New Gaming Computer - All Advice Welcome

[petegirls]

Hi all,

My wonderful i7 6700HQ / 16GB RAM / GeForce GTX 1070 "Defiance" laptop, purchased from PCS in 2017, has never let me down but is finally starting to fail at meeting the minimum requirements for new games (Starfield being a good recent example). So I've decided to finally take the plunge and invest in a new gaming PC but I am a little lost as to where to start.

There is some incredibly useful info on here, in particular the "Desktop Building Guide" from Scott, so thanks all for the excellent content and contributions to assist PC building noobs like me. The key message being drilled into my head is that there is no point going big on a build without the monitor to support it.

I purchased an LG 27GL850-B monitor a few years ago as it was highly recommended at the time and I'm hoping it's still considered a decent option... Its normal res is 2560 x 1440 and has a refresh rate of 144 Hz.

I don't want to appear lazy by not posting a spec in this first instance but, to begin with, I would really appreciate if an expert could tell me what some of the "best" CPU and GPU combo's could be (I have no preference over Intel / AMD / NVidia etc) in the context of what my 1440p monitor would be able to make the most of. I assume taking out a mortgage and going straight in with an i9 4090 for example would be pointless as my monitor would limit it from performing at its full potential.

Once I know what some of the best graphics cards could be with my monitor, I'll then try to build something within my budget (I'd hope to not go over £1.5k but I know that might be ambitious) and post it here for feedback.

This PC would be purely for gaming - no VR, streaming or video processing needs.

Cheers!

 

[petegirls]

Here's a first attempt at a build.

As a reminder, I have an LG 27GL850-B monitor (1440p 144 Hz) and am only looking for gaming. Trying to aim for £1.5k ish...

Not a clue if this CPU / GPU / Motherboard / Case combo makes any sense together; and I'm also not sure whether the 1st SSD drive for Windows and then a 2nd SSD drive for games is the right idea based on other comments I've seen. Do I need a 2nd SSD drive for games or would a "storage drive" be enough?

Any feedback would be very warmly received.



Case
PCS PRISM TG BLACK ARGB MID TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 5600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6700 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMe SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 240 Series RGB High Performance Liquid Cooler (AMD)
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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
Google Chrome™
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 9 to 11 working days
Price: £1,634.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/EmvhxBDuuV/

 

[sck451]

I think this isn't bad at all but could be better for the money. Here's a build that stays under your build above but uses parts in a more balanced way so the overall performance and longevity would be better.

I'm suggesting a better case, a lesser CPU (because you don't need it with the graphics card and monitor you have), faster RAM (which makes a difference), slower but still fast secondary storage, a stronger power supply, and a simpler, cheaper and more reliable cooler. I think the 6750XT is poor value as an upgrade but it does fit easily into the budget: the ideal 7800 XT doesn't, really...

Case
FRACTAL FOCUS 2 ARGB GAMING CASE (BLACK)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7700 Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-5.3GHz/40MB CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6750 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
DeepCool AK400 Performance CPU Cooler ZERO DARK
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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
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 9 to 11 working days
Price: £1,595.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/MFjd7uUXQ8/

 

[petegirls]

I think this isn't bad at all but could be better for the money. Here's a build that stays under your build above but uses parts in a more balanced way so the overall performance and longevity would be better.

I'm suggesting a better case, a lesser CPU (because you don't need it with the graphics card and monitor you have), faster RAM (which makes a difference), slower but still fast secondary storage, a stronger power supply, and a simpler, cheaper and more reliable cooler. I think the 6750XT is poor value as an upgrade but it does fit easily into the budget: the ideal 7800 XT doesn't, really...

Case
FRACTAL FOCUS 2 ARGB GAMING CASE (BLACK)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7700 Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-5.3GHz/40MB CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6750 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
DeepCool AK400 Performance CPU Cooler ZERO DARK
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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
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 9 to 11 working days
Price: £1,595.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/MFjd7uUXQ8/

Thank you very much.

You have said a lesser CPU because of the graphics card I've selected and monitor I own. Does this mean you feel that the monitor could support a more powerful CPU and graphics card? Is this what you're getting at when you say the 6750XT is poor value and that the 7800XT would be better, but would take me outside budget?

 

[sck451]

Thank you very much.

You have said a lesser CPU because of the graphics card I've selected and monitor I own. Does this mean you feel that the monitor could support a more powerful CPU and graphics card? Is this what you're getting at when you say the 6750XT is poor value and that the 7800XT would be better, but would take me outside budget?

A high-end CPU helps when you are pushing very high frame rates. With that graphics card and that monitor, you will rarely be pushing very high frame rates, so the upgraded CPU will not give you significantly improved performance. This is generally a good thing; it means you're getting value for money.

The 7800 XT would be great if you can stretch to it. It's not essential to get 1440p with good frame rates, but it will be better. It's a question of what you're willing to spend.

 

[AccidentalDenz]

All advice welcome?

Don't eat yellow snow would be my best advice!

 

[petegirls]

All advice welcome?

Don't eat yellow snow would be my best This is the quality insight I was after.

This is the quality insight I was after.

 

[petegirls]

A high-end CPU helps when you are pushing very high frame rates. With that graphics card and that monitor, you will rarely be pushing very high frame rates, so the upgraded CPU will not give you significantly improved performance. This is generally a good thing; it means you're getting value for money.

The 7800 XT would be great if you can stretch to it. It's not essential to get 1440p with good frame rates, but it will be better. It's a question of what you're willing to spend.

If I was to go with the 7800 XT (which I assume you're implying is the best option my screen could handle), would I also need to upgrade the CPU? And would anything else in the build also need upgrading?

And a more basic question: would this set up be able to handle most current games? Not with every setting set to ultra of course but at least be able to cope with most things without stress?

 

[sck451]

If I was to go with the 7800 XT (which I assume you're implying is the best option my screen could handle), would I also need to upgrade the CPU? And would anything else in the build also need upgrading?

And a more basic question: would this set up be able to handle most current games? Not with every setting set to ultra of course but at least be able to cope with most things without stress?

Yes. With AMD you can't expect great ray-traced performance, but who actually turns ray-tracing on?

I think the 7800 XT is the best bet for 1440p right now. The 6700 XT cards are decent, but the 7800 XT is very good, and far better than the Nvidia cards of the same price.

 

[petegirls]

Yes. With AMD you can't expect great ray-traced performance, but who actually turns ray-tracing on?

I think the 7800 XT is the best bet for 1440p right now. The 6700 XT cards are decent, but the 7800 XT is very good, and far better than the Nvidia cards of the same price.

Excellent.

If I upgraded the 6750 XT in your build to the 7800 XT, would the CPU also need an upgrade to keep up with it? Could all the rest of the build stay the same?

 

[sck451]

Excellent.

If I upgraded the 6750 XT in your build to the 7800 XT, would the CPU also need an upgrade to keep up with it? Could all the rest of the build stay the same?

It would all be fine. It would make it pretty much precisely the build I'd choose for myself at the moment!

 

[petegirls]

It would all be fine. It would make it pretty much precisely the build I'd choose for myself at the moment!

Superb - thanks so much for all your help.

So unless anyone else screams against this build, or has any further feedback on yellow snow, I guess I'll go for this!

Case
FRACTAL FOCUS 2 ARGB GAMING CASE (BLACK)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7700 Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-5.3GHz/40MB CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 7800 XT GAMING - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 150 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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
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 9 to 12 working days
Price: £1,744.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/9vcadqP!xQ/

 

[petegirls]

Out of interest, what do you get for the extra £4 to go for a 7700X CPU rather than a 7700?

 

[sck451]

Out of interest, what do you get for the extra £4 to go for a 7700X CPU rather than a 7700?

You get a tiny bit of extra performance (which you will probably never notice and may not even be able to measure in this setup) and a lot of extra heat. You really want better cooling if you get the X variant.

They're actually basically the same chip, just configured differently with different power profiles. A 7700X can be configured to run at an efficient power profile, and most 7700s can be overclocked to run at 7700X speeds and power draws. I'd choose the efficient option myself.

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

The 7700x was the one released first, the 7700 was the updated version released about a year later, it's actually a far better chip.

 

[Scott]

I wouldn't choose the PCS cooler to be honest.

 

[yaseee]

This is my recommendation. I am a professional computer builder and when i found this question i immediately made an account and replied. These components are good for the price but if you want to lessen the price i really recommend to buy the gpu used on ebay or even new for bidding and you can find really good deals from time to time. Anyways these are the parts i recommend and if you need any more help just reply. And also you don't need an extra m.2 nvme for the operating system as long as you have over 128gb (windows 11 home takes up 64gb but you will need at least 64gb for other stuff you will download) and obviously you have more than that which is good as an ideal build should have at least 1tb and 2tb is a bonus!

Case	CORSAIR iCUE 5000X RGB MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Promotional Item	Get Starfield: Premium Edition when you buy AMD Ryzen & Radeon Powered Systems!
Processor (CPU)	AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard	ASUS® PRIME X670-P-CSM (DDR5, PCIe 5.0) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)	32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 5600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card	12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6700 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive	2TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive	NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply	CORSAIR 650W CV SERIES™ CV-650 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable	1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling	PCS FrostFlow 360 Series ARGB High Performance Liquid Cooler
Thermal Paste	ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card	ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card	ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card	NOT REQUIRED
USB/Thunderbolt Options	MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System	Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language	United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media	Windows 10/11 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	Google Chrome™
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 9 to 12 working days
Welcome Book	PCSpecialist Welcome Book - United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland

Pricing Information
Price (Ex VAT)	£1,411.67
Price	£1,694.00
Order Quantity	1
Bulk Discount	£0.00
Total Order Price (Ex VAT)	£1,411.67
Total Order Price	£1,694.00
P/O Number	Edit P/O Number
Payment Method
Maximum Required Power	417W

 

[petegirls]

I wouldn't choose the PCS cooler to be honest.

Which would you go for instead?

 

[Scott]

Which would you go for instead?

Keeping to budget the suggested AK400 would do the job nicely. If you wanted an AIO then any of the Corsair offerings would be fine, they are a bit overpriced for what you get just now. I'm not the biggest fan of the AK400 in all honesty, it does OK but I would much rather have the big brother (it keeps selling out) for more headroom.

 

[petegirls]

Keeping to budget the suggested AK400 would do the job nicely. If you wanted an AIO then any of the Corsair offerings would be fine, they are a bit overpriced for what you get just now. I'm not the biggest fan of the AK400 in all honesty, it does OK but I would much rather have the big brother (it keeps selling out) for more headroom.

I hadn't even noticed the cooler on sck451's quote had changed from AK400 to PCS frostflow when I open it. Is that because the AK400 is sold out? I can't select it on the dropdown. Which one is the big brother?