Seeking a modern computer for playing video games with a budget of approximately £1,500.
Seeking a modern computer for playing video games with a budget of approximately £1,500.
Hello everyone,
My current computer struggles to run newer games effectively, so I’m considering an upgrade. Initially, I planned to invest heavily with components like an i7 processor and a 2080 Ti, however, those options are now beyond my financial reach. My budget is approximately £1,500 at this time. I’ve compiled a preliminary list on www.aria.co.uk for £1,492.51, which can be viewed here: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/bWNfZR.
Part Picker indicated potential compatibility concerns, which I’ve been reviewing. I've adjusted some parts on the list to ensure availability and maintain a similar price point, specifically:
* The graphics card is actually this: https://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/PAL...ctId=70300
* And the case is actually this: https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Componen...ctId=70374
Please note that while some might deem the case expensive, I previously selected a similarly priced model with my previous system and found it to be beneficial. I quickly chose this particular case due to its aesthetic appeal, without fully researching its performance capabilities.
Furthermore, I believe the RAM price is inflated and that equivalent performance can be found for around £100. Additionally, most reviewers would likely suggest that an AIO Kraken cooler is not strictly necessary.
However, I've considered that reducing the cost of these components by approximately £100 – through a cheaper CPU cooler and RAM – could potentially enable me to acquire an i7 processor. However, I’m uncertain whether those performance improvements would significantly enhance my gaming experience.
I enjoy a wide variety of games, including recent demanding titles like Battlefield 5 and Anthem, and I aim to play them on high settings. My monitor is quite demanding: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N7POYOR/. Because the case sits on my desk, I'm prioritizing an attractive appearance, hence my selection of RGB RAM and cooler.
Apologies for the lengthy explanation – thank you in advance for any feedback or suggestions you may have.
A fan is excessive, and a housing unit is similarly unnecessary. Costly items aren't necessarily superior in terms of quality, in my opinion. An NVMe solid-state drive isn’t required. Palit doesn't produce premium graphics cards.
What games you enjoy, your preferred settings and resolution, and your desired frame rate—along with your monitor specifications—would be helpful to know. Do you broadcast your gameplay?
Steam :
A large cooling system and a bulky case are unnecessary, and price isn’t always an indicator of quality in my opinion. I don't believe NVMe SSDs are necessary either. Palit doesn’t produce top-tier graphics cards.
What types of games do you enjoy? Please specify your preferred settings and resolution, as well as your desired frame rate. Could you also share details about your monitor specifications? Do you broadcast your gameplay?
Currently, I’m immersed in Battlefield 5 and recently started playing Apex Legends since it just launched. I tried the Anthem demo, but my PC struggled to maintain over 60 frames per second, so I ultimately played it on PlayStation 4. However, I plan to purchase it for PC when it becomes available. My usual resolution is 3440x1440 for most games.
My goal is to achieve 100+ frames per second on maximum settings for the majority of games. I’m not streaming right now, but I would like to explore that option in the future.
Processor:
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X – a 3.7 GHz processor with eight cores (£295.99 from Aria PC).
Motherboard:
Gigabyte X470 AORUS ULTRA GAMING – an ATX AM4 motherboard (£134.95 from AWD-IT).
Memory:
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro – 16 GB (two 8 GB modules) DDR4-3200 memory (£131.10 from Amazon UK).
Storage:
Crucial MX500 – a 500 GB 2.5” solid-state drive (£61.35 from CCL Computers).
Graphics Card:
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 – an 8 GB graphics card (£649.97 from Ebuyer).
Case:
Corsair Obsidian 500D RGB SE – an ATX mid-tower case (£199.97 from Box Limited).
Power Supply:
EVGA SuperNOVA G3 (EU) – a 650 W, 80+ Gold certified, fully-modular ATX power supply (£86.46 from Amazon UK).
Estimated Total:
£1559.79 – this price encompasses shipping, sales tax, and any applicable discounts, as determined by PCPartPicker.
Vapor:
Add a hard drive subsequently:
PCPartPicker component list
/
Cost breakdown by vendor
Processor:
AMD - Ryzen 7 2700X with a clock speed of 3.7 GHz and 8 cores
(£295.99 at Aria PC)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte - X470 AORUS ULTRA GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard
(£134.95 at AWD-IT)
Memory:
Corsair - Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200
(£131.10 at Amazon UK)
Storage:
Crucial - MX500 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
(£61.35 at CCL Computers)
Graphics Card:
EVGA - GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB XC GAMING Video Card
(£649.97 at Ebuyer)
Enclosure:
Corsair - Obsidian 500D RGB SE ATX Mid Tower Enclosure
(£199.97 at Box Limited)
Power Supply:
EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 (EU) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
(£86.46 at Amazon UK)
Total:
£1559.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and any available reductions
Generated by PCPartPicker on 2019-02-07 18:09 GMT+0000
This looks promising! Could you explain why that enclosure costs £60 more than the one I suggested?
Would you only consider a Ryzen processor due to its adequate stock cooler? Many online sources indicate that the 9600k offers a slight advantage in gaming performance compared to the 2700x, although the difference is minimal.
What are your thoughts on this configuration?
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/VTZnBb
I assumed the M.2 drive would be sufficient, as it was similarly priced to the SATA SSD you included. I simply chose that enclosure again to keep the total cost below £1500, but would be willing to increase it by £1530 if that specific enclosure is truly worth the added expense.
There are unfortunately few reliable evaluations of this case; nevertheless, I selected what appears to be a strong option available on that platform, and you’re welcome to modify it. My choice offers excellent ventilation and vibrant lighting effects, alongside solid construction. ASUS isn’t typically a dominant name in the PC case market, at least not in my opinion.
The reason for choosing Ryzen is its suitability for live broadcasting. It will perform similarly or even outperform an Intel i7-8700k with its included lighting cooler, and it will clearly surpass an i5 processor when gaming alongside streaming.
The M.2 slot is adequate, and I typically prefer to keep it exposed in anticipation of incorporating an NVMe solid-state drive if required.
If you opt for the case you suggested, it will likely require a more powerful cooler to successfully push an overclock on a 9600k. Furthermore, the motherboard’s voltage regulator module isn't ideal for overclocking, although an Extreme4 model is superior. Here’s a VRM ranking:
https://www.overclock.net/forum/27657582...id=1&pid=1
I would strongly advise against using any TUF models with a 9600k.
I'm looking to assemble a new gaming computer with a budget around £1500.
I've narrowed down my choices to two builds:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/TFTvtg and https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/wFkkr6
This PC is intended for playing games at 3440x1440 resolution, including titles like Battlefield 5, Anthem, and Apex Legends. My goal is to achieve consistently high frame rates (100+ fps) on maximum settings, and I’d like to be able to stream occasionally.
My monitor is: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N...UTF8&psc=1
I’ve been researching, and it appears the Ryzen processor would be a stronger choice for streaming capabilities. However, I understand that the Intel i5-9600k is slightly superior overall in terms of performance, potentially by 5%.
Also, I’m wondering if the M.2 solid-state drive will be compatible with these builds, as PC Part Picker indicates a possible compatibility concern.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated in advance.
Seeking guidance on two PC configurations I’ve created, both within a £1500 budget.
The initial build utilizes an Intel system:
PCPartPicker list: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Z4d829
Merchant price breakdown: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Z4d829/by_merchant/
CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor (£251.99 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken M22 Liquid CPU Cooler (£79.99 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z370-A II ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£148.39 @ Aria PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£131.10 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive (£59.84 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Toshiba P300 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£64.75 @ Box Limited)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB XC GAMING Video Card (£649.97 @ Ebuyer)
Case: Fractal Design Design Define R6 USB-C - TG ATX Mid Tower Case (£139.99 @ More Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 (EU) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£87.65 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1613.67
The second build is based on AMD technology:
PCPartPicker list: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/yVbnBb
Merchant price breakdown: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/yVbnBb/by_merchant/
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 3.7 GHz 8-Core Processor (£294.99 @ Aria PC)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX B450-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard (£116.95 @ AWD-IT)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£131.10 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Crucial MX500 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive (£59.84 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Toshiba P300 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£64.75 @ Box Limited)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB XC GAMING Video Card (£649.97 @ Ebuyer)
Case: Fractal Design Design Define R6 USB-C - TG ATX Mid Tower Case (£139.99 @ More Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 (EU) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£87.65 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1545.24
I plan to use this PC primarily for gaming. My monitor is 3440x1440 resolution at a 100Hz refresh rate, and I want to achieve max settings and over 100 frames per second in games like Battlefield 5, Anthem, Apex Legends, etc.
My budget is approximately £1500, so both builds are slightly exceeding it. I believe the Intel build could be improved by replacing the cooler with a less expensive alternative, but I appreciate the aesthetic of the RGB liquid cooler.
PCPartPicker indicates a potential compatibility issue with the M.2 SSD, and I’m wondering if you can identify any problems that might arise.
Thanks for any insights or suggestions. I am also open to exploring alternative cases within my budget. The compatibility message stems from the fact that SATA and M.2 slots, along with some PCIe slots, sometimes share resources. This was a concern in my previous Z370 build due to having nine drives, but it may not be a factor here given my current storage needs.
I would lean towards the Intel build. While Ryzen CPUs are excellent, for a gaming-focused system, Intel platforms tend to offer that slight performance advantage. As long as it doesn't significantly impact the GPU component, I’d favor the Intel option. However, both builds are viable, and a Ryzen configuration is certainly a strong choice.
DSzymborski :
MERGED QUESTION
Question from nsellenbrown96 : "Looking for advice on my new gaming PC (£1500)"
nsellenbrown96 :
Looking for some feedback on two builds that I have.
The first is the intel build:
PCPartPicker part list:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Z4d829
Price breakdown by merchant: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Z4d829/by_merchant/
CPU: Intel - Core i5-9600K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor (£251.99 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken M22 Liquid CPU Cooler (£79.99 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME Z370-A II ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£148.39 @ Aria PC)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£131.10 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive (£59.84 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Toshiba - P300 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£64.75 @ Box Limited)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB XC GAMING Video Card (£649.97 @ Ebuyer)
Case: Fractal Design - Design Define R6 USB-C - TG ATX Mid Tower Case (£139.99 @ More Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 (EU) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£87.65 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1613.67
and the second is the ryzen build:
PCPartPicker part list:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/yVbnBb
Price breakdown by merchant: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/yVbnBb/by_merchant/
CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 2700X 3.7 GHz 8-Core Processor (£294.99 @ Aria PC)
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX B450-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard (£116.95 @ AWD-IT)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£131.10 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive (£59.84 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Toshiba - P300 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£64.75 @ Box Limited)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB XC GAMING Video Card (£649.97 @ Ebuyer)
Case: Fractal Design - Design Define R6 USB-C - TG ATX Mid Tower Case (£139.99 @ More Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 (EU) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£87.65 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1545.24
The PC will be used for gaming. My monitor is 3440x1440 100MHz and I would hope to be able to play all games such as battlefield 5, Anthem, Apex legends etc in max settings at over 100fps.
My budget in reality is around £1500 so they are both pushing it. I think with the intel build I would end up getting rid of that cooler and getting a cheaper one but I like the look of the RGB liquid cooler for some reason!
Also pcpartpicker says there is a potential compatibility issue, I think with the M.2 SSD, is there any issue that you can see?
Thanks in advance for any comments or help, and open to any suggestions. Am also open to changing the case within that price range.
I'd get a Z390 motherboard as there's no guarantee the BIOS has been updated on the Z370 motherboard.
The compability message is due to the tendency of SATA slots and M.2 slots and sometimes lesser PCIE slots share resources. It's only an issue if you need a lot of SATA slots. This was a problem for me given that I have nine drives on my main rig, so I had to pay attention to this issue quite a bit when doing some Z370 motherboard shopping this summer. But it may not be a problem for you if you don't have a bunch of chunky old hard drives.
I'd probably get the Intel in this case. The Ryzens are wonderful CPUs, but if this is a gaming-heavy rig -- there's no mention of substantial productivity needs -- the Intel platforms just do that little extra sliver better. As long as it's not costing you a GPU downgrade, the Intel is what I would go with. But in truth, you can't go that far wrong with a Ryzen build, the platform being a long distance from the dreadful AM3+ generation.
Hi DSzymborski
Thanks for the reply, do you have any recommendations on the z390 motherboard?
I was told that TUF stuff wasnt very god but this is what I found that I think may be still affordable:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/YXqh...ming-wi-fi
Then on the slightly more expensive side there are these two:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/BvQG...0-h-gaming
and
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/2k3H...ime-z390-a
I've read good things about the Prime one, and I tend to assume that ROG stuff will be good, but that just show my limited knowledge I guess!
FYI for compatibility reasons I should also tell you that I will be putting this in from my old pc if the motherboard doesn't have wifi:
TP Link 300Mbps Wireless N PCI Adapter - TL-WN851ND
I think immediately I won't be overclocking but I would like something that has the potential to be overclocked. I also chose that one because sadly I do have to use wifi so I thought it could save me some money on a wireless adapter. What do you think?