Fine tuning this configuration

[danamb]

Hi Everyone,

I am planning to build a new system, and I could use some help deciding the final build.

A couple of days ago the Ryzen-based configuration page showed the Corsair 3200MHz rams, but now I can only select the 3000MHz ones. This link says the 3200MHz kit is compatible with the selected motherboard:
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM4/STRIX_B350-F_GAMING/ROG_STRIX_B350-F_GAMING_Memory_QVL_20170519.pdf?_ga=2.205582353.329936003.1496830631-1995554391.1496830631

Here are my questions:

1. Based on the below configuration, do you think it is a good idea to go with the 2x8Gb 3000MHz Corsair kit, or shall I ask to change it to 2x8Gb 3200MHz kit (if it is even possible, after all, they are not shown for that configuration)?

2. As I am not overclocking my system and will only use it in full HD resolution (1920x1080), do you think I need custom CPU cooler, or the stock one would be enough? I only play maximum of 1.5-2 hours or even less, so I am not that hardcore gamer, however as I am an (hobby) indie game developer, I am using Unity and also I am playing music using Cubase.

3. The customization page does not state the brand of the video cards, it only says 6GB GTX 1060. Do you know which one it is? I guess Palit or Zotac, but there are multiple different cards from them, too (Mini, Jetstream, Super Jetstream, ...). I am just curious, I know the performance will more-or-less the same of all cards.


Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six Core CPU (3.4GHz-3.9GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® STRIX B350-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.0, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Oussebon]

3. The customization page does not state the brand of the video cards, it only says 6GB GTX 1060. Do you know which one it is?

It will vary depending on stock. You can always call PCS to ask what they are using at the moment, but it may potentially change by the time they build your system anyway.

You can always order the system without a GPU and fit one yourself if you prefer. Could always save a few quid depending on the PCS 1060 price versus any deals you can find online.

2. As I am not overclocking my system and will only use it in full HD resolution (1920x1080), do you think I need custom CPU cooler, or the stock one would be enough? I only play maximum of 1.5-2 hours or even less, so I am not that hardcore gamer, however as I am an (hobby) indie game developer, I am using Unity and also I am playing music using Cubase.

The AMD stock cooler should be fine though you can always go for a 120mm fan tower one like CM212x

1. Based on the below configuration, do you think it is a good idea to go with the 2x8Gb 3000MHz Corsair kit, or shall I ask to change it to 2x8Gb 3200MHz kit (if it is even possible, after all, they are not shown for that configuration)?

I think 3000Mhz is fine, and you will see relatively little difference in most situations, even with Ryzen.

What's your budget, and what is the full spec and price of the above? (i.e. including the case and all the other gubbinz like the OS and any addons or peripherals)

 

[danamb]

Hi Everyone,

I need a new PC and could use some help deciding the final build. I am not a hardcore gamer, I only play an hour or two, but not everyday. I have a 60Hz full HD monitor, so that is why I am building a GTX 1060 PC. I am a hobby indie game developer and I am also using my machine when I am playing music, so Unity3D and Cubase will be my two main non-game softwares I will be using. Based on the below configuration, my questions are:

1. I cannot see the Corsair 3200MHz kit anymore when I am selecting the Ryzen-based components. The maximum I can select now is the 3000MHz kit. Do you think it is enough, or is it possible to get the faster ones? This link states that the motherboard is compatible with the 3200MHz kit, too: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM4/STRIX_B350-F_GAMING/ROG_STRIX_B350-F_GAMING_Memory_QVL_20170519.pdf?_ga=2.205582353.329936003.1496830631-1995554391.1496830631

2. As I am not overclocking my system, do you think I need a custom CPU cooler instead of the stock one?

3. I do not see the brand of the video cards. As far as I know PCSpecialist sells Palit and Zotac (unless explicitly stated as Asus), but there are multiple different versions from those brands (Mini, Jetstream, Super Jetstream, ...) and I am curious what will I get? I know the performance difference is very small, but still I prefer to see what will I get before ordering.

Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six Core CPU (3.4GHz-3.9GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® STRIX B350-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.0, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND

Thanks for all the help in advance!

 

[Oussebon]

Please do bear with the volunteer mods until we can release your posts should they get auto-moderated by the forum

 

[danamb]

Thanks for the answer, and my apology for double posting, I did not see the approval notification, so please remove the second post!

This is the full build and my budget is mainly around the price of it, so £1100-1300. I have a laptop right now with original Win 10 Pro on it, this is what I am planning to bring to this new system then sell the laptop without the OS.
The reason why I chose the 250SSD + 2TB HDD is, because I would like to install the OS and Unity/Cubase onto the SSD, and install everything else onto the HDD.
I tried the intel build, but that is a bit more expensive and as I do not need the power of a 1080ti build, I guess the below spec is fine performance-wise.

Case
CORSAIR SPEC-ALPHA MID TOWER GAMING CASE - BLACK/RED
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six Core CPU (3.4GHz-3.9GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® STRIX B350-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.0, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
250GB WD Blue™ 3D NAND 2.5" SSD, (upto 550MB/sR | 525MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
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
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan 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
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
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 4 to 6 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,137.00 including VAT and delivery

 

[danamb]

PC advice

What about the Ryzen build? Similarly to the i5 config:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers/amd-am4-pc/

 

[Oussebon]

What about the Ryzen build? Similarly to the i5 config:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers/amd-am4-pc/

An r5 2600x would be a valid option. An Intel i5 still offers a bit more performance out of the box for a similar price for gaming, though certainly there's not a vast amount in it.

Obviously if twitch streaming or using the PC for multithreaded uses outside of gaming, then an R5 2600x is a sound choice.

But if going for straight gaming, then the i5 8500 seems the better choice.

 

[danamb]

I'm afraid that's not really possible, and even if it was it wouldn't be a good idea.

The simple quad core CPU (4 cores, 4 threads) isn't very futureproof at all compared to the alternatives on the market, like Intel's 8th Gen i5 CPUs with 6 cores for ~£55 more.

RAM is very expensive at the moment, and there is little performance difference between 8gb and 16gb.

An SSD won't improve gaming performance. Plus 120gb is small, and will be relatively slow compared to 140/150gb and larger drives.

Either or both of the extra RAM or SSD could be added in the future as DIY upgrades. So better to spend the budget on a better base platform e.g. i5 8500 CPU, a case and PSU that will support more future GPU upgrades, etc.

e.g.

Memory (RAM)
8GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2133MHz (1 x 8GB)

Graphics Card
3GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP

Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY

Price £839.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-home-office-pc-ii/0r4Vbk4PWe/

What about the 350W power supply? Does your original recommendation requires anything bigger than 350W?

Also, what if the PSU is changed to 350W, but the 3Gb VGA is also changed to the 6GB? It is not a big difference in price, but based on a lot of comparison videos I saw, the performance difference will be significant. The validity of the 350W PSU is still a question, especially because this is a more demanding configuration.

And the third, but I think one of the most important thing is the ram. You recommended a single channel option, but as far as I know the system performs significantly better on a dual channel setting. Am I wrong?

I am asking/saying these, because I am going to build a very similar config and the last I built a desktop was 10+ years ago, so I can also use some advice ( https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?59232-Fine-tuning-this-configuration ).

 

[Oussebon]

danamb, it is best to stick to your own thread rather than hijack someone else's, or else the conversation will become confused.

I recommended the 550W PSU to allow for future GPU upgrade options. 350W may be severely restrictive.

The GTX 1060 6gb is £66 more expensive, and offers 10-15% more gaming performance:

Whether it is worth buying depends on the budget. For instance it would be an incredibly bad idea, imo, to buy a weaker CPU in order to buy the 1060 6gb over the 3gb. This is because whether you buy the 1060 3gb or 6gb, eventually you'll want to upgrade it, and the performance is not massively different. However, a weaker CPU would likely bottleneck future upgrades,

So as the 1060 6gb is £65 more and takes AceZainul way over budget, I didn't suggest it.

And the third, but I think one of the most important thing is the ram. You recommended a single channel option, but as far as I know the system performs significantly better on a dual channel setting. Am I wrong?

For gaming, it generally makes little difference:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-Hardware-FAQs&p=397286&viewfull=1#post397286
Certainly dual channel is preferable. But then so is 3000MHz RAM. Again, it was a budget limitation.

But dana, I suggest we stick to your topic for the discussion of your needs please

 

[SpyderTracks]

I've moved this into it's own thread. danamb, please don't hijack other peoples threads, create your own.

 

[Oussebon]

*cough* I've taken the liberty of moving the posts to dana's thread

 

[danamb]

Guys, I honestly did not want to "hijack" my thread into the other one. As I am planning my config that I will possibly order this week, I am reading the forum and trying to get some knowledge to make the best possible build for my budget. As I saw a very similar question to mine, I thought I share my opinion and also my questions, because I thought there are other configuration options that may or may not be better then the OP's config. If this is not allowed, then my honest apology! The last thing I wanted to do is to mess up the forum or others threads.

 

[SpyderTracks]

*cough* I've taken the liberty of moving the posts to dana's thread

Sorry!!! I shouldn’t moderate and work at the same time....

 

[Oussebon]

Please do post questions and suggestions/opinions about specs, that's what the forums are for

As the questions seemed to ultimately be about your spec which you're looking to order soon, best to keep that aspect of the discussion to your own topic. Or else it will risk causing what is being discussed in the other topic becoming muddled.

No harm done ofc. Will try to look at your spec / this topic in more detail later when also not working!

 

[Oussebon]

Regarding the spec you posted before, I think it looks sound. I might suggest tweaks:


Case
CORSAIR SPEC-04 MID TOWER GAMING CASE - BLACK/RED
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.25GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® STRIX B350-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.0, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 2800MB/R, 1100MB/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
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
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
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
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 3 to 5 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,167.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/UKgJEd0GTK/

The x version of the CPU is a fair bit faster.
The PM961 is a lot faster than the WD Blue SSD
If going for a TXm PSU, 650 is little more and could give even more headroom
If buying that case, you could get an extra fan for it since it only has 1 by default.

 

[danamb]

Thank you! Though that was not my build, but I went through that and only changed the case, the thermal paste and I selected silver warranty. I think £1,206.00 is fine.

In your version you have added extra fans, but with the PCS SR-621GG TEMPERED GLASS CASE I think it is not necessary as it has 6 fans, am I right?

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/nMUBJrhdym/

And one final question. I have an OEM Win 10 OS on my laptop, but I bought the Win 10 Pro upgrade licence (I needed that for mobile development), therefore I think now it counts as retail. This link says I can transfer my key, so I can upgrade the Win 10 that comes (?) preinstalled on the machine:

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/transfer-windows-10-license-new-pc/

Can you confirm that the machine comes with preinstalled Win 10 (even if it is unlicensed Home version, as I can transfer my licence to that machine, if I am not mistaken)?

 

[Oussebon]

Though that was not my build,

It was your build, it was the most recent build I could find you having posted - here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-configuration&p=414428&viewfull=1#post414428

In case you were trying to post a build when you said this:

What about the Ryzen build? Similarly to the i5 config:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers/amd-am4-pc/

note that this is only a link to the configurator, not a saved build. It only shows a saved build for you because it's saved in your browser.

If you want feedback on another build, please post the full build.

 

[danamb]

Strange, because I can still use the link here at my workplace. Anyways, this is the full build and the two questions I had before I order this config are:
1. Does a non-licensed/Home Win 10 come preinstalled or should I ask PCS to leave the test OS on my machine that I can upgrade to my Pro version?
2. Do I need to select extra case fans similarly to the previous recommendation? The selected case's description says it has 6 fans, but I am confused if they all comes with the case or not. Sorry if this question is too silly, but this is the first time I order a PC instead of building it on my own.

Case
PCS SR-621GG TEMPERED GLASS CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.25GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® STRIX B350-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.0, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 2800MB/R, 1100MB/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
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan 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
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
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 3 to 5 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,206.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/cPpWZVmYVh/

 

[polycrac]

Strange, because I can still use the link here at my workplace.

I use Chrome, signed in with my google ID, at home and at work - it remembers passwords, settings, preferences etc. from either place.

 

[Oussebon]

Could well be that. Or if you were signed into your PCS account at both perhaps.

The case should come with 6 fans if PCS say it does. No need for extra ones, plus I'm not sure if there are any spare mounts for extra fans to go on. Although a ~£70 case with 6 fans and tempered glass makes me wonder how good the fans are going to be... but it's not a very high end spec so should be more than fine even if the fans are not brilliant.

If you order without Windows, the system will still have Windows installed on it as PCS do this to install drivers and test the system is working, Many people seem to choose to activate this with their own key, though others prefer to do a clean install of Windows anyway.