Intel Arc B580 GPU Build - Sim Racing

[StewartHart185]

I'm looking to build a system for under £1,500 (not including monitor) for 1080p/1440p sim racing and retro gaming. The most demanding titles will be the likes of the forthcoming Assetto Corsa Evo and Le Mans Ultimate. This is not a build for traditional AAA titles with heavy use of ray tracing etc.

After watching reviews the Intel Arc B580 seems to be a very good lower end card that could suit my needs. Would a lower end CPU be a better match for this card than the 9800X3D? Can I cut back on the CPU cooler, power supply etc. Is there a more suitable case?

I'm aware new Nvidia and AMD GPU's will soon be announced, which could also see a price cut for the new Intel cards. I'll only be purchasing the machine late Jan/Feb.

Thanks for your help.

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 205 MESH C GAMING CASE - WHITE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB SPARKLE INTEL ARC B580 TITAN OC - HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ - MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX XT RGB High 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
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (6 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: £1,663.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/0sscPF3yPr/

 

[sck451]

First, you'll have to look at the market when you want to buy the PC. All kinds of things (from product launches to tariffs and trade wars) could affect pricing, so it only makes sense to decide then.

But you should not spend that little on a graphics card and then that much on the rest of the PC. It ends up with you getting less performance for your money than you can get. It's just not necessary to get a CPU as good as the 9800X3D with a budget-ish graphics card. You won't see the benefit of the CPU's performance as you'll be limited by the graphics card. So I'd buy a cheaper CPU and a cheaper cooler. I'd also spend less on the power supply (for this tier of system, the RM750e is a really top-end option, absolutely adequate for anything short of a xx90 graphics card) and shift the storage around so it's a little slower but you get way more.

As for the case, it's fine. Not amazing, but fine. Do you specifically want white? Are there any other features you'd like to have?

Here's where all that ends up:

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 205 MESH C GAMING CASE - WHITE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7700 Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-5.3GHz/40MB CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB SPARKLE INTEL ARC B580 TITAN OC - HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMe SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 150 Series High 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
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (6 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: £1,264.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/8bEGApZJJv/

 

[StewartHart185]

When the new GPU’s are announced I may swap out the B580 for a 4070 of some sort if there are good deals. Maybe even a 5060 or AMD equivalent. Would the CPU you selected still be adequate?

I’m happy to use any case as it will be stored under a desk. One last question, if I don’t select Windows, does the system still boot up as normal, then ask for a code to upgrade to the full version of Windows?

Thanks for your help.

 

[sck451]

When the new GPU’s are announced I may swap out the B580 for a 4070 of some sort if there are good deals. Maybe even a 5060 or AMD equivalent. Would the CPU you selected still be adequate?

I’m happy to use any case as it will be stored under a desk. One last question, if I don’t select Windows, does the system still boot up as normal, then ask for a code to upgrade to the full version of Windows?

Thanks for your help.

Well, I wouldn't start worrying about the precise card until you're about to order, especially as the 5060 isn't out (and probably won't be for some months). I'd also consider the monitor: if you get a stronger card, like the 4070, I'd want to consider a monitor upgrade from 1080p to 1440p: your benefit from a graphics card upgrade would be limited if you stick with the lower resolution monitor.

You could do that, but it's better practice to reinstall from scratch. You'll get a cleaner installation that way, and be able to make sure it's properly configured for your system.