Merry Christmas! First-time specification intended for 1080p gaming and entry-level VR.

[Fistful]

Hey. I'm a total noob when it comes to actual computers and usually prefer to play on console, but I wanted to get a Vive or Index along the road and was going with the minimum specifications for Half-Life: Alyx as a baseline. My budget for the computer is £1000, and this comes in at a VERY sweet £823. If it makes a difference, I don't intend on overclocking the CPU or anything. Please let me know if I'm going about this totally the wrong way.

Case
PCS 6003B BLACK CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six Core CPU (3.4GHz-3.9GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME A320M-K: Micro-ATX, AM4, USB 3.0, 6GB/s
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 SUPER - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 450W VS SERIES™ VS-450 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence

 

[Izode]

I’m not expert but it seems like some additional SSD is a must generally

 

[Fistful]

I’m not expert but it seems like some additional SSD is a must generally

Thanks for the quick reply. I understand that an SSD is a great boost and lasts just as long as an HDD nowadays, but it does seem to be a bit expensive even for smaller drives. I toyed with the idea of a 240gb one for the OS and programs I'd use very often, but it bumped my price up a fair bit. I'm not that fussy about boot speeds to be honest, as I'm one of those weirdos who'd prefer to configure my boot logo and loading screen to be like Windows XP or 95!

Thanks again.

 

[Oussebon]

This isn't a good buy.

It cuts a lot of corners that will hurt the performance and long term usefulness of the PC into the future. An R5 3600, B450 mobo, and fast RAM would make a lot more sense, and easily fit in the budget. The case and PSU will limit upgrade options.

When are you getting the VR kit?

If it's not for a while, you're buying a GPU that is a bit of a waste for 1080p gaming, that may have been replaced by faster and cheaper options by the time you do need the horsepower, and that in any event may not perform well on your game(s) of choice. Since we don't know how well Alyx will run, and on what hardware yet.

 

[Oussebon]

if you were buying a ~£1000 PC, and have / will imminently have an appropriate monitor or VR kit, then:

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX K500 RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.2GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME B450-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.1, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 5700 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12

Get 3 Months of XBOX Game Pass for PC w/ select AMD Radeon Graphics

Ghost Recon: Breakpoint -OR- Borderlands 3 w/ select AMD Radeon GPUs
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB ADATA SX6000 Pro PCIe M.2 2280 (2100 MB/R, 1500 MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
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 7 to 9 working days
Price: £987.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/kRUvSHcrUe/

Much better CPU + RAM. Faster GPU. Not too expensive SSD. Better case to improve upgrade options and minimise roasting of your components.

 

[Oussebon]

If you're not getting your monitor etc for a while, and will just be 1080p gaming, then the spec I posted but with a GTX 1650 Super or something would do.

Both the 1650 Super and 1660 are faster than the 1060.

 

[Fistful]

Wow, thank you very much for the good advice. I went back to my original spec, reconfigured the GPU to a GTX 1660 Super and dropped the price by well over £100, which gave me plenty of leeway with the CPU and case too. I'm actually still torn whether to wait for the full Index kit to become available (orders are apparently slowly shipping but still out of stock for me) or to mix a Vive headset with the Index Knuckles and Lighthouse instead.

The most recent game I'm looking at right now is RDR2, which I know is a beast of a game to render. From my understanding, if I'm not really the type to bother with ray tracing, I definitely shouldn't bother with an RTX card then? All I'm looking for really is a GPU capable of a solid 60fps in the likes of Far Cry 5, Fallout 4, GTA V and The Witcher 3. The vast majority of my Steam library consists of games released prior to 2014, except for those four.

Again, thank you so much. You've saved this muppet a good chunk of money.

 

[Scott]

I have the valve index. I wouldn't go lower than a 2080 GPU for AAA VR games to be honest. The extra FPS with the index (144hz) makes a huge difference to eye comfort and, where applicable, motion sickness (My GF notices a HUGE difference but it doesn't affect me).

I'm running a 2080, I would have went with the Ti if I could justify it.

I know this pushes you way outwith your budget but it will limit the performance of the high end VR headsets.

Of course, this only applies to VR gaming. Anything else the select GPUs will smash.

 

[Oussebon]

The R5 3600 is in a different "configurator" to the 2000 series CPUs. So you'd need to make up a spec in the different configurator. You can get to it via the link I posted.

A 3000 series is, in my opinion, a much, much better buy than a 2000 series one.

Also 2 things about the graphics card:
The RTX GPUs by Nvidia may have ray-tracing as the headline feature, but they also pack increasingly more raw horsepower too. For VR as above, you want a lot of horsepower from the GPU, since as well as playing at reasonably high settings you also want high and consistent framerates.
The RX 5700 in my spec isn't an RTX GPU, RX is just what AMD have been calling their GPUs long since before Nvidia started using RTX. The RX 5700 is in the same league as the RTX 2060 / 2060 Super.

Though as above, buying a mid-range GPU like a 1660 / Super for 1080p gaming and upgrading to a very beefy GPU when you do get a VR kit may be the way to go.

What is your spec looking like now?

 

[Fistful]

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX K500 RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.2GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME B450-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.1, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 5700 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
256GB ADATA SX6000 Pro PCIe M.2 2280 (2100 MB/R, 1200 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY

That's coming to £981 with delivery included (has to be delivered to Northern Ireland), so definitely still within budget. It does mean I'll be saving for the VR kit a bit longer (I try to put away around £300 a month when I can), but I get the feeling Alyx is going to be delayed anyway. The case in particular is really appealing, especially compared to the cheap one I had.

 

[Fistful]

I have the valve index. I wouldn't go lower than a 2080 GPU for AAA VR games to be honest. The extra FPS with the index (144hz) makes a huge difference to eye comfort and, where applicable, motion sickness (My GF notices a HUGE difference but it doesn't affect me).

I'm running a 2080, I would have went with the Ti if I could justify it.

I know this pushes you way outwith your budget but it will limit the performance of the high end VR headsets.

Of course, this only applies to VR gaming. Anything else the select GPUs will smash.

Thanks for the input, especially regarding refresh rates. Unfortunately for me to afford a 2080 or a 5700 XT, I'd need to hold off til the end of next month for my wages so I can put a bit more into my savings.

I've been using PSVR since last October, and have noticed that it tends to floor my friends and relatives but not me - except for L.A. Noire and Apex Construct, which both made me turn it off after an hour and lie down. I know exactly what you mean about eye comfort being an absolute must, though.

Out of interest, are your Index controllers prone to drift? A fair few of the complaints I've seen about them online seem to be about poor build quality, drifting sticks and malfunctioning triggers, but I think just from looking at them they're exactly the kind of immersive controller I'd want for a VR system. Hoping that once they come back in stock, they'll be relatively problem-free.

 

[Oussebon]

The spec is a solid spec for a general gaming PC

My concern is that the RX 5700 may sit in an awkward place. It's overkill for 1080p gaming. If you're not rolling in money, it may be too much. While it may be a bit thin for a great VR experience in AAA titles. With Alyx in particular, we won't know until we know. And if it is indeed delayed, that only means that there is more chance newer and more powerful GPUs will be out, at a lower price.

Unfortunately for me to afford a 2080 or a 5700 XT, I'd need to hold off til the end of next month for my wages so I can put a bit more into my savings.

Re the 2080, the 2070 Super is near enough a 2080. The 2080 on sale at PCS currently is a 2080 Super.

But again, overbuying a GPU for a VRkit you don't have yet leaves you vulnerable to having wasted cash. As above, by the time you get the kit and start using the hardware you paid for, it may already be obsolete.

 

[Fistful]

The spec is a solid spec for a general gaming PC

My concern is that the RX 5700 may sit in an awkward place. It's overkill for 1080p gaming. If you're not rolling in money, it may be too much. While it may be a bit thin for a great VR experience in AAA titles. With Alyx in particular, we won't know until we know. And if it is indeed delayed, that only means that there is more chance newer and more powerful GPUs will be out, at a lower price.

Re the 2080, the 2070 Super is near enough a 2080. The 2080 on sale at PCS currently is a 2080 Super.

So, what do you suggest? Stick with a 1660 Super and upgrade when I have the means and when the full recommended specs are released? That does drop the price a fair bit. I don't mind that at all, as I'd like to have a solid computer relatively soon. The 1660 Super does seem to really hold its own FPS wise on some particularly demanding titles.

I think I might do that. That way, once we know exactly what runs it well, I should have enough saved for it - plus, there's always the (admittedly VERY slim) chance of a price drop on the Index itself.

 

[Oussebon]

What monitor are you gaming on, what refresh rate, remind me?

 

[Fistful]

What monitor are you gaming on, what refresh rate, remind me?

Ah sorry I didn't even mention that. Apologies if it's stupid to use a TV for PC gaming, but I'm using a Sony Bravia KD49XE8396 with a 60hz refresh rate. Should note I don't use any of the motionflow, HDR or extra additions, and have a custom setting for the Xbox to reduce input lag without any drop in quality.

 

[Oussebon]

That's a 4k TV. You're not going to be gaming at 4k of any of the 1660 / RX 5700 etc. An RX 5700 could let you do 1440p.. but what's the point, when you may well want to upgrade the GPU for VR anyway,

The 1660 Super seems like the best option - if waiting altogether is not something you want to do - and then reviewing options down the line.

A 2080 Super (or whatever refreshed edition comes out by the time you are ready to upgrade) would make a good fist of 4k gaming on the TV too, as well as being excellent for VR.

That said, I usually recommend against buying something from a given generation and then replacing it with something from the same generation though. e.g. buying a 1660 Super and replacing it with a 2080 Super. When you could just wait and buy a 2080 Super outright.

Since you have a 4k TV, you'd actually get good mileage from a 2080 Super even without the VR kit.

 

[Fistful]

That's a 4k TV. You're not going to be gaming at 4k of any of the 1660 / RX 5700 etc. An RX 5700 could let you do 1440p.. but what's the point, when you may well want to upgrade the GPU for VR anyway,

The 1660 Super seems like the best option - if waiting altogether is not something you want to do - and then reviewing options down the line.

A 2080 Super (or whatever refreshed edition comes out by the time you are ready to upgrade) would make a good fist of 4k gaming on the TV too, as well as being excellent for VR.

That said, I usually recommend against buying something from a given generation and then replacing it with something from the same generation though. e.g. buying a 1660 Super and replacing it with a 2080 Super. When you could just wait and buy a 2080 Super outright.

Since you have a 4k TV, you'd actually get good mileage from a 2080 Super even without the VR kit.

Yeah, I see what you're getting at. All things considered, I reckon I could hold off until the end of January and be able to add a 2080 Super into the spec instead of a 1660. I've got £1,213 saved so far, and adding a 2080 Super to my specification bumps that to £1,384 - for the extra £200 I can put away later on, I may as well just hold on. What about a 2070 Super? That keeps it at £1,113.

 

[Oussebon]

For 4k, the 2080 Super would make more sense. It would be a shame to spend so much on the system then find it doesn't quite deliver what you're after. Especially for VR where the framerate isn't just about the odd screen tear or repeated frame but about being queasy or not I guess.

I'd argue in for a penny, in for a pound. At least you'll be certain you're getting the best you can reasonably afford (i9 CPUs and RTX 2080 tis being in the less reasonable camp )

 

[Fistful]

For 4k, the 2080 Super would make more sense. It would be a shame to spend so much on the system then find it doesn't quite deliver what you're after. Especially for VR where the framerate isn't just about the odd screen tear or repeated frame but about being queasy or not I guess.

I'd argue in for a penny, in for a pound. At least you'll be certain you're getting the best you can reasonably afford (i9 CPUs and RTX 2080 tis being in the less reasonable camp )

You know what? You're absolutely right. I've waited this long, what's another 24 days or so at this point? I'll hold off until the 28th of January then go all in with the 2080 Super. Thank you so much for helping me out, I really appreciate all the advice.