Asking for a friend, big build!

[Fozzie55]

Hi

I would be grateful for some advice please. I have been a member here for years, always do my own research but I need a little help as it is for a friend. I have built a few PC's over the years, but been out of the loop for a few years. My friend wants my help in building a gaming rig and he has sent me his shopping list to look over. I have narrowed it down to just the pertinent bits, mb, processor, graphics.

If you could give it the once over please, if they are all good together. Is anyone aware of buying a partial build (mb, processor, heatsink installed) or full build, same bits, as this would take a day out of my life, not to mention installing Windows! Plus a risk as it's not my money

Thanks

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Noctua NH-D15 Dual Radiator Quiet CPU Cooler with two NH-A15 Fans= £76.99
• 1 x Avexir Blitz Original Red 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 PC4-24000C16 3000MHz Dual Channel Memory Kit - Red Light= £129.95
• 1 x MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Gaming X RGB 8192MB GDDR5X PCI-Express Graphics Card= £698.99
• 1 x Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz (Skylake) Socket LGA1151 Processor - Retail= £359.99
• 1 x Asus Maximus VIII Hero Intel Z170 (Socket 1151) DDR4 ATX Motherboard= £209.99
• 1 x NZXT Phantom Enthusiast USB3.0 Full Tower Case - Black= £114.95

Total: £1,590.86
(includes shipping: £0.00)



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[StarShock]

super boring answer, wait for ryzen. Only a couple more weeks, but it looks like it could shake things up CPU wise. Might not be better than Intel but looks just about as good for roughly half the price

 

[lee32uk]

I agree that it is worth waiting a couple of weeks to see what AMD bring to the table.

If you end up going for Intel then something like this is cheaper.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 AMP Edition 8192MB GDDR5X PCI-Express Graphics Card *PROMO*= £559.99
• 1 x Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 PC4-24000C15 3000MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2B30= £128.99
• 1 x Alpenföhn Matterhorn Black CPU Cooler= £41.99
• 1 x Gigabyte GA-Z270X-Ultra Gaming Intel Z270 (Socket 1151) DDR4 ATX Motherboard= £149.99
• 1 x Phanteks Enthoo Pro M Glass Midi Tower Case - Black= £89.99
• 1 x Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz (Kaby Lake) Socket LGA1151 Processor - Retail= £359.99

Total: £1,330.94
(includes shipping: £0.00)



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[Danny75]

Ask your friend to have a look at newer NZXT cases with more modern features. The Noctis for example, around the same price.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x NZXT Noctis 450 Matte Black Mid-Tower Chassis= £119.99

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For a big cooler like that you want lower-profile RAM.

You've gone for Skylake, the newest Intel chips are KabyLake (i7-7700K + Z270 motherboard).

Other than that, I'd wait for Ryzen too.

 

[mistersprinkles]

You want low profile ram. Like LOW- as in the heat spreader is no taller than the PCB. Also, Ryzen quad cores will be roughly = to i7 for half the price. Or 8 cores equivalent to 6900K for 7700K prices. It's worth the wait. Early march this stuff hits stores.

 

[Fozzie55]

Brilliant, thank you for the heads up on ryzen. I will do a bit of research myself now. His only need is pure gaming! I've told him to build the rig before he gets a monitor, then he can go for whichever, Freesync or G sync, graphics card he ends up with.

 

[ExoMale]

If he's itching to spend, why doesn't he just get the case, graphics card, power supply if you haven't already sourced one then buy a monitor while waiting for ryzen? Least you will have everything else ready till you settle on the desired motherboard,cpu,ram.

 

[Fozzie55]

I am recommending a pre-built system to him (unless he waits for Ryzen)..... the Titan Gladius Overclocked SLI Pro Gaming PC - Intel Core i5 7600K @ 4.8GHz Kabylake

I totted up his full wish list and with slight spec variations but better overclocked Kabylake, Windows 10 included and same graphics card it is slightly more expensive.... 10p more!!!

3 year warranty, collect and return, and licensed Windows.

Thanks for your help, the more encouragement to go down the pre-built route the better

 

[ExoMale]

The only real downside to pre-built systems is the power supply choices can be great or decent, usually the graphics side list some pretty good cards aswell as a good list of processors, so needen worry ther.