PC Build

Kinty

Hi

I am looking to build a PC that will run the newer games with ease like Star Wars Battlefront 3, I'm not looking to spend thousands but I don't want to skimp too much either, I'm also looking for a case that will sit in my living room that is quite sublime almost like an amp.

What sort of parts do people recommend and where to buy from

Cheers

:money:

ben_m_g

What I did was go to overclockers pick something in your price range (that matches the spec you need) then look at what was best from a short list.

Cisco001

Don't go to overclocker. They are overpriced.

For m-itx, have a look at sliverstone RVZ01 or ML07
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Silverstone+RVZ01&oq=Silverstone+RVZ01&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.639j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=Silverstone+RVZ01&tbm=shop

Other case you can look at if you go standard atx mobo is Fractal Design Node 605, but they are not cheap.
Silverstone Grandia GD09 is more reasonably price.

prost

Search on Amazon for 'aerocool PC case'. They make interesting-looking & affordable £35 cases:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=aerocool+pc+case

and try Antec too but they're not as good for range.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=antec+pc+case

http://www.aerocool.com.tw/

Ebay is the best place to get graphics cards & processors.

You need a 64-bit operating system. Game specs:
http://gamesystemrequirements.com/games.php?id=624

This is a £120 Nvidia 670 4Gb GDDR5 graphics card
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KFA2-GeForce-GTX-670-EX-OC-4096MB-GDDR5-PCI-Express-Graphics-Card/251995935393?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29973%26meid%3D3a49ef3529574fb8a9af0a5250731ff8%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D221802157565&rt=nc

A 670 for £110
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/eVGA-GeForce-GTX-670-4096-MB-4GB-Graphics-Card-inc-backplate-/191612472776?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c9cfe4dc8

If you prefer AMD processors then you'd need an AM3+ motherboard. Some don't have a floppy-disk connector but one that does is
http://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/17925061258727367188?q=asrock-980de3u3s3&hl=en&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX1RJeRGOZslT3a38pJnf1DmOxXaFdkCh0uOZZT_Ujpw6YcZJfi19GieEQyTr6pyq3mHF7v_vu6Y8qFGmhVm6pDce1KIZqAUxdw5yofu1cpmxnbDtVBIZAFPVH73hZmGNMgbGArwEFH1yLcwVEB8xRg&sa=X&ei=bqqOVe2fCpHgoASO37DYCw&ved=0CBkQ8wIwAA
http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/980DE3U3S3/?cat=Specifications

For AMD processors you could try an 6-core 125W 3.2Ghz Phenom II X6 1090T:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Phenom_microprocessors
It's £82 on ebay but you could probably get it for £65-70 in an auction:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Working-AMD-Phenom-II-X6-1090T-3-2-GHz-HDT90ZFBK6DGR-4000-MHz-CPU-Processor-AM3-/261878090614?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf9268b76

There are also 8-core 125W AM3+ processors like the FX8350 which sell for £100 on Ebay:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_FX_microprocessors

If you needed a cheaper processor that would run the game try this £41 3.4Ghz 125W 4-core
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Working-AMD-Phenom-II-X4-965-3-4-GHz-HDZ965FBK4DGM-2000-MHz-CPU-Processor-AM3-/261871018509?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf8baa20d

Impressed user reviews for that 4 core (but I'd recommend a 6 or 8 core though):
http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-3-4Ghz-512KB-4000MHZ/product-reviews/B002SRQ214/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=all_stars&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageSize=10&sortBy=recent&formatType=null

Here's an 8Gb ddr3 £30 module for AMD processors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-1x-8GB-PC3-12800-DDR3-1600Mhz-240pin-DIMM-Memory-Ram-For-AMD-CPU-Upgrade/141540245247?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3Da728a21692374c40b98b95507880cb0d%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D281417376743&rt=nc

Here's a low-noise £15 heatsink-fan for 150W AMD & Intel processors:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-Freezer-Pro-Rev-Multicompatible/dp/B002G392ZI/ref=pd_cp_147_1

The heatsink-fans that come with AMD & Intel processors don't work as well in keeping down temperatures.

You can undervolt a 125W processor (in the BIOS) to use 90 watts with no reduction in performance:
http://www.legitreviews.com/undervolting-the-amd-a64-x2-4200-am2-processor_375

Guide on value, efficient, low-noise, quality power supplies:
http://www.curezone.org/ig/i.asp?i=78148

And change your standard heatsink paste every 1-2 years, even for those using a laptop. Serious gamers are going to push their processors further than others which puts more strain on the heatsink paste's lifespan so they need to pay more attention to ensuring they change their paste at a regular interval.

Use tissues, some alcohol like white spirit/surgical spirit & cotton wool to clean off the old paste.

Ebay has £1 silicone-type paste (from Hong Kong & should arrive in 1 week)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20g-White-Silicone-Compound-Thermal-Conductive-Grease-Paste-CPU-GPU-LED-IC-Chip/311281627647?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29973%26meid%3D3f47e6232c7e4048904f79792095a91a%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D141463283750

£4 Arctic Cooling MX4 heatsink paste from the UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arctic-Cooling-MX-4-Thermal-Compound/dp/B0045JCFLY/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1435445086&sr=1-1&keywords=thermal+paste

The £1 paste from Hong Kong is in a tub, unlike the Arctic Cooling which is in a syringe. I think it's a lot securer in a tub & with a syringe it's hard to control exactly how much comes out. However, the Arctic Cooling MX4 is one of the best pastes which should last longer & if you use a laptop you would gain lower temperatures &, therefore, less fan noise. (With the Arctic Cooling paste you put an almost pea-sized drop in the centre & place the heatsink over it. You wouldn't have to change it as often, maybe every 4 years. Leaving it any longer may result in forgetting.)

(Paste can also be used for the PlayStation and Xbox. Presumably their pastes are bog-standard ones, so they'll only last maybe two years?)

This video shows the drawbacks of various paste-spreading methods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1Ms-q4

(For the silicone-type paste & MX4 the best method appears to be using a blob in the middle & a small dab in each of the 4 corners not too close to the edge.

The paste I'm currently using is like toothpaste but most pastes aren't like that so covering the surface too much is counterproductive as you would get many bubbles/gaps everywhere as the consistency is more like a thin washing-up liquid.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuwmHyloBk4
talks about paste spreading & shows a test where the MX4 beats 3 others in cooler temperatures.

This is a quiet £2 8cm case fan
http://www.amazon.co.uk/STOREINBOX-80mm-Fans-Computer-Cooling/dp/B00S986ABI/ref=sr_1_7?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1428438731&sr=1-7&keywords=quiet+80mm+case+fan

For anyone wanting a case with a big side window
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=Corsair+pc+case

esuhl

prost wrote: »

The heatsink-fans that come with AMD & Intel processors don't work as well in keeping down temperatures.

Really? I thought they'd be fine unless you're overclocking? Is a slightly higher temperature much of a problem (assuming you're within the acceptable operating temperature for the chip)?

prost wrote: »

And change your heatsink paste every 1-2 years.

Oh. I've never done that! My current PC is eight years old and running fine. It's 25C in the room, and my Core i7 chip is sitting at 41C. Even when stressed, it stays well below the maximum operating temperature.

Surely you'd only need to replace the paste if you noticed the chip temperature increasing?

[Deleted User]

It's probably worth pointing out that a PS4 is better value for money over the long term as it the initial outlay is a lot less and you're set for the generation, but a good spec PC will always deliver better visuals and higher framerates.

What budget do you have in mind and do you have any components you're looking to re-use?

prost

Esuhl, A higher temperature is still okay but some folks prefer to pay an extra cost to have it as low as possible & the standard fan doesn't always work that well. Intel & AMD could provide far better fans than they do. Anyone with a good fan would never recommend the ones that originally come with the processor, which are often much noisier.

The standard fan is certainly not good enough for serious gaming PCs, hence the need for alternatives.

Heatsink paste will only last so long because processors get very hot. You don't want it to solidify too much because it won't work correctly which is why ideally you should change it every 1-2 years. How long it lasts is a matter of luck so you should change it well before it potentially becomes a problem. It's just like car tyres. You can't say how long it will last. All you can say is that the more often it's changed the better and you should definitely not leave it longer than 4 years as the (standard) paste isn't designed for that length of time. The only reason why people don't notice it is because they don't change their processor often enough. Your current paste may ruin in 4 month's time.

It's all part of PC maintenance & it's very easy to perform. Once you've learnt how to do it you can then show your expertise to others.

Here's a quiet £8 fan for 95-watt Intel processors
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-Alpine-Pro-Rev-2-Anti-Vibration/dp/B003JGMVUE/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1435406903&sr=1-1&keywords=arctic+alpine+fan

and the AMD equivalent
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arctic-Alpine-64-PLUS-Sockets/dp/B007BVCBOE/ref=sr_1_7?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1435406903&sr=1-7&keywords=arctic+alpine+fan

Here's a quiet £6 fan for 75-watt Intel processors
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-Alpine-11-GT-Rev-2/dp/B002D2H9W0/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1435406903&sr=1-4&keywords=arctic+alpine+fan

and the AMD equivalent
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-Alpine-64-GT-Rev-2/dp/B001A5V1K2/ref=sr_1_5?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1435406903&sr=1-5&keywords=arctic+alpine+fan

[Deleted User]

esuhl wrote: »

Oh. I've never done that! My current PC is eight years old and running fine. It's 25C in the room, and my Core i7 chip is sitting at 41C. Even when stressed, it stays well below the maximum operating temperature.

Surely you'd only need to replace the paste if you noticed the chip temperature increasing?

I use Arctic Cooling MX-4 which is advertised as having an 8-year lifespan. I regularly clean the fans and filters on my case and have a couple of small anti-static brushes to clean the fins of the heatsinks of my CPU, but I've never replaced thermal paste unless I'm replacing the entire cooler.

enkoda

esuhl wrote: »

Oh. I've never done that! My current PC is eight years old and running fine. It's 25C in the room, and my Core i7 chip is sitting at 41C. Even when stressed, it stays well below the maximum operating temperature.

Surely you'd only need to replace the paste if you noticed the chip temperature increasing?

What on earth are you using to cool your i7? I certainly wouldn't be happy with an idle temp of 41°C! :eek:
My living room is around 25°C too, yet my i5 idles between 27-31.

prost wrote: »

Heatsink paste will only last so long because processors get very hot. You don't want it to solidify too much because it won't work correctly which is why ideally you should change it every 1-2 years. How long it lasts is a matter of luck so you should change it well before it potentially becomes a problem. It's just like car tyres. You can't say how long it will last. All you can say is that the more often it's changed the better and you should definitely not leave it longer than 4 years as the paste isn't designed for that length of time. The only reason why people don't notice it is because they don't change their processor often enough. Your current paste may ruin in 4 month's time.

It's all part of PC maintenance & it's very easy to perform. Once you've learnt how to do it you can then show your expertise to others.

You should only replace thermal paste when you notice higher idle temps or according to the manufacturer's instructions. A paste like Arctic Silver 5 doesn't dry out so won't solidify.

Kinty

Thanks for all of the replies but went for a PS4 as it has everything I want/need

Thank You

grumpycrab

Kinty wrote: »

Thanks for all of the replies but went for a PS4

lol - and after all that effort...