Advice on Spec, Please

[DavidGilbert719]

Good Evening all,

I am currently specing up a PC build and I wanted to know the community's thoughts, in case I can squeeze more / less into my budget of 1.2-1.35k. So far I have come up with this build - but thought I would put a few thoughts in before the main specs

I've not updated my PC for 8 years, but I know a bit about hardware generally since I grew up in the days of 386s and 486s - would this spec do for another 8 years? I thought I would go for a low spec GTX 260 and the Ryzen 7, but is it better to go with a Ryzen 5 and a GTX 270 (as I haven't updated for a few years I don't have a good reference framework) Is this motherboard OK or is an ASUS TUF-X570 better - my current thought is that it could be easier to upgrade the graphics card later i.e. in 5 years or so than the CPU (since I'm not good with fine tuning)

Generally my end goal is to get a good high / mid end PC with extra future proofing in terms of the Ryzen 7 and GTX 260 - I am used to a "slow" Spec 3rd Gen i7-3770 processor with an Radeon R9 200 series so lower spec but higher futureproofing would be no problem in terms of hardware mix. I'm not an overclocker / into LED lighting so haven't added advanced cooling.

Anyway onto the list

Case CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES™ 200R COMPACT GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU) AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Eight Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.4GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard Gigabyte X570 GAMING X: ATX (USB 3.2 Gen 1, PCIe 4.0) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM) 16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2666MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card 8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 SUPER - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive 256GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (500MB/R, 400MB/W)
2nd Storage Drive 1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply CORSAIR 550W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable 1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card ONBOARD 8 CHANNEL (7.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS

Thanks you all taking your time to read this post, would be interested in your opinions.

 

[SpyderTracks]

What monitor are you pairing it with? What resolution and refresh rate or make and model if you’re unsure?

And can you post the configuration link at the bottom so we can edit it?

 

[DavidGilbert719]

Good Evening Spydertracks.

I'm currently using an older BenQ GL2450H, which does the job, it isn't the best in the world but I was planning to get this separately as I'm confident I could find a decent monitor on my own (although if anyone knows of good ones to get with this spec range the information would always be useful)

My configuration link is https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers/amd-am4-workstation/1735671/

 

[SpyderTracks]

Good Evening Spydertracks.

I'm currently using an older BenQ GL2450H, which does the job, it isn't the best in the world but I was planning to get this separately as I'm confident I could find a decent monitor on my own (although if anyone knows of good ones to get with this spec range the information would always be useful)

My configuration link is https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers/amd-am4-workstation/1735671/

What's your budget for the monitor?

 

[DavidGilbert719]

Possibly up to the £200 range but would prefer to stick closer to around £150-160 (basically if I can get something functional and less flashy it would be better but again any suggestions welcome - planning to sort the PC first then monitor second)

 

[SpyderTracks]

Possibly up to the £200 range but would prefer to stick closer to around £150-160 (basically if I can get something more function and get the job done it would be better but again any suggestions welcome - planning to sort the PC first then monitor second)

And what's the PC for?

 

[DavidGilbert719]

Gaming, not a business desktop at all, although will use office for outlook (I have my own licenses for office 365 home / windows 10 that I plan to transfer over) - the idea is to get a decent PC around the budget above that is mid range but future proof (hence my questions about motherboard / upgrading priority, I would prefer to go higher on the CPU as I've stuck with my current CPU and PC setup for 8 years, unless there is good advice otherswise.

I'm happy to install new graphics cards and RAM / drives at a push if the case slots are accessible, less happy for new CPUs

 

[SpyderTracks]

Gaming, not a business desktop at all, although will use office for outlook (I have my own licenses for office 365 home / windows 10 that I plan to transfer over) - the idea is to get a decent PC around the budget above that is mid range but future proof (hence my questions about motherboard / upgrading priority, I would prefer to go higher on the CPU as I've stuck with my current CPU and PC setup for 8 years, unless there is good advice otherswise.

I'm happy to install new graphics cards and RAM / drives at a push if the case slots are accessible, less happy for new CPUs

So really 1080p is a dead resolution for gaming, the build you posted above is a 1440p 144hz build, but a semi decent 1440p 144hz screen will cost around £300 - 350.

So we need to work out a max budget for both PC and monitor and work out what we can fit into it. The build and monitor pair together. There’s no point spec information a 1440p system if it’s going to be on a 1080p monitor as you’re wasting money on components that aren’t going to be utilised.

So what would be your max budget all in?

 

[Scott]

The IIYAMA G-MASTER GB2760QSU-B1 27" is due back in stock on 7th June. If you can hold off till nearer then that's a good 1440p 144hz for really good money (£280).

It would pair well with this build below. If you want to spend a bit more money the 2070 Super is fully supported and will really shine with the monitor above. Fully upgradeable thanks to the X570 motherboard

Case
FRACTAL FOCUS G BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.2GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF X570-PLUS GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 SUPER - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 12 to 14 working days
Price: £1,149.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/!8JE47qekW/

 

[DavidGilbert719]

I would say the budget for the PC would be around £1,100-1370 but if it's better to include the monitor as well possibly £1,370-£1,570. However my main plan is to get a PC that can satisfy 1440p then add the monitor later, I do appreciate that it seems over-speced when I am currently using 1080p on my current setup and I understand there needs to be pairing between the monitor and PC (I was just looking at the models just now).

 

[DavidGilbert719]

Hello Scott,

The build you mention looks good, with the parts you picked I could spend more on the monitor and leave the GTX 2060 as it is as £1,149.00 is at the lower end of the budget I had planned.

As you are picking the Ryzen 5 does this mean it would last a few years? note I'm tolerant when it comes to losing some FPS as I'm not a hard-core gamer but want a decent runtime and some upgradablity. Does the Ryzen 7 not offer that much leap in performance as one thing I do know is that graphics card memory seems to be better favoured these days.

I am also patient enough to wait until June, but the risk is lock-down ending, which would require more planning for delivery (and possibly taking time off for the shipping date)

Thanks for all of your help so far, Scott and Spydertracks. It's appreciated. As I don't do big builds / new PC purchases like this often my knowledge tends to get rusty on the pure hardware CPU / GPU / Monitor support front.

Note, £1,429 current is OK for budget with the monitor, any suggestions of the next in stock version up if I wanted to act sooner?

 

[Scott]

The Ryzen 5 is absolutely fine for gaming. You're not going to gain anything by going for the 7. There are other areas to spend money before the CPU (2070 would be a serious consideration).

Most 1440p monitors have sold out, certainly any worth buying (IMO) have.

The main features you are looking for are 1440p, 144hz, Freesync/Gsync compatible.

There's an example here...

27" Monitors | Cheap 27-inch Monitor Deals | Ebuyer.com

Not too big or too small, a 27" monitor is just the right size for a wide variety of computing tasks. Next-day delivery and flexible finance available.

www.ebuyer.com

If you want longevity for gaming at 100fps + on such a monitor, you want the 2070 as well. It may take you around £80 over budget but it's seriously worth considering.

The build itself will house the next gen AMD chips and also any GPU you can throw at it within reason. To add an extra safeguard, you could bump up the PSU to the 650W. That way you can put in just about any level of CPU/GPU combination without needing to change anything other than possibly the cooler.

 

[DavidGilbert719]

OK thanks Scott,

Will need to adjust the case as forgot to add the DVD-RW drive (I have a large DVD archive of some games that haven't been digitised yet and do audio ripping of CDs I own for .flac files). Can you recommend a case that is easy to access if I upgrade the Card at at later date? also was thinking of a 7.1 soundcard as my old HP Elitedesk has 7.1 built in.

Edit: I may be able to live with the case picked as I forgot the options for external DVD-RW which could work.

 

[Scott]

OK thanks Scott,

Will need to adjust the case as forgot to add the DVD-RW drive (I have a large DVD archive of some games that haven't been digitised yet and do audio ripping of CDs I own for .flac files). Can you recommend a case that is easy to access if I upgrade the Card at at later date? also was thinking of a 7.1 soundcard as my old HP Elitedesk has 7.1 built in.

Edit: I may be able to live with the case picked as I forgot the options for external DVD-RW which could work.

External would always be recommended nowadays.

Upgrading the card at a later date is fine but if you are going with a 1440p monitor you may want to get the most out of it for a couple of years before having/wanting to upgrade.

Re the sound, the system will have on-board 7.1 sound. The audio on most motherboards nowadays is more than fine, with the X570 it's better again so there's no need to look at another option until you get into professional levels of audio..... at which point you're probably looking at an external DAC anyway.

 

[DavidGilbert719]

"Upgrading the card at a later date is fine but if you are going with a 1440p monitor you may want to get the most out of it for a couple of years before having/wanting to upgrade."

Did you mean if I go with the cheaper card use that for a couple of years with the 1440p monitor before upgrading as wasn't sure if you meant that or the monitor.

I'm tempted to get the 2070 but will see what monitors are available - I see PCS list a few 1440p monitors that don't say currently unavailable. It looks like IIYAMA PROLITE B2791QSU-B1 27" WQHD is on the list as well as IIYAMA G-MASTER GB2760QSU-B1 27"

 

[Scott]

There's no point in over-spending on the monitor if you aren't going to have the GPU to drive it. The GPU and the Monitor need to go hand in hand. Spending high on a monitor that you can't fully experience due to the lower GPU is a waste of money. Similarly, if you purchased a 1440p monitor to match the 2060 Super (75hz) you would end up with the monitor as the bottle neck in a couple of years when you upgrade.

The 2 standard options would be....

2060 Super with a 1440p 75Hz monitor - In a couple of years a new GPU and a new monitor will be required.
2060 Super with a 1440p 144Hz monitor - You'll have spent an extra £100 for something you haven't had any use of. By the time you are upgrading the GPU, we might be fully into 4k or even be looking at an ultrawide. Money wasted based on the unknown.
2070 Super with 1440p 144Hz monitor - Most expensive option right now but has you covered at a HIGH level for the next couple of years. When it comes time to upgrade you have the option to go down any route you choose knowing you have made the most of all the kit you have.

The IIYAMA G-MASTER GB2760QSU-B1 27" is what I would buy. It's great value. It's expected in stock the first week in June so a little bit of a wait but paired with the 2070 Super would be ideal.

 

[DavidGilbert719]

OK Thanks Scott,

I'll think I'll go for the 2070 super whatever happens and will likely go for the upper end option (my other idea was to go with the PC build without the monitor and work with my existing one for three months while I build up my "frittery" savings but it makes sense to get everything at once on 6th June.

I will get an external DVD drive for older classics with the case suggested, now I guess I have to wait until 6th June and keep refreshing my quote, I guess.

 

[Scott]

OK Thanks Scott,

I'll think I'll go for the 2070 super whatever happens and will likely go for the upper end option (my other idea was to go with the PC build without the monitor and work with my existing one for three months while I build up my "frittery" savings but it makes sense to get everything at once on 6th June.

I will get an external DVD drive for older classics with the case suggested, now I guess I have to wait until 6th June and keep refreshing my quote, I guess.

Going for it all in the one go makes the most sense. Holding off is just an initial outlay that doesn't pay dividends and ends up looking negative when the next gen tech comes out. It honestly never ends haha. Always get what matches and what you can afford for now.... in 6 months... it all changes (seriously).

On the 6th of June, go for the whole hog and save up over the next few months to re-pay the hole you have created

 

[DavidGilbert719]

Going for it all in the one go makes the most sense. Holding off is just an initial outlay that doesn't pay dividends and ends up looking negative when the next gen tech comes out. It honestly never ends haha. Always get what matches and what you can afford for now.... in 6 months... it all changes (seriously).

On the 6th of June, go for the whole hog and save up over the next few months to re-pay the hole you have created

Thanks for your advice, is there a way to keep the build active, as I don't like the idea of it expiring before 6th June although I guess I can navigate back to this thread easily enough.

 

[Scott]

The link provided at the bottom of the build will be live. It'll adjust for price and for stock availability, but it will be available at any time