Gaming PC help

kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Hi guys,

About to buy a gaming PC and need some help

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-058-OG

This is the system im looking at .

i7 4790k unlocked
16gb ram
R9 290
250ssd

I'm wanting to play games lol dayz and arma

Does the specs above play these games ok ?

Does anyone else have a similar set up?

Just checking as I want to make sure I'm getting the right system .

Any help is appreciated . Thanks in advance .
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
You'll need to answer these first: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=80121

Also meant to ask , if I overclock the above processor , do I defo need a cooler ?

Yes, for overclocking, you'll want an aftermarket cooler (120mm fan on a tower heatsink at minimum, e.g. Hyper 212 EVO). That said, 4.0GHz base to 4.4GHz turbo is extremely good for stock; you don't really have a lot of overclocking headroom to begin with. OC'ing makes more sense if you're buying a 4690K.


I'd recommend against a prebuilt system, you'll get better quality and performance if you build it yourself from parts. That Titan G1 looks pretty good as you can customize it a bit, but it still costs a premium to have it built for you, and the case selection is particularly poor. I'd never build a high end gaming PC in a £20 Aerocool case. Also, as far as I know, ARMA 3 runs much better on NVIDIA cards, so you'll want a GTX 970 4GB.

Building your own PC isn't difficult, it's like putting together IKEA furniture.
 
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kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Thanks for your reply .

Could you maybe point me to a couple of better builds on the site mate?

I'm a first time pc gamer so need some help!
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
Thanks for your reply .

Could you maybe point me to a couple of better builds on the site mate?

I'm a first time pc gamer so need some help!

Yeah, I'll absolutely help you, but I feel like you missed the link in my last post. I need some basic information first.

What exactly do you need to buy - just the components, or the whole shebang with monitor, keyboard, mouse, OS license etc? What's your whole budget for everything you need? If you already own a monitor, what is its display resolution (this is important because it affects how much graphics power you need and whether it's worth upgrading the monitor as well)?

Since you're a first time PC gamer I'd recommend against overclocking. Stock performance is fine for pretty much any game unless you're picky, which typically isn't the case unless you've been gaming on PC for several years already.

Finally, how soon do you need the computer - asap?
 

kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Yeah, I'll absolutely help you, but I feel like you missed the link in my last post. I need some basic information first.

What exactly do you need to buy - just the components, or the whole shebang with monitor, keyboard, mouse, OS license etc? What's your whole budget for everything you need? If you already own a monitor, what is its display resolution (this is important because it affects how much graphics power you need and whether it's worth upgrading the monitor as well)?

Since you're a first time PC gamer I'd recommend against overclocking. Stock performance is fine for pretty much any game unless you're picky, which typically isn't the case unless you've been gaming on PC for several years already.

Finally, how soon do you need the computer - asap?


1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Mostly gaming ,

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

£1000-£1500 ( I know this is slightly over

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

The Uk

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.

Unsure re this? Overclockers.co.uk

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

I heard nvidia is better for arma and dayz etc


6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

n/a

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?

dont have one

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it

asap

I basically need everything . Dont have any parts or nothing. No monitor or keyboard etc

Starting from scratch basically.

Thanks for your help
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
16,566
4,483
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You definitely have a sufficient budget for what you're looking for. Here's a build I'd consider very nice:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (£244.94 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£25.44 @ Aria PC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£94.99 @ Novatech)
Memory: *Kingston Savage 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (£113.94 @ CCL Computers)
Storage: *Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£149.98 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: *Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£52.94 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (£269.99 @ Amazon UK)
Case: Fractal Design Core 2300 ATX Mid Tower Case (£37.99 @ Novatech)
Power Supply: *EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£63.31 @ Amazon UK)
Optical Drive: *Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer (£10.46 @ Aria PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) (£72.35 @ Aria PC)
Monitor: *AOC G2460PQU 144Hz 24.0" Monitor (£199.19 @ Aria PC)
Keyboard: *Gigabyte GK-OSMIUM BRN Wired Gaming Keyboard (£79.76 @ Scan.co.uk)
Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse (£49.10 @ Amazon UK)
Speakers: Logitech Z323 30W 2.1ch Speakers (£36.48 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1500.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-14 19:51 GMT+0000

There are plenty of potential places to cut back if you want to drop the budget a bit.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
The above build is really nice, but obviously at the very edge of your budget, and includes many things you don't really need, but aren't necessarily wastes of money either.

CPU - I would probably swap the i7 down to an i5-4690K. It'll get you practically the same framerates for a good amount less money.
Cooler - Good, but only needed for overclocking.
Motherboard - Good, but if you don't want to get into overclocking, you don't need a Z97 board. A H97 board would be fine.
RAM - It's certainly a good idea for the long term to have 16GB of it, but I don't know of a single game that needs more than 8GB to be playable on current operating systems. Could save £50-60 there; you can always add more RAM later.
SSD - You only mentioned two games that you're interested in, so an MX100 256GB would be easily spacious enough for you.
HDD - Good.
Video card - Good.
Case - a bit cheap for a £1500 build, but workable. Not that important, as long as you don't find it hideous it's fine.
PSU - Good.

I would also change a few of the peripherals, mostly due to personal preferences.

Mouse
I'm not big on Logitech mice for gaming, I'd stick with a Zowie Gear ambidextrous mouse such as FK. Yet I can't know what kind of mouse you like to use or how you grip it. However, judging by the fact that you're new to PC gaming, I'd start with a cheap, simple mouse and work my way up from there as needed. £50 for a mouse is bound to be incredibly wasteful unless you're absolutely sure about what you want. I'd recommend a Kinzu V3 £35, Logitech G400s £28, or Razer Abyssus £35.

Keyboard
I'd pay less for the keyboard, I don't think mechanical switches make much sense for a first time PC gamer. Mechanical switches are a luxury that's only become popular in recent years, but are by no means necessary for a complete experience, and some even prefer the smoother and quieter dome switches. Corsair Raptor K30 would be a great place to start IMO. Backlit, anti-ghosting, media controls, a few programmable keys. A little bit of everything for a good price.

Monitor
I think a 144hz is a great way to start off, as it ensures smooth, high fidelity motions in fast paced games, something you never see on consoles. A high display refresh rate is one of the things why hardcore PC gamers are loyal to their platform.

Sound system
For 2.1 speakers, those Logitechs are probably just about the best bang for buck you can get. But in FPS gaming, especially if you're at all serious about your performance, you'll want a good pair of headphones. In your case, ARMA is a team based game, so you'll probably want a proper gaming headset. I'm currently using Kingston HyperX Cloud headset, it's excellent value for money. Comes with a detachable microphone, two types of ear buds that you can easily swap around, and they're very comfortable. Sound quality is where I need it to be, not top notch but good enough, especially considering the price. £60 on Amazon. I used to have Sennheiser PC350 which cost over £100, and frankly these Kingstons are more functional and comfortable, and lose out a tiny bit in sound quality and a bit in microphone quality.
 
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Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
16,566
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CPU - I would probably swap the i7 down to an i5-4690K. It'll get you practically the same framerates for a good amount less money.
I'm going to have to disagree on this, based on [thread=2416096]this thread[/thread]. Unless overclocking happens; then I'd encourage the i5.
Case - a bit cheap for a £1500 build, but workable.
Yeah, I'm no good at finding "good" cases. :$
Logitech G400s £28
That's actually the first mouse I searched for. PCPartPicker is great...except when it's missing a part, and that was the case here.
 

kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
guys i cant thank you enough for your help

can i just say though. Is it hard to build this yourself though?

i really dont have the first clue about doing this .

is there anywhere that would do it for me?
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
I'm going to have to disagree on this, based on [thread=2416096]this thread[/thread].

Hmm, I'm not sure if half a GHz will help much if it's as bad as the thread implies.

Yeah, I'm no good at finding "good" cases.

Well, Core 2500 is a pretty good case. Not necessarily the best in its price bracket, but not bad at all.

That's actually the first mouse I searched for. PCPartPicker is great...except when it's missing a part, and that was the case here.

Yeah, it works better for US shops than it does for UK shops. I usually check amazon.co.uk if it seems that PCPartPicker isn't listing something that should still be available.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
Is it hard to build this yourself though?

i really dont have the first clue about doing this .

No, it's not difficult. In a nutshell, I would:

1- install CPU, cooler and RAM onto motherboard
2- install motherboard into case and connect case fans and other case wires onto motherboard
3- install PSU, drives (SSD, hard disk, optical)
4- connect PSU cables to components, install graphics card, connect PSU cables to graphics card
5- connect drives to motherboard using SATA data cables
6- connect peripherals to PC, and make sure both the peripherals and the PC have power
7- start up the PC, go straight into motherboard settings (BIOS)
8- make sure SATA is in AHCI mode instead of IDE or RAID mode (it's just a simple setting, you'll find it)
9- check that processor temperatures are normal, to confirm the cooler was seated properly
10- fire up the Windows install disk, install Windows onto the SSD
11- pretty much done at this point

more in depth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea_bs5G1yYU&feature=youtu.be
And the text to go with that: http://techreport.com/review/23624/how-to-build-a-pc-the-tech-report-guide
 
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kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
No, it's not difficult. In a nutshell, I would:

1- install CPU, cooler and RAM onto motherboard
2- install motherboard into case and connect case fans and other case wires onto motherboard
3- install PSU, drives (SSD, hard disk, optical)
4- connect PSU cables to components, install graphics card, connect PSU cables to graphics card
5- connect drives to motherboard using SATA data cables
6- connect peripherals to PC, and make sure both the peripherals and the PC have power
7- start up the PC, go straight into motherboard settings (BIOS)
8- make sure SATA is in AHCI mode instead of IDE or RAID mode (it's just a simple setting, you'll find it)
9- check that processor temperatures are normal, to confirm the cooler was seated properly
10- fire up the Windows install disk, install Windows onto the SSD
11- pretty much done at this point

more in depth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea_bs5G1yYU&feature=youtu.be
And the text to go with that: http://techreport.com/review/23624/how-to-build-a-pc-the-tech-report-guide


that looks simple but id be soo scared id mess all of that up.

If i was to buy a pre built one based on the specs you ave given me , is there a site you would recommend

based on labour and building it myself , would I have a lot of money saved?

what i mean is , is there anything on this site that you would recommend with the above spec, i dont mind trying to save a bit more

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=43&catid=2475&subid=2487
 
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kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Building is not only easy but a lot of fun too. Youtube is your friend. Lots and lots of tutorials out there. And if a 5 year old can do it, you have no excuses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr3MgKkS314

Here is a good how to video on installing parts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls many more videos out there if you want to look

thanks a lot

check out what i said above though

ill defo build one but for my first gaming pc i think i might want it pre built
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
Sure, it'll cost a premium. I'm not sure exactly how much of a premium, but enough that I'd probably rather spend a couple of hours doing it myself.

Let's see what Scan has on offer, their "3XS systems" selection is pretty nice. I chose the Z97 Performance GTK5 system which seems to be closest to what Ken specced out. Trying to match the components as closely as possible, I ended up with a £1249 system, though the SSD is just 256GB. Quite good, but still miles away from building it yourself. Just add a 144hz monitor and a mouse you're already at £1500, still need to buy a sound setup and a keyboard.

Maybe you could go with the 3XS system above, but swap the i7 for the i5-4690K and have Scan overclock it for you, as that's included in the price. The motherboard needs to be Z97-K at minimum, preferably Z97 Pro Gamer.

Still, I'd recommend building it yourself. Everyone's a first time builder once, and nearly everyone pretty much nails it the first time because it's just not that difficult. There are few things that can go wrong, and there are no irreversible steps unless you break something which is unlikely. Handle components carefully and with common sense, and you're fine. Plus, when you've built a computer, you're much more confident if you ever need to troubleshoot your own PC or upgrade a component.
 

kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Sure, it'll cost a premium. I'm not sure exactly how much of a premium, but enough that I'd probably rather spend a couple of hours doing it myself.

Let's see what Scan has on offer, their "3XS systems" selection is pretty nice. I chose the Z97 Performance GTK5 system which seems to be closest to what Ken specced out. Trying to match the components as closely as possible, I ended up with a £1249 system, though the SSD is just 256GB. Quite good, but still miles away from building it yourself. Just add a 144hz monitor and a mouse you're already at £1500, still need to buy a sound setup and a keyboard.

Maybe you could go with the 3XS system above, but swap the i7 for the i5-4690K and have Scan overclock it for you, as that's included in the price. The motherboard needs to be Z97-K at minimum, preferably Z97 Pro Gamer.

Still, I'd recommend building it yourself. Everyone's a first time builder once, and nearly everyone pretty much nails it the first time because it's just not that difficult. There are few things that can go wrong, and there are no irreversible steps unless you break something which is unlikely. Handle components carefully and with common sense, and you're fine. Plus, when you've built a computer, you're much more confident if you ever need to troubleshoot your own PC or upgrade a component.


Guess I'll need buy the parts and try build it .

You play games yourself ?
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
Guess I'll need buy the parts and try build it .

You play games yourself ?

Yes I do, and have done for 10+ years. I have an i7-3770K and GTX 970 based system that I've been keeping up to date and upgrading part by part ever since I built it in early 2010. I still have the hard disk I had back then, but every other part I've sold away and replaced with a better one.

I made some bad calls when I first built the system, didn't research properly and didn't ask for advice on what to buy, although I knew how to put it together. I joined this forum in Dec 2010, and only then started really learning what to focus on when picking parts. Had I joined earlier, I'd probably still be running the same PSU and case, and would've retained some other parts for longer than I did as well
 
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kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Yes I do, and have done for 10+ years. I have an i7-3770K and GTX 970 based system that I've been keeping up to date and upgrading part by part ever since I built it in early 2010. I still have the hard disk I had back then, but every other part I've sold away and replaced with a better one.

I made some bad calls when I first built the system, didn't research properly and didn't ask for advice on what to buy, although I knew how to put it together. I joined this forum in Dec 2010, and only then started really learning what to focus on when picking parts. Had I joined earlier, I'd probably still be running the same PSU and case, and would've retained some other parts for longer than I did as well


Haha

Can you tell me what I'll need though ?

Screws? Screwdriver ? Do the sata cables come with the equipment ?

Except from the above components . What else do I need ?
 

weez82

Senior member
Jan 6, 2011
315
0
71
Haha

Can you tell me what I'll need though ?

Screws? Screwdriver ? Do the sata cables come with the equipment ?

Except from the above components . What else do I need ?

watch a "how to build a pc" video. It will show you all the tools you need. As for cables, motherboards usually come with at least one sata cable. You can look at whats included by looking at the product details for whatever item you're wanting to buy.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
Haha

Can you tell me what I'll need though ?

Screws? Screwdriver ? Do the sata cables come with the equipment ?

Except from the above components . What else do I need ?

The only thing you really need is a screwdriver. Doesn't necessarily have to have a Phillips head, flat is fine too if it's the right size. The case comes with all the necessary screws, the motherboard comes usually with one or two SATA data cables, the PSU has all the internal power cables, the monitor ships with a DVI cable, and anything that needs AC power comes with a power cord.
 
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mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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www.mfenn.com
The only thing you really need is a screwdriver. Doesn't necessarily have to have a Phillips head, flat is fine too if it's the right size. The case comes with all the necessary screws, the motherboard comes usually with one or two SATA data cables, the PSU has all the internal power cables, the monitor ships with a DVI cable, and anything that needs AC power comes with a power cord.

But seriously, use a Phillips head screwdriver because it'll make your life much easier. The motherboard that Ken listed comes with 4 SATA cables, and you'll need 3 (SSD, HDD, ODD), so you're good there.

And of course you can always feel free to ask questions here if you run into trouble.
 

kenny009uk

Junior Member
Jan 14, 2015
11
0
0
Guys , can't thank you all enough .

I really want to try it . What I wanted to ask though is how long would it take put it together ?
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
11,897
74
91
A couple of hours. It really depends on how much experience you have - whether you need to redo any of the steps, and how much you need to check things in manuals or build guides. An experienced builder working on the clock will only take half an hour from having everything in packages to installing Windows, while a newbie might take 2 hours ,3 hours or more.

Don't rush it, it's better to be sure of what to do next so you don't have to redo anything. One of the things that people often forget about is attaching the motherboard's rear panel "I/O shield" before installing the motherboard. It's basically impossible to do it the other way around.
 
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