New build advice - Flight Simulator ready PC

philmo

philmo

philmo

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4 Apr 2012
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451
I hope to take the plunge and get a new PC.

My previous PC's have all come from O/C, and have cowered from building the machine myself.
This time after spending more time researching I am going to give it a go and do it myself.
With this in mind to offset my lack of build experience if the case or mobo I have listed do not lend themselves to novice builders I am open to ideas.

The machine will be for gaming, with my benchmark being Flight Simulator (I know this is taxing). Which I really want to get into. I plan to play at 1440p.

I am holding out for an RTX 3070 FE - and plan to use Telegram to hunt one down, my patience is not the best so I might have to resort to buying a pricey branded card if I have no luck.
I can use my old GTX1660 super for the mean time.

My budget excluding the GPU and monitor is around £1000, but I will go a little higher if I have too.

As I am gaming most of the time, I would be happy to strip back a little in any areas if there is not too much of a performance sacrifice. I do want to go down the Intel CPU route though.

Regarding storage I have 2 x 1TB Samsung 860 EVO SSD's, which seem fine. Unless of course its felt I would really benefit from some NVME's.

I would appreciate any help on further fans and fittings I might need, I will use current peripherals.

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £968.02 (includes shipping: £13.20)​
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Lastly I am also going to have to stretch to a monitor (1440p), I am less clear here. I wpuld like over 100hz response if possible. I would be happy with a 27", and the following have been suggested:

Gigabyte G27Q or Gigabyte G27QC. Any help here would be great, and preferably under £300.

Thanks in anticipation.
 
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EsaT said:
Future DirectStorage games need NVMe to back up promises of advertised loading times.
Though while most games games are badly designed for loading time, few games show what NVMes can do to loading times:
https://www.realhardwarereviews.com/silicon-power-us70-1tb-review/11/
But in average there's little difference between different SSDs.

noted - I found the SSD speed great. But maybe that’s vs my HDD of a few years ago. I guess I need to try to find some comparisons.


G27QC is VA panel.
So it has the way highest contrast and hence the best black of LCDs if you like darkened room.
But that comes at the expense of couple setbacks with "black crush" phenomenon in viewing angles and typically very slow response times of dark shade transitions known as "black smear".

Though while better in response times as IPS, neither is that G27Q that good performer in response times by todays standards.
Anyway if you're going to put £2000 into rest of the PC, £300 is rather shoe string money for monitor whose usage life potential is far longer than for most PC parts.
Click to expand...

I get your comment ref value split. If I were able to stretch to say £500 any suggestions for a good 1440p with 100+ response times ?
 
I have decided that I will stick with my GTX 1660 Super for now (more budget constraints have reared their head) and look out for a 3 series card later (am keeping my eye open for FE cards on Telegram).
Have made a couple of changes based on various feedback.
This card has had some good reviews, but does not have WIFI. So I can see I might have to get a Wi-fi card - not an area of experience so any suggestions would be great.
I am trying to get Lan to the room - but its a long process.

Should I go up to an RTX 3080 at some point in time would the RM850 be ok, or would I be better off going with a 1000W PSU ?

And would a RTX 3070/80 fit ok ?

Also would appreciate some ideas for extra fans, from what I can see I would need another 4 ? any ideas on which ones pls. Or indeed anything else I have missed.

I could do without spending much more, but would compromise if its is felt I have made some bad choices. This is my first crack at building so want as manageable as possible components.

I am re-using 2 x 1TB Samsung 860EVOs, so NVME will be for the O/S.

Headlines are I will use the machine for Gaming, and aim for 1440p.

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £1,362.58 (includes shipping: £20.82)
​
 
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Craig_d1 said:
if putting aio on top exhausting, you have potential adding 7 more, 3 bottom intake, 3 side intake and 1 back exhaust. If didn't want to fill out the case, you could just get 3 more and put on bottom as intakes...with the 3 top exhaust, you'll have a chimney effect...you can always add extra fans if needed (maybe 3 on side intake, which would create nice positive pressure, wouldn't bother with one on back as air will be pushed out anyway). if keeping with lian li theme, if you go uni fans, they are daisy chainable, so the 3 fans will just have 1 power cable and 1 rgb cable, and comes with a controller in the box..they're expensive though, and ocuk offer on them has just ended, so would prob have to wait awhile before another offer...i put the offer prices below with the fans...the ST120's I think are the same fans on the aio and cheapest option, though out of stock on ocuk at the mo so would have to buy elsewhere...they come with a fan controller too so prob your best option as half the price

I'd prob myself drop the 500gb 980 pro and go with something like a 1tb crucial P5 Plus on offer at 112 at the mo if wanting gen4 nvme, or I've seen the firecuda 1tb 120 on offer for £115 away. but just reread original post, and as you have some ssd's already for storage, again not strictly necessary, but you're still paying a lot for a 500gb nvme... or if you want same performance as the 980 pro, seen the 1tb sn850 for £139 away , so 39% more for 100% more capacity. Even with the new SN570 1tb which can be had for £77 away(the 500gb version is £49.99 on OCuk so half the price of the 980 pro), doubt you'll notice any real speed diff really, and most of time your gaming, your drive is just reading, not copying large multigig files etc, where the faster gen 4's come into their own.

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £314.66 (includes shipping: £8.70)
​





there's a jump in price if going 1000w psu...a 3080 can peak about 340w, the 12600 can peak around 220w, so 560w maxed out..then you have other stuff, but nothing that will get to 100%load ...the 850W is more than enough for the 3080, and most of the time you wont be maxing everything anyway. I went with a RM1000X myself as it was on offer at the time, and also thought that in a few years time if I upgraded my gpu etc, then the psu should be able to handle the power(3090ti meant to be 450W, so few years down the road who knows). PSu had 10 year warranty so should last. there is a new version of the RM850 also, where the fan has been upgraded and is more durable..you can tell diff as top airvent is square shaped made up of lots of little triangles, and connections are slightly different...all in all prob extra cost you don't need
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, they look nice - but will have to look at the budget. Cooling is an area I know little about (trying to learn) and I choose this cooler out of laziness and and some ok reviews - if there is an overall suggestion for something cheaper
but effect I would be happy to be guided. And for this or any other similar would you put fans inside the case to exhaust through the radiator or fan on the top of the radiator to pull air out ? I have seen in some YT videos fans actually pushing cool air into the case through the rad. I guess that would add to the necessity for an exhaust at the back ?
I basically want a fairly decent cooler - and am not desperate for RGB either.
Thanks
 
Quartz said:
I would advise against this monitor. There are better options. Take a look at Iiyama's 34" 3440x1440 ultrawide IPS monitor if you can spend more or the Iiyama GB2770QSU if you cannot.

I broke my 21:9 monitor and am having to rough it on my 4k 16:9 monitor but for driving, flight, and space sim games the ultrawide gives a much better gaming experience as long as you can expand the field of view.

Click to expand...
So this isn't model https://www.overclockers.co.uk/iiya...hz-1ms-freesync-gaming-monitor-mo-13g-iy.html ?
Reviews looks great - but looks like they are hard to track down if not the linked product I have shown (slightly different code).
 
So I have ended up with the following, looing at the great advice here. I have changed the case and can see I will need to put the radiator on the top.
As mentioned before I have 2 Samsung SSD's that I will be re-using. And I have to look at the monitor as I am finding it hard to decide.

For the time being I will also use my GTX 1660 super.

The only thing I can see outstanding is wi-fi, so can anyone suggest a simple card I can source to enable connect whilst I await for my LAN line.

And finally anything else I might need for the build before I commit - a little nervous as first build so hope case etc will make life easy.

Am I good to go?:

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £885.81 (includes shipping: £0.00)​
​

Thanks all.
 
Craig_d1 said:
cheers @mickyflinn , linked the wrong one, appologies OP..meant to be the ddr4 version, which can't seem to see on OCuk atm, sure it was there recently......available elsewhere for £219.99
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-Z690-A-WIFI-DDR4/Specification
as looked to check elsewhere to see if available and is, noticed the Asus prime wifi d4 board is £469.99 in a bundle with the 12600k, so if taking 12600k above at £278.99(oem version), your getting board for £191 rather than £219.95 above, or other way round, getting the 12600 for £250 if paying £219.95 for board..also they had the tuf gaming plus d4 and 12700k at £599.99(that's £664.44 here so a big saving for a mid range build if someone asks for that...worth mentioning)
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - how would you compare the Asus Prime board to the Gigabyte Z690 GAMING X (I know The Prime also has wi-fi which is a bonus).
 
Craig_d1 said:
if you need wifi, why not get a mobo with it onboard, then you don't clutter up a slot in the build...the wifi 6 boards are £20 more than the non wifi, so similar if you buying a card seperately...
My basket at Overclockers UK:

I'd go msi board below as takes 4 nvme etc..asus takes 3 but more for white build...if you want gigabyte, then the micro board I put above, and now belowfor £199 will do though is a smaller form factor board, or you have to go for the Aorus Elite AX
Total: £451.00 (includes shipping: £11.10)

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £460.44 (includes shipping: £10.50)
​
Click to expand...

Thanks - will look at both, I note comments below ref MSi DDR4. Will I see much difference in terms of building / set-up/ performance with either of these cards. I do not plan to overclock. I just want an easy life when building.
 
Craig_d1 said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g3yiA1YREc&t=251s&ab_channel=HardwareUnboxed
He test budget boards and msi tomahawk and asus tuf gaming for mid price boards...The asus board has 3 m.2 nvme gen4 slots rather than 4 on the gaming X, but does come with a thunderbolt 4 header and wifi...Hardware unboxed say it's a decent board. For a 12600 any of them are good enough. The MSI pro A wifi ddr4 board, they didn't test, they tested the ddr5 variant, but everything else the same, and another forum member posted a couple days ago saying it was rock solid from his recent build. Don't think you can go that wrong with any of these boards. are you going to need 4 nvme slots or 3 enough?..if it is, the asus and 12600 bundle I saw is cheaper than the gaming x and 12600, and gives you the wifi you want..you just have to buy away from OCuk for it.
Click to expand...
Really helpful - cheers.
I think I might go for the bundle (which I have found elsewhere), will give O/C the chance to price match - but I know its unlikely. Regarding the NVME I will initially use 1 slot, I might update this later if I add another M.2 drive - but as I have 2 x Samsung 860 PRO's (1TB each), I cant imagine I will need to use any more any time soon. If they are much of a muchness in terms of clarity for the build etc I will be swayed by the bundle.
 
Journey said:
Yes, it looks like a decent system. If you want Wi-Fi then you really should get a board with Wi-Fi, or look at the Gigabyte Wi-Fi 6 PCI-E card if you want an actual decent Wi-Fi experience, it basically uses an Intel M.2Wi-Fi module on an adapter board to fit the full size PCI-E slot, but comes wit ha decent external antenna. Don't forget a board with Wi-Fi will also give you Bluetooth 5.0 or above, which is a must have IMO for a modern build.
Click to expand...
Good point ref Bluetooth 5, seems the way to go. Thanks
 
GRAE MI said:
No worries, you can search for it yourself on Youtube, here is the title, no link... Best...
Attacking AMD's Prices: Intel Core i5-12600K CPU Review & Benchmarks vs. AMD
Click to expand...
Thanks - but I am quite sure for value and looking at silly amount of reviews I have seen that I will go with the 12600k.
 
So I am about to order - which is exciting. So much help here as always.

Just thinking ahead with regards to fan location and the install.

As the case (Lian Li Lancool 2) has 3 fans at the front as intakes, and I am fitting the Arctic Liquid Freezer ll RGB 240 at the top as an exhaust. Would this give enough balance / performance in terms of cooling. Or should I maybe add another exhaust to the rear and some more intakes to the base? (have seen installs with 2 extra above PSU's - but am not convinced by this) Any advice here would be helpful. Any suggestions of what extra fan/s to use ?

And from what I have read the connection to the Asus Prime Z690 in terms of both Fans and RGB's should be pretty straight forward with the array of headers. Is this the case ? .
I just need to work out which is which - have downloaded Prime manual and am trying to get to grips with it.
And do I need any further splitters or adaptors.

Thanks
 
Just about to order and noted PSU seems to have gone up in price, I was going to go with the Corsair RM850 - but it is now £119.99.
A reminder this is to power a ASUS Prime Z690 / i5-12600KF / RTX 3080 (eventually) - should I go with this or is there an alternative anyone can recommend please. I was working with the logic of 850W giving me a good ceiling for the future but will be guided is 750w is ok. Thanks.
 
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