Budget of 2000, this okay for gaming?

[slampro]

Case
COOLERMASTER CM STORM TROOPER - GAMING ENTHUSIAST CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-6700 (3.4GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 3 ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX SAVAGE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB Kit)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1080 - DVI, HDMI, 3x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
4TB WD BLACK 3.5" WD4004FZWX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy™ FX OEM
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11 AC1300 867Mbps/5GHz, 400Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
DVD Recovery Media
Windows 10 (64-bit) Home DVD with paper sleeve
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)

 

[Oussebon]

You might as well check out the Define X1 off the review section: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/reviews/ As it's a similar spec, but with an OCed CPU, and will probably also be cheaper due to the fixed £1499 discounted price it carries.

If you don't have fairly high end audio equipment, a sound card isn't worth buying, you're unlikely to get any benefit from it.

 

[slampro]

You might as well check out the Define X1 off the review section: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/reviews/ As it's a similar spec, but with an OCed CPU, and will probably also be cheaper due to the fixed £1499 discounted price it carries.

If you don't have fairly high end audio equipment, a sound card isn't worth buying, you're unlikely to get any benefit from it.

Any idea how this PC sounds, like would it be loud playing a game, my current one is quite loud so silent would be ideal.

 

[Wozza63]

You shouldn't have too much issue with the sound. However, if you are concerned about the noise then there are silent cases available which offer sound dampening and quieter fans. However, most won't really notice the noise a regular PC will produce even when gaming.

 

[slampro]

You shouldn't have too much issue with the sound. However, if you are concerned about the noise then there are silent cases available which offer sound dampening and quieter fans. However, most won't really notice the noise a regular PC will produce even when gaming.

So long as it doesn't sound like it is screaming like I am murdering its family when I play an intensive game I am happy.

 

[Wozza63]

So long as it doesn't sound like it is screaming like I am murdering its family when I play an intensive game I am happy.

Well there is always fan controllers if you do want to make people think that is what you are doing. I'm not here to judge

But on a serious note, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. The latest components are producing much less heat so less fans are required. Those 1080's are cool enough to for PCS to be putting 2 of them in a laptop. Although that will be noisy no doubt.

 

[slampro]

Well there is always fan controllers if you do want to make people think that is what you are doing. I'm not here to judge

But on a serious note, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. The latest components are producing much less heat so less fans are required. Those 1080's are cool enough to for PCS to be putting 2 of them in a laptop. Although that will be noisy no doubt.

Also I noticed it doesn't have a wifi adapter, would any old one like my current one be suitable? And is it easy to pop open this case, don't wanna break it just to put in a wifi adapter but I would need one included.

 

[Oussebon]

The Define has a Fractal Define S case - Fractal are known for their quiet cases:
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-s

It also has a Noctua cooler, and Noctua are known for having some of the best and quietest air coolers in the world (which I guess you know as you had one in your original spec)

So it should be better than average for noise.

Opening the case and adding your own things is fine:

Unlike with most computer companies, we allow you to open your case and install your own components without voiding your warranty on the following conditions:

• if the actions of the person installing the components cause damage to the computer, your warranty will be void;
  
• if you install components that are not purchased from us and they cause problems with your computer, your warranty will be void;
  
• if you install components that are not purchased from us we will in no way support you in installing them or with any problems you have relating to the components you have installed.
  
• we will support you in installing components purchased from us providing you have purchased them through the upgrade service available on your online account.

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/terms/

The side panel is just unscrewed by 2 thumbscrews and you slide it off I believe.

 

[Wozza63]

If your old one is PCI express then you should be able to install it in your new PC. Depends how old the PC is as it may be regular PCI. Of course, I would always recommend a wired alternative for gaming. An ethernet cable direct to your router would be the superior option, but homeplugs are great if the PC is not near the router, allowing your internet to route through the power lines within your home to your router.

 

[slampro]

If your old one is PCI express then you should be able to install it in your new PC. Depends how old the PC is as it may be regular PCI. Of course, I would always recommend a wired alternative for gaming. An ethernet cable direct to your router would be the superior option, but homeplugs are great if the PC is not near the router, allowing your internet to route through the power lines within your home to your router.

Not really an option unfortunately, just checked my card unfortunately just pci, ah well so long as it's easy may as well go for the cheaper option, just unsure what an overclocked cpu means.

 

[Oussebon]

Overclocking is making something run faster than it normally does. This increases its performance. The tradeoff is higher temps and a need for higher quality components (higher cost). But you're buying higher quality components anyway (things like Z170 motherboards and higher end PSUs) and the Noctua should be easily capable of managing the temps. Overclocking would also theoretically reduce the lifespan of the CPU, though you're unlikely to notice as the chances are you will have gotten rid of the PC due to extreme old age long before that happens. And the overclock PCS apply is generally a relatively tame one.

Intel 's -k CPUs (e.g. i7 6700k) are made with overclocking in mind, and it's quite a common thing for gamers to do. PCS allow overclocking under their warranty (see terms and conditions for exact details) but buying a system like the Define X1 which is pre-overclocked means PCS are actually guaranteeing the overclock and components under the warranty. They'll have done the overclocking for you.

In real terms it's a 'free' performance boost.

 

[Wozza63]

Overclocking is making something run faster than it normally does. This increases its performance. The tradeoff is higher temps and a need for higher quality components (higher cost). But you're buying higher quality components anyway (things like Z170 motherboards and higher end PSUs) and the Noctua should be easily capable of managing the temps. Overclocking would also theoretically reduce the lifespan of the CPU, though you're unlikely to notice as the chances are you will have gotten rid of the PC due to extreme old age long before that happens. And the overclock PCS apply is generally a relatively tame one.

Intel 's -k CPUs (e.g. i7 6700k) are made with overclocking in mind, and it's quite a common thing for gamers to do. PCS allow overclocking under their warranty (see terms and conditions for exact details) but buying a system like the Define X1 which is pre-overclocked means PCS are actually guaranteeing the overclock and components under the warranty. They'll have done the overclocking for you.

In real terms it's a 'free' performance boost.

Couldn't have said it better myself. And with many more safety precautions in place compared to technology a few years ago, it's pretty safe to do. Very little chance of killing a machine unless you are being very stupid. At worst your PC will freeze up and you just need to reboot.

 

[slampro]

Couldn't have said it better myself. And with many more safety precautions in place compared to technology a few years ago, it's pretty safe to do. Very little chance of killing a machine unless you are being very stupid. At worst your PC will freeze up and you just need to reboot.

Overclocking is making something run faster than it normally does. This increases its performance. The tradeoff is higher temps and a need for higher quality components (higher cost). But you're buying higher quality components anyway (things like Z170 motherboards and higher end PSUs) and the Noctua should be easily capable of managing the temps. Overclocking would also theoretically reduce the lifespan of the CPU, though you're unlikely to notice as the chances are you will have gotten rid of the PC due to extreme old age long before that happens. And the overclock PCS apply is generally a relatively tame one.

Intel 's -k CPUs (e.g. i7 6700k) are made with overclocking in mind, and it's quite a common thing for gamers to do. PCS allow overclocking under their warranty (see terms and conditions for exact details) but buying a system like the Define X1 which is pre-overclocked means PCS are actually guaranteeing the overclock and components under the warranty. They'll have done the overclocking for you.

In real terms it's a 'free' performance boost.

Thanks for all your help guys, Got it on order now.

 

[Landy]

I have to wait another month to purchase my Define X1, just short of money . Make a review with benchmarks on popular games??

 

[slampro]

I have to wait another month to purchase my Define X1, just short of money . Make a review with benchmarks on popular games??

Sure, any games in particular? Don't know which modern ones I have, since my old pc struggled with skyrim on low.

 

[Landy]

Sure, any games in particular? Don't know which modern ones I have, since my old pc struggled with skyrim on low.

Haha, You had the same problems as me, I can't wait to run Skyrim on high everything with a nice EMB, Please do record FPS on Skyrim on max setting with the Definex1 and if you have these games: GTA V, Fallout 4, Battlefield 1 (When it comes out) and ARMA III. If you are planning to get an of these please do share the results.

 

[Oussebon]

And an aside, FO4 and Skyrim (both by Bethesda using the same engine) are particularly likely to benefit from the overclocked CPU and faster RAM. e.g.

 

[Landy]

And an aside, FO4 and Skyrim (both by Bethesda using the same engine) are particularly likely to benefit from the overclocked CPU and faster RAM. e.g.
View attachment 8865

That picture doesn't mean anything to me haha, Not an expert with computers. But from what I can tell it can handle them brilliantly.

 

[Oussebon]

The graph is a pretty common format you'll find in gaming hardware reviews, where hardware is listed along the right and the performance is indicated by the bar. This shows how well X graphics card or CPU or whatever performs in a given game. Some reviews will give the minimum FPS as well as the average FPS, since even if the averages of competing hardware are quite close, a lower minimum it might mean a much more "choppy" or stuttery game experience.

So in that benchmark, Fallout 4 ran with an average of 62 FPS and a minimum of 54 FPS with 3000MHz DDR4 RAM. That's an 11 FPS higher average and 6 FPS higher minimum than the basic DDR4 speed of 2133MHz. That's noteworthy because in many games the difference might be only 1-2 FPS such that you'd barely notice. But FO4 and Skyrim, I guess due to their cells system, benefit more.

To put it another way, that's a 20% performance increase for only a few quid extra between regular DDR4 and faster DDR4. Though the Define's price is ofc fixed.