Looking to get a new gaming PC

[LeeRits1985]

Hi everyone,
My current PC is on its last legs so I’m looking at getting a new one. Price range approx £1500, dont mind going slightly over but would prefer to stay around that price or lower. I’ve always been Intel/Nvidia but given the lack of 3070 cards and no sign of them popping up anytime soon, I think it’s time to make the change to AMD as they seem to be cheaper and more readily available. I’ll be doing pretty much the same as I do on my current build (with a few minor additions) which is 10 years old so can’t imagine there will be any issues. Just looking for a bit of feedback regarding optimisation and maybe swapping a few components to more efficient/compatible ones

Will be looking to game at 1080p, maaaybe 1440p if I upgrade the monitor in the future but that wouldn’t be for a while so happy to just stick at 1080p for now. Max settings on games, don’t need extreme fps. Won’t be live streaming, possibly recording a few clips here and there. Amateur photo editing with photoshop. Stealing the oculus from the missus and playing a few VR games. Nothing too extreme.. I’m just flying blind with AMD so not sure if I’ve picked good stuff. I took a prebuilt option and made a few adjustments to improve it. 512GB m2 will be the OS drive. Forgot to change it but will also be adding the silver warranty. Any feedback is appreciated.


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
ASUS® PRIME B550-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6700 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 1500MB/sR | 1000MB/sW)
Memory Card Reader
USB 3.0 EXTERNAL SD/MICRO SD CARD READER
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CV SERIES™ CV-650 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler Black Edition
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
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 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
FAST TRACK 5 WORKING DAY DISPATCH
Promotional Item
Get DIRT 5 with select AMD Ryzen CPUs with AMD Radeon GPUs
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book - United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland
Logo Branding
PCSpecialist Logo
Price: £1,535 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/tUnKM3bmed/

 

[sck451]

We can definitely improve this for you! In all honesty, at 1080p the graphics card you have selected is overkill. Unless you're doing some extreme VR gaming, you can dial that back significantly. I'm going to presume you have a 144Hz 1080p monitor: for this the 3060 is the ideal card right now.

I'm going to suggest upgrading basically everything except the graphics card. This will give you a much better foundation that can be upgraded to 1440p in the future with a simple graphics card replacement.

Let's go for the 5600X (six-core, current generation), faster 3200MHz RAM, a better motherboard, a faster storage solution (one SSD for Windows, a second for games, a hard drive for music/video/archive stuff), a better power supply (with upgrades, longevity and quietness in mind), the stock cooler (perfectly good enough for gaming), and a better WiFi card, all in a much better case. I'm also dropping Bullguard from the build as you don't want it: Windows Defender is a better bet. As you say, adding the silver warranty is a good idea.

Finally, I'd counsel against the fast-track, as the build is probably going to be more delayed by availability of parts than by a queue in the factory.

This comes to £35 more than your original build. I think it is a much better bet in the short, medium and long term..

Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.6GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B550-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
USB 3.0 EXTERNAL SD/MICRO SD CARD READER
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
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
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
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
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 365® (Operating System Required)
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 - Subject to stock availability on pre-order products
Price: £1,571.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/Sm6VY4taTd/

 

[LeeRits1985]

Appreciate the feedback SCK451. The main issue I’ve got is that my current PC keeps giving me errors and it will likely need replacing soon. I was hoping to replace it within 2-4 few weeks (hence the speedy build addition) and if I read correctly, stock on the 30 series nvidia cards is backlogged by months still. I went with RX 7800 XT as that was showing as available (unless the site is playing up). All nvidia cards said preorder only whereas that one didn’t. If stock on the AMD is equally as bad then that’s going to be a pain 😩

 

[MrWilson]

Appreciate the feedback SCK451. The main issue I’ve got is that my current PC keeps giving me errors and it will likely need replacing soon. I was hoping to replace it within 2-4 few weeks (hence the speedy build addition) and if I read correctly, stock on the 30 series nvidia cards is backlogged by months still. I went with RX 7800 XT as that was showing as available (unless the site is playing up). All nvidia cards said preorder only whereas that one didn’t. If stock on the AMD is equally as bad then that’s going to be a pain 😩

The main graphics cards that have stock issues are the 3080, 6800XT, and the 3060ti. Recent posts in the 3060 thread have seen orders go into building in under 20 working days, or 4 weeks.
Keeping the 6700XT in at the expense of other components is something I also wouldn't recommend, as the GPU will likely be your first upgrade anyway, and the build specced above means you should get 7+ years of use out of the other components.

 

[LeeRits1985]

I might just go with it and hope my current one lasts until the build is done. I just have a couple more questions.

Are the PCS M2 SSD’d more reliable or equally as good as the branded ones such as Intel/Samsung? And regarding the stock cooler, would it be worth paying a bit extra and getting a liquid cooler or a better non-liquid cooler? Or are the stock coolers really good?

I haven’t had to upgrade or buy PC components in over 10 years and so much has changed 😂 I just want to try and make it as future proof as possible 😁

 

[MrWilson]

The PCS m.2 is fantastic, especially for its pricing. The Intel drives have subpar write endurance and don't last as long as other similar drives. For games storage, you will see very diminishing returns upgrading past the PCS speed.

For your uses the stock cooler will do a great job. The coolermaster 240 lite would be the go-to for upgrading, especially as the 4000D case only comes with 2 fans included. If you are sticking with the stock cooler I would probably recommend buying a couple of extra case fans.

When you're spending £1500 on a new PC it's definitely worth asking these questions. We are very fortunate to have some lovely people on here who are happy to answer them for you!

 

[Bigfoot]

Samsung drives are faster than PCS drives. Intel m.2 drives have low write endurance. Many forum members have PCS drives and are happy with them. I would avoid Intel. If budget allows the Samsung 980 Pro is the fastest, but the PCS m.2 drives are several times faster than a standard SSD.

 

[LeeRits1985]

Really appreciate all this feedback guys. I’ve removed the WiFi card completely as I’ll be using it wired anyway which knocks a few quid off. I can afford the extra to get the 240 lite cooler, would you recommend adding that in now if I can afford to or just keeping the stock cooler and adding a couple of extra fans?

All this info has been very helpful and I’m leaning towards ordering it after the weekend. I’ve got an external HD on the way from Amazon today to backup stuff from my current PC so I’m thinking if it dies before this one is built and delivered, I’ll just pick up a cheap 120GB ssd for it and reinstall Windows so I’ve got something to keep me going in the mean time 😁

 

[MrWilson]

Really appreciate all this feedback guys. I’ve removed the WiFi card completely as I’ll be using it wired anyway which knocks a few quid off. I can afford the extra to get the 240 lite cooler, would you recommend adding that in now if I can afford to or just keeping the stock cooler and adding a couple of extra fans?

All this info has been very helpful and I’m leaning towards ordering it after the weekend. I’ve got an external HD on the way from Amazon today to backup stuff from my current PC so I’m thinking if it dies before this one is built and delivered, I’ll just pick up a cheap 120GB ssd for it and reinstall Windows so I’ve got something to keep me going in the mean time 😁

I am a big fan of spending a little extra on cooling, so if you can afford it I would highly recommend adding in the coolermaster.

If you are ordering after the weekend I would recommend saving a quote now. Prices are very volatile at the moment so your build cost may go up and down over the next few days. Quotes are valid for 5 days so when you're ready to order you might find that the quote is slightly cheaper than what the config will charge you, but it could also be that the configurator is cheaper than the quote, in which case you should go for the cheaper option.

 

[AleTax]

I am a big fan of spending a little extra on cooling, so if you can afford it I would highly recommend adding in the coolermaster.

Same, CPU will be cooler (so better performance as well) and the aesthetic will improve a lot

 

[sck451]

Same, CPU will be cooler (so better performance as well) and the aesthetic will improve a lot

Better cooling doesn't necessarily lead to better performance. Inadequate cooling will limit performance, but extravagent cooling won't necessarily improve performance. That's not to say it's not a good idea, but it won't necessarily result in your computer being faster. The AMD stock cooler is enough to prevent the 5600X from thermal throttling in most scenarios.

 

[Ash_]

Better cooling doesn't necessarily lead to better performance. Inadequate cooling will limit performance, but extravagent cooling won't necessarily improve performance. That's not to say it's not a good idea, but it won't necessarily result in your computer being faster. The AMD stock cooler is enough to prevent the 5600X from thermal throttling in most scenarios.

Better cooling does lead to better performance on AMD Zen3 chips.

 

[jamiephillips909]

Better cooling does lead to better performance on AMD Zen3 chips.

I also imagine the noise a amd stock cooler will throw out after a gaming session in summer !

 

[AgentCooper]

Better cooling does lead to better performance on AMD Zen3 chips.

If you’ve got time to do a @NoddyPirate style experiment and post a thread, I’d be interested to see performance differences with the 5800X and the cooler working at various levels. The silicon lottery will come into play but it’d be fun to see if there’s a sweet spot and a point of diminishing returns.

 

[Ash_]

If you’ve got time to do a @NoddyPirate style experiment and post a thread, I’d be interested to see performance differences with the 5800X and the cooler working at various levels. The silicon lottery will come into play but it’d be fun to see if there’s a sweet spot and a point of diminishing returns.

I guess it could be silicone lottery, or i have optimised my system really well - but my 5800X with a H150i EC maintains 4.65ghz and is 99th percentile on benchmark tests. I think Noddy may have already tested it, as his 5600X with stock cooler (i think), sits like 600mhz below my 5800X in sustained boost.

The giant cooler is that good in fact, MSI boards have a ‘gameboost mode’ which makes the chip sit at 4.3ghz and that actually lowers performance, as the chip boosts way beyond on its own.

I think you probably get better performance though really, in terms of gaming fps, by going Coolermaster 240mm and the next GPU up, rather than £85 more on a H150i

 

[jamiephillips909]

I guess it could be silicone lottery, or i have optimised my system really well - but my 5800X with a H150i EC maintains 4.65ghz and is 99th percentile on benchmark tests. I think Noddy may have already tested it, as his 5600X with stock cooler (i think), sits like 600mhz below my 5800X in sustained boost.

The giant cooler is that good in fact, MSI boards have a ‘gameboost mode’ which makes the chip sit at 4.3ghz and that actually lowers performance, as the chip boosts way beyond on its own.

I think you probably get better performance though really, in terms of gaming fps, by going Coolermaster 240mm and the next GPU up, rather than £85 more on a H150i

well well well turned of game boost and boom 4.6 -4.7ghz good tip ash cheers

 

[Ash_]

well well well turned of game boost and boom 4.6 -4.7ghz good tip ash cheers

You did it or?

 

[jamiephillips909]

You did it or?

yeah i have a msi motherboard turned it of better results top tip !

 

[Ash_]

yeah i have a msi motherboard turned it of better results top tip !View attachment 25749

The point is that with it off, the chip will boost on its own higher... no need to be sarcastic.

 

[AgentCooper]

The point is that with it off, the chip will boost on its own higher... no need to be sarcastic.

Either I’ve misread the last few posts or you’ve misread the last few posts because to me it looks like he’s actually complimenting you?

Over to you, @jamiephillips909, can you clear this up for us?