My first gaming desktop

[a_quiet_gamer]

Hi,
I am looking for advice on my first gaming desktop i wish to purchase. The games I usually play are not the same as most on this forum, I tend to stick to the 'gentler' games - city building, sims, a little bit of league. Most of these have impressive graphics but not so quick and action packed! City building game - cities skyline takes a huge amount of processing power & RAM (so i am informed).
I am not a computer wizz by any stretch so I am very much looking for advice from every aspect. My budget is ideally £1000 but I am willing to stretch it slightly. i am not sure what all the components of a computer even do!
I thought it would be wise to start with an example I have found to see what everyone thinks/would change. This is a base deal given on this website.

PCSPECIALIST - Configure the Vortex XT to your ideal requirements.

PCSpecialist is an award-winning manufacturer of high quality custom PCs & Laptops. Configure the Vortex XT to your ideal requirements.

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Any helpful advice would be great.
Thanks for your time

 

[Oussebon]

That's not a deal, it's just a suggested spec (there are deals; though they may not necessarily be the best option depending on price and uses ofc).

What monitor are you gaming on?

That will influence the spec.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

I don't have a monitor yet. I was told just get a £80 off amazon Unless you can provide more information on that? Was aiming for a 1080p (I believe, as i say not technical!)

 

[Oussebon]

There's merit to spending a bit more on a monitor. That PC you linked is £1200. For £1200 you could conceivably buy a spec worthy of 1440p gaming and a 1440p monitor.

Either way, a monitor with adaptive sync ('freesync') would be ideal as it can help smooth out framerate drops.

e.g.

Case
FRACTAL FOCUS G BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.25GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)

World War Z & Division 2: Gold Edition FREE w/ select AMD Ryzen CPUs!
Motherboard
Gigabyte B450 AORUS ELITE: DDR4, USB 3.1 - RGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2933MHz ~ (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1660 Ti - HDMI, DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB WD Black™ SN750 M.2 NVMe SSD (up to 3470MB/s R | 2600MB/s W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
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
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB/Thunderbolt 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
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)
Monitor
IIYAMA ProLite B2791QSU-B1 27" WQHD
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 8 to 11 working days
Price: £1,224.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/ahz3QE!mZQ/


I was going to include the AOC Q3279VWFD8 monitor but it's out of stock at PCS. You can get it a bit cheaper off Amazon anyway.

It would take the price down to a bit under £1200.

If a 31.5" monitor sounds a bit big, there's the AOC AOC Q2778Vqe which is 27". TN Panel, but that's fine.

That iiyama in the spec is also decent - a TN panel. It has a height-adjustable stand if you want that.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Okay. Am I allowed to ask some questions? You have changed from an intel to a AMD? I have only ever used intel - thats not to say i am afraid of change but I am curious as to the differences and what effects these have? I would also (at least temporarily) require a wireless capability, i dont think this load has that ?
Youre suggesting I potentially get a monitor separately to save costs? I'd love to be able to save as many costs as possible. I am just screen shotting you the amazon offers on monitors when i searched - they are variable in prices but what are the difference ? THanks for your help

 

[Mustafo95]

Okay. Am I allowed to ask some questions? You have changed from an intel to a AMD? I have only ever used intel - thats not to say i am afraid of change but I am curious as to the differences and what effects these have? I would also (at least temporarily) require a wireless capability, i dont think this load has that ?
Youre suggesting I potentially get a monitor separately to save costs? I'd love to be able to save as many costs as possible. I am just screen shotting you the amazon offers on monitors when i searched - they are variable in prices but what are the difference

Ask away dude. It's a free forum, anyone can ask if they choose to, and anyone can answer if they choose to as well. Nobody is behind us with a whip to crack.
When it comes to the difference between amd and intel, right now it's even. Used to be Intel was ahead by 2-3 years in research but for the last 2-3 years they haven't been able to implement their new manufacturing plans so AMD caught up to them. AMD because of their slight inferiority were always forced to attract customers with bang for your buck methods and at mid level and budget level CPUs they were kings. But now even at elite performance levels, they're competitive but they still keep the competitive pricing edge. With a limited budget like in your case, AMD is no doubt the logical option. If you had deep pockets, nobody would stop you from getting i9-9900K but you don't need that. For video games that CPU is enough. Hey if it's not enough, 3rd gen AMD CPUs are coming this summer and unlike intel CPUs you can actually simply upgrade to them by swapping out the old CPU for the new one. A bit of future-proofing in there as well.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Hi Thank you for that explanation.
So the build provided above with AMD would be easily upgrade able also? Excellent.
I’m now very curious regarding monitors I hadn’t realised there was much variation between them. Anyone fancy trying to explain briefly the differences?

Thanks!

 

[Oussebon]

CPUs:

Okay. Am I allowed to ask some questions? You have changed from an intel to a AMD? I have only ever used intel - thats not to say i am afraid of change but I am curious as to the differences and what effects these have?

Intel CPUs can offer a bit better performance in games than AMD's Ryzen CPUs, but at much higher costs - higher costs not only of the CPUs themselves but also the motherboards.

To get one of the fastest Intel CPUs (e.g. 9700k) you'd have to spend even more on the system.

The build you linked to has an 8700 (non-k) and 2400MHz RAM, and already £1200 without a monitor. An R5 2600x with faster RAM will not be too far off in performance, but a lot cheaper such that you can invest into other parts of the build.

Monitors:

The monitors you posted a screenshot of are all a bit different. The short version is: don't buy any of those 3 you posted.

The 4 main things specs-wise to think about are: resolution, panel type, refresh rate, and if it has adaptive sync.

1) For resolution the monitors will be either 1920 x 1080 (aka 1080p or FHD) or 2560 x 1440 (aka 1440p or QHD)
Resolution is the number of pixels the monitor has. More pixels = sharper, more detailed image.

2) panel type will usually be TN or IPS. IPS has better colour accuracy and viewing angles. TN has faster response times i.e. the pixels change faster (favoured for competitive action/shooter games). In this price range if it says "1ms" it's probably TN; if it says 4 or 5ms, it's probably IPS.
For your uses it doesn't really matter which you buy.
You don't need lighting fast response times. And if you were originally happy to get an £80 ultra budget monitor then pretty much anything anyone suggests will have better image quality, whether TN or IPS. Also the numbers for response time quoted by manufacturers are a bit loose...

3) adaptive sync - this one's easy; you want a monitor with adaptive sync. Adaptive sync (often called freesync) can synchronise the monitor's refresh rate to the GPU's framerate output to help eliminate stuttering and tearing. Within certain refresh rate windows, anyway. The point is that monitors with adaptive sync are pretty well the same price as those without it, so just buy one with freesync so you have the option and probably gain some benefit from it.

4) Refresh rate - most budget monitors have 60/75hz refresh rate. At the £200-ish range there are monitors with 1080p resolution 144hz refresh rate, and 1440p 60/75hz refresh rates to pick from. There are monitors with 1440p 144hz of course but these are generally a good deal more expensive. High refresh rate is most popular among players who favour shooters / competitive action. Higher res can be nice for strategy games (more detail for all the little things going on on screen). Also you're not gonna be pushing 100+ fps in Cities Skylines, so a 1080p 144hz monitor seems kind of pointless. Therefore 1440p 75hz seems the logical choice.

5) And then the physical aspects/features like the size, whether it comes with a height-adjustable stand, whether it has USB ports built in, etc.

To talk through the monitors you posted:
AOC Q2778Vqe - 1440p, TN panel, does not have adaptive sync
(when I mentioned it earlier I believed it did, but it doesn't - apologies - disregard that one)

AOC e2770SH - 1080p, TN panel, no adaptive sync

AOC i2781FH - 1080p, IPS, no adaptive sync.


For your budget, the kind of system you can buy with it, and your uses, I would suggest a 1440p monitor, with adaptive sync. IPS or TN doesn't really matter.

I would suggest a monitor like the:

AOC Q3279VWFD8 (1440p, IPS, freesync, 31.5")

IIYAMA GB2730QSU-B1 / B2791QSU-B1 (1440p, TN panels, freesync, 27", height adjustable stand)


Wifi:

I would also (at least temporarily) require a wireless capability, i dont think this load has that ?

Just add a wifi card in the configurator. I'd suggest the AC1200.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Hi
Thank you for that detailed run down on monitors, extremely helpful so thanks so much. I am not currently at home, but when i get home I will get a full spec build ready for you to double check before buying I think!
I’m basically gathering from you with monitors - get a decent one that can give a decent image so that you can truly appreciate the graphics card that I’m going to purchase?

My other point would be - eventually (not yet until I move out, soonish!) I think I’d like a dual monitor setup (so that I can google things when i am playing without minimising ). I just wanted to make sure that would be suitable for this computer we’ve discussed?

Is this the monitor you recommended?:
AOC Q3279VWFD8 31.5" Widescreen IPS LED Black Monitor (2560x1440/5ms/VGA/HDMI/DP/DVI) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CG41Y8Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_JR66CbJVNQMEB

THanks for your continuing advice!
P.S. tried to reply to this earlier - was there a problem at my end or the forum?

 

[Oussebon]

I’m basically gathering from you with monitors - get a decent one that can give a decent image so that you can truly appreciate the graphics card that I’m going to purchase?

Pretty much.

Is this the monitor you recommended?:
AOC Q3279VWFD8 31.5" Widescreen IPS LED Black Monitor (2560x1440/5ms/VGA/HDMI/DP/DVI)

AOC Q3279VWFD8 31.5" Widescreen IPS LED Black Monitor (2560x1440/5ms/VGA/HDMI/DP/DVI): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

Yeah, it's a decent option for your budget. I just got one of these. It's pretty decent by any standard, and very good indeed for the money.

It's a large screen - and the stand isn't height adjustable, and there are no VESA mounting holes. Also the vertical part of the monitor stand is built into the monitor itself and cannot be removed, and it's not a particularly short stand:

AOC Q3279VWFD8

New IPS panel, same £200 price point.

hexus.net

So make sure you're happy with the size and the height this will sit at before you buy it.

If it might be too large, that iiyama monitor is supposed to be very good, is a more regular size, and it has a height-adjustable stand.

My other point would be - eventually (not yet until I move out, soonish!) I think I’d like a dual monitor setup (so that I can google things when i am playing without minimising ). I just wanted to make sure that would be suitable for this computer we’ve discussed?

The PC will be fine with dual monitors.

P.S. tried to reply to this earlier - was there a problem at my end or the forum?

PCS's website inc the forum was down earlier.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Thank you for all of this. I just briefly went onto the live chat option - and they presented me with a different quote. I know itsa print screen so sorry about that. But just wanted to get your thoughts on this compared to the one you provided (I know you added a monitor in also) Sorry for all the questions, almost done i promise.

 

[Scott]

Thank you for all of this. I just briefly went onto the live chat option - and they presented me with a different quote. I know itsa print screen so sorry about that. But just wanted to get your thoughts on this compared to the one you provided (I know you added a monitor in also) Sorry for all the questions, almost done i promise.
View attachment 13103

I would stick with Oussebon's recommendation to be honest.

The case is awful. Just no!
2600x - More cores, higher frequency. It's a better chip. For the difference in cost the 2600X is the go-to at this price range.
The Micro-ATx board they have recommended is pretty poor to be honest. Very basic feature set and I just plain don't like Micro boards for non-micro systems.
Ram - Faster the better, especially with AMD. Not sure why you are being recommended 2400mhz. Maybe there's lots of stock?
PSU - 550W is the minimum I would put into any system. There isn't a lot of difference in cost and it allows more headroom for future GPU upgrades.
Cooling - I seriously don't understand the H80i recommendation here. Stock cooler if on a budget or a good air cooler would be the choice at this level. The H80i is pointless on all fronts.

 

[Oussebon]

Their spec is cheaper, obviously. Remove the monitor from the spec I posted and it's £1001 vs the £920 here.

I can't speak as to why they made these decisions, but here are the main differences in this new quote:
- weaker CPU
- weaker GPU
- slower RAM
- lower end mobo
- more expensive wifi card
- way more expensive CPU cooler

I can see why the cheaper components - to save you money - that's a respectable aim. Given that I can't find an R5 2500x on sale anywhere at the moment, and that one of their recent Review specs included an R5 2500x alongside a 1660 ti, I'd be lying if I said stock clearing didn't cross my mind...

I think it doesn't make sense in this context as it leaves you with a weaker system, undermines bang for buck, and will leave you needing to perform major upgrades nearer into the future.

I don't know why the H80i cooler. I don't know why anyone would tell you to buy a £75 CPU cooler for an R5 2500x.

 

[Oussebon]

Short version: If you want to save money and get a spec for £920, I'm sure people here can find things to suggest. But PCS's suggestion above is not one I would agree with at all.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Thank you both for your replies. I was tempted to go for your offer/build anyway. Graphics card wise you'd stick with? They also said I may get mid-ranged graphics on 1440p but to get better then I'd require a 2060 graphics card?
Just out of interest - Are AMD graphics cards any better as I have a AMD processor?

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

e.g. would this video card be any better?

 

[Oussebon]

Are AMD graphics cards any better as I have a AMD processor?

No, 'mix and match' is fine here.

For the kinds of games you're playing, and frankly for quite a few much more graphically demanding titles, a 1660 ti is fine for 1440p. Sure you won't be cranking every last setting to ultra necessarily, but you'll be pushing settings reasonably high and still see ~60fps.

Sims will often perform differently of course, more limitations with the game engine, more reliant on CPU performance, etc.

MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ventus XS 6 GB Review

The MSI GTX 1660 Ventus XS is MSI's answer for people looking to maximize cost efficiency. Priced at the NVIDIA MSRP of $220, the card offers much better price/performance than AMD's RX 590 and even RX 580. Also included is an overclock out of the box and a backplate.

www.techpowerup.com

You could get a 2060 if you wanted, but I'm not sure your current crop of games will really leverage that, and if you do dabble in other titles, a 1660 ti will more than get you by.

 

[Oussebon]

I think my post above also answers your question about RX 580. To expand just a little:

In ascending order, and very roughly
RX 580 = GTX 1060
GTX 1660
GTX 1660 ti
Vega 56
RTX 2060 = Vega 64

AMD's Vega GPUs aren't priced competitively at PCS's offerings, and AMD's Polaris GPUs (RX 580, etc) aren't ideal for 1440p gaming.

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Ok. So I have removed the monitor as we discussed it could be purchased from amazon cheaper?
I have upgraded a thing or two, but obviously dont know what affect this will have on the rest of the build? E.g. do I require anything other than a standard AMD processor cooler etc. If this is the case then I'll likely downgrade as this really is a touch above my ideal spend.
I really do appreciate all your help and so hope this will be one of the last messages.

Case
FRACTAL FOCUS G BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.25GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)

World War Z & Division 2: Gold Edition FREE w/ select AMD Ryzen CPUs!
Motherboard
Gigabyte B450 AORUS ELITE: DDR4, USB 3.1 - RGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2933MHz ~ (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 - 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
500GB WD Black™ SN750 M.2 NVMe SSD (up to 3470MB/s R | 2600MB/s W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
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 802.11 AC1200 867Mbps/5GHz, 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
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
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 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 8 to 11 working days
Price: £1,071.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/zxRDXkHBWW/

 

[a_quiet_gamer]

Just to make it clear I change the graphics card as wasnt much change in price. but if not worth it as its not gonna work with processor or other things just re=change it or letme know