Gaming computer, all advice is much appreciated!

[Fadin]

I'm a total noob when it comes to stuff like this, and below is what I got by myself from looking around the forums. However, ideally, the lower the cost the better but I would play this spec for games like skyrim, eldar scrolls online, gw2, etc. Thank you and sorry in advance for my noob-like questions.



Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i5 Quad Core Processor i5-4690K (3.5GHz) 6MB Cache
Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 912 PLUS MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Motherboard
ASUS® Z97-E: ATX, USB3.0, SATA 6GB/S, SLi, XFIRE
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X FURY DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 - 2 DVI, 1 HDMI, 1 DP - 3D Vision Ready
1st Hard Disk
120GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
1TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD1003FZEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler (£29)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
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 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Operating System
Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Windows 10 Upgrade
FREE Upgrade to Windows 10 with all Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 Purchases*
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)
Delivery
PCS EXTRA-CARE DIAMOND DELIVERY - MON-FRI, PRE-10AM (£18)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £997.00 including VAT and delivery.

Unique URL to re-configure: http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/quotes/intel-haswell-pc/NB3o33aT0v/

 

[Cadwah]

It looks good, there are ways you can save money such as getting a cheaper motherboard. The one you chose is for SLi but you don't have a sufficient PSU for that so you may as well get a cheaper Motherboard. I assume you will not be overclocking your CPU as you haven't chose watercooling so you could get the non-K version of the CPU.

Everything else looks great.

 

[Fadin]

It looks good, there are ways you can save money such as getting a cheaper motherboard. The one you chose is for SLi but you don't have a sufficient PSU for that so you may as well get a cheaper Motherboard. I assume you will not be overclocking your CPU as you haven't chose watercooling so you could get the non-K version of the CPU.

Everything else looks great.

Thank you for such a helpful reply! Yeah, I'm such a noob that I wouldn't even think about overclocking. Also, with my first hard disk (the Samsung), is that fine or should I go for a different make? Additionally, is there any point in getting an M2 or the PCE-I SSD (both of which I know nothing about!). Last question (sorry), what type of FPS would I be getting with this model? Thank you!


Oh, and is my case fine? SORRY!

 

[Cadwah]

The Samsung SSD is very good, some would say it's the best SSD on the market currently at around this price point. There would be little point to you getting the M2 or PCI-E SSD as the extra speed they give wouldn't really be noticed, especially for the price, just not worth the extra $ currently.
To be honest the FPS you will get will depend on a lot of things, such as how many mods you have in Skyrim etc... however I think it is safe to say you should be able to get a comfortable 60FPS in most games at 1080p.

You can lookk for specific benchmarks for specific games online.

The case is fine.

GLHF!

 

[Fadin]

The Samsung SSD is very good, some would say it's the best SSD on the market currently at around this price point. There would be little point to you getting the M2 or PCI-E SSD as the extra speed they give wouldn't really be noticed, especially for the price, just not worth the extra $ currently.
To be honest the FPS you will get will depend on a lot of things, such as how many mods you have in Skyrim etc... however I think it is safe to say you should be able to get a comfortable 60FPS in most games at 1080p.

You can lookk for specific benchmarks for specific games online.

The case is fine.

GLHF!

You have been really helpful, thank you! I will mostly play GW2 or LOTRO, but I will try benchmark it (whatever that means ). So, how long would you say the below specification would last me before it would need upgrading to support newer games? I don't want to dish out another £1000 buying a new computer in a few years just to play a new game, if that makes sense? Again, thank you for all the help you've given me.

Updated:

Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i5 Quad Core Processor i5-4690 (3.5GHz) 6MB Cache
Case
COOLERMASTER CM STORM ENFORCER - GAMING ENTHUSIAST CASE
Motherboard
ASUS® Z97-P: ATX, LG1150, USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X FURY DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 - 2 DVI, 1 HDMI, 1 DP - 3D Vision Ready
1st Hard Disk
250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
1TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD1003FZEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler (£29)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
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 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Operating System
Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Windows 10 Upgrade
FREE Upgrade to Windows 10 with all Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 Purchases*
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)
Delivery
PCS EXTRA-CARE DIAMOND DELIVERY - MON-FRI, PRE-10AM (£18)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £984.00 including VAT and delivery.

Unique URL to re-configure: http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/quotes/intel-haswell-pc/FfwQyVkCJB/

 

[Fadin]

New and updated spec, I've gone for the SLi so in future I can upgrade, but what specifically can I upgrade? Also, how long would this spec last me? Sorry for the noobish questions, and thanks in advance.



Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i5 Quad Core Processor i5-4690K (3.5GHz) 6MB Cache
Case
NZXT PHANTOM 410 WHITE GAMING CASE
Motherboard
ASUS® Z97-E: ATX, USB3.0, SATA 6GB/S, SLi, XFIRE
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X FURY DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 - 2 DVI, 1 HDMI, 1 DP - 3D Vision Ready
1st Hard Disk
250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
1TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD1003FZEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET (£79)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H55 Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler (£39)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
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 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Windows 10 Upgrade
FREE Upgrade to Windows 10 with all Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 Purchases*
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,066.00 including VAT and delivery.

 

[steaky360]

You can upgrade whatever you like really without affecting any warranty as long as when carrying out your upgrade you don't damage the rest of the rig. Easiest things to upgrade are GPU's, RAM, HDD's/SSD's Getting to more tricky things like PSU's and finally "difficult" (its not really but it isn't for the light hearted) like motherboards and cases etc.

 

[Spuff]

New and updated spec, I've gone for the SLi so in future I can upgrade.

As far as the configurator is concerned you need a 850w PSU to SLI, and I would go for a 1000w if that was my intention.
For demonstration, add another 970 to your spec and press continue and see the message that pops up.

 

[Fadin]

You can upgrade whatever you like really without affecting any warranty as long as when carrying out your upgrade you don't damage the rest of the rig. Easiest things to upgrade are GPU's, RAM, HDD's/SSD's Getting to more tricky things like PSU's and finally "difficult" (its not really but it isn't for the light hearted) like motherboards and cases etc.

As far as the configurator is concerned you need a 850w PSU to SLI, and I would go for a 1000w if that was my intention.
For demonstration, add another 970 to your spec and press continue and see the message that pops up.

First of all, thank you both for such helpful replies. I'll definitely rep you when I get home.

So, it's better I go for a good motherboard and case? Like, the one I've chosen is the NX White gaming (£79), which would, I assume, be fine for upgrades in the future, and in general?

In terms of the CPU cooling, should I go for a liquid cooling or stick with the advanced one I have?

Also, what are the benefits of having 2TB as opposed to 1TB? I feel like I'm asking googable questions, but I just think I will get a more personal and detailed reply if I ask here!

Thank you in advance!

 

[Spuff]

The only benefit to a larger (larger meaning having more capacity) HDD is having more storage space. It won't perform better.
If you wanted to back up a large amount of data then you would want separate drives.

 

[keynes]

First of all, thank you both for such helpful replies. I'll definitely rep you when I get home.

So, it's better I go for a good motherboard and case? Like, the one I've chosen is the NX White gaming (£79), which would, I assume, be fine for upgrades in the future, and in general?

In terms of the CPU cooling, should I go for a liquid cooling or stick with the advanced one I have?

Also, what are the benefits of having 2TB as opposed to 1TB? I feel like I'm asking googable questions, but I just think I will get a more personal and detailed reply if I ask here!

Thank you in advance!

It is a good case and won't limit you for any potential upgrades. For a non-over clocked CPU I would suggest going with the triple copper heatpipe CPU cooler. Whether you need 2tb or 1tb depends on how much storage space you need.

 

[Fadin]

The only benefit to a larger (larger meaning having more capacity) HDD is having more storage space. It won't perform better.
If you wanted to back up a large amount of data then you would want separate drives.

It is a good case and won't limit you for any potential upgrades. For a non-over clocked CPU I would suggest going with the triple copper heatpipe CPU cooler. Whether you need 2tb or 1tb depends on how much storage space you need.

Thank you both. I'm assuming the triple copper heatpipe is th £19 dragonfly? I've created my final spec and will post it below, but now I'm having second chances, as I will possibly be going to uni in September and therefore a laptop would be more appropriate. However, I've never gamed on a laptop before and I wouldn't know where to start spec wise. Any opinions? Thank you

Final spec:

Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i5 Quad Core Processor i5-4690 (3.5GHz) 6MB Cache
Case
NZXT PHANTOM 410 WHITE GAMING CASE
Motherboard
ASUS® Z97-PRO GAMER: ATX, USB3.0, SATA 6GB/S, SLi, XFIRE
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X BEAST DUAL-DDR3 2133MHz X.M.P (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 980 - 1 DVI, 1 HDMI, 3 DP - 3D Vision Ready
1st Hard Disk
250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
1TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD1003FZEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RM SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET (£139)
Processor Cooling
Super Quiet Titan DragonFly Heatpipe Intel CPU Cooler (£19)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
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 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Operating System
Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Windows 10 Upgrade
FREE Upgrade to Windows 10 with all Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 Purchases*
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,251.00 including VAT and delivery.

Unique URL to re-configure: http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/quotes/intel-haswell-pc/wmPOxgqB09/