First build - compatibility

Dr_Splendid

Dr_Splendid

Dr_Splendid

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Joined
28 Mar 2016
Posts
21
Hey guys.

I have never built a computer before but decided I'm finally going to do it and get a decent gaming pc. I've got a list of parts and from what I can see, they are all compatible with each other and the best price for performance. However, I have pretty much no idea what I'm doing so would appreciate a confirmation and some recommendations. I want to be able to run games such as witcher 3 / fallout etc. with good fps. I do not have a high budget at the moment. Thinking of around £500. Also wish it to be upgradable in the future, being able to build it up in the end to an absolute beast. Right here's the list of parts I'm considering:

Graphics card: Gigabyte GTX 950 2gb
PSU: Seasonic S12-ii 520W
HDD:Seagate ST1000DM003 3.5 inch 1TB Barracuda Hard Drive
RAM: Crucial Ballistix 2x8gb 240 pin DIMMER DDR3 PC3-12800 memory module
CPU:AMD FX6300 Black Edition 6 Core (3.5/4.1GHz, 8MB Level 3 Cache, 6MB Level 2 Cache, Socket AM3+,
MOBO:MSI 970A-G43 AMD 970 ATX Motherboard (PCI-E, Socket AM3+)
Fan: Cooler Master R4-L2R-20AG-R2 Sickleflow 120mm

Also would they all go into this case?
CIT goblin mesh case

Thanks for having a look and look forward to any advice you can give :)

Kyle
 
Last edited:
Hi and welcome to the forums :)

Firstly, can you remove the competitor link please - not allowed here.

Secondly, you can do better than the above for £500

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £504.06
(includes shipping: £12.30)
​


​

Better GPU, upgradeable (AM3+ is dead) and an SSD
 
Thanks for the welcome and the advice :)

How much difference does the 8gb ram make to the 16gb for gaming. Also with the SDD, what's the advantages of having it over the HDD? I know it's meant to be faster but as I say I'm not that knowledgable in computer parts.

Thinking of over clocking aswell so what heat sink/fans would you recommend?

Thanks again for your help :)
 
For you it's about sensible compromise. Would the extra expense of 16gb over 8gb give you appreciably better performance in games? No. What will make the biggest difference is the GPU and going up to a GTX960 with 4gb VRAM over a 950 with 2gb will be quite noticeable. It's about saving sensibly to be able to afford a decent GPU

The SSD makes the whole system feel snappier and quicker. Games load very quickly. Highly recommended seeing as the cost of them has dropped considerably in the last 18 months.

If you want to overclock then you'll need either a 'K' series Intel or an AMD CPU. Or wait till this comes back in stock. To be honest almost all third party coolers will do a better job than the stock cooler and will allow overclocking. I've had good results using Alpenfohn and Raijintek coolers

The issue for me with going AMD is firstly, the socket is dead. Secondly the heat output is insane and requires a motherboard with good cooling for the MOSFETS and other components. Thirdly AMD just can't match Intel's IPC (instructions per cycle) so although the clock speed looks great, AMD get less done per clock cycle.
 
So would you recommend over clocking or do you reckon I'd be good without? If I wasn't going to over clock would you recommend getting some cooling anyway?

Thanks again for your help :)
 
You'll find people that will advise overclocking and people who say don't bother. It is a lot easier now and can breath new life into older CPUs. Having said that I don't think you have the budget for it unless you go AMD. I don't think you'll get much benefit in most games though. Third party coolers can reduce noise levels significantly, especially under load. The stock Intel cooler is fine but can get loud at higher RPMs
 
Ok I won't overclock for now then. Is the cooling just to stop the computer making noise? Bit of a tight budget atm so if i can get away with not buying it for now, then I'll just leave it till my next pay cheque. Thank you very much for all your help, I will definitely use the shopping list you provided for me :)

Kyle
 
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