Buying a basic gaming PC

[Jasder]

Right, I know very little about computers, but I want to get a pretty basic gaming PC, so I can run more games.

I don't really care about graphics or stuff like that, I'm happy playing on the lowest settings, but I just want the games to run smoothly and be playable.

I play a range of games, Overwatch, Elder Scrolls, Elite Dangerous, Total War, Fallout, whatever.

I don't know what I need or what is good, I have very little idea of these things.

I don't want to spend too much, like I said I only want it to be basic, and I have no idea how to build one, but I was just looking for something that would be able to run most games fine on low settings, I don't know how much that might cost, but let's say between £200 and £500, because I'd hesitate to spend more than that for sure.

 

[Plec]

Do you need everything -- do you have a monitor/tv, keyboard etc?..

 

[Jasder]

I have a keyboard and mouse. Don't have a monitor.

 

[Quartz]

On low settings you don't need a graphics card so you should be able to get away with something like this:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 3 2200G VEGA Graphics AM4 CPU w/ Wraith Stealth Cooler= £94.99
• 1 x Team Group Vulcan T-Force 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4 PC4-19200C14 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Grey (TLGD48G2400= £47.99
• 1 x WD 1TB Blue 7200rpm 64MB Cache Internal Hard Drive (WD10EZEX)= £38.99
• 1 x Asrock B450M Pro4 (Socket AM4) DDR4 MATX Motherboard= £70.99
• 1 x be quiet! System Power 9 400W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply= £44.99
• 1 x Kolink Satellite Micro-ATX Cube Case - Black= £36.95

Total: £346.60 (includes shipping: £11.70)
​

A monitor will cost you about £100 or you could use your TV.

A graphics card and SSD will give you a considerable boost in performance and make gaming much more enjoyable.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 3 2200G VEGA Graphics AM4 CPU w/ Wraith Stealth Cooler= £94.99
• 1 x Team Group Vulcan T-Force 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4 PC4-19200C14 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Grey (TLGD48G2400= £47.99
• 1 x WD 1TB Blue 7200rpm 64MB Cache Internal Hard Drive (WD10EZEX)= £38.99
• 1 x Asrock B450M Pro4 (Socket AM4) DDR4 MATX Motherboard= £70.99
• 1 x be quiet! System Power 9 400W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply= £44.99
• 1 x Kolink Satellite Micro-ATX Cube Case - Black= £36.95
• 1 x Asrock Radeon RX 570 Gaming Dual 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card= £128.99
• 1 x Kingston A400 240GB SATA 6Gb/s 2.5" Solid State Hard Drive - (SA400S37/240G)= £26.99

Total: £503.18 (includes shipping: £12.30)​

​

I'm sure more experienced speccers like @orbitalwalsh will be along shortly to refine that build

 

[Plec]

To stay on budget the 2200G seems the best choice as he needs a monitor - it's what i was going to spec.

Not much to refine @Quartz, - perhaps add a small SSD for OS in first build and any half decent monitor ~£100.

 

[Danny75]

@Quartz

That mobo won't fit in that case.

 

[Plec]

@Quartz

That mobo won't fit in that case.

Yep, just noticed that too.

Below, is build you could add to in the future- but you would need to still source Windows, cheaply which can be done.


My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x MSI B450M Gaming Plus (Socket AM4) DDR4 mATX Motherboard= £77.99
• 1 x AMD Ryzen 3 2200G VEGA Graphics AM4 CPU w/ Wraith Stealth Cooler= £94.99
• 1 x Team Group Vulcan T-Force 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4 PC4-19200C14 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Grey (TLGD48G2400= £47.99
• 1 x be quiet! System Power 9 400W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply= £44.99
• 1 x Toshiba 1TB P300 7200RPM Performance Hard Drive (HDWD110UZSVA)= £35.99
• 1 x Aerocool QS-240 Micro-ATX Case - Black= £31.99
• 1 x AOC G2460VQ6 24" 1920x1080 TN 75Hz FreeSync 1ms Gaming Widescreen LED Monitor - Black/Red= £128.99
• 1 x Gigabyte 240GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6Gbps Solid State Drive= £26.99

Total: £508.04 (includes shipping: £18.12)
​

 

[Plec]

Or a cheaper monitor:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x MSI B450M Gaming Plus (Socket AM4) DDR4 mATX Motherboard= £77.99
• 1 x AMD Ryzen 3 2200G VEGA Graphics AM4 CPU w/ Wraith Stealth Cooler= £94.99
• 1 x Team Group Vulcan T-Force 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4 PC4-19200C14 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Grey (TLGD48G2400= £47.99
• 1 x be quiet! System Power 9 400W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply= £44.99
• 1 x Toshiba 1TB P300 7200RPM Performance Hard Drive (HDWD110UZSVA)= £35.99
• 1 x Aerocool QS-240 Micro-ATX Case - Black= £31.99
• 1 x Gigabyte 240GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6Gbps Solid State Drive= £26.99
• 1 x BenQ GL2580HM 24.5" 1920x1080 TN 60Hz Widescreen LED Monitor - Black= £118.99

Total: £498.04 (includes shipping: £18.12)


You could drop the SSD - or go even cheaper on the monitor, But if you can afford the SSD it's worth the performance boost.​

 

[Danny75]

Is pre-built wanted or self-build?

Sounds like there is already an existing computer, and some components could be transferred, like a mechanical drive for example?

 

[Plec]

Sounds like there is already an existing computer, and some components could be transferred, like a mechanical drive for example?

If he does he wasn't very comprehensive with his reply - but it does happen.

For his budget - youtube would be his financial and component quality friend.

 

[Quartz]

@Quartz

That mobo won't fit in that case.

It's supposed to be a MATX case.

 

[Plec]

It's supposed to be a MATX case.

It is - but it's a non-conformist MATX.

 

[Danny75]

It's supposed to be a MATX case.

It shouldn't be called that, yeah. It's not MATX spec, and only fits a minority of MATX boards that don't actually use up all the MATX spec dimensions.

 

[orbitalwalsh]

@Quartz

Not as small but damn good value with 3 Free games


My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Gigabyte Aorus B450 Pro, Ryzen 2600 Bundle with Free 700W PSU= £249.98
• 1 x Asrock Radeon RX 570 Gaming Dual 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card= £128.99
• 1 x Gigabyte UD Pro 512GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6Gbps Toshiba 3D NAND Solid State Drive= £59.99
• 1 x Zalman i3 Midi-Tower Case - Black Window= £42.95

Total: £494.21 (includes shipping: £12.30)​

​

 

[Plec]

@Quartz

Not as small but damn good value with 3 Free games


My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Gigabyte Aorus B450 Pro, Ryzen 2600 Bundle with Free 700W PSU= £249.98
• 1 x Asrock Radeon RX 570 Gaming Dual 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card= £128.99
• 1 x Gigabyte UD Pro 512GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6Gbps Toshiba 3D NAND Solid State Drive= £59.99
• 1 x Zalman i3 Midi-Tower Case - Black Window= £42.95

Total: £494.21 (includes shipping: £12.30)
​

@orbitalwalsh - OK, even you're going to struggle crowbaring a monitor into that build

 

[Plec]

That Zalman case looks incredible value considering 4 fans - do you have any hands on experience with it?

 

[orbitalwalsh]

That Zalman case looks incredible value considering 4 fans - do you have any hands on experience with it?

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/32618357

Monitor ... Go around tip yard and wait for someone to put a monitor in the electronics shed

 

[Heisenberg]

@Quartz

Not as small but damn good value with 3 Free games


My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Gigabyte Aorus B450 Pro, Ryzen 2600 Bundle with Free 700W PSU= £249.98
• 1 x Asrock Radeon RX 570 Gaming Dual 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card= £128.99
• 1 x Gigabyte UD Pro 512GB SSD 2.5" SATA 6Gbps Toshiba 3D NAND Solid State Drive= £59.99
• 1 x Zalman i3 Midi-Tower Case - Black Window= £42.95

Total: £494.21 (includes shipping: £12.30)
​

Probably need some RAM aswell

 

[Plec]

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/32618357

If the filters are good/easy access, that's a cracking budget case - even the layout looks respectable, if a little on the flimsy side - but who cares at budget pricing.

Monitor ... Go around tip yard and wait for someone to put a monitor in the electronics shed

Christ, this speccing lark is going to get tricky, @orbitalwalsh aka Steptoe - but at least members will get to breath some 'actual' fresh air.

Probably need some RAM aswell

That will be taped to the monitor at the tip.

 

[orbitalwalsh]

Probably need some RAM aswell

Epic fails, 8GB 3000hx and done