GAMING PC BUILD HELP.

NucularNun

Hi guys, I'm between building a gaming pc or upgrading my current one . Either way I'm going to be buying parts over time so there's no rush.

I'm primarily focusing on graphics and game performace but may do some video editing and rendering down the line.

I currently have a AMD CPU and will probably stick with AMD brand .

I am looking for some advise on components. I'm not a complete noob but have a lot to learn. I know how to assemble a PC but am unsure of how the components work.

I am not interested in 4k as my current benq monitor is 1080p. I am however looking for really good graphics and over 60 fps.

Anyway if you have any ideas they would be greatly appreciated.

jamescd

Budget? What parts can you re-use? Do you need OS and other peripherals?

NucularNun

Well I'll be buying parts over the coarse of a year so the budgets not strict but around 1200. I only need windows 7 or 10. I'm not sure what parts I can reuse but I'll be reuibg my hard drive and ram and possibly power supply.

grindle

For a €1200 build, avoid AMD's CPUs until we have an idea what the 'Zen' range will be like. If they're not up to snuff I wouldn't choose it just to be loyal.

Polaris GPUs will be out in a few months, you'll have a much better idea of how to spend your money then (if you can wait)

If you can't wait, at the very least get an SSD if all you've got is a HDD.
If you need nicer graphics now then you at least have to say what CPU you have so that any GPU recommended isn't throttled by it. Preferably all the specs of your current PC though.

Digital Solitude

As above, post as much of the current PC as you can.

NucularNun

Here's all the specs from my pc:

Case - NZXT Phantom 410 Midi - White , ATX

Card Reader - LogiLink USB 2.0 all-in-one Card Reader, for 3,5" Einbauchschacht

Network Adapter - TP-Link TL-WN781N, 150Mbps, PCIe x1

Power Supply - be quiet! PURE POWER L8 500W

RAM - 8GB G.Skill kit PC3-10667U CL9

Processor - AMD FX-6300 processor, Socket AM3 +

Motherboard - ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0, AM3+, ATX

NucularNun

grindle wrote: »

For a 1200 build, avoid AMD's CPUs until we have an idea what the 'Zen' range will be like. If they're not up to snuff I wouldn't choose it just to be loyal.

Polaris GPUs will be out in a few months, you'll have a much better idea of how to spend your money then (if you can wait)

If you can't wait, at the very least get an SSD if all you've got is a HDD.
If you need nicer graphics now then you at least have to say what CPU you have so that any GPU recommended isn't throttled by it. Preferably all the specs of your current PC though.

Add your reply here.
I am thinking of AMD simply for value for money , no loyalty so I have no problem going for a different brand.

Digital Solitude

AMDs value for money is a false economy.

What's the GPU?

A H81M board and an i5 4460 will cost about €230, that's the easiest and cheapest imo

You'll get €120 or so for the 6300+board

That's pretty much all you need for a big CPU overhaul.

Get a Z97 and a 4690k for about €300 if you need over clocking

H81 with an i7 is about €350, add €50 for a Z97 board to overclock

For Skylake, you'll want a Z170 board with an i5 6500 for €275 or so, and 8gb DDR4 RAM is about €40

Yoc could sell the current board, CPU and RAM for €150 or thereabouts.

Nothing else there needs Upgrading, every option should have an SSD. 240gb is about €70

NucularNun

Would you recommend upgrading or
building a new PC?

K.O.Kiki

Get a good GPU (GTX 970 / R9 390), and a CPU cooler.

The FX-6300 will do you until the next-gen parts arrive tbh, especially at 1080p.

Digital Solitude

Upgrade

Have you a graphics card?

If not, I'd get a 6500 with a Z170, 8gb RAM, 240gb SSD and an R9 380 4gb.

Total cost would be about €600, with about €150 back isn't bad spending.

A new build for €1200 wouldn't be much different to what you'd have for the €600.

If you're buying in steps get the SSD €70, then the 380 €200, then the cpu, board and RAM €350 in that order, it's giving you the biggest upgrades first.

Kiki is right too though

NucularNun

I have a gigabyte graphics card I will find the accual model soon.

NucularNun

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Upgrade

Have you a graphics card?

If not, I'd get a 6500 with a Z170, 8gb RAM, 240gb SSD and an R9 380 4gb.

Total cost would be about €600, with about €150 back isn't bad spending.

A new build for €1200 wouldn't be much different to what you'd have for the €600.

If you're buying in steps get the SSD €70, then the 380 €200, then the cpu, board and RAM €350 in that order, it's giving you the biggest upgrades first.

Kiki is right too though

my graphics card is "Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 OC Windforce 2X, 2GB GDDR5, 2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort"

Digital Solitude

660 should carry you, the 380 will be a nice upgrade though. Your could go for a 390 or 970 level card for €350 if you wanted, they're currently the sweet spot for 1080p

NucularNun

thanks. i think ill go with the 390.

Eoinmc97

Sapphire and Powercolor offer the best priced 390s. ASUS and MSIs are tipping €360 now.

NucularNun

Digital Solitude wrote: »

AMDs value for money is a false economy.

What's the GPU?

A H81M board and an i5 4460 will cost about €230, that's the easiest and cheapest imo

You'll get €120 or so for the 6300+board

That's pretty much all you need for a big CPU overhaul.

Get a Z97 and a 4690k for about €300 if you need over clocking

H81 with an i7 is about €350, add €50 for a Z97 board to overclock

For Skylake, you'll want a Z170 board with an i5 6500 for €275 or so, and 8gb DDR4 RAM is about €40

Yoc could sell the current board, CPU and RAM for €150 or thereabouts.

Nothing else there needs Upgrading, every option should have an SSD. 240gb is about €70

what is a H81M board?

Digital Solitude

NucularNun wrote: »

what is a H81M board?

The boards chipset, to line up with the CPU. H81 is for Haswell chips. Z97 is too, but it's overclockable. There's a few more Haswell ones but H81 is grand for most people.

Then H150 is the newest Skylake one, and Z170 is the overclockable Skylake one. Also a few more, mostly irrelevant ones for Skylake.

The M at the end means it's a mATX board, which is a smaller sized one. Your case is mATX isn't it?

NucularNun

its ATX, Im presuming thats the same.

grindle

It'll fit either ATX, mATX or iTX motherboards.

NucularNun

and would a smaller motherboard such as the ATX fit in a bigger case ?

grindle

ATX is large, mATX is smaller, iTX is smaller again.

That case you have will fit all three.

NucularNun

grindle wrote: »

ATX is large, mATX is smaller, iTX is smaller again.

That case you have will fit all three.

THANKS