First Computer Build, Opinions Please !?

[EggsAndSam]

Hello,

I am planning to build my first computer, I have a budget around £600 (sorry I'm UK). I have pulled together a number of pieces that are (hopefully) compatible and would like opinions (its my first build so don't hold back on the details!). I would be using the machine primarily for gaming/photoshop and maybe a little video editing. I would like to also be able to use it for general use too. In terms of games I currently only play modded minecraft and overwatch but I'm looking to get more into PC gaming (I only have a laptop right now so I am slightly limited). Anyway, your opinions would be greatly appreciated, I would like this to be a solid first build with expansion potential:

Graphics: AMD Radeon rx480 £175
CPU: i5-4460 £133
Mobo: MSI B85-G43-Gaming £90
RAM: HyperX FURY 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1866MHz £30
SSD: [strike]Crucial BX200[/strike] Toshiba Trion 240GB £60
HDD: Something 1TD (probably western digital) £40
Power: [strike]Corsair CP-9020097-UK VS4550[/strike] Seasonic S12-II £60
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 White £72

Extras: SATA Disk Drive, 2x LED 120mm Fans, £40
Total Build: £700

EDIT: EXTRA INFO - Don't plan to overclock, don't currently plan to use SLI but maybe in future if the need arises, I use a 32" TV as a monitor, 1920x1080 I think. Will buy windows 10.

Suggestions on antivirus also welcome?

 

[Wayfall]

-This is the board right?
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z87-G45-GAMING.html#hero-specification

-Get a better PSU
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

-The i5 may be slightly CPU limited in 8 thread required games such as Witcher 3, Fallout 4 and Assassins Creed Unity/Syndicate.
All other games this CPU will wipe the floor with. If you don't want to be CPU limited an i5 4690K overclocked or i7 4790K will be fine.

-The RX 480 power wise is like in-between the GTX 970 and GTX 980TI, if that's what you want.

 

[Mr Kagouris]

Don't get a VS power supply, go for a Seasonic S12II. There shouldn't be a huge difference in price.

Also, don't buy Crucial BX200 SSDs. They are the worst brand SSDs I am aware of as sometimes their response times can get almost as big as an HDD's, and the random reads are simply horrid. Cheapest good quality choice for an SSD is usually an OCZ Trion 150.

Would it add any cost to go for a Skylake CPU and compatible motherboard+RAM? You'd get better CPU performance, and since DDR4 has practically replaced DDR3 as the mainstream memory standard you will be better off with it (DDR3 prices and availability will eventually worsen, much like DDR2 did).

 

[Mr Kagouris]

CPU limited

Witcher 3

Those two phrases don't go together

 

[Wayfall]

The i5 4460 can not handle Witcher 3, it just stutters from 100% usage as the game requires and 8 thread i7 this also goes for Fallout 4.

Its a good CPU but wont play everything, and the games it can't play are a tiny percentage

 

[EggsAndSam]

Sorry, the mobo was a misstype it has been updated now, link to it is here:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B85-G43-GAMING.html#hero-overview

 

[EggsAndSam]

Don't get a VS power supply, go for a Seasonic S12II. There shouldn't be a huge difference in price.

Also, don't buy Crucial BX200 SSDs. They are the worst brand SSDs I am aware of as sometimes their response times can get almost as big as an HDD's, and the random reads are simply horrid. Cheapest good quality choice for an SSD is usually an OCZ Trion 150.

Would it add any cost to go for a Skylake CPU and compatible motherboard+RAM? You'd get better CPU performance, and since DDR4 has practically replaced DDR3 as the mainstream memory standard you will be better off with it (DDR3 prices and availability will eventually worsen, much like DDR2 did).

So you would suggest:

-SSD
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OCZ-Toshiba-Trion-2-5-Inch-Triple/dp/B01B4NUKMY

-Power Supply
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seasonic-S12-II-Bronze-Certified-Supply/dp/B00390P1NO

 

[EggsAndSam]

-This is the board right?
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z87-G45-GAMING.html#hero-specification

-Get a better PSU
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

-The i5 may be slightly CPU limited in 8 thread required games such as Witcher 3, Fallout 4 and Assassins Creed Unity/Syndicate.
All other games this CPU will wipe the floor with. If you don't want to be CPU limited an i5 4690K overclocked or i7 4790K will be fine.

-The RX 480 power wise is like in-between the GTX 970 and GTX 980TI, if that's what you want.

Would you agree with the one suggested above for PSU?
From what I read RX480 is really good for the price?
And I'm not quite up to that level of gaming yet, so surely i5 is good for now ?

 

[Wayfall]

Well I have not used many PSU's but I currently haven an EVGA SuperNova G2 550w and it saved my PC from a huge surge when we had a huge storm in the UK (the thunder claps sound wave shook the whole building) and the PSU survived with also saving my pc.

I'm a fan of the Samsung EVO 850 250GB SSD

 

[EggsAndSam]

Thanks, it looks like a solid build now then?

Also any tips on saving a bit of money because im over budget already :L!

 

[Mr Kagouris]

The i5 4460 can not handle Witcher 3, it just stutters from 100% usage as the game requires and 8 thread i7 this also goes for Fallout 4.

Its a good CPU but wont play everything, and the games it can't play are a tiny percentage

Used to play Witcher 3 with an i5 760 (before upgrading to a 6600k to solve issues with Fallout 4) and never experienced stuttering. You want to tell me that a CPU from 2009-2010 can handle this game but it requires a 4th gen i7? Witcher 3 isn't very CPU dependent, the only way to get issues with a 3rd gen i5 or newer is to pair it with a GPU configuration way too powerful for it to handle in parallel with the game's needs, at which point you're overspending on the GPU and should have an i7 anyway.

So you would suggest:

-SSD
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OCZ-Toshiba-Trion-2-5-Inch-Tri...

-Power Supply
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seasonic-S12-II-Bronze-Certifi...

Yes, that's correct. While there are even better SSD choices such as the 850 Evo, I'd classify the Trion 150 as the minimum for any performance-oriented computer (gaming PC, workstation etc.). Whether spending the extra money is worth it depends on you.

As for the power supply, you don't need anything fancy like the EVGA G2s. The Seasonic S12II is of decent quality, the main downside being that it's non-modular.

 

[EggsAndSam]

The i5 4460 can not handle Witcher 3, it just stutters from 100% usage as the game requires and 8 thread i7 this also goes for Fallout 4.

Its a good CPU but wont play everything, and the games it can't play are a tiny percentage

Used to play Witcher 3 with an i5 760 (before upgrading to a 6600k to solve issues with Fallout 4) and never experienced stuttering. You want to tell me that a CPU from 2009-2010 can handle this game but it requires a 4th gen i7? Witcher 3 isn't very CPU dependent, the only way to get issues with a 3rd gen i5 or newer is to pair it with a GPU configuration way too powerful for it to handle in parallel with the game's needs, at which point you're overspending on the GPU and should have an i7 anyway.

So you would suggest:

-SSD
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OCZ-Toshiba-Trion-2-5-Inch-Tri...

-Power Supply
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seasonic-S12-II-Bronze-Certifi...

Yes, that's correct. While there are even better SSD choices such as the 850 Evo, I'd classify the Trion 150 as the minimum for any performance-oriented computer (gaming PC, workstation etc.). Whether spending the extra money is worth it depends on you.

As for the power supply, you don't need anything fancy like the EVGA G2s. The Seasonic S12II is of decent quality, the main downside being that it's non-modular.

Is it a problem that the GPU is GDDR5 and the CPU is DDR3

 

[Mr Kagouris]

No.

 

[Wayfall]

The i5 4460 can not handle Witcher 3, it just stutters from 100% usage as the game requires and 8 thread i7 this also goes for Fallout 4.

Its a good CPU but wont play everything, and the games it can't play are a tiny percentage

Used to play Witcher 3 with an i5 760 (before upgrading to a 6600k to solve issues with Fallout 4) and never experienced stuttering. You want to tell me that a CPU from 2009-2010 can handle this game but it requires a 4th gen i7? Witcher 3 isn't very CPU dependent, the only way to get issues with a 3rd gen i5 or newer is to pair it with a GPU configuration way too powerful for it to handle in parallel with the game's needs, at which point you're overspending on the GPU and should have an i7 anyway.

So you would suggest:

-SSD
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OCZ-Toshiba-Trion-2-5-Inch-Tri...

-Power Supply
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seasonic-S12-II-Bronze-Certifi...

Yes, that's correct. While there are even better SSD choices such as the 850 Evo, I'd classify the Trion 150 as the minimum for any performance-oriented computer (gaming PC, workstation etc.). Whether spending the extra money is worth it depends on you.

As for the power supply, you don't need anything fancy like the EVGA G2s. The Seasonic S12II is of decent quality, the main downside being that it's non-modular.

Is it a problem that the GPU is GDDR5 and the CPU is DDR3

Correction * RAM is DDR3

 

[Mr Kagouris]

Yeah, system RAM and VRAM are unrelated.