New £3k build - Critique request

diblob

diblob

diblob

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26 Dec 2007
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I haven't upgraded/built a PC for approx 4 years now. My current build is a 4790k/GTX970 1080p setup which has been doing very well since 2014. I'm in the process of planning out a new build. I'm looking at approx £3k spend (preferably less!), and something that will hopefully keep up with gaming for another 4 years at least. I'm also upping my monitor to a 2560x1440 (yep I know I could manage 4k with the spec below, but I want a 32" monitor, and 4k just ups the budget too much!)

Any wiseguys out there with advice/constructive criticism on the build? Anywhere I could skim the budget without ruining performance? Good match of components?

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £2,924.15 (includes shipping: £15.30)​
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Yeah I'm hoping Nvidia releases the 2070/2080 very soon as that could very much effect the current GPU prices. The Case I already have sat empty on my desk, so that's the only dead cert on the list so far :)
 
I do like the idea of a triple fan GTX 1080ti for excellent cooling but that Palit Jetstream card at £829 is certainly appealing and saving some money. Nice spotting lee32uk.
I like the look of that bequiet silentloop 360 CPU cooler as well. Triple fan setup and superior cooling to the corsair is well worth considering. Thanks orbitalwalsh.
That LG 32" monitor though... obviously better quality than the Acer I was looking at but at £750...ouchy. Not sure if I can manage pushing my monitor budget that high atm. Any other ideas for a 32" 2560x1440? It's a confusing market out there! Stats don't tell you everything, so it's a tough choice.

There are some good points for me to consider here. I did a PSU check and yes I could get a 650W instead of a 750w based on my components, so thanks for pointing that out as well.

My priority is getting the right CPU/Mobo/Gfx/Ram combination along with an excellent AIO cooler. Everything else is lower on the priority list. Don't worry about storage/HDs/SSDs as that isn't a major concern for me. I also have other SSDs and HDs I could possibly use from my current PC.
 
I doubt I'll watercool my GTX 1080 ti, which is why I've been looking at the cards that have a decent cooler. I just watched a few vids of the MSI 1080 ti gaming x trio which rate it very high due to the cool running and almost silent operation. I'd be willing to pay that little extra, and admittedly my current 970 is a MSI twin frozr which I also rate very highly so good old brand loyalty may come into play.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...dr5x-pci-express-graphics-card-gx-347-ms.html
My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £909.89 (includes shipping: £9.90)​
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1. Yup, I am thinking about a 750w now
2. No noticeable difference between C15/C16 other than in snythetic benchmarks, but if price is similar yup I agree.
3. I may even get cheaper HDs for data storage, I still have 2 x 512gb ssds in my current pc I may transfer over for games so storage isn't gonna be a big issue:)
4. My current boot drive is 250gb and with windows and all the apps/software i use installed on it, it is right on the cusp of 250GB full at the mo. So was thinking of playing it safe and just getting one a little bigger for some breathing room.
5. That's a great point Pocah, I will look into that. I don't like things running hot!
6. Already thinking about the bequiet 360 aio based on advice earlier in thread.
7. Nice, will keep my eyes peeled.

Great advice Pocah, thanks.
 
You're a passionate lot I must say :), but that's great, and the advice here has helped. I'm pretty much on the right path for now. So to put a halt to the heated debate, my current thinking is heading towards the following:

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £2,938.14 (includes shipping: £15.30)
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1) CPU Remains unchanged, the 8700k is the one for me! Heat should not be an issue with the AIO cooler in mind. Delidding may not even be needed.
2) Mobo has changed to allow for a better options for positioning the NvMe drive above OR below the GFX card depending on heat dissipation to the NvMe drive.
3) RAM has changed but only a little, nothing much to worry about here.
4) GFX card I've moved on to the MSI 1080ti Trio as it has much better cooling and is damn near silent.
5) PSU changed from an 850w down to a 750w.
6) NvMe drive remains as a boot drive for Windows and apps.
7) I already have 2 x 500Gb Samsung SSDs in my current PC which are getting transferred over. These will be my game drives and should do the job nicely.
8) HD for data storage will remain, and I prefer the WD RED Pros for the speed and the additional 2 years on warranty. I'm not set in stone with these, but I think they'll do.
9) AIO CPU cooler has also changed to the bequiet 360mm. I'm liking the look of the superior cooling and the quieter fans on this over the Corsair AIO.
10) I'm still looking at 1 32" 2560x1440 monitor for now, and I have found other adequate models not on this site, Mebbe 4k in the future If I deem in necessary but for now I'm sticking to 1 £300-£400 budget for monitor. 4k seems to double that!

Overall I'm liking the look of the build so far, and the advice here has definitely tweaked my original thinking a bit for the better. You have been most helpful. Keep up the good work!
 
Unfortunately whatever I choose, I know there will always be something on the horizon that may be better in some way. That's the nature of PC components isn't it? :) Good thing is, I don't intend on changing the spec for many years to come, so i don't need it to have any kind of future proofing. Once it's bought, it will sit in my PC case for a good 4-5 years before I consider doing this again.
Orbitalwalsh, speaking of the Seasonic focus 750w, whilst it is decent I have read it does has an aggressive fan profile and is a bit noisier than the Corsair I was considering. The seasonic has a 120mm fan that has to spin a bit faster than the corsair's 135/140mm fan. I do like things nice and peaceful, so I'm still leaning towards the Corsair which has served me well in my current PC.
The Case would accept that Alphacool 420mm radiator at the front, but my plans are to put it up top which restricts me to a 360mm radiator. I'm sure it will suffice :) Thanks dude.
 
RM model is a bit bigger than the HX, but I'm not at all short on space in this case! Gonna spend that saved tenner on some beer :) Cheers lee32uk.
 
Nice to see some discounts appearing on the GFX cards. Not quite down to what they should be, but that's £120 less than the card I was looking at only a few days ago.
 
If I was going to buy tomorrow, I would stick to the spec I laid out earlier (ish), but I am indeed gonna wait a little while and see what Nvidia/AMD/Intel announces soon, and also at least until the new Coffee lake motherboards come out. A couple of months or so maybe until my patience will run out and I will just HAVE to buy something :) This poor X71 case is sat on my desk empty and sad :(
 
Well it took a few weeks to build up my funds, but I eventually bought the lot! A few changes since my original plan, but overall pretty similar. I also picked up a 35" 3440x1440 ultrawide monitor from elsewhere, as OC just didn't have the right monitor in stock for me. Will be building it up starting Monday and can't wait to get started on it!
My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £2,831.84 (includes shipping: £0.00)​
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Yeah I've also looked at that Lian Li, very interesting. I already had the Thermaltake sat here anyway, so that wasn't gonna change. I'm an enthusiastic amateur so I like a huge case like the Core X71 to work with, which give me loads of room for my big sausage fingers! I'll post a completed pic in a few days when I'm done. You guys have been well helpful.
 
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