Need help building a gaming PC

[Dayve]

I felt fairly confident last night that I was just going to order one of the ready-made ones (Vortex XT) but after sleeping on it and checking the forums this morning I realise my PC knowledge is about 7 years out of date, I haven't kept up at all, so basically I don't know what I'm doing anymore (I honestly didn't even know there was a Windows 11 now, lol).

My budget is £1,400 (and that really is the absolute highest I can go) so I'm looking to build the best gaming PC that I can for that amount. I'm not interested in being able to run the latest games at super-mega-omgwtf extreme settings, a mixture of medium-high with stable FPS is the most important thing. I'm not interested in VR, it doesn't appeal to me. I don't need a case that performs a light show and looks like it was made by aliens - it could look like a 1960's microwave for all I care just as long as it has sufficient airflow.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Martinr36]

Please read before posting:- Collaboration of Helpful Hints

NB: These forums are not an official support channel. None of us work for PCS, we're all either customers or techies who just like to help out where possible. For any official support, you need to contact PCS directly either through your PCS account, or via the contact details on the main...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

 

[Scott]

As above, we need a bit more information. The main query left is the monitor & peripheral situation

 

[Dayve]

As above, we need a bit more information. The main query left is the monitor & peripheral situation

Aha, sorry, been busy all morning and only just got back. Monitor (information from display settings is best I can do) is HP 32, 1920x1080, 60Hz.

Peripherals: Already got everything I want/need.

It's solely for gaming. No video editing/streaming, just games and general internet stuff.

 

[Ekans2011]

Aha, sorry, been busy all morning and only just got back. Monitor (information from display settings is best I can do) is HP 32, 1920x1080, 60Hz.

Peripherals: Already got everything I want/need.

It's solely for gaming. No video editing/streaming, just games and general internet stuff.

Hello, in my opinion, such a monitor is completely unsuitable due to its size (32'' is too big for an FHD resolution) and refresh rate (I wouldn't go below 144Hz for gaming). Unfortunately, it will cause bottlenecks in any modern system.

 

[Dayve]

Hello, in my opinion, such a monitor is completely unsuitable due to its size (32'' is too big for an FHD resolution) and refresh rate (I wouldn't go below 144Hz for gaming). Unfortunately, it will cause bottlenecks in any modern system.

Yeah I haven't had it long, been feeling like it's too big the whole time. Perhaps you could recommend one to purchase from PCS in my budget? If I spent £200 on another monitor I think £1200 would still be enough for a decent PC that'll last me a few years.

 

[Ekans2011]

Yeah I haven't had it long, been feeling like it's too big the whole time. Perhaps you could recommend one to purchase from PCS in my budget? If I spent £200 on another monitor I think £1200 would still be enough for a decent PC that'll last me a few years.

FYI, for a 1080p, the maximum size without compromising visual fidelity is 24''.

I honestly believe your gaming PC budget is already too tight; any additional reduction would make it impossible to recommend a decent system.

 

[Dayve]

FYI, for a 1080p, the maximum size without compromising visual fidelity is 24''.

I honestly believe your gaming PC budget is already too tight; any additional reduction would make it impossible to recommend a decent system.

Have prices really increased so much that £1,400 is considered tight for a gaming PC that'll play games at medium/high graphics?

 

[Ekans2011]

Have prices really increased so much that £1,400 is considered tight for a gaming PC that'll play games at medium/high graphics?

Obviously, everything depends on the type of experience you wish to have.

Personally, I believe that in 2024, an FHD resolution provides a really poor gaming experience, thus £1400 is not ideal for a platform capable of lasting at least 5-7 years (just upgrading the GPU when needed).

Surely, some other user will recommend a suitable system for your needs

 

[Dayve]

Obviously, everything depends on the type of experience you wish to have.

Personally, I believe that in 2024, an FHD resolution provides a really poor gaming experience, thus £1400 is not ideal for a platform capable of lasting at least 5-7 years (just upgrading the GPU when needed).

Surely, some other user will recommend a suitable system for your needs

Hmm, perhaps I'll keep saving and order at the end of the year. There's no rush. In the past I've usually spent £1000 - £1200 and they've lasted a long time. Last time I bought one was before the world went mad. Like I said, I haven't been keeping up with the technology.

At the risk of sounding like a complete moron (considering I've been PC gaming for the past 25 years) I'm not even 100% sure I understand what you're talking about when you say FHD resolution.

 

[Ekans2011]

At the risk of sounding like a complete moron (considering I've been PC gaming for the past 25 years) I'm not even 100% sure I understand what you're talking about when you say FHD resolution.

FHD =>1080p

Hmm, perhaps I'll keep saving and order at the end of the year. There's no rush. In the past I've usually spent £1000 - £1200 and they've lasted a long time. Last time I bought one was before the world went mad. Like I said, I haven't been keeping up with the technology.

If there's no rush, it is probably worth spending a few hundred GPB to purchase a much better/stronger system.
In any case, this is only my opinion.

PS. If you already have an OS license, this will also help to reduce the price.

 

[TonyCarter]

If you're sticking with 1080p, then this would have you covered and give you room for a GPU upgrade if you go to 1440p later on.

You could save £115 if you have a Windows licence to transfer.

Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core CPU (4.0GHz-5.2GHz/38MB CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 7600 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
Graphics Card Support Bracket
NONE (BRACKET INCLUDED AS STANDARD ON 4070 Ti / RX 7700 XT AND ABOVE)
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 AG400 Performance ARGB 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
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
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 4 to 6 working days
Price: £1,399.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/!ZwTCTBuGw/

 

[Dayve]

If you're sticking with 1080p, then this would have you covered and give you room for a GPU upgrade if you go to 1440p later on.

You could save £115 if you have a Windows licence to transfer.

Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core CPU (4.0GHz-5.2GHz/38MB CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 7600 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
Graphics Card Support Bracket
NONE (BRACKET INCLUDED AS STANDARD ON 4070 Ti / RX 7700 XT AND ABOVE)
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 AG400 Performance ARGB 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
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
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 4 to 6 working days
Price: £1,399.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/!ZwTCTBuGw/

This 1440p business - every game I've ever played, when selecting the resolution, has only ever gone as high as 1920x1080. Would that be because the monitor(s) I've always used have always been 60Hz? Like it's not listing higher because it recognizes my monitor wouldn't support it?

I had the same monitor for... must've been at least 10 years. That was 60Hz. Then about a year ago it finally gave up and died and I got this 32in one. It was new but I didn't buy it - my uncle gave it to me. I must have skipped a whole generation (or two) of advancements in technology. I'm stuck in the past.

 

[SpyderTracks]

The RX7600 is just such a crap card though, I would never recommend it, even if it fits the budget.

This 1440p business - every game I've ever played, when selecting the resolution, has only ever gone as high as 1920x1080. Would that be because the monitor(s) I've always used have always been 60Hz? Like it's not listing higher because it recognizes my monitor wouldn't support it?

You have 2 things with monitors, resolution and refresh rate.

Resolution is the number of pixels across x vertical, basically the individual bulbs making up the picture

So 1080p is 1920 x 1080 which is considered extremely poor these days, its over 20 years old now

Then you have refresh rate which is how many times the picture refreshes to the next one, which is exactly the same as FPS (frames per second) that the gpu achieves. So no matter how many fps your system can put out, the maximum you can see is 60fps as that’s what the monitor is physically limited to.

1080p 60hz isn’t a gaming monitor.

Gaming is really a minimum of 120hz these days, but even then that more console level, it’s 144hz really for PCs.

But you can’t do more than your monitor specs, the monitor is just as important as the rest of the build, if you had a £5000 super pc able to do 300fps in the newest titles at 4k but had paired it with a 1080p 60hz monitor, you’re only ever going to get 1080p 60fps.

This gives you a rough idea of how much of the game you're seeing as you scale up resolutions.

Games are no longer designed for 1080p, 1080p is kinda made to work for legacy systems. But it's a bad idea to stick to 1080p IMHO, the jump up to 1440p IS HUGE!!!!

 

[Dayve]

The RX7600 is just such a crap card though, I would never recommend it, even if it fits the budget.

You have 2 things with monitors, resolution and refresh rate.

Resolution is the number of pixels across x vertical, basically the individual bulbs making up the picture

So 1080p is 1920 x 1080 which is considered extremely poor these days, its over 20 years old now

Then you have refresh rate which is how many times the picture refreshes to the next one, which is exactly the same as FPS (frames per second) that the gpu achieves. So no matter how many fps your system can put out, the maximum you can see is 60fps as that’s what the monitor is physically limited to.

1080p 60hz isn’t a gaming monitor.

Gaming is really a minimum of 120hz these days, but even then that more console level, it’s 144hz really for PCs.

But you can’t do more than your monitor specs, the monitor is just as important as the rest of the build, if you had a £5000 super pc able to do 300fps in the newest titles at 4k but had paired it with a 1080p 60hz monitor, you’re only ever going to get 1080p 60fps.

This gives you a rough idea of how much of the game you're seeing as you scale up resolutions.

View attachment 41064

Games are no longer designed for 1080p, 1080p is kinda made to work for legacy systems. But it's a bad idea to stick to 1080p IMHO, the jump up to 1440p IS HUGE!!!!

Alright, I'm learning. It's all coming together. Obviously I got comfortable with 1920x1080 and 60 frames per second (which was all the rage back in 2003 when I was playing Call of Duty on my Radeon x800 Pro) and somehow never moved on from it.

So give me an example of what type of monitor I'd need to buy for 1440p, just purely so I can get an idea of the price. Also is there a "perfect" size? The other fella said that 24in is optimal for 1080p - is there a similar thing with 1440?

I can wait until the end of the year so I have more money to build something decent.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Alright, I'm learning. It's all coming together. Obviously I got comfortable with 1920x1080 and 60 frames per second (which was all the rage back in 2003 when I was playing Call of Duty on my Radeon x800 Pro) and somehow never moved on from it.

So give me an example of what type of monitor I'd need to buy for 1440p, just purely so I can get an idea of the price. Also is there a "perfect" size? The other fella said that 24in is optimal for 1080p - is there a similar thing with 1440?

I can wait until the end of the year so I have more money to build something decent.

This is a budget option that shoots crazy high, there is nothing that competes at this price point (£300)

AOC Q27G3XMN/BK 27" Quad HD 180Hz Adaptive Sync MiniLED Gaming Monitor

Buy from Scan - 27" AOC Q27G3XMN/BK Gaming Monitor, MiniLED, 2560 x 1440, AdaptiveSync, 180Hz, 80M:1, 1000cd/m², HDR1000, DP/HDMI

www.scan.co.uk

It's on pre order now, but there literally is nothing that comes close to this under £500, I would suggest it's worth getting a pre order in as they would be in very high demand (have already sold out globally once), it's due in on the 27th May

 

[TonyCarter]

The RX7600 is just such a crap card though, I would never recommend it, even if it fits the budget.

Agree, to an extent, but all the current 1080p options are all poor value for money the 7600 is the same cost as the 3060), and decent 1440p options (4070/Super or 7800XT) double or more the GPU cost.

I suppose the answer is don’t buy a 1080p system in 2024 - and save up for a 1440p one at minimum 😁

 

[Dayve]

This is a budget option that shoots crazy high, there is nothing that competes at this price point (£300)

AOC Q27G3XMN/BK 27" Quad HD 180Hz Adaptive Sync MiniLED Gaming Monitor

Buy from Scan - 27" AOC Q27G3XMN/BK Gaming Monitor, MiniLED, 2560 x 1440, AdaptiveSync, 180Hz, 80M:1, 1000cd/m², HDR1000, DP/HDMI

www.scan.co.uk

It's on pre order now, but there literally is nothing that comes close to this under £500, I would suggest it's worth getting a pre order in as they would be in very high demand (have already sold out globally once), it's due in on the 27th May

Alright, and roughly how much for a PC that'll play games in 1440p comfortably? Again, they don't need to be maxed out graphically - modern games at a mix of medium/high graphics settings look amazing to my eyes compared to the Commodore 64 I started with in 1991. Like my uncle has a £3,600+ beast (bought from PCS after I recommended them) and it's mad spending so much for what looks like, to me, a relatively small improvement when you bump everything up from high to maximum, you know?

I'm not asking you to spend 45 minutes putting a whole build together here, just a rough idea of what one would cost so I know what to aim for. I might pre-order that monitor now, put it aside, then buy the computer later in the year.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Agree, to an extent, but all the current 1080p options are all poor value for money the 7600 is the same cost as the 3060), and decent 1440p options (4070/Super or 7800XT) double or more the GPU cost.

I suppose the answer is don’t buy a 1080p system in 2024 - and save up for a 1440p one at minimum 😁

I actually didn’t mean to post that, apologies. It is what I think, but it meets an area where the performance is pretty equal anyway among the competition, so it’s just the state of the generation more than anything

 

[TonyCarter]

I actually didn’t mean to post that, apologies. It is what I think, but it meets an area where the performance is pretty equal anyway among the competition, so it’s just the state of the generation more than anything

I’ve no problem with honest opinion

Just think our default of “You’d be better with a PS5” is getting a bit stale considering the current £1500 1080p price point 😁

…and I know UK GPU prices aren’t going down any time soon (even the 4080 Super on here is £157 more than it was…£1116 vs £959).