I want to build my first gaming PC via OCUK and need some guidance!

MusYD

MusYD

MusYD

Associate
Joined
16 May 2022
Posts
7
Location
UK
Hello,

I have a budget of up to £1,500 and want to buy a gaming PC which has a 3060 Ti graphics card and an Intel i7 CPU.

I understand that achieving this pairing might prove difficult, hence why I’m not sure what configuration to go for and was hoping that the OCUK community could assist me with making a choice.

Some information:
  • Following some research, I would like a 3060 Ti graphics card and an Intel i7 CPU for my needs, but am flexible / open to suggestion if an Intel i5 is enough to support the graphics card.
  • I don’t want RGB so all RGB-based aspects can be removed/ignored from the onset.
  • I don’t know enough about cases to make a decision here - aside from the physical size being able to accommodate the components, and perhaps some cases being quieter than others, is there a significant difference between the top- and bottom-end cases?
  • I am going to install Windows 11 Pro myself via a thumb drive (by modifying the boot order in the BIOS to look at CD/USB first) at a cost of ~£10 and save ~ £140 - should this pose a problem?
  • I need network connectivity (I use ethernet but may need WiFi access in future).
  • I use earphones and a microphone.
  • I create gaming content on YouTube.
  • I already have peripherals (mouse, keyboard, monitors) - I just need the PC.
  • How much RAM should be enough for what I describe? I believe that 16GB is often more than enough for most cases, but I would prefer 32GB - any advice here would be best.
I’m not sure if I’ve missed anything major out, but I believe that I have covered it all.

As such, it would be so helpful to learn what others think as I just cannot make a wise, well-informed decision with my current level of knowledge/understanding about custom PCs.

I am happy to discuss anything further and really look forward to any recommendations.

Thank you all.
 
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MusYD said:
I have a budget of up to £1,500 and want to buy a gaming PC which has a 3060 Ti graphics card and an Intel i7 CPU.

  • Following some research, I would like a 3060 Ti graphics card and an Intel i7 CPU for my needs, but am flexible / open to suggestion if an Intel i5 is enough to support the graphics card.
  • How much RAM should be enough for what I describe? I believe that 16GB is often more than enough for most cases, but I would prefer 32GB - any advice here would be best.
Click to expand...

If it is a pre-build you're kind of limited by what the deals are and what they're willing to fit, though you can always make a custom request.

For a 3060 Ti, the i5 12400(F) can power that no problem at all. I assume you're playing at 1080p or 1440p, no higher?

What software do you use for making your gaming content? Does it currently take you a long time? Do you make use of QuickSync at all? If so (depending on how you make it and what software you use), it might be best to stick with the i7.

You're a content creator, get 32GB. No question for me since it is a small price relative to the system. But, as always with pre-builds, it can have bigger implications than just adding £40-£50 to the build. For Intel any decent 3200 or up memory is fine, I wouldn't shell out for 4000 or something like that.
 
Tetras said:
If it is a pre-build you're kind of limited by what the deals are and what they're willing to fit, though you can always make a custom request.

For a 3060 Ti, the i5 12400(F) can power that no problem at all. I assume you're playing at 1080p or 1440p, no higher?

What software do you use for making your gaming content? Does it currently take you a long time? Do you make use of QuickSync at all? If so (depending on how you make it and what software you use), it might be best to stick with the i7.

You're a content creator, get 32GB. No question for me since it is a small price relative to the system. But, as always with pre-builds, it can have bigger implications than just adding £40-£50 to the build. For Intel any decent 3200 or up memory is fine, I wouldn't shell out for 4000 or something like that.
Click to expand...
I had a custom build in mind as there don't appear to be any prebuilds around that fit the bill.

I assume you're playing at 1080p or 1440p, no higher?
Click to expand...
Correct - 1080p.

What software do you use for making your gaming content? Does it currently take you a long time? Do you make use of QuickSync at all?
Click to expand...
I actually stream directly via Google Stadia to YouTube at present as my current PC can't cope with any form of video editing or even basic gameplay (for example, it struggles immensely to run Portal 2 at minimum settings). I don't know what QuickSync is.

I'll give you an example of what my machine is currently like:
  • If I try to record/stream a game from Stadia (or even locally, albeit resources permitting) via OBS, the computer slows down immensely.
  • I attempted to record a 90-second video which consisted of an intro animation with embedded audio (five seconds), then around 85 seconds of a repeating/looping animation of raindrops falling with me speaking over it, capturing my microphone output. It recorded just fine but struggled to piece those few components together. When it came to rendering, however, the entire machine froze (which is rare for most Linux systems).
Once I get the new rig, I will be using software such as Kdenlive (I currently have that on Ubuntu and am not aware of many others outside of the Adobe ecosystem), OBS and possibly others.

Do you have any thoughts around the other aspects that I've highlighted in my original post?

Thank you.
 
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You really do need help if you are considering an 11th gen i9. It is not a good choice.


I have not deliberately tried to spend every penny. This is just how the chips fell once your needs were taken into consideration.

My basket at OcUK:

Total: £1,501.50 (includes delivery: £11.70)​

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The only problem I can forsee is there may be a clearance issue with the AIO cooler and that small case. The AIO cooler is very good but you need good cooling for 12th gen i7 once you start doing productivety tasks such as video editing. If you shop around you should be able to find an 12700 and not the 12700K in the above build , OCUK do not have the 12700 on open sale and it is a better choice for the B660 mobo I have put in the build, should be cheaper as well.

To answer some of your questions.

-"I don’t know enough about cases to make a decision here - aside from the physical size being able to accommodate the components, and perhaps some cases being quieter than others, is there a significant difference between the top- and bottom-end cases?"

Some cases are just trash and are poorly thought out, not always about how much money you spend on a case. The case I linked above follows the KISS formula. Keep It Simple Stupid, 2 fans at front with open mesh and air exhasuted out the back. If you can mount the AIO up top it will give you adequate airflow.

-"I am going to install Windows 11 Pro myself via a thumb drive (by modifying the boot order in the BIOS to look at CD/USB first) at a cost of ~£10 and save ~ £140 - should this pose a problem?"

Not a problem at all. Very sensible choice. Make sure you get the installation tool direct form the Microsoft website.

-"I need network connectivity (I use ethernet but may need WiFi access in future)."

Motherboard chosen has built in wifi. If you choose to go for a different mobo make sure it is a wifi version if that is a priority for you.

-"How much RAM should be enough for what I describe? I believe that 16GB is often more than enough for most cases, but I would prefer 32GB - any advice here would be best."

If you are going to be video editing then you want a lot of ram , 32gb will be noticeably better than 16gb.


I hope that is helpful.


Edit - 1 last point. If you are going to be making videos then you will very quickly fill up the SSD with your projects. You are going to need a lot of storage so you will have to plan for it. When video editing you are best to have your OS on one drive and your projects on a seperate drive. With that in mind you may want to think about a PCIE 4 500gb drive for OS and then larger PCIE 3 drives for storage or even large HDDs or NAS storage.
 
MusYD said:
I actually stream directly via Google Stadia to YouTube at present as my current PC can't cope with any form of video editing or even basic gameplay (for example, it struggles immensely to run Portal 2 at minimum settings). I don't know what QuickSync is.

I'll give you an example of what my machine is currently like:
  • If I try to record/stream a game from Stadia (or even locally, albeit resources permitting) via OBS, the computer slows down immensely.
  • I attempted to record a 90-second video which consisted of an intro animation with embedded audio (five seconds), then around 85 seconds of a repeating/looping animation of raindrops falling with me speaking over it, capturing my microphone output. It recorded just fine but struggled to piece those few components together. When it came to rendering, however, the entire machine froze (which is rare for most Linux systems).
Once I get the new rig, I will be using software such as Kdenlive (I currently have that on Ubuntu and am not aware of many others outside of the Adobe ecosystem), OBS and possibly others.

Do you have any thoughts around the other aspects that I've highlighted in my original post?
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a super detailed breakdown of your workflow/workload, hopefully someone here can give you very specific advice relevant to each of those. I could just say "go for the i7!", but the truth is, I don't understand enough about each of those tasks/softwares to say what difference it will make.

QuickSync: a feature of Intel integrated graphics that can help with accelerating some tasks, particularly with video.

Windows: this discussion is a real can of worms, some people will tell you no, don't, they're all bad, other people will say "I do it all the time and they're all fine", so ... eh, I don't know the right answer there.

Cases: the very cheapest cases usually have lower quality (thinner) steel and use basic screws (instead of being toolless), they also have limited fan mounts and might not support watercooling very well. More expensive cases are often (but not always) better designed, so they'll be easier to work with, have more quality of life features (like cable management, toolless drives, hole in the motherboard tray for cooler installation), better support for modern things like AIOs and SSDs, fan controllers (& RGB support), chambering (and PSU shrouds to hide the cables) and sometimes additional fun or utility features like LED displays (e.g. for showing temperature), swappable panels, doors or even multiple orientation options.
 
Haz123 said:
You really do need help if you are considering an 11th gen i9. It is not a good choice.


I have not deliberately tried to spend every penny. This is just how the chips fell once your needs were taken into consideration.

My basket at OcUK:

Total: £1,501.50 (includes delivery: £11.70)​

​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​

The only problem I can forsee is there may be a clearance issue with the AIO cooler and that small case. The AIO cooler is very good but you need good cooling for 12th gen i7 once you start doing productivety tasks such as video editing. If you shop around you should be able to find an 12700 and not the 12700K in the above build , OCUK do not have the 12700 on open sale and it is a better choice for the B660 mobo I have put in the build, should be cheaper as well.

To answer some of your questions.

-"I don’t know enough about cases to make a decision here - aside from the physical size being able to accommodate the components, and perhaps some cases being quieter than others, is there a significant difference between the top- and bottom-end cases?"

Some cases are just trash and are poorly thought out, not always about how much money you spend on a case. The case I linked above follows the KISS formula. Keep It Simple Stupid, 2 fans at front with open mesh and air exhasuted out the back. If you can mount the AIO up top it will give you adequate airflow.

-"I am going to install Windows 11 Pro myself via a thumb drive (by modifying the boot order in the BIOS to look at CD/USB first) at a cost of ~£10 and save ~ £140 - should this pose a problem?"

Not a problem at all. Very sensible choice. Make sure you get the installation tool direct form the Microsoft website.

-"I need network connectivity (I use ethernet but may need WiFi access in future)."

Motherboard chosen has built in wifi. If you choose to go for a different mobo make sure it is a wifi version if that is a priority for you.

-"How much RAM should be enough for what I describe? I believe that 16GB is often more than enough for most cases, but I would prefer 32GB - any advice here would be best."

If you are going to be video editing then you want a lot of ram , 32gb will be noticeably better than 16gb.


I hope that is helpful.


Edit - 1 last point. If you are going to be making videos then you will very quickly fill up the SSD with your projects. You are going to need a lot of storage so you will have to plan for it. When video editing you are best to have your OS on one drive and your projects on a seperate drive. With that in mind you may want to think about a PCIE 4 500gb drive for OS and then larger PCIE 3 drives for storage or even large HDDs or NAS storage.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much - this is incredibly helpful and informative and precisely the kind of response and guidance that I was hoping to receive!

A few things:
  • OS: I already have the USB with Windows 11 ready to install; I just need to pick up the product key and I'm good to go.
  • Storage: you mention NAS storage, so am I right in assuming that a cloud storage solution would also suffice? (This seems to be the easiest option/solution and one that I am already familiar with as I currently have a cloud storage solution in place.) What about an external HDD/SSD? You also specifically mention a PCIE 4 500GB drive and larger PCIE 3 drives for storage - do you have examples of what you consider to be good, but affordable options here?
  • AIO: you mention a possible problem with the AIO and the small case; I'd be happy to spend a little more if it means achieving a more desirable, efficient configuration - what would you suggest?
  • Putting it all together: you suggest that I should mount the AIO up top, but I should mention that I have never built a PC before, and thus wouldn't know where to begin. In addition to that, I simply don't have the time nor capacity to do such a task (especially not for the first time) right now, and would honestly prefer somebody (such as OCUK in this case) to do it for me. Is there an option to have this carried out?
Thank you so much once again - I appreciate your input and look forward to learning your thoughts on the above.
 
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Ok I have reread you initial post again. I misread and thought you wanted to build your own, it is not too hard and just needs rudimentary screwdriver skills. If you have ever built an Ikea wardrode you are upto the task of building a PC imho but if you do not want to take on the task I do understand. OCUK prebuilts do come with a warranty so thats an added bonus.

I am looking at the OCUK prebuilt PCs and there is not one that is really comparable to the one I listed above. Other people have mentioned that OCUK will build a PC to your spec with a build fee if you ring up and ask them. Whether they would do this in your case I do not know, you would have to ask.

Firstly from this configurator - https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ocuk...tel-12th-gen-core-i5-gaming-pc-fs-1dy-og.html

My basket at OcUK:
  • 1 x OcUK Gaming Firefly Plus - Intel 12th Gen Core i5 Gaming PC (SKU: FS-1DY-OG) = £1,190.00
    • Case: 1 x Kolink Citadel Mesh RGB Micro-ATX Case - White
    • CPU: 1 x *Build* Intel Core i5 12400F up to 4.4GHz Turbo - Six Core, Twelve Thread Processor
    • Memory: 1 x Team Group Vulcan Z T-Force 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 PC4-25600C16 3200MHz Dual Channel Kit - Grey
    • Graphics Card: 1 x *Build Stock* Asus GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Dual OC 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card
    • Solid State Drive: 1 x WD Blue SN570 1TB SSD NVME M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 Solid State Drive (WDS100T3B0C)

Total: £1,204.10 (includes delivery: £14.10)​



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Now this is a damn fine pc and is very close to what you have asked for. It is also well within your budget so you could add extra storage as needed.

The issues with it are (in my opinion) -

1- They do not say what the actual motherboard is and it is not a wifi version so if you wanted to use wifi in the future you would require a pcie card or usb dongle.

2- PSU - they do not state what psu it is and I would want clarity to what I was actually buying and to have at least as good a psu as the one I linked in the previous build.

3- The storage options are far from ideal and on the expensive side to what is openly on sale. Storage is very easy to add at later date

4- CPU is 12400f , this has the 6 performance cores and not 8 like the 12700 chips so it will have less performance for rendering, gaming performance is within 10% but video editing will be slower. For your use case a 12700 is ideal (not a K , not an F not a KF just the plain 12700.

5- Cooler .........It will be using the stock intel cooler which is garbage and a waist of aluminium. Something like this would be more suitable for a 12400 imho

www.overclockers.co.uk

Arctic Freezer i35 Intel CPU Cooler

Order Arctic Freezer i35 Intel CPU Cooler now online and benefit from fast delivery.
www.overclockers.co.uk www.overclockers.co.uk

Now onto the second build that is from this configurator - https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ocuk...th-gen-i5-rtx-3070ti-gaming-pc-fs-1fa-og.html

My basket at OcUK:
  • 1 x OcUK Gaming Sabre - Intel 12th Gen i5, RTX 3070Ti Gaming PC (SKU: FS-1FA-OG) = £2,053.92
    • Case: 1 x Lian Li Lancool II Mesh RGB Midi-Tower Case - Black
    • Processor: 1 x *Build* INTEL CORE I7-12700KF 3.60GHz Socket LGA1700 - TRAY
    • Graphics Card: 1 x *Build Stock* Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC 8GB GDDR6X Graphics Card
    • Memory: 1 x Team Group Vulcan Z T-Force 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 PC4-25600C16 3200MHz Dual Channel Kit - Grey
    • M.2 Solid State Drive (SSD) 1 - Primary: 1 x WD Black SN850 1TB SSD M.2 2280 NVME PCI-E Gen4 Solid State Drive (WDS100T1X0E)
    • M.2 Solid State Drive (SSD) 2 - Secondary: 1 x WD Blue SN570 1TB SSD NVME M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 Solid State Drive (WDS100T3B0C)

Total: £2,068.02 (includes delivery: £14.10)​



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I am not sure what happened but this pc became £300 cheaper whilst I was speccing it up. It is still way over your budget but it is pretty much everything you asked for.

I will go through the reasons why it is better than the above spec so you can see why it costs so much more.

1- Motherboard is excellent. It is most likely the mobo I would choose if I was building a 12th gen system. Is wifi version so everything you require.

2- PSU - very good psu but it is cutting it close with the power hungry components in the pc. Would be more sensible to get an 850w psu.

3 - Storage options are excellent. This is what I ment by saying get a PCIE 4 for OS and then PCIE 3 for mass storage. NVME SSDs are now cheaper than SATA SSDs so may as well just use them.

4- CPU is 12700KF , not a problem with this having the K but you want a cpu without the F which means it will have an iGPU. Ideally you want the 12700 like I have said above.

5- Cooler , they state a 240mm AIO which is good enough for a 12700. They show picture of a Lian Li 240mm aio that is very good but they do not actually say what will be in the pc.

6- No option for the 3060ti like you wanted. Lowest choice is a 3070ti and that is a lot more expensive and part of the reason why it is over your budget.


I will leave this post here for now and review what I have written in the morning. Getting longer than a dissitation and thats before we have even considered that there may be AMD options to consider that may be within your budget.
 
Haz pretty much got you covered, but like to agree with him, building a pc not that difficult. Plenty of youtube vids, and is fun. Also teaches you a bit about the parts etc, so makes upgrading less daunting

Below is a 12600k build. Used that as the 12600k performs as well as a 5800X so s/b more than capable of handling a game and stream at the same time and paired with 32gb ram 3200C16

The top 2 are psu and motherboard. Combined £399.94 so basically £400. Away from here can get them for £317.98 so basically £318 as a promotion (psu on offer with 10% off mobo, in itself on offer), or £88 saving...that comes with free delivery, taking price down to £1700.

The motherboard is the step up from the Z690 tomahawk. It uses 75A vrm's as opposed to 70A, and all 4 nvme slots are gen 4(tomahawk is 3 x gen4, 1 x gen3). Also has the glowing dragon on the heatsink. Used it instead of the tomahwk as was on offer on offer site, so cheaper than tomahawk even though generally more expensive. The tomahawk with psu would be £323.87(so £6 more if you want that look) Used a Z690 board as has 4 nvme slots so will have spare space if you need more fast storage
The psu is excellent with 10 yrs warranty etc
The SN850 is on offer here and is gen4, so included as your OS. It's one of the fastest drives you can get
Added a 2nd 2tb SN750 for storing games/streams etc...
You wanted a 3060ti, but added a 3070 in there for you
Put a lian li case in as always popular with a decent aircooler to keep cost down. My pref is to get a case that can take a 360mm aio in roof, just in case you want to beef up your cpu, but this adds to cost

So £1700 if you buy top 2 parts in combo deal from searching. Drop the 2tb SN750 until funds allow, and that drops again to £1500, which was your target price
You could also drop to a B660 board and save a bit there if you wanted, but you would loose the 2 spare nvme slots

As Haz123 says, OCuk don't have the 12700, but that can be had for £329 away, but 12600k more than enough


My basket at OcUK:


Total: £1,782.74 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

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This is all really helpful information, everybody - thank you so much for your informative and educational inputs.

The more I read, the more I think that perhaps I might attempt to build it myself after all.

The main factors stopping me, however, are:

1. I have no experience building PCs;
2. I don't have the time to focus specifically on the task (in order to do it in one go) as I have a demanding job (plus I have a toddler too);
3. If I mess something up and/or break any part(s), then it's down to me to rectify; and
3. (following on directly from the previous point) If OCUK build it, then it comes with a three-year warranty which is very valuable to me and I don't risk messing anything up.

As such, I am lead to ask these final questions:

1. Which option is best - build the system myself or have OCUK build it for me (for the reasons outlined above)?
2. Which setup/rig listed above (either within or at least close to my price range) is the best overall?
3. Is there a way that I can thank you all for your input? :)

Thank you.
 
MusYD said:
This is all really helpful information, everybody - thank you so much for your informative and educational inputs.

The more I read, the more I think that perhaps I might attempt to build it myself after all.

The main factors stopping me, however, are:

1. I have no experience building PCs;
2. I don't have the time to focus specifically on the task (in order to do it in one go) as I have a demanding job (plus I have a toddler too);
3. If I mess something up and/or break any part(s), then it's down to me to rectify; and
3. (following on directly from the previous point) If OCUK build it, then it comes with a three-year warranty which is very valuable to me and I don't risk messing anything up.

As such, I am lead to ask these final questions:

1. Which option is best - build the system myself or have OCUK build it for me (for the reasons outlined above)?
2. Which setup/rig listed above (either within or at least close to my price range) is the best overall?
3. Is there a way that I can thank you all for your input? :)

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Get it built by Overclockers in your circumstances .
 
MusYD said:
This is all really helpful information, everybody - thank you so much for your informative and educational inputs.

The more I read, the more I think that perhaps I might attempt to build it myself after all.

The main factors stopping me, however, are:

1. I have no experience building PCs;
2. I don't have the time to focus specifically on the task (in order to do it in one go) as I have a demanding job (plus I have a toddler too);
3. If I mess something up and/or break any part(s), then it's down to me to rectify; and
3. (following on directly from the previous point) If OCUK build it, then it comes with a three-year warranty which is very valuable to me and I don't risk messing anything up.

As such, I am lead to ask these final questions:

1. Which option is best - build the system myself or have OCUK build it for me (for the reasons outlined above)?
2. Which setup/rig listed above (either within or at least close to my price range) is the best overall?
3. Is there a way that I can thank you all for your input? :)

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Why don’t you call up Overclockers and get them to custom quote you a build?

I doubt they have that passive cooler as an option for a prebuild.

They know their stuff so they should be able to assist in the same way we are.
 
JollyJamma said:
Why don’t you call up Overclockers and get them to custom quote you a build?

I doubt they have that passive cooler as an option for a prebuild.

They know their stuff so they should be able to assist in the same way we are.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the advice - I'll do that right away.

Am I right in assuming that you mean this when you mention the "passive cooler"? Arctic Liquid Freezer II High Performance CPU Water Cooler - 240mm (SKU: HS-07B-AR)
 
Haz123 said:
Let us know how you get on if you speak to OCUK.
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I've just finished speaking with them, actually.

The outcome is for me to email a custom build request across to see what they can do.

I have also had a couple of other components recommended to me given my requirements.

I will update this post accordingly as I think it would be nice for everyone to know how I got on in the end.

Thanks again, all.
 
I know a couple of people that have sent email in with build. Generally cost was about £150/£200 iirc. Downside of course is you buy everything from them so don't benefit from any deals etc you find elsewhere. Also if you're going to get them to install windows, you'll be paying£100+ for the privilege, so would get build without windows. There are far cheaper ways of getting a copy. Just google it as we can't discuss that on forum

as having to get everything here, alternative z690 boards below...the msi pro a prob best budget board you can get(still 4 nvme slots, 1 gen 3 though). Fine for a 12600k. Putting a 12700k will run a bit warmer than a mid range but still capable The asus tuf gaming a mid range board, better vrm's, 4 gen 4 nvme slots...on a par with the tomahawk but that's £10 more. They generally have more connections too, just check what you require. Both have wifi
My basket at OcUK:

Total: £449.94 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

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If going B660, then you loose 2 nvme slots, and think mst case the pcie gen5 gpu slot...personally would be more concerned with the nvme slots, but boards I'd go for.​
Tomahawk best but close to Z690 price​
Mortar very good reviews also..no problem taking any cpu also​
Pro B660m-a wifi was voted best budget board by hardware unboxed. Wont be a problem with 12600k, not sure I'd want to put a 12900k in it and need to refresh 12700k, been awhile since I watched, so may hamper future upgrade path​
last 2 also micro boards so can get a small case if so desired​
My basket at OcUK:

Total: £494.93 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

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good luck with your decision:) Let us know​
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