Building a Gaming PC - Would like expert's advice

Associate
Joined
28 May 2018
Posts
2
I'm in the middle of building my first gaming pc. It's kinda entry level, so I wanted an expert's take on whether my pieces are good or if I should choose something better. Here's a rundown of what I'm getting;

CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 6 Cores 2.8-4Ghz ($178.99)
GPU: Gigabyte Geforce GTX-1060 w/ Windforce OC Cooler 3GB ($258.49)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A LGA1151 Intel H110 Micro ATX DDR4 Motherboard ($44.99)
RAM: Micron Ballistix Sport LT 8GB Single DDR4 2666 MT/s ($82.88)
HDD: Western Digital 1TB Sata 6 GB/s 7200 RPM ($44.00)
Power Supply: Apevia ATX-BT550W Beast 550W ATX Gaming Power supply ($31.99)
Case: Cooler Master Masterbox Lite 3.1 mATX case ($48.86)
Software: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 bit ($100.99)
Monitor: Sceptre 27" Curved 75Hz LED Monitor HD 1080p Ultra Thin ($159.97)
Peripherals: MSI Redragon Mouse, Backlit Keyboard, Mousepad & Headset combo ($39.99)

Total: $997.14

Right off the bat, I'm not sure about my power supply or motherboard. For a mATX ddr4 motherboard to only be about $50, I'm kinda scratching my head. The power supply says it is ATX, but will it fit with my mATX build? I don't think a power supply needs to be exactly compatible just to fit. I don't know, I'm probably wrong.

I just plan on playing Overwatch and Fortnite, as well as R6 or CS:GO
 
The cpu needs a 370 series board to run, can't run them on 1 series or 2 series boards.

Also Windows can be had much cheaper elsewhere sub £30.

PSU, look for a branded one corsair, evga. The psu I use for example is an xfx whilst budget one its perfect it's an xfx xt series.

If the budget is small and gaming 1080p I'd consider ryzen, better bang for buck and they now do compete with Intel.

I'm guessing with you listing parts your fine in building it yourself?
 
That PSU is likely total garbage and wouldn't wonder if it's even fire hazard.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/26/exploding_computer_vs_reg_reader/
For starters only really realyl cheaply built PSUs lack Active-PFC.
It certainly shouldn't be considered capable to more than ~250-300W with any kind reliability.
And it certainly won't have quality component, so that won't last long in active use.

If you really need to fit everything into that budget might be good to look if you could get some parts second hand.
Especially if you can find reliable place to buy those.
For example price of graphics cards isn't that good at the moment.

And then some parts from current PC could be usable, unless you don't have one.
Any standard mouse is likely to be at least as good as anything in that combo.
Same for keyboard.


PSU, look for a branded one corsair, evga. The psu I use for example is an xfx whilst budget one its perfect it's an xfx xt series.
And those cheap Corsairs and EVGAs are branded standard cheap PSUs.
Though mostly honestly specced.
Also XT isn't up to quality of other XFX models:
http://www.orionpsudb.com/news/the-mystery-of-xfx-budget-xt-line-solved-oem-and-platform-discovered
 
Some changes I'd recommend:

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £756.59 (includes shipping: £11.70)


  • One of the better (cheap) B360 motherboards to pair with i5-8400
  • 8GB DDR4 2666mhz - in dual channel mode (so 2x4GB stick). Dual channel always gives a decent performance bump - don't just get 1x8GB stick.
  • A better PSU with a 5 year warranty. It's hard to get a really good PSU for this budget, but it will do.
  • If you're only playing games, grab a ~500GB SSD instead of a HDD - windows itself, apps and games will all load faster and provide a better experience overall.
  • Case with plenty of airlow for low temps and space to mount extra fans if needed.

Another option to consider: Upgrade to the 1060 6G, and get a 144hz 1080p monitor.
This will give you a much improved gaming experience in those esports titles, and most of the games you've mentioned will hit 144fps with tweaked settings. 144hz monitors can regularly be found for near to that 75hz monitor price.

This upgrade could be accommodated by finding a cheaper Windows 10 key and saving money on cheaper peripherals.
 
Last edited:
Thank you so much for the help! I took all of your inputs into consideration, and I think I got the right pieces now. Here's an update;

Monitor: Acer 27" Widescreen LED FreeSync 144Hz
GPU: EVGA Geforce GTX 1060 6GB
PSU: EVGA 500W
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 w/ Wraith Spire Cooler
Motherboard: MSI ProSeries AMD Ryzen B350 DDR4 mATX Motherboard

The total did jump from my initial $997 to $1,153.23, but I'm still getting pretty good pieces, right?

P.S. If I downgrade to a 1050 ti, I'll save 200 dollars. Is it worth it?
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom