NONE, I ALREADY HAVE A GRAPHICS CARD
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
4TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 5400RPM, 256MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3400MB/R, 2300MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KK3-00002]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,345.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/eX69!PFKET/


USB 3.0 = USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB 3.1 below)

2 x USB 3.1 front / top
2 x USB 2.0 front / top

2 x USB 2.0 rear
4 x USB 3.1 rear
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 type A rear
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 type C rear

This is one of the more generously USB-ed motherboards outside of workstation or extremely expensive hardware.

The main compromise above versus what you ideally want is the case size. I'd suggest this is the compromise to make.
Fractal Define S: 451mm x 233mm x 520mm (Approx H x W x D)

Note that the Define R6 has a built in 3-speed fan controller such that you can turn the fans down using a small switch at the front of the case. Set down from 12V to 7v, the fans are much quieter. The Define S is a smidge larger:
465mm x 233mm 543mm (Approx H x W x D)
With Define R6 and no side window: £1,373.00 including VAT and delivery - Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/Gv9QE6ZdBv/

Thanks for this build I’ll look into it although I’ll probably add a more capable gfx card than my current one as I want a slightly beefier one and don’t really wanna keep my current one for this new pc. Also I don’t mind a mid sized case. Just not a massive tower. The smaller the better without compromises. Also I forgot to mention I’d like a case that as discreet as possible. So basically no LED lights on it and silly windows showing the inside with more lights showing.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
No point going for a slightly beefier graphics card tbh. Why pay £150 for a ~10-15% uplift (GTX 1050 ti) on your existing performance or whatever when you could pay £250 and get a 100% uplift (GTX 1060 / RX 580). Makes sense to get a substantially beefier GPU if one at all.

For a case with no window and no extra LEDs the Fractal R6 (version with no Window as above) would be the way to go. Almost all cases will have some LEDs on them around the power button to indicate that the PC is actually switched on.

But for plain black, understated aesthetic with very good noise dampening a Fractal Define S / R6 is the way to go if you can live with the size.
 

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
Yeah you’re right I’d probably go for gtx 1060. At least it would be able to run stuff well.

What about the Intel Hades Canyon NUC’s are these any good for what I’d use it for? Seems pretty good to me although you have to add on storage and memory etc so they probably don’t come out much cheaper? Form factor is nice though and could get one overclocked.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
It's expensive, the CPU is less powerful than what you'll get in desktops, you can only have 1 drive which must be an M.2 SSD, and you can't upgrade the CPU/GPU. etc or add more storage. But it is small.
 

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
It's expensive, the CPU is less powerful than what you'll get in desktops, you can only have 1 drive which must be an M.2 SSD, and you can't upgrade the CPU/GPU. etc or add more storage. But it is small.

Is it more powerful than my current pc? And by how much? An m.2 SSD is simply a ssd right? I can just connect a usb drive to it too to get more storage? As long as it can run games on medium or high settings at 1080p with full fps or close enough, I’m ok with it.

Also looking at my current pc and comparing it to the intel hades, it looks like my pc would never be able to run Battlefield 1 at 60fps 1080p on ultra settings but this intel hades can easily looking at tests and reviews of it? Hmm..

The fractal pc case looks good but still seems a bit big? The current case I have is IN WIN DRAGON RIDER WHITE but it’s far too big to go into the living room. I’d like a case tucked in the home theater setup I have below my tv and I’m guessing Fractal case wouldn’t be practical compared to the Intel Hades? Or would it be small enough too?
 
Last edited:

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Your old PC would be fine for BF1 if you gave it a new GPU. Even a GTX 670 isn't so very far off being able to do ultra (see a 680 here: https://www.techspot.com/review/1267-battlefield-1-benchmarks/page2.html )

You can use a USB drive with a NUC. If you end up using multiple USB drives at once it may end up bottlenecking if the USB ports are on the same controller. And having external drives does at least go a little way towards negating the point of having a small PC. Larger, faster external drives will require external power so that's more cables and plugs.

The CPU in the NUC is faster than your old one, but it's still a 4-core 8-thread CPU just like your (and my) 3770k. At a time when any new mid-high end desktop for the last year or so has been sporting 6-8 cores.

I've not used a NUC, but going by a quick google the fan noise under load can be somewhat audible. Which isn't surprising because it's got an i7 and a decent GPU in a small space, and so will have small fans that need to spin fast and work hard to try to dissipate the heat.

It's like a laptop without a screen and fewer cores. it's very good at what it does, but you're compromising on just about everything for size.
 

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
Your old PC would be fine for BF1 if you gave it a new GPU. Even a GTX 670 isn't so very far off being able to do ultra (see a 680 here: https://www.techspot.com/review/1267-battlefield-1-benchmarks/page2.html )

You can use a USB drive with a NUC. If you end up using multiple USB drives at once it may end up bottlenecking if the USB ports are on the same controller. And having external drives does at least go a little way towards negating the point of having a small PC. Larger, faster external drives will require external power so that's more cables and plugs.

The CPU in the NUC is faster than your old one, but it's still a 4-core 8-thread CPU just like your (and my) 3770k. At a time when any new mid-high end desktop for the last year or so has been sporting 6-8 cores.

I've not used a NUC, but going by a quick google the fan noise under load can be somewhat audible. Which isn't surprising because it's got an i7 and a decent GPU in a small space, and so will have small fans that need to spin fast and work hard to try to dissipate the heat.

It's like a laptop without a screen and fewer cores. it's very good at what it does, but you're compromising on just about everything for size.

Hmm thanks for the info. That’s kinda put me off it as it doesn’t seem very future proof and not much better than what I have. I just love how small it is and if it offers the same or slightly better power with a small form factor then that could be sufficient for my needs. Especially emulation.

At the moment I’ll probably go for the build with the Define R6 case you linked to though. This seems to be what I want without sacrificing anything. It’s just a little too big but it’s something I could get used to if it’s quiet and doesn’t have any lights on it flashing all the time apart from the main power and hdd light. I would still want a nicer gfx card in it though just to take advantage of it. What’s a good gfx upgrade increase from my current one that isn’t too dear? The gtx 1060?
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
If you think you would like to run games at 4k resolution in the near-ish future, a 1060 would be inadequate and it would be a shame to buy one for ~£250 only to then replace it with another more expensive card. You could wait and see what the pricing and performance of the forthcoming RTX 2070 will be.

Or the GTX 2060 which people are expecting to see in maybe November. With your old card to tide you over in the meantime.

If you think you'll stick to 1080p a GTX 1060 6gb or RX 580 8gb by AMD at around £250 would be a decent fit. You may want to buy and install your own GPU from elsewhere, as you can a) shop for a better deal than PCS's prices and b) read the reviews of a given model and see if it's relatively quiet under load (no card will be silent under gaming load ofc)
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
When I suggested a mini ITX build earlier I looked at both Intel builds with the 8700k and AMD builds with the R7 2700x, and suggested an AMD build as the Z370-I motherboard has
2 x USB 3.1
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
4 x USB 2.0
at the rear. Which seems to be less in the way of USB 3 ports than you said you wanted (as opposed to what the AMD motherboard PCS offer has, which I posted above).

But if those numbers are actually satisfactory then sure.

If looking for a quiet mini ITX build you would want the Node 304 or Nano S cases - probably the Nano S because as I explained earlier many mini ITX cases get around the problem of airflow and small size by pressing the GPU up against a mesh panel on the side meaning there is nothing to dampen the noise, you just have the fans exposed and the GPU will probably be the loudest component in the system. The node 304 does this with the GPU, which is why I suggest the Nano S, but is otherwise relatively quiet compared to many of the other mini ITX cases.

I have one of the CM130 Elite's predecessors and it's a great budget case but it's pretty loud.

Also remember that you cannot have as quiet a PSU for a mini ITX build.

You would want to avoid the liquid coolers as they will be very loud, and stick to the Noctua coolers. If going for the Nano S case then go with the NOCTUA NH-C14S FAN CPU COOLER

Don't buy a GTX 1050 ti GPU.

As explained above, what on earth is the point of spending £150 for a ~10% performance boost over your existing GTX 670. You'd be buying practically the same GPU as what you currently have.

If you make those changes: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-sff-gaming/ngUVHPCcXz/

then versus the ATX spec I posted earlier (modified with an R6 case): https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/eX69!PFKET/

You have a less quiet system*, with fewer upgrade options such as additional storage or expansion cards, and not as many USB 3 ports, for the same kind of price. The sizes will be:
R6: 465mm x 233mm 543mm (Approx H x W x D)
Nano S: 330mm x 203mm x 400mm (Approx H x W x D)

Which tbh isn't really all that much smaller, in my mind anyway. It's still bigger than a regular off-the-shelf office PC if you know what I mean.

* as well as the non-silent PSU, the Nano S does not have a built in 3-speed fan controller, and as the owner of an R4 the fans are meaningfully louder at 12v than 7v (obviously..)

I guess it's up to you if the trade off in more noise and fewer features is worth it for such difference in size as there is.
 
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boco77

Bronze Level Poster
That’s true maybe the trade off in size which doesn’t seem a lot isn’t worth it if it’s going to generate more noise.

The most ideal build for me from the ones you've suggested seems like this one with the R6 case. https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/Gv9QE6ZdBv/
I like the case and how quiet it would be the only negative being the size but its something I could manage to put up with if its going to be relatively quiet. Especially seeing as I wont game on it intensively.

However, the problem I’m torn with right now is even that build just seems overkill for my uses. I don't really need a 1060 6gb gtx gfx card. I want a really nice processor like the intel 8770k as that can be used with everything not just games and would make it at least future proof for several years for my uses, and a nice fast ssd like the one you have suggested will be great and compliment the processor. But when it comes to gfx cards and even the mobo I’m really not planning on playing any latest pc games as I game on PS4. I just know I won’t. In my mind I'm thinking I might play PC games again with a newer PC but I know I just wont do it - I never do. I had that mindset with my current PC and it never gets used for PC games. Even though I said i will before for Civ 6 etc but in reality I likely won't now thinking about it.

The only thing in terms of gaming I'd use it for is emulation as I like tinkering with emulators trying to make games look better than they did originally higher res etc better AA etc especially the PS2/GC era. I know emulation relies more on the CPU too than GPU hence my reluctance to get a 1060 gfx card and sticking with 8770k for the processor to use it for emulation and everyday use. It’s like getting a Ferrari but only using it in 2nd gear if I get a 1060 gtx gfx card - I'm never gonna play actual PC games on it. Even the mobo Gigabyte Z370 seems overkill as it’s really made for a pc heavy game user I think? but if it has more usb inputs and the gen 2 usb ports thats something i'd like.

The Fractal R6 mid tower case seems ideal as it doesn't have horrible windows on the side and lots of LED lights. This is a definate no no as I don't care about seeing the inside and having flashing LED lights.

I was just hoping I could get something like that but a bit smaller than a R6 and cheaper without sacrificing the proc, ssd and keep it relatively quiet. If thats not possible then thats ok I'll stick with the R6 case if that really does help with the noise - but I can I not get something like what I want without spending £1300+ when really I'm not gonna play PC games on it?

I was just hoping I could get a quiet smallish pc that can do general everyday pc tasks really fast with that 8700k processor and fast m.2 ssd and play emulation games up to GC/ps2 era in like 4x the resolution of the originals but not having to shell out £1300+ for it seems like an awful amount as it seems more geared towards PC gaming. I know I'm paying extra for the nicer quieter fans, cooling and case, as well as the proc and ssd. So maybe I'm just being unrealistic. I just thought PC prices would be cheaper than that if I'm not really into the latest gfx cards and overclocking etc and playing PC games at high res and framerates.
 
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Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I don't really need a 1060 6gb gtx gfx card.
The spec I suggested has no graphics card, only the processor's onboard graphics.

The CPU's graphics will be more than fine for all of your non-gaming needs. Just don't buy a 1060, and use your old 670 if you need more GPU horsepower than the processor's integrated graphics.

You can certainly buy smaller and cheaper specs that will be quieter than many other systems. But they won't be as quiet as Fractal R6 (with fans turned down) + Noctua cooler + RMx PSU, and would either rule out a graphics card altogether, or severely restrict your options and/or cause a graphics card to add considerable more noise to the build than with the R6.

It's honestly also pretty hard to suggest specs when the criteria keep shifting i.e. focus on quiet, or focus on small .. be able to run games .. no gaming other than emulation.. £1500 budget.. or as cheap as possible.
 
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Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Think of it this way.. rough retail prices:
i7 8700k £350
Z370 mobo with USB options £150
Silent PSU - £100
Windows £90
16gb RAM (ram being very expensive right now) £150
500gb NVMe SSD (SSDs being very expensive right now, especially fast NVMe ones ) £150+
4Tb HDD £100

So already you're at around £1100 before you start looking at things like the case and the cooler (i.e. two of the components that most affect the size). Or a graphics card.

Ofc you can make it cheaper. You can get a cheaper CPU. You can get a cheaper mobo with less in the way of USB options. You can get less or slower RAM. You can get a cheaper /smaller/ slower SSD. You can just reuse your HDD from your old build. etc. But if you're shopping for relatively high end and futureproof stuff as I had understood you were, unfortunately that's going to be expensive.

You're comparing this to gaming PCs. What you're after, or what you've said you're after, is actually more expensive than many gaming PCs which don't optimise for quiet, don't need an i7, don't need 16gb RAM, don't need a large/fast SSD, etc. You can happily get a very nice gaming PC for ~£1000 or less because gaming is cheaper than the things you're looking for.
 
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Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Even the mobo Gigabyte Z370 seems overkill as it’s really made for a pc heavy game user I think? but if it has more usb inputs and the gen 2 usb ports thats something i'd like.
It's not made for gaming, it's made to have higher end features like USB 3.1 Gen 2 that gamers don't need - and then has the word "gamer" or "gaming" inserted into the title to make gamers - buy it. :)

I'm sure it has a couple of gamer-oriented features, mostly software tbh, but it is the cheapest motherboard PCS sell with USB 3.1 Gen 2 Types A and C.

Motherboards don't really affect gaming performance at all - with some exceptions that aren't really worth mentioning here.
 

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
What exactly is USB 3.1 Gen 2 and why do I need it? I just figured I need it for future proofing but google search suggests nothing uses it at the moment?

Thanks for all this info though youve been helpful. Will likely get the one recommended with the R6 case. So it’s quiet ans cool .i wonder if it’ll be quieter than my PS4 lol. Or as quiet as Xbox One (which is virtually silent unless you have your ear next to it). I’d be using the PC from about 8 feet in my living room.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
You don't need it currently. There are things that use it at the moment, for instance higher end external storage solutions. So it's more for futureproofing especially as you sound like someone who uses a lot of USB devices from what you've said :)

Also cheaper motherboards will often offer fewer USB ports as part of keeping their price down. More expensive mobos offering more USB ports will usually include USB 3.1 Gen 2 as part of the offering. So to some degree you're quite likely to end up with it when buying a mobo with a better-than-average offering of USB ports kind of by default.
 

boco77

Bronze Level Poster
You don't need it currently. There are things that use it at the moment, for instance higher end external storage solutions. So it's more for futureproofing especially as you sound like someone who uses a lot of USB devices from what you've said :)

Also cheaper motherboards will often offer fewer USB ports as part of keeping their price down. More expensive mobos offering more USB ports will usually include USB 3.1 Gen 2 as part of the offering. So to some degree you're quite likely to end up with it when buying a mobo with a better-than-average offering of USB ports kind of by default.

I’ll probably order it in the next few days. Are those gyroscopic mouse any good btw? I’d obviously be using a wireless mouse and keyboard with it. I have these but are there some newer good ones out for everyday use? Not the hardcore gaming ones obviously. The ones I have are wireless and work but are like over 10 years old.

Also I’m not really looking forward to reinstalling all my apps, configs for apps and iTunes library etc all that’s gonna take weeks I reckon to actually have it all running the way I want again.
 
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