New Build Advice

[Linconclusive]

I'm thinking of upgrading/building a new PC, and I'd really appreciate some advice on parts. I've got a budget of around £700-£900.

My current computer:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
Intel i7 950 3.07ghz
Asus P6TD Deluxe
AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series
CZ ModXStream Pro 600W ATX PSU
Thermaltake V6 BlacX
Samsung SSD 850 Evo 1TB

I was looking at an Intel Core i7 4790k and Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 GPU (thoughts on these?), but I've got to admit when it comes to selecting a motherboard, PSU and case I feel a bit lost. My case layout as it is now is irritatingly fiddly; something I'd like to avoid in a new build.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Give us a link to the websites from which you intend to buy the parts.

What's the most intensive thing you do on the PC? Do you do that constantly, frequently, or occasionally?

Are you a serious game player? Moderately? Not at all?

Do you have overclocking intentions?

To clarify: which of these parts do you need to buy for 700 to 900 UK pounds:

Mouse
Keyboard
Monitor
CPU
Hard drive or SSD
Second (or third? hard drive)
Motherboard
RAM (8 GB is typically enough; 16 maybe)
Video card
Sound card
Case
Power supply
CPU cooler
DVD drive
Additional case fans
Operating system (you'll probably need to buy unless your Ultimate is a retail version)

For the case, take a look at Fractal Design; lots of models and generally highly regarded.

PSU: look for Seasonic, EVGA, XFX, Super Flower, or certain models from Corsair, in the 450 to 550 watt range.

How many years or hours of operation on your current PSU?

Motherboard: I'd lean toward Gigabyte, Asus, or Asrock, but you first have to decide on your socket/platform choice. The 4790K is socket 1150 and very strong, but it's likely the end of the line for that socket. The newer "Skylake" CPUs use the 1151 socket. If you think you have a legitimate use for more than 4 cores, there is yet another socket choice.

More details needed, particularly on the parts list. Most likely, you don't need every part on that list.

If you can give a link to your vendors of choice, we can go there and look over their choices and try to keep you under 900 pounds.

 

[Linconclusive]

Hi ignatzatsonic, thanks for getting back to me.

I've generally been looking on Amazon for parts, they seemed to have reasonable prices for the CPU and GPU last time I checked, but I'm open to any other suggestions. Last build I just looked around for the lowest prices from a variety of websites and from some from real shops.

I'm a gamer, and also use photoshop regularly and intend to start learning some 3D modelling software (ZBrush) for work, but that's probably the most intensive use the computer will see. I'm a bit of a neophyte when it comes to overclocking, so it's an option but in all likelihood not something I'll have the time to look into seriously any time soon.

I'm intending to buy:
CPU
GPU
Motherboard (preferably with an integrated sound card as I've a decent hi-fi for music)
RAM
Case
CD/DVD Drive
Possibly a PSU - my old one's 3 years old.

Hope that's some help. Apologies if I take awhile to respond to any replies, I'll have very intermittent access to the web this week but will try to keep an eye out.

 

[Mellon Head]

Don't forget to add in the cost of a good CPU cooler and case fans. The stock coolers that come with most processors aren't very good. A better cooling system will help your CPU live a longer, happier life.

Also factor in the cost of a new copy of Windows 7 if you don't have a retail copy. Changing the CPU and motherboard on a machine with an OEM license could invalidate that license. At the very least, you might have to call Microsoft and persuade them to let you reactivate your OEM copy on the new hardware. Worst case scenario is that you have to buy a new copy of Windows and use that key, or reinstall. Of course, since you have Windows Ultimate, this may not be an issue because I think that Ultimate was only available in retail versions (though I could be wrong), but it does need to be considered.

 

[Linconclusive]

Actually by good fortune I have another copy of Windows Ultimate (long story), but I'm OK for an OS. What sort of ballpark are prices for decent CPU fans?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Here's a start with some decent suggestions just to give you an idea.


These parts total 521 pounds including VAT and do NOT include a video card. I'll leave that to others as I don't use them. I'm assuming you'd keep your current PSU.

You can of course cut back on the CPU or RAM amount as necessary to meet any particular budget.

I included a strong overclockable processor and an above average inexpensive cooler.


https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-579-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=3069

CPU: Intel 6600K; 200



Gigabyte GA-Z170X-UD3 Motherboard (Socket 1151, Z170 Express, DDR4, S-ATA 600, ATX, USB 3.1): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Gigabyte Z170X-UD3 motherboard; 111



https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-178-CR&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=2552

RAM: Crucial 16 GB, DDR4 2133; 80



https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-035-FD&groupid=2362&catid=2277

Case: Fractal Design R5: 85



https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CD-162-SA&groupid=701&catid=10

Samsung DVD burner; 15



https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-035-CM&groupid=701&catid=2330

Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo cooler; 30

 

[Linconclusive]

Thank you for this - at a glance all looking good. If anyone had any thoughts on the MSI GeForce GTX 970 fitting into that set-up they'd be much appreciated. With regards the processor, is there an appreciable difference between the i7 6700k and the i5 6600k for how I'll be using the computer? I guess the problem I have is gauging how the system will meet the demands I'll be putting on it and whether it's worth spending a little more now to 'future-proof' or simply upgrading a little sooner in the future.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You can Google around for the circumstances that might benefit from the hyper-threading on the 6700K. It has noticeable advantages in some cases, but those cases are not common---such as extensive video rendering. I have no idea if it's useful in 3D modeling.

If the i7 were only, say, 20 pounds more, then yeah, why not. But it's considerably more than that. On the other hand, maybe the price difference means little to you? On yet another hand, what if it helps you, but only once a week, where hyper-threading lets you do some task in 25 minutes rather than 30. Would that be a big deal to you?

Can't help on video cards, but I don't know why any particular 970 wouldn't be fine. There may be some versions of the 970 that are preferable to others and I wouldn't know anything about that.

You can read more about the Fractal case here, with 88 reviews:

Fractal Design Define R5 FD-CA-DEF-R5-BK Black Computer Case - Newegg.com

You'll have to buy some thermal paste if you don't have any. You shouldn't need any case fans as the Fractal includes 2.

If noise is an issue for you, you could replace the fan on that Coolermaster cooler or just buy another cooler known to be quieter--a Noctua maybe.

 

[ThrashZone]

970 is a reasonable choice
MSI GeForce GTX 970 GTX 970 GAMING 4G 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support G-SYNC Support Video Card - Newegg.com

 

[Mellon Head]

Actually by good fortune I have another copy of Windows Ultimate (long story), but I'm OK for an OS. What sort of ballpark are prices for decent CPU fans?

Actually, ignatzatsonic recommended the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo, which is what I was going to recommend.

 

[ThrashZone]

CPU fans well I posted a couple I'm using although they say case fans some people use Corsair sp120 static pressure fans.
I took them off my Acer because they only have a 3 pin wiring and my legacy bios make them run almost full blast so pretty audible
But I do use sp120's on my new build on a Corsair GT110i cpu cooler with a radiator and they work well I believe it hovers at 26c.

 

[strollin]

Don't forget to add in the cost of a good CPU cooler and case fans. The stock coolers that come with most processors aren't very good. A better cooling system will help your CPU live a longer, happier life. ...

Interestingly, my son was putting together a new system this weekend and had planned to go with the stock cooler (for the time being) to save money. He got home with all the parts and discovered that the Intel i7 he purchased did NOT come with any cooler or heat sink. He ended up going back to the store and getting the Coolermaster Hyper 212 that I recommended. It was on sale for $34.95.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep I've only seem AMD cpu's that say they come with a coolers :/
Just as well most stock ones would bite anyway

 

[Mellon Head]

The AMD stock coolers bite big time.

 

[Linconclusive]

Thank you for all of you help. It's been really solid advice, and it's given me a lot to be getting on with. I'll give you an update as to how it all comes out Thanks guys, and particularly ignatzatsonic for such prompt and helpful replies.

 

[essenbe]

I like ignatzatsonic's suggestions. You wouldn't hurt yourself too much and get a good system. I would always go with the newer chipset. It will be supported longer and typically has better features. The one you are looking at is a "dead" chipset, meaning there will be no new CPUs made for it. To upgrade it would require a new CPU and Motherboard. The new chipset usually means it can be upgraded with at least one more future CPUs if not more. A little extra now can save a lot later on. The hyperthreading would not help much, if at all, in gaming. It would help a lot with Photoshop, video rendering and probably 3D modeling. Most graphics intensive applications will use the extra cores and as much ram as you can give them. As far as the cooler, I have a whole box of stock CPU coolers, never used. They are worthless as far as I am concerned. The hyper 212 is probably the best cooler on the market for the price. There are better CPU Coolers, but you will pay for them. For most 'normal' tasks, the 212 will work very well. As far as your GOU card, there are several people on this thread with experience with them. It would depend on what you are using for monitor(s) and how much graphics work you are going to be doing. Graphics work and 3D will benefit from a better, faster graphics card. What type of games do you play and what do you play them on will need to be taken into consideration. How long do you plan to keep it before upgrading again? A 970 will do fine on most any of todays games playing on 1 1080P monitor. But, if you use more monitors to game and if you plan on keeping it for a few years, what games are going to be released in the next couple of years? Windows 10 is out and some manufacturers are working on games already for use with DX12 which Windows 10 has but Windows 7 does not. I know this doesn't help make your decisions for you, but it is a few things to consider.

 

[mjf]

As an alternative. For my last build I used a Corsair 300R Windowed case and I'm very happy with it. I have a Hyper 212 in my personal PC but couldn't source it quickly for my last build and used a Noctua NH-U12S. The 300R comes with a 140mm intake fan and a 120mm exhaust fan giving a well ventilated case as bought. The system is very quiet.