Advice requested for new PC

Cpt.Nemo

Cpt.Nemo

Cpt.Nemo

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Joined
9 Aug 2017
Posts
4
Hey folks, I'm new to this forum, but I need your help. My current machine is a touch old (bought 9 years ago now) and is struggling to play the newer games. I need a new PC, but I have very little idea about what to get.
I need a system that will cope easily with current games, and last me hopefully for the next 5-6 years with minimal upgrades. The main Games I'm trying to play are ArmA 3, Fallout 4 and Mass Effect: Andromeda, all of which will run on this computer, but only just. I have a budget of £1400.


Current Machine - Dell XPS 420
CPU: Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.4GHz
GPU: GTX 650 Ti
Ram: 4Gb (DDR2 I think)
Monitor: LG Flatron W2252TQ
 
I'll start off.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,418.07
(includes shipping: £13.20)



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Yes he will need a monitor upgrade of at least 1080p which i consider the minimum entry level into the world of resolutions.

He could also save some cash by reuseing old pc parts.
 
I have done a build below the specs i consider to be entry level for gaming, he could get a better monitor with the spare cash.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £844.17
(includes shipping: £12.30)




The gtx 1060 is fine if you want to game at 1080p on high or ultra settings, the next step is 1440p you will need a gtx 1070 or 4k you will need at least a 1080/1080ti.

The processor is future proof 6 cores yeah..plus the am4 socket motherboard platform will last sometime so you might want to upgrade the processor as well.

Also you might need to flash the motherboard bios so the processor works with q flash, i hear with gigabyte motherboards overclockers.co.uk do this for free.

You may want to upgrade the gpu in the future.

I must point out that coffeelake of intel is going to release processors very soon so you might wait for that as well as amd vega they will be releaseing gpus very soon as well.

I'm afraid cost of pc components have gone up but quite a lot so yeah, unlike the days of the q6600 and the like.

Also ryzen loves fast ram so 3000mhz is the minimum.​
 
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If OP has Windows 10 already, this could be an option:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,473.83
(includes shipping: £0.00)



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Monitor discount voucher code:
LG100

To bring it closer to £1400, could switch the 500GB SSD to a 250GB SSD.

Aye, nice price on that GTX 1070, Daniel.

Could wait for Vega as you suggested, to get the Freesync feature for that monitor, although it seems right now like the minimum Vega price will be around £400.

Coffeelake CPUs, seems Intel are going to rest on their (fast disappearing) laurels longer, and their 6 core/6 thread will be same price or even more expensive than AMD's 6 core/12 thread. But by all means wait to be sure.
 
lltfdaniel said:
Also you might need to flash the motherboard bios so the processor works with q flash, i hear with gigabyte motherboards overclockers.co.uk do this for free.
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He would use the EZ Flash tool with the Asus board - the q flash utility is specific to Gigabyte boards :)

They're a tool specific to each flavour board for flashing the BIOS within the BIOS environment.

There would be slim chance the BIOS would be outdated (i.e. not Ryzen 5 compatible) - but hopefully they're shipping more recent BIOS boards now. But you're right in the fact that OcUK would RMA the board and flash it for free if there was an issue.
 
Plec said:
He would use the EZ Flash tool with the Asus board - the q flash utility is specific to Gigabyte boards :)

They're a tool specific to each flavour board for flashing the BIOS within the BIOS environment.

There would be slim chance the BIOS would be outdated (i.e. not Ryzen 5 compatible) - but hopefully they're shipping more recent BIOS boards now. But you're right in the fact that OcUK would RMA the board and flash it for free if there was an issue.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up, i learn everyday from you literate people.

:-).
 
Danny75 said:
RX 580 8GB price drop too:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £309.89
(includes shipping: £9.90)



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This would get you Freesync and it's a great card for 2560x1080 60Hz but... not so great for 144Hz these days. Would be a trade-off - GTX 1070 more frames no Freesync/RX 580 less frames and Freesync.
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Best South Park impression i can muster:

'Aaaaaaaaaaand they're gone!'

(God, i hope you you guys watch South Park otherwise this poor joke will be totally lost on you :))
 
Okay. Having had a think about it, here's what I would do, personally:


My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,097.44
(includes shipping: £12.60)



​

i.e. Don't spend the full £1400 just now. Keep going with your monitor, save up a couple hundred quid more, and buy a 2560x1440 144Hz IPS Gsync screen for £500-ish.


Plec said:
Best South Park impression i can muster:

'Aaaaaaaaaaand they're gone!'

(God, i hope you you guys watch South Park otherwise this poor joke will be totally lost on you :))
Click to expand...

lol they will be for sure.

I remember that one (from the bank scene).
 
Danny75 said:
lol they will be for sure.

I remember that one (from the bank scene).
Click to expand...
Phew! - Yes, one of my favourites.

My absolute favourite being 'Scott Tenorman must die' - you 'have' to watch it if you haven't seen it - Cartman at his best.

/back on topic

Solid build - interesting case. /goes to look...
 
Yes well here is a post done by GIGA-Man about flashing the motherboard for you.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/30751643

And yes i typed this

Also you might need to flash the motherboard bios so the processor works with q flash, i hear with gigabyte motherboards overclockers.co.uk do this for free.

That link will land you on where to get that service.
 
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lltfdaniel said:
Yes well here is a post done by GIGA-Man about flashing the motherboard for you.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/30751643

And yes i typed this

Also you might need to flash the motherboard bios so the processor works with q flash, i hear with gigabyte motherboards overclockers.co.uk do this for free.

That link will land you on where to get that service.
Click to expand...

It's so the BIOS recognises the CPU - not q flash. If you have a CPU that isn't compatible with a shipped BIOS it's impossible to flash (even with the q flash utility) so you have to send it back to be flashed with a compatible CPU to the latest BIOS.

The q flash is the utility (part of all Gigabyte boards) that Gigabyte uses to flash the BIOS.

Gigabyte offer a great service but not sure which would be the faster turnaround when buying new from a retailer.
 
The B350-F Strix works with Ryzen 5 out of the box (unlike with some Giga models which is why I've stopped speccing them, for now, till they finish clearing old stock). The board was released May 24th or slightly after, and Ryzen 5 was released around April 12th. Checking this page confirms the 0401 BIOS it comes with works with Ryzen 7 and 5.

Little more expensive but gets you Intel LAN and you don't have to send it back to OcUK or have Giga collect it and wait a few days.
 
Plec said:
It's so the BIOS recognises the CPU - not q flash. If you have a CPU that isn't compatible with a shipped BIOS it's impossible to flash (even with the q flash utility) so you have to send it back to be flashed with a compatible CPU to the latest BIOS.

The q flash is the utility (part of all Gigabyte boards) that Gigabyte uses to flash the BIOS.

Gigabyte offer a great service but not sure which would be the faster turnaround when buying new from a retailer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up.

If i were going to go with ryzen and overcoming this problem, i'd pick the B350-F Strix that Danny75 mentioned.
 
lltfdaniel said:
Thanks for the heads up.

If i were going to go with ryzen and overcoming this problem, i'd pick the B350-F Strix that Danny75 mentioned.
Click to expand...
It's cropped up as a few boards were shipped recently with older BIOSs - but the forum chatter has died down now so hopefully the batch has run out.

But the Asus board Danny specced is a newer release than the Gigabyte equivalent so 'should' be free of this issue.

EDIT: Danny has already explained it. :)
 
Thanks for all the help, I have read it all and I'm trying my best to digest it (and all the other threads I've been reading). I have time, so I may wait a little for the various new releases to come out and hope they help push some prices down.
 
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