TB Rich
Paid Member
Anyone into gaming? Trying to spec a build but it's got a bit too expensive or I'm just being cheap?
Currently thinking...
CPU: E3-1231v3 (£200)
GPU: Asus R9 290? or a EVGA SSC GTX 960 to save cash (£230 or £170)
SSD: Existing 840 Pro 256GB or buy a new 850 Pro 256GB (£0 or £115)
RAM: 8GB or 16GB?? Either way Corsair Veng LP CL9 (£55 or £105)
MOBO: Asus H97M-Plus (mATX) (£75)
CASE: Thermaltake core v21 (£50)
PSU: Seasonic m12 evo (80+ bronze, 750w, fully modular) (£80)
Screen: Existing Eizo FS2333 (1080p, 23" or 24" iirc) (£0)
OS: Windows 8.1 Pro license for new machine (£46)
But it's got pretty expensive ~£900. Trying to think if I can trim some cost out but these items all seem to represent the best value for the minimal extra they cost over lesser items.
I'm not interested in OC'ing as I want mATX because I have limited space, OC'ing in mATX is probably asking for trouble - but the V21 case is very nice with good airflow etc.
Could save about £45 and use an i5 4690, but I think the fact that E3 is an i7 without GPU is worth the £50. It'll help with encoding etc no end.
I can make a drop from an R9 290 to a GTX 960 (£230 vs £170), I could then run a 550W PSU, save about £100 combined. But the 290 looks like it kinda rapes the 960, £60 well spent? The bigger PSU for £40 seems like a decent investment too?
I'm not looking to change my screen (it's a high quality screen I calibrate with a SpiderPro for photo editing) so 1080p is all I need in res, but I want to play on pretty much max graphics options.
As you can see it's proved kinda hard to take costs out, is about £900 the right price for decent spec machine without going crazy?
This all started because I want to play Project Cars but my steering wheel won't work with a PS4, and I don't really want a wheel set up in the lounge anyway!! But I also want to play sims like Assetto Corsa and stuff like Arma 3, H1Z1 which I can't on a PS4. Well H1Z1 you will but I'm not sure how that will play on a controller!
If I buy a PS4 though it'll be about £350 and a new wheel like a Thrustmaster T300RS is £270. So that's £620!!
Currently thinking...
CPU: E3-1231v3 (£200)
GPU: Asus R9 290? or a EVGA SSC GTX 960 to save cash (£230 or £170)
SSD: Existing 840 Pro 256GB or buy a new 850 Pro 256GB (£0 or £115)
RAM: 8GB or 16GB?? Either way Corsair Veng LP CL9 (£55 or £105)
MOBO: Asus H97M-Plus (mATX) (£75)
CASE: Thermaltake core v21 (£50)
PSU: Seasonic m12 evo (80+ bronze, 750w, fully modular) (£80)
Screen: Existing Eizo FS2333 (1080p, 23" or 24" iirc) (£0)
OS: Windows 8.1 Pro license for new machine (£46)
But it's got pretty expensive ~£900. Trying to think if I can trim some cost out but these items all seem to represent the best value for the minimal extra they cost over lesser items.
I'm not interested in OC'ing as I want mATX because I have limited space, OC'ing in mATX is probably asking for trouble - but the V21 case is very nice with good airflow etc.
Could save about £45 and use an i5 4690, but I think the fact that E3 is an i7 without GPU is worth the £50. It'll help with encoding etc no end.
I can make a drop from an R9 290 to a GTX 960 (£230 vs £170), I could then run a 550W PSU, save about £100 combined. But the 290 looks like it kinda rapes the 960, £60 well spent? The bigger PSU for £40 seems like a decent investment too?
I'm not looking to change my screen (it's a high quality screen I calibrate with a SpiderPro for photo editing) so 1080p is all I need in res, but I want to play on pretty much max graphics options.
As you can see it's proved kinda hard to take costs out, is about £900 the right price for decent spec machine without going crazy?
This all started because I want to play Project Cars but my steering wheel won't work with a PS4, and I don't really want a wheel set up in the lounge anyway!! But I also want to play sims like Assetto Corsa and stuff like Arma 3, H1Z1 which I can't on a PS4. Well H1Z1 you will but I'm not sure how that will play on a controller!
If I buy a PS4 though it'll be about £350 and a new wheel like a Thrustmaster T300RS is £270. So that's £620!!