Best £1,000 Gaming PC For 2018+ Onward ?

LukeMcCormick

LukeMcCormick

LukeMcCormick

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So it's my birthday soon and I'm going to be getting a new gaming PC, new case, new parts, completely new build. I have a budget of £1,000 and I need help finding the best build I can get for this budget . I already have a gaming PC now but I got it a few years ago and it has become outdated, not being able to run a lot of newer games. The main use of my new PC will be for gaming.

The main games I play are : CS:GO , Playerunknown's Battleground ( runs HORRIBLY on my PC right now ), Grand Theft Auto V , Rocket League, Arma 3 ETC. A lot of these games (and games I would like to play in future) run very badly on my PC and I need an upgrade for upcoming years of games.

I have little to no experience in building PC's and/or choosing parts.

I have done a little research and here are some of the parts I have looked into being suitable purchase choices for my new build :

MSI - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB
AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor

No competitors.

Like I mentioned, I'm no expert on which parts are the best to buy or which parts will be suitable for my new PC which is why I came onto this forum to ask for help.

Here are the specs of the current PC I have which my parents bought me around 2013 for £630 :

Basic Specification:

Zalman Z3 case
Intel Core i5 4570 "Haswell" Processor 3.2GHz
Asus B85M-G Basic Micro ATX Motherboard
8GB Corsair PC3-10666 1333MHz DDR3 Memory
AMD Radeon HD 7790 1024MB Graphics Card
1000GB 7200RPM Hard Disk - 6Gbps
24x DVD-RW Drive Chillblast
Xigmatek Premium Grade 500W PSU
Windows 8 64 bit
Wireless 802.11N USB Adaptor

+ASUS 24" Monitor (NOT 144hz)
--------------------------------------------------------

If someone could give me their opinion on which gaming PC is best for me to get for £1,000 that would be really helpful, and if there are any parts I could keep from my old build too (or sell and get some money for)!

Thank you!, Luke 13 y/o
 
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lltfdaniel said:
I was thinking about you too buy used computer hardware.

Buy a used i7 4th generation processor, buy some ram so you have 16gb and also get a new graphics card, something like a gtx 1060.

edit

Currently i think that your gpu is the biggest let down in your system.

Edit
Click to expand...

I tried fitting a GTX 970 into my case and it didnt work, the case is either too old or too small or something. If i was to just settle with parts from my old PC, I would atleast need to get a new case.
And you said buy a 2nd Hand i7? Will being 2nd make it work worse or will it just be the same as brand new but cheaper? also what i7 do you reccommend for gaming?
 
masto said:
If you’re playing at 1080p or less, that i5 should do ok.

I’d get a new graphics card and an SSD and see how it performs, and save some money for future upgrades.
Click to expand...
I do intend playing at 1080p or less, but if you're suggesting I dont get a completely new build, I may have some extra money left over to buy a 144hz monitor?!? and I don't think it would be worth getting a 1060 if I did this, as 1070 would bring out the max potential in gaming above 1080p
 
lltfdaniel said:
i7 4770k you can get it around £190.

I suggest a graphics card which is compact so it fits in your case, have you tried that?

This have you tried cards like this > https://www.overclockers.co.uk/zota...ddr5-pci-express-graphics-card-gx-106-zt.html it is a mini version if you had this it should fit inside of your case, its Dimension is: 111.15mm x 174mm x 35.2mm
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Thing is, I bought my PC as a complete build and I really dont see myself getting past all the wiring and other stuff inside the computer to put these parts in.
Also a question about that mini graphics card, will it perform just as good as a normal 1060? It seems significantly more expensive than some of the normal sized 1060's. does this mean it will perform better?

ALSO As another side note here is what I have been working on in my own time as a PC build for around ~£1,000 : https://uk.************.com/list/dzGVXH

Thanks!
 
Most people have been saying some of the parts in my current PC are fine but I REALLY am looking to get a completely new build as I'm just getting sick and tired of my current build and i want a complete fresh upgrade. If someone could list the best parts I can get to custom build a complete PC for £1,000 that would be fantastic.

Thanks!

EDIT : After some research apparently the i5-7600k is "the best gaming processor" so I could look into getting a second hand one of those in my new build? Is this a good idea?
 
orbitalwalsh said:
i7 7600k wont drop into your mobo :( and only runs off newer DDR4 ram

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,015.03
(includes shipping: £11.70)



​

GPU might be a bit over kill for 1080p but will last longer- shame miners have bumped up the price a bit along with the 1060

Use your old hard drive in the new build- is its registered to your old mobo- Microsoft webchat people will be able to take over your PC and get it registered correctly ( had that done on a client build)

Selected the Ryzen X chip as it sounds like your not to familiar with overclocking and it should do it for you - or run the chip as fast as it can

6 core 12 threads vs 4 cores 4 threads of the i5 - again ryzens extra core and the X chip worth it over the i5 K is you dont know how to overclock - then again just let mobo software overclock it for you

also with the 1070gtx. run at ultra or even upscale the games to 1440p High :)

well, heres an i5 7600k version :)

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,038.48
(includes shipping: £12.60)




Should be able to hit 4.5Ghz with that board or using Mobo software to overclock and guessing ram could be pushed higher more easily then AMD systems

****** might need to bump up PSU to 450w for both though if you can find a few £££****​
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for putting this together. This is definately a huge help. I dont know if the AMD Ryzen processor or the i5 7600k will perform better, I'll have to research which on is better, and I still dont understand some of the things like Overclocking or "threads" "cores" anything like that but thanks again for making this and ill certainly look into it!

EDIT : I see in this build there is only 8GB of RAM, and one of the main problems on my old build is having only 8GB of RAM. Would it be possible to take the ram out of my old build and put it into the new one, adding up to 16GB ??
 
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Plec said:
@orbitalwalsh has done a great build (very restrained in fact - no AIO? :D)- and I agree the GTX 1070 may seem overkill but will stand the test of time better. Even at 1080p some new releases are already being stretched at ULTRA using GTX 1060 - but you could drop to a GTX 1060 if funds dictated and still have a great gaming experience at 1080p high/ULTRA. Plus, if you happen to upgrade your monitor in the near future to 1440p the GTX 1070 would have the performance covered.

But, if you dropped to a Micro-ATX build, coupled with a standard 1600 using the supplied stock Wraith (should clock to 3.7Ghz), and 3000Mhz memory you could get 16Gb of memory and a 250Gb SSD and still be within budget.

An SSD would be sorely missed from a system of this calibre - and will add an another area of performance punch that will amaze you just as much as the 1600/GTX 1070 in overall system performance/responsiveness (if you haven't experienced one before in your system?).

The 3.7GHz clock is easily attainable - minor BIOS tweaks - and the 3000MHz memory will still compliment the Ryzen's penchant for faster memory speed - plus the 16Gb of memory would be appreciated by a lot of games. This would still game like a beast and, with most games now GPU orientated, the GTX 1070 will see you munch through anything at 1080p even with the vanilla 1600 at stock...

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,047.05
(includes shipping: £11.70)



​
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot for making this one, I think this is the one im going to be going for. It's my birthday in only a few days and this one has stood out to me so I think it will be the on im going to get! Thanks again for putting this together!
 
Plec said:
No worries - hope the build goes smoothly.

I always add the following with Ryzen builds:

Ideally with Ryzen builds you would flash the BIOS almost immediately. Once you've established post with a minimal setup - CPU, 1 stick, GFX, keyboard and have established temps/stability seems OK, flash the BIOS.

Install the latest BIOS file to a freshly formatted FAT 32 USB stick and update via the dedicated Q Flash utility as it's a Gigabyte board (hit <end> at post) to flash the BIOS (prep the stick before hand). This will ensure you have maximum memory compatibility - and should ensure you hit 3000MHz (2933MHz) using the XMP.
Click to expand...
I have no idea what anything you just said means...
I'm sure my dad can help me anyway...
thanks again!
 
ExoMale said:
The fact you have a 1gb graphics card that's not the strongest anymore as such is your weak link along with the power supply, you might need more than 8gb ram.

Your i5 would still suffice for today's gaming, not exactly that old if you think about it, but whether it's fact it's Radeon or the games better with nvidia, your 1gb vram is killer and this is coming from someone who doesn't care about having big vram, but has experienced it many times, thay PUGB might be more demanding that GTA V?.

Anyways i noticed people have listed builds, so if you want new then go with whoever has the best, 6 core ryzen, 16gb ram, gtx 1060 6gb should do the job
Click to expand...
thanks for the info!
 
Plec said:
Yep, case supports max gfx card 320mm and the Gigabyte is 285mm.

Everything else is standard. But be aware you can only attach an external optical drive (DVD-R drive) if you plan on using one. But all games can be bought digitally - and all new ones are.
Click to expand...
thanks so much for all your help. My dad said we're gonna start ordering parts tomorrow in hopes it will all arrive for my birthday. I'll report back to you if I run into any trouble, thanks again chief :)
 
Journey said:
Just wondering, have either one of you build a PC before, since you mentioned earlier you were not sure about adding parts to your current build, since you "might not get past all the wires" The Zalman case you currently have is reasonably spacious, and if you are worried about adding parts, how can you be confident building a new system? I am not tryig to put you off, but depending on where you live you may find a friendly OCUK'er willing to help you who has much more experience. :)

Also, one question about your gaming setup, are you running Ethernet cable from the router or running WI-FI?
Click to expand...
Yes, my dad has build a PC before with similar budget. And again yes, I have an Ethernet cable running to my PC.
 
Plec said:
No worries - hope the build goes smoothly.

I always add the following with Ryzen builds:

Ideally with Ryzen builds you would flash the BIOS almost immediately. Once you've established post with a minimal setup - CPU, 1 stick, GFX, keyboard and have established temps/stability seems OK, flash the BIOS.

Install the latest BIOS file to a freshly formatted FAT 32 USB stick and update via the dedicated Q Flash utility as it's a Gigabyte board (hit <end> at post) to flash the BIOS (prep the stick before hand). This will ensure you have maximum memory compatibility - and should ensure you hit 3000MHz (2933MHz) using the XMP.
Click to expand...
About what you said here ; what exactly do you mean by "flash the bios". Because the only place I recognize "Bios" from is from pressing one of the function buttons during startup on my PC, but even then i was just folllowing a tutorial to fix a problem I had. If you could explain what you mean by "flash the bios" and what BIOS are in general that would be really helpful!
 
Plec said:
No worries - i'll stay subscribed to thread.

Best if luck and Happy Birthday.
Click to expand...
So im going to order the parts tonight for sure, but i was wondering if there was any last minute discounts or discount codes even if I could just save a few pounds right before I buy it because its the first time ive ever spent this amount of money on something and its a real step up. Any last second discounts or codes you know of I could use??
 
Plec said:
I would ring tomorrow to make the order, in person, and see if you can haggle free delivery.

You could mention that this is your first build and that you've had the components specced on the OCuK forums and that the members advised you to get all components form OCuK. Mention that we've stretched your budget and that it was noted that they quite often waive delivery charges for large orders - i.e. £1000+... (it's not uncommon for them to waive delivery)
Click to expand...
It's fine now, I've ordered it anyway. I dont think I would have been eligible for free delivery anyway since I bought a few of the parts on amazon because they were out of stock on OCUK. Thanks again for your help. I'll speak again when the parts arrive :)
 
Plec said:
I'll talk you through the BIOS update when you're ready - and bullet point a step by step process.

Until then prepare by freshly formatting a USB pen drive using FAT 32 and installing the latest BIOS file, F6, for your motherboard from here -Clicky - onto it.

I'll talk you through installation if required - but if your Dad does it make sure he uses the Gigabyte Q-Flash utility (he may be familiar with it) - safest and most fool proof option.
Click to expand...
If you could talk me through how I get the "BIOS Files" on my pendrive that would be great. Also is there a specific size for the USB? Or will any USB do? And how do I format it?
 
Plec said:
You'll need a standard USB stick - size under 16gb - i usually use 8Gb (the file is tiny - but if you have too bigger stick some boards can take issue).

Then:
  • **Make sure you back up everything on the pen drive - we're effectively wiping it when we format it.
  • stick it in a USB port
  • When the drive pops up in File Explorer RMB (Right Mouse Button click) on the drive
  • Select Format
  • Select Format FAT 32 (File system box)
  • Start
  • wait for it to complete
Then you will need to get the F6 BIOS from here - Clicky.

Once downloaded unzip and save only the AB350MG3.F6 file to the USB stick.

You will now have your pen drive prepped for BIOS update using Q Flash.

*N.B. Could you clarify that you are still getting the Gigabyte AB30M Gaming 3 motherboard?
Click to expand...
I have an 8gb USB here but when I try to format it following the steps you said, it comes up with an error message saying "The disk is write protected". Not sure what to do here, I could get another USB as I have had trouble using this one in the past.


*The motherboard I bought is the one you listed on your first post : Gigabyte GA-AB350M-Gaming 3 AMD B350 (Socket AM4) DDR4 Micro ATX Motherboard

EDIT : I also had to change the kind of RAM I bought to a different brand because the one you listed was out of stock, so I got my friend to choose a RAM that was the same compatability and he went with this : Corsair CMK16GX4M2A2400C14 Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 2400 MHz CL14 XMP 2.0 High Performance Desktop Memory Kit - Black
Could you confirm that this RAM is compatible?
 
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