Spec me a system for £2500 please

philstanbridge

philstanbridge

philstanbridge

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Absolute max budget is £2500 but I'd like to spend less. For this amount I'd like a small form factor or similar, that can live in the lounge. Because of this it needs to be very quiet. However, it also needs to be powerful. I will need everything, including monitor. The end result has to be comparable to a top end gaming laptop.

Fire away!
 
philstanbridge said:
Absolute max budget is £2500 but I'd like to spend less. For this amount I'd like a small form factor or similar, that can live in the lounge. Because of this it needs to be very quiet. However, it also needs to be powerful. I will need everything, including monitor. The end result has to be comparable to a top end gaming laptop.

Fire away!
Click to expand...

Max size monitor ?

Technically ATX factors are quieter as a side note!
Another issue with ITX cases is GPUs, your budget would allow a killer 2080ti but they are 2.5 slots without running hot and loud
 
That placement would be also fitting for use with TV, though I guess that could be reserved for other uses...
Some 27" 2560x1440 would be good starting point for monitor.
Also those don't need paying arm, both legs and half the internal organs for graphics card.

And I guess you would be also using headphones.
Do you have those or need new?
Beyerdynamic DT770 would be good very reasonably priced closed design headphone.
32 ohm version has p/leather pads with higher environmental noise isolation if that room is noisier.
Though those also insulate heat better than velour padded ones.


As for case I assume also that should be discreet without RGB bling bling ADHD look.
So would this style look good?
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-define-nano-s-mini-itx-case-black-ca-074-fd.html
Fractal Design is about only maker using proper mass damping material in side panels.


For CPUs few months later timing would have given lot better bang per buck with choise being now "Damned if you do, damned if you don't":
You either pay serious overprice for something with currently better performance...
But which isn't going to stay as high end for long and doesn't have upgrade path.
Or then take CPU clock speed limited by originally Samsung's phone/table CPU manufacturing tech...
And upgrade CPU to made on more modern node than Intels and with more processing power for the future.
(engineering sample demoed in CES to match 9900K's processing power at ~50W lower power consumption)

Anyway for CPU cooler Scythe Mugen 5 would be very powerfull for reasonable size and should fit most cases without PSU above CPU.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/scythe-scmg-5100-mugen-5-rev.b-cpu-cooler-hs-046-sy.html
 
orbitalwalsh said:
Max size monitor ?

Technically ATX factors are quieter as a side note!
Another issue with ITX cases is GPUs, your budget would allow a killer 2080ti but they are 2.5 slots without running hot and loud
Click to expand...

I don't know! It's a tricky one because of its location. The case needs to be discrete, and the monitor will live on a small corner table. I am used to 1280x1080 on a 17" screen. I'm not dead against larger cases, but it will need to be very quiet when running, even under load.
 
@philstanbridge

Ryzen 2700x plus rtx 2080ti

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £2,007.99 (includes shipping: £13.20)


Haven't seen any x570 itx for launch date, though they are confirmed like Asus

Intel + 2080ti.. test like above in screen

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £2,145.95 (includes shipping: £13.20)
​
That's getting the MOST power out of either platform .
Whilst keeping quiet and small form . PSU adaptor plate will allow SFX units to be used and 2.5/3 slot GPU which would run quieter

Large 1440p monitor that would work with G-sync

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...rved-widescreen-gaming-monitor-mo-00c-ms.html​
 
Last edited:
philstanbridge said:
the monitor will live on a small corner table. I am used to 1280x1080 on a 17" screen. I'm not dead against larger cases, but it will need to be very quiet when running, even under load.
Click to expand...
I think sitting in anthill might be equally comfortable to using such post card...
Here's size comparison to what I've been watching for something like five years:
https://goo.gl/q4rLpk


Micro-ATX cases with more breathing room for graphics card would be ~40cm high.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-define-mini-c-micro-atx-case-black-ca-075-fd.html
2080 Tis are 300W heat output cards and non-reference coolers dump all of that into case, so third intake fan might help while keeping rpm low.
Though that marketing BS fad PSU shroud limits airflow of third fan to wrong place.

Normal ATX height cases are ~5cm higher:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-define-c-midi-tower-case-black-ca-077-fd.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-define-s-midi-tower-black-ca-028-fd.html
(with also bigger depth)

Fractal Design's Define serie is basically only one with proper mass damping for side panels.
That prevents metallic rattling/vibrations and increases also acoustic opacity.
 
@EsaT

Only case that would be quieter

https://www.bequiet.com/en/case/1503

Base 601/801 .. but the costs

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/be-quiet-silent-base-601-midi-tower-case-black-ca-12l-bq.html

Don't think I've see. Cases with 10mm of sound dampening material. Least they've upgraded from 600/800 units.

One thing that is infuriating with Bequiet.. bring out a case like that and use fans which aren't their quietest

https://www.bequiet.com/en/casefans/1623

15db Vs 19db of the Pure wings :/

Hopefully silent loop version .2 ditches the extremely loud Pure wings 2200rpm :(

Moving to mATX case would allow hybrid PSU units with larger quieter fans to be used :) also don't have to fork out £££ for the SFX units


Able to get good enough fans.. can allow you to get away with case design a little :)

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/...ses-noise-normalized-thermals-silent-base-601
 
orbitalwalsh said:
Only case that would be quieter
Base 601/801 .. but the costs

Don't think I've see. Cases with 10mm of sound dampening material. Least they've upgraded from 600/800 units.

One thing that is infuriating with Bequiet.. bring out a case like that and use fans which aren't their quietest
Click to expand...
Haven't seen direct apples to apples comparison with identical components/fans between BeQuiets and Fractal Designs.

And I suspect that instead of using their excellent Noise Absorber combination mat BeQuiet "forgot" that mass damping...
While for light foam alone 10mm would be thin to be really effective against airborne sound.
Heck, can't even find Noise Absorber mat from their site anymore...:(

Also if those small holed meshes in sides of front are only intakes for airflow, that's disappointing fashion choise.
Little different design choise could have decreased airflow impedance of that part good amount.

And isn't it only logical to bundle crappier fans?
I mean why charge premium only in case, when it's possible to charge premium also for better fans?
Which even have disappointing 3 year warranty, when Arctic gives 6 year warranty in budget price fans and 10 year warranty in normal priced ones.
 
Mat is different from what they've used previously which is good, also using a thicker stance on it .just should have been the Shadow wing fans :/

Intake on the base 601/801 has never been about airflow . But would have been nicer like p600 to have it increased or decreased
 
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