Time to upgrade... and become thoroughly confused! Help :)

Associate
Joined
30 Nov 2020
Posts
21
Hey guys,

I'll be looking to upgrade my tree trunk (bless it) in the new year and am looking around at what will give me the best bang for my buck. The problem is, I've spent so much time watching YouTube videos I'm now completely muddled.

Naturally, I'd love a top of the range mammoth out of pure gluttony, but considering I really only play Overwatch & Civ6 it seems a bit overkill.

I've messed around on Overclockers with custom builds and tend to come out with either an i5-10600k or a Ryzen 5600k paired with either a 2070 or 2070 between £1800 and £2200, but this still feels OTT for my fairly limited needs... especially as I'd also like a new monitor as well!

I don't intend to stream or use my PC for anything else, other than basic surfing, Pornhub, working from home and screenwriting (doesn't require any special, stressful programs).

SO... could anyone suggest a build for me that would run games like Overwatch (100+FPS), Civ6 and (maybe) SW Squadrons with ease, last me a good few years and come within a budget of approx. £1k-1.3k please?

I'd also appreciate recommendations for a good 27" 1440ps monitor to bring the best out of the rig (I can budget additionally for this).

Really appreciate the help!

PS: I'd ideally really, really like to use the ASUS TUF GT501 as a case. Just love the look. Not essential.
 
Last edited:
This version??

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £121.09 (includes shipping: £11.10)

Or the one with the carrying handle??

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £141.65 (includes shipping: £11.70)

The one with the handles for sure. And thanks for the monitor rec. Was looking at the Omen x 27 but not sure it's worth the extra £200 unless I choke and get a 3060ti.
 
Do you have any parts from the tree-trunk that you could re-use? Even if it is a few years old then a good brand PSU reuse can really help a 1.3K build go further and last longer.

Good shout! Opened her up yesterday and she has a Corsair 650w in there that's newer than the rest of it, so that'll save me some dosh.

Now I'm just toying between a 1660s and a 3060ti. Seems obvious, but if OW is my main game, the 3060ti plus a top monitor (eg. Omen x 27) it seems a bit overkill.
 
That's awesome, thanks man! Really appreciate the help.

Couple o' questions:
- Would the 3600's stock cooler not be suitable enough?
- I've (almost) decided to stick to 1080p 24.5inch because I play Overwatch far more than any other game and this is seemingly the recommended setup, plus it's what I'm used to. I've been looking intently at the Omen x 25 due to its 240hz refresh and glowing reviews. Would a 1660 Super achieve >140fps or would I definitely need the 3060ti? Is it even worth going above 140fps, or is that a Pro eSports thing only? Or do you think I'd be more satisfied with 1440p?

So many decisions... :rolleyes:

For reference, I currently run this:
- i7-920
- RTX 650ti boost
- 60hz monitor (iiyama Prolite E2407HDSD)
- 6gb RAM
 
The stock cooler for the 3600 is ok but just OK especially for extended gaming sessions.

240mhz refresh is just e-peen unless your a competative gamer.

https://prosettings.net/best-overwatch-gpu/

1440p is very nice. I have been gaming at that res for many years. If you go for a 27"+ screen you have to go to 1440p otherwise the pixels are just to big on a 1080p 27" and can ruin the look of the game IMHO.
If your building a pc now and can afford it why go for old tech lieke the 1660?? 3060 for the win I say ;)

Ah mate, that article was perfect. Exactly what I couldn't find :D

From what I make of it, the 1660 Super will work well on Overwatch with the Omen X 25f monitor (240hz). I've played OW for a few years on a 60hz monitor on Medium settings, so the fact that the 1660s can get over 200fps on High makes me happy. If I'm to have some luxury from this build, a super high Overwatch FPS would be it. Sure, I'm no pro but **** it ;) I'll keep an open mind toward 144hz, though. I'm trying to find somewhere in London where I can test drive both to see if the 240hz is worth it or not.

For context, I'm in a big dilemma at the moment (seriously considering emigrating in 2021!) so the cheaper the build now, the better while I try and clear credit and save to move. I'm not looking at playing any newer, GPU heavy games for a little while so If I can get away with a good, budget Overwatch-tastic rig that I can easily upgrade in 12/18 months (eg. ready for Diablo 4) then I'll be a happy chap.

If I do stick with 1080p, I'll be sticking to a 24.5 inch monitor for sure. Only if I decide to go with 1440p will I get a 27 inch, but this is likely to be part of an upgrade later on. It just makes more money sense at the mo to stick to 24.5 inch/1080p considering it's what I'm used to and it's cheaper (£250 difference between the Omen X 25f and the Omen X 27!).

Regarding the GPU; if by the end of January a newer gen GPU makes value-for-money sense (3060, 3060ti, 3050 etc), then I'll go for it :)

Thanks again. Good to converse with someone that knows what they're talking about while I try and un-muddle myself!
 
The 3050 should be out soon.

And if you're budget-constrained, take a look at the Intel 10400F. Here's a basic micro-ATX build:

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £417.53 (includes shipping: £11.10)

You need to add your PSU and a GPU. Do get yourself a high-refresh rate monitor, but don't attach particular value to anything over 120 Hz unless you're a pro gamer.




I agree.

Thanks man! Micro isn't something I'd considered, but if by the end of January I'm really scrimping, I'll definitely take it more into consideration.
I have a Corsair RM 650x in my current rig so will use that for PSU. Going to see what's available end of Jan before deciding on the GPU.

I'm probably being daft going over 144hz with the monitor, but I'm going to try and find somewhere to test drive both to see if it's worth it :)
 
Back
Top Bottom