[SOLVED] New Intel complete build £1,250

Taniki

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Jan 1, 2009
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Hi,

My desktop is almost 7 years old and is still running Win 7. I figure this is a good time to upgrade rather than moving to Win 10 only. Mostly I'm worried the hardware will fail due to it's age.

I'm looking for help with:

Approximate Purchase Date:
May 1st latest

Budget Range: £1,250 (additional if required to cover OS and retain quality)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (all genres, latest most demanding games), Recording, streaming

Are you buying a monitor: Yes, if needed - current is BenQ GL246-B.

Parts to Upgrade: Motherboard, CPU, RAM, Power Supply, storage, case, graphics card. Headset (everything but mouse, keyboard).

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Overclockers or other site shipping to UAE.

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (English having to live/work in UAE)

Parts Preferences: Intel CPU, ASUS, Razer

Overclocking: Pre-overclocked, yes. I will not be overclocking myself.

SLI or Crossfire: If required

Your Monitor Resolution: Current is 1920 x 1080 - not sure if that will change with new monitor

Additional Comments: Playing RPGs, MMORPGS, FPS, Strategy (League of Legends, World of Tanks, Warplanes, Mount & Blade, Total War games, Witcher, Fall out, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Elder Scrolls, Guild Wars 2 and recording) Looking to possibly stream

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Desktop is 7 years old running win 7.

This is my existing set up.

(From Overclockers)
Intel 4820K 3.70GHz (Ivybridge-E) Socket LGA2011 Processor - Retail (BX80633I74820K)
CP-502-IN

HIS HD 7950 IceQ BOOST 3072MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card (H795QC3G2M)
GX-065-HS

Avexir Core Blue Series 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 PC3-19200C10 2400MHz Quad Channel Memory Kit (AVD3U24001004G-4CI) - Blue Light
MY-004-AR

CM Storm Sniper Gaming Tower Case - PURE Black
CA-303-CM

(From SCAN)
ANTEC FORMULA 7 THERMAL COMPND
LN362561

AKASA AK-CC4008HP01 VOODOO
LN413311

GByte GA-X79-UD3 X79 s2011 MoB
LN420741

3XS X79 IVY-E BIOS UPGRADE
LN533511

Thank you for any advice and feedback
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Solution
The new graphics cards are rumored to launch at the highest end.
They will be VERY expensive, and likely hard to buy initially.
Your 7950 is an older card. Perhaps the equivalent of a GTX1050.
I suspect that you would be pleased with something in the GTX1660 class.
Here is a link to tom's gpu hierarchy list:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
You may find that your cpu is a limiting factor in some games.
Try this test to see how your cpu would do for a stronger graphics card:
Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS...
Something like this should be good...

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-9700 3 GHz 8-Core Processor | £361.51 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Motherboard | MSI Z390-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | £122.59 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | £80.39 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Storage | Western Digital Blue SN550 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | £82.43 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8 GB VENTUS Video Card | £411.95 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Case | Phanteks P300 ATX Mid Tower Case | £68.27 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Power Supply | BitFenix Formula Gold 750 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply | £95.59 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Headphones | Sennheiser GSP 300 Headset | £100.43 @ Overclockers.co.uk
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | £1323.16
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-02 13:48 BST+0100 |


Note: Activate Windows later on. There is no effect on performance...
https://www.howtogeek.com/244678/you-dont-need-a-product-key-to-install-and-use-windows-10/
 
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Nov 3, 2019
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PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-9700KF 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor | £346.97 @ Laptops Direct
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB 66.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | £47.93 @ CCL Computers
Motherboard | MSI Z390-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | £105.46 @ Scan.co.uk
Memory | Patriot Viper Steel 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | £74.55 @ CCL Computers
Storage | ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | £50.94 @ CCL Computers
Storage | Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | £52.22 @ CCL Computers
Video Card | MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB EVOKE OC Video Card | £349.99 @ AWD-IT
Case | GameMax Fortress ATX Full Tower Case | £50.37 @ CCL Computers
Power Supply | SeaSonic FOCUS 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply | £89.99 @ CCL Computers
Case Fan | Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo 3-in-1 47.2 CFM 120 mm Fans | £39.99 @ AWD-IT
Case Fan | Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo 3-in-1 47.2 CFM 120 mm Fans | £39.99 @ AWD-IT
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | £1248.40
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-03 14:34 BST+0100 |

Future proof/upgradable. Good cooling. All you need considering that you won't even overclock it. You could sell your pc and monitor to buy better monitor.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
Monitor | Asus TUF Gaming VG27BQ 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor | £384.97 @ Laptops Direct
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | £384.97
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-03 14:17 BST+0100 |
 
Last edited:
If assembling in the UK itself without headphones as above, then this should be better...

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-9700 3 GHz 8-Core Processor | £327.97 @ Laptops Direct
CPU Cooler | ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO CPU Cooler | £37.73 @ Overclockers.co.uk
Motherboard | MSI Z390-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | £105.46 @ Scan.co.uk
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | £77.94 @ Aria PC
Storage | Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | £101.49 @ CCL Computers
Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB VENTUS OC Video Card | £489.99 @ Box Limited
Case | Phanteks ECLIPSE P350X ATX Mid Tower Case | £61.99 @ Box Limited
Power Supply | Corsair TXM Gold 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply | £79.98 @ Currys PC World Business
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | £1282.55
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-03 14:37 BST+0100 |
 
How is your current setup performing for you today?
I would not worry about failures due to age.

I don't know that this is a good time to buy.
Rumors are that intel 10th gen desktops will launch in April.
Intel is not going to let ryzen eat their lunch.
The new processors will be better threaded and retain the usual intel high clock rate performance.
Buying now might give you buyer's remorse in a month or two.

I might look to upgrade the monitor first.
Larger, higher resolution monitors will be more immersive for your types of games.

Once you have the monitor installed, you will be better able to determine just how strong your graphics card needs to be to give you the performance you need.
What is the make/model of your current psu?
If your psu is adequate, you could also buy a graphics card upgrade today.

I suppose you could also shop for a case today.
Cases are a personal thing, so look for a case that you love.
Bust your budget if you need to. It will be with you for a long time.

1. It needs to hold your parts. A M-ATX motherboard will fit in a ATX case, but a ATX motherboard will not fit in a M-ATX case.

2. Your current case is not that good for airflow. Look for a case with at least two 120/140mm front intakes. You want a washable front filter to keep your parts clean.

3. Many like liquid cooling, but in a good case, I prefer a good air cooler. For that, look for a case with 160mm headroom.
 

Taniki

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Jan 1, 2009
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It performs well enough to last until the i10s come out. It is functioning but some software issues and error messages.

I don't like small cases at all, so I'm happy to go with a large one and will take everything into consideration.

The psu was a corsair bronze or silver i think. I'd need to check further.
 

Taniki

Distinguished
Jan 1, 2009
38
1
18,535
How is your current setup performing for you today?
I would not worry about failures due to age.

I don't know that this is a good time to buy.
Rumors are that intel 10th gen desktops will launch in April.
Intel is not going to let ryzen eat their lunch.
The new processors will be better threaded and retain the usual intel high clock rate performance.
Buying now might give you buyer's remorse in a month or two.

I might look to upgrade the monitor first.
Larger, higher resolution monitors will be more immersive for your types of games.

Once you have the monitor installed, you will be better able to determine just how strong your graphics card needs to be to give you the performance you need.
What is the make/model of your current psu?
If your psu is adequate, you could also buy a graphics card upgrade today.

I suppose you could also shop for a case today.
Cases are a personal thing, so look for a case that you love.
Bust your budget if you need to. It will be with you for a long time.

1. It needs to hold your parts. A M-ATX motherboard will fit in a ATX case, but a ATX motherboard will not fit in a M-ATX case.

2. Your current case is not that good for airflow. Look for a case with at least two 120/140mm front intakes. You want a washable front filter to keep your parts clean.

3. Many like liquid cooling, but in a good case, I prefer a good air cooler. For that, look for a case with 160mm headroom.


Thank you for the good advice, I have waited and now seen advice to wait again due to the newer GPUs coming out around November. So I suspect this is the thing to do?

I did buy a monitor, I went with the MSI MAG271CQR based on what was available at reasonable price here
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/msi-optix-mag271cqr-144hz-curved-gaming-monitor,6213.html

I am very happy with the monitor, the overall appearance is better for certain. However it seems like due to the limitations of the card, I can see the imperfections better.

Cheers
 
The new graphics cards are rumored to launch at the highest end.
They will be VERY expensive, and likely hard to buy initially.
Your 7950 is an older card. Perhaps the equivalent of a GTX1050.
I suspect that you would be pleased with something in the GTX1660 class.
Here is a link to tom's gpu hierarchy list:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
You may find that your cpu is a limiting factor in some games.
Try this test to see how your cpu would do for a stronger graphics card:
Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.

Your current i7-4820K has 8 threads and a passmark rating of 6586. That is when all 8 threads are fully in use.
The single thread rating is1924. This is more important for most games.
When you upgrade the cpu(and mobo/DDR4) look at the I5-10600k.
It has 12 threads and a rating of 14685/2669.
Here is a review:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-core-i5-10600k-cpu-review
 
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Solution

Taniki

Distinguished
Jan 1, 2009
38
1
18,535
The new graphics cards are rumored to launch at the highest end.
They will be VERY expensive, and likely hard to buy initially.
Your 7950 is an older card. Perhaps the equivalent of a GTX1050.
I suspect that you would be pleased with something in the GTX1660 class.
Here is a link to tom's gpu hierarchy list:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
You may find that your cpu is a limiting factor in some games.
Try this test to see how your cpu would do for a stronger graphics card:
Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.

Your current i7-4820K has 8 threads and a passmark rating of 6586. That is when all 8 threads are fully in use.
The single thread rating is1924. This is more important for most games.
When you upgrade the cpu(and mobo/DDR4) look at the I5-10600k.
It has 12 threads and a rating of 14685/2669.
Here is a review:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-core-i5-10600k-cpu-review

Thanks really for that, I will try this out and see what happens.

In the meantime, I have whipped off the side of my case to find out the side & front fans are not working, the power supply fan is not working (crashes have reduced significantly since removing the side). The GPU is running around 80-85c and I suspect spiking as it gets hot.

Do I need to worry about compatibility/connections for replacing the PSU with a shiny new one that will go into my new build?
 
First of all, buy only a quality psu.
I might suggest a 550w or 650w seasonic focus.
Consider it as a long term investment.
Here is what you would need for various graphics cards:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
Replacing a psu is not necessarily a difficult thing if you are careful.
Do not force anything, parts are keyed to fit only one way.
Be careful when removing the old 24 pin connector. Do not pull on the wires.

It is typical for a modern graphics card to run at 80c.
They do run hot, but are designed to do so.
Excessively hot might produce artifacts. Low or bad power from the psu can also cause image problems.
I do not know about the older amd units. In the(long distant past when I had an amd gpu)past, I found the image quality lacking.
 
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Taniki

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Jan 1, 2009
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18,535
Hi,

I decided to stick with what I had (My Corsair TX850M Gold) for a PSU as it lasted 7 years even without the fan going. So today I picked up one and carefully replaced it, ensuring each cable was matched during replacement.

I thought all was well until powering it on to get this error:

RECOVERY

Your PC/Device needs to be repaired

The Boot Configuration Data file is missing some required information

File: \Boot\BCD
Error code 0xc000000d

You'll need to use recovery tools....

----

Please help, I've tried disconnect/reconnecting the cables, performing chkdsk which comes back fine, startup repair (failed) and reinstalling windows (it wouldn't accept the drive type).

It recognises the SSD as the number 1 boot device but enters Recovery each attempt to start up.