Spec me: Budget mid range gaming machine

Soldato
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So It's getting to that time in my son's life when it's time to introduce him to PC gaming.

My 6 core system with it's huge corsair case isn't going to be suitable for use in shared family space, and I can't really afford to completely upgrade my machine at the moment anyway, so rather than just buy new for myself and hand my old machine down, I thought I'd see about specing up a small form factor mid range gaming machine for him and the rest of the family to use.

With Pascal about to be released, I'm, looking to replace my GPUs, so one of my 970s can form the GPU part of the build.

I also have a 1200p IPS HP monitor which he can use.

I want to keep the price down as much as possible but not buy something which will be not much use in less than a year.

I present to the forums a quick spec for your appraisal/ridicule.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £839.88
(includes shipping: £0.00)


Any obvious issues I've missed?
Motherboard any good?
RAM or SSD compatibility?
Is the cooler suspiciously cheap?

THX
 
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Soldato
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So It's getting to that time in my son's life when it's time to introduce him to PC gaming.

Ah, the time when vocabulary matures with incorporation/copious usage of: "your mother," "noob," "big noob," etc.




Any obvious issues I've missed?
Motherboard any good?
RAM or SSD compatibility?
Is the cooler suspiciously cheap?

THX


The SuperFlower Leadex Platinum 550/650W may not fit or will be a tight fit in that case. It's 165mm depth and then also add the size of the modular connectors and that bit of cable. Recommend the EVGA GS model for it instead. 550W would be fine but there's also a 650W if you prefer.

The expensive red led RAM would not be seen. So the change to a cheaper kit is good. You could spend the savings on a big 230mm BitFenix Spectre Pro red led (or other) fan for the front, plus a good 140mm fan for the rear (the stock 120mm fans on the Prodigy hardly push any air).

The H1200 has been getting good reviews. I've used the H600 and was impressed. The fan is a bit noisy although not as noisy as Corsair AIO stock fans, but maybe that was just a bit of bad luck with the one I received. Something you could swap later on anyway if needed.

You still have the PM951 SSD in your basket instead of the better SM951. But yeah the latter is more expensive.
 
Soldato
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Not worth scrounging on the MM? There was a complete system going for £400 a few days back...

RAM, SSD & GPU here - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18728353
Board - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18732119
Case - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18732022

He'll be getting one of my 970s, and I don't believe in buying second hand SSDs. I guess it's worth thinking about, but in general I'm a bit scared of buying second hand components.

Ah, the time when vocabulary matures with incorporation/copious usage of: "your mother," "noob," "big noob," etc.







The SuperFlower Leadex Platinum 550/650W may not fit or will be a tight fit in that case. It's 165mm depth and then also add the size of the modular connectors and that bit of cable. Recommend the EVGA GS model for it instead. 550W would be fine but there's also a 650W if you prefer.

The expensive red led RAM would not be seen. So the change to a cheaper kit is good. You could spend the savings on a big 230mm BitFenix Spectre Pro red led (or other) fan for the front, plus a good 140mm fan for the rear (the stock 120mm fans on the Prodigy hardly push any air).

The H1200 has been getting good reviews. I've used the H600 and was impressed. The fan is a bit noisy although not as noisy as Corsair AIO stock fans, but maybe that was just a bit of bad luck with the one I received. Something you could swap later on anyway if needed.

You still have the PM951 SSD in your basket instead of the better SM951. But yeah the latter is more expensive.

That SSD is a lot better on writes though, good spot (I'm not up on my NVMe drives). Good tip as well on PSU size, although the 550W isn't in stock at the moment (Not a problem, I'd be buying in a month or so anyway).
 
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Soldato
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He'll be getting one of my 970s, and I don't believe in buying second hand SSDs. I guess it's worth thinking about, but in general I'm a bit scared of buying second hand components.

I can understand why mate, but I've bought/sold a few without any issues. Just get an SSD Life screenshot and on the basis it looks in order, no reason not too mate. For the price, you can't really go wrong. There was a 500gb going for about £40 a while back...
 
Soldato
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That SSD is a lot better on writes though, good spot (I'm not up on my NVMe drives).

I'm not that brushed up on them either, noticed Stulid had spotted it. ;)


Good tip as well on PSU size, although the 550W isn't in stock at the moment (Not a problem, I'd be buying in a month or so anyway).

Yes. I've fitted 150mm non-modular PSUs in those cases, and I still had to squeeze them in a bit, so would imagine a deeper, modular one would be harder, albeit possible perhaps. There's plenty of room for excess cables just not depth-wise between the end of the PSU and the wall of the PSU compartment.
 
Soldato
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