Last check for PC spec before I commit to it! Question about fans

[ChlBro]

Hi, I have a super strong urge to start being able to play things on computer (even though I have Switch, Xbox and PS already) as there's a lot of games that I would either prefer to play with mouse and keyboard or are PC exclusives.

I know it's cliché but you can't have a PC without playing a bit of The Sims, so I'd want something that could handle a few expansions and not sound like it was taking off and I do have Gamepass which according to the app/site wants an NVIDIA graphics card? I've never considered PC gaming before so I don't know what games are coming out for it but let's just assume I'd like to be able to play them all!

I currently have 2 monitors (Dell P2419H 24 Inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) Monitor, 60 Hz) however would upgrade them at some point after getting a decent PC, so again let's assume I'll get 4K monitors at some point going forward.

As mentioned, this would really only be for gaming and the possibility of streaming - although I've not factored in a streaming card in my builds yet as I want to figure out if I'll actually use it enough for that first.

I'll be honest, I have no idea what I'm looking for but this is what I've learnt so far: the GHz of processors are more important than the i-number and NVIDIA GPUs are better than AMD because of ray-tracing. I did look for the RTX 3080 but for some reason - either it's not available, PC Specialist don't do it or my build won't allow for it? I can't see it in the dropdown for the graphics card.

In regards of my budget, ideally I'd like something less than £1700 but if there was a good reason to go a little bit over then I'd be willing to consider it - especially if it futureproofed the build for a lot longer than a cheaper alternative!

Also regarding the case, because I know it'll probably be asked, the FRACTAL DEFINE S NANO GAMING CASE (second build) is a mini version of a friend's case and he really loves the location of the window for ease of access but said his biggest regret was getting such a large tower. Space is a bit of an issue for me so ideally I'd want something small and compact, so long as it didn't hinder the cooling aspect of it, easy to open and clean and easy enough for me to potentially get a streaming card in.

A friend spec'd this up for me:
Case
FRACTAL DEFINE S NANO GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i5 Six Core Processor i5-11600KF (3.9 GHz) 12 MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING WIFI (Mini-ITX, LGA1200, USB 3.2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
1TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-C14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
GIGABIT LAN PORT + Wi-Fi
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Supplied on USB Drive
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Price: £1,452.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z490-sff-gaming/ZpsGWzerG4/

But then after I showed it to someone else, they said that the processor is only a 6 core and the graphics card is 4+ years old and wasn't that great, so I messed around with the build myself and went with this (power cable onwards are all the same):
Case
FRACTAL DEFINE S NANO GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i9 Eight-Core Processor i9-11900K (3.5GHz) 16MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING WIFI (Mini-ITX, LGA1200, USB 3.2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st Storage Drive
2TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
Price: £1,947.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z490-sff-gaming/b9N3a!W27F/

 

[ChlBro]

I've been trying to edit my post for the past 15 minutes I just wanted to add that the purple text are different components between the two builds for ease of reading and that I'm sorry it's a long post but thank you in advance! I'm trying to be adult enough to wait for people who know what they're talking about to recommend me things and not just impulse buy as I know this is a big expense but I do believe it'll be worth it in the long run!

 

[MrWilson]

As this is an aspirational build I would strongly suggest holding off a few months. We’re getting new generations of CPUs and GPUs later this year and my advice for everyone hasn’t changed: if this a PC you WANT rather than a PC you NEED e.g for work you are better off waiting as you’ll get vastly more performance for the budget you’re shooting for.
I would also recommend against small factor form builds. Small builds mean worse airflow and more heating which is never good for your components, and can also mean a lower feature set as some things need to be left out to keep the size down. There are some small factor cases that are good, but I would stay away from the PCS offerings, especially if you want to put a high end GPU in.

 

[sck451]

Your problem is that you are on the mini-PC configuration tool, which is very limiting in terms of choices (and isn't actually a good plan if it's not absolutely necessary). If you go on the main tools (either for Intel or AMD) you'll get many more choices, including 3080s. (Most 3080s won't fit in most mini-ITX cases, so they're not an option).

As to what you've learnt... Well, GHz matter, but they aren't the be-all-and-end-all. There's also the underlying architecture, core count and cache, along with other things like power draw and thermal output. You're better off going by overall reviews of a product rather than picking by one specific number.

As for AMD vs Nvidia... Nvidia's ray tracing and dynamic upscaling support are currently better, though it's not by a huge margin. At the low end, AMD is a better bet; at the top end, Nvidia are probably better (and weirdly are cheaper).

The key word is "currently", however. There will be new CPU and graphics card launches in the near future, probably with announcements in the next fortnight. If I were you, I'd wait for a few weeks to see what's coming up as it's likely to offer big improvements.

Finally, re resolution, the best value-for-money option is to go for a 1440p 144Hz display rather than pushing all the way to 4K. They're a lot cheaper and a lot easier for your computer to drive, while still giving a really good gaming experience.

 

[ChlBro]

Hello,

I posted a completely different spec a little while ago so my build has changed a LOT since then, as has my price range. Ideally what I want is not to HAVE to upgrade my PC for a long time and from what I've seen and been told everywhere else, this is a pretty solid build?

Main question is primarily regarding fans - the 5000D case with this build can support up to 4 extra fans so what would be the best options? I'd potentially add a streaming card at some point so would still want space for that. I know more fans = more noise so would also prefer to keep the extra to a minimum if possible.

I would have preferred the 4000D case but the GPU x Cooling wasn't compatible and neither of them are things I want to change.

Also, when proceeding with this configuration, there's the message "You have selected a 850W power supply, but based on our calculations you actually only need a 750W power supply. We have calculated your specification to require around 702W of power including a 20% allowance." Is there any particular issue or risk with a larger power supply or does that just mean it's more future proofed if I do decide to change things around?

This would be pretty much exclusively for gaming, potentially streaming and I've currently got 2 monitors (Dell P2419H 24 Inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) Monitor, 60 Hz) but will upgrade one/both to 1440p 144Hz as and when.

On my last post, people suggested waiting for more tech to be released but at this point I kind of just want to crack on and start using it. Technology advances so quickly, you're never going to keep up and I'm not particularly interested in the newest stuff. I'd rather get slightly older that's still reliable and lots of people recommend.

Thanks in advance again!

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 12-Core Processor i7-12700K (3.6GHz) 25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI (LGA1700, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 5200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st Storage Drive
512GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 450MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
1TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Supplied on USB Drive
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Price: £2,476.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z690-ddr5-pc/brR3MvC05K/

 

[MrWilson]

My advice hasn't changed, I would still recommend holding off. As a console gamer, would you have bought a PS4 a couple of months before the PS5 launched?
We don't advocate waiting for new products because they're flashy and new, we recommend it because all the signs point to big improvements, in the region of 50%. Dropping £2500 on a PC that is not for professional use is not something that I would recommend right now.

Obviously, it is your purchase, and your money, so if you would like to respectfully decline our advice I will also say that the new build specced could do with a lot of work. DDR5 is not yet worth it for gaming, as the technology has yet to be optimised to have improvements over DDR4, especially when factoring in its heavy price premium. Going for 3080 for 1440p gameplay is also excessive, especially when we will see cards cheaper than the 3080 offering more performance in just a few months time. M.2 SSDs are also far better than the older SATA SSDs you have specced out.