Gaming computers are the most alive of all living things! Analysts at Jon Peddie Research (JPR). According to experts, in 2016, spending on computers, components and peripherals reached $30 billion for the first time. 43% of the indicated amount falls on top gaming equipment. The data presented is very believable, because video card manufacturers - AMD and NVIDIA - do the same. Statistical calculations suggest certain thoughts, and, assessing the growing interest in gaming PCs and the ever-increasing number of enthusiasts, we decided to launch the “Computer of the Month” section.
Computer of the Month - February 2017
Should you assemble the system yourself or trust the professionals? It is impossible to answer this somewhat philosophical question unambiguously. Each approach has both its pros and cons. We know for sure that the most difficult and important thing is the selection of hardware. “Computer of the month” solves this problem. The article presents five current assemblies. For each device, we took the average price indicated at the time of writing on the Yandex.Market website (region - Moscow). Obviously, in some stores the components offered are more expensive, in others - cheaper, but it is quite possible to be guided by the prices we indicate. But we do not take into account the cost of software in the calculation; we evaluate only the hardware.
Unfortunately, not all builds experience competition. Intel has so far “shot back” by releasing a line of Skylake Refresh Kaby Lake chips. From AMD we expect new, powerful and promising desktop Ryzen processors, as well as motherboards on the modern AM4 platform - with their release and Intel’s response to the new product, real competition will begin. There is not long to wait, the most interesting things are yet to come.
Optimal assembly
Budget - 75-80 thousand rubles. The system is relevant for modern games in Full HD and WQHD resolutions with high/maximum graphics quality settings.
| Optimal assembly | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-7600, 4 cores, 3.5 (4.1) GHz, 6 MB L3, LGA1151 | ||
| Maternal pay | Intel H270 Express | Examples:
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| RAM | 2 × 8 GB DDR4-2400 | ||
| Video card | |||
| Drives | HDD: 1 TB, 7200 rpm | ||
| SSD: 120-128 GB () | |||
| Processor cooler | Examples:
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| Frame | Examples:
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| Block nutrition | Examples:
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| Total | |||
Everything is clear with the AMD platform - it is not in the optimal, advanced and extreme builds. If you want to support the “reds,” then save your savings until the release of Ryzen processors and motherboards based on the X370/B350 chipsets. The second point: the existing FX chips are still rather weak for a video card of the GeForce GTX 1070 level. The Pascal adapter, third in the table of ranks, is the pride of an optimal assembly.
With a system based on an Intel processor, not everything is so simple - our version is shown in the table. I'd really like to see an SSD in the system. Another “scheme” is to buy a Core i5-7600K (RUB 17,000) and an ASRock Z270 Pro4 level board (RUB 8,500), but in this case it will no longer be possible to stay within the budget. Overclocking the processor in conjunction with the GeForce GTX 1070 certainly won’t hurt - for example, in Battlefield 1, any Core i5 is loaded at 100%. And there are more and more games like this.
The third option is aimed at obtaining maximum productivity. We postpone the purchase of a solid-state drive until later, but take the Core i7-7700. The processor, when all four cores are fully loaded, operates at 4 GHz - a decent figure. Eight threads will also come in handy “in those battlefields of yours” (don’t forget that along with the game on the computer, as a rule, several applications are running at once).
Advanced build
Budget - 100 thousand rubles. The system is relevant for modern games in Full HD and WQHD resolutions with high/maximum graphics quality settings.
| Advanced build | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-7700K, 4 cores, 4.2 (4.5) GHz, 8 MB L3, LGA1151 () | ||
| Maternal pay | Intel Z270 Express | Examples:
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| Operational memory | 2 × 8 GB DDR4-2400 | ||
| Video card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, 8 GB GDDR5 () | ||
| Drives | HDD: 1 TB, 7200 rpm | ||
| SSD: 240-256 GB () | |||
| Processor cooler | Examples:
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| Frame | Examples:
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| Block nutrition | Examples:
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| Total | |||
Increasing the budget by 20-25 thousand rubles eliminates the headache when choosing components. We leave the GeForce GTX 1070, but we have enough money to buy a Core i7, a motherboard for overclocking and a 240-256 GB SSD. At the same time, there is enough financial reserve to purchase a better quality case and power supply.
In fact, we have before us the maximum configuration for the LGA1151 platform in 2017. The Core i7-7700K operates at 4.4 GHz when all four cores are loaded. For the GeForce GTX 1070, this figure is quite enough. But additional overclocking is possible - Kaby Lake processors are faster than Skylake. If you're lucky, there's a chance to get a "stone" that will accelerate to 5 GHz even with the use of air cooling. True, in any case we are talking about supercoolers or maintenance-free air coolers, because under the hood Kaby Lake still uses mediocre quality thermal paste. Therefore, in most cases, still count on 4.6-4.8 GHz.
MSI Z270 GAMING PRO CARBON;
- Noctua NH-D15S ();
- CRYORIG R1 ULTIMATE()
- Fractal Design Define R5;
- Thermaltake Suppressor F51;
- NZXT H440;
- Cooler Master MasterCase 5
- Zalman ZM750-EBT 750 W;
- Corsair RM750x 750W;
- Enermax REVOLUTION DUO 700 W;
- Thermaltake "Neva 750 W"
If you have 150 thousand rubles, you have two options. The first is purchasing a Core i7-7700K. The second is the purchase of a Core i7-6800K for the LGA2011-v3 platform. The option with Kaby Lake is supported by a more modern architecture and a very high clock frequency, as they say, right out of the box. Broadwell-E has six cores and 12 threads, which are useful in tasks such as design, video editing and 3D graphics. Tests show that in most games the Core i7-7700K is still preferable. The Core i7-6800K can easily be overclocked to 4.2-4.5 GHz, but it will also require a super cooler or a maintenance-free liquid cooling system.
With the release of Broadwell-E processors, the LGA2011-v3 platform acquired a complete look. There will be no more new chips for this socket. The upcoming Skylake-X is compatible with the LGA2066 platform. But LGA1151, if nothing extraordinary happens, will house another generation of desktop Core processors - Coffee Lake. There are rumors that with the release of these solutions, 6-core CPUs will finally become mainstream.
Choosing Kaby Lake opens up the possibility of purchasing a high-capacity solid-state drive. And the power supply is enough to install a second GeForce GTX 1080.
Date: 02/24/2017
Hi all?
Do you want to choose a powerful gaming computer 2017?
I offer you the most optimal configurations for any budget - from super-cheap builds for 20 thousand to “dream” computers costing 200 thousand.
Now is the time to think about which gaming computer to buy. The beginning of the year is the best time for this.
Even if such a purchase is not included in your plans in the near future, bookmark this text - the assemblies selected in it will be relevant throughout the year. So, how to choose a gaming computer in 2017.
General points
You will learn how to choose exactly system unit. When choosing a mouse, monitor and keyboard, everything is simpler - here the choice depends on your capabilities and preferences.
We assembled the configurations discussed in the review on Intel processors. Just the other day, this company changed the generation of processors, but the new KabyLake is only slightly superior to Skylake, although they may be more expensive.
Since for a gaming computer great importance has a video card, we selected all assemblies from tested Skylake, indicating the most alternative option KabyLake.
Computer costing from 20,000 rubles
The minimum budget with which you can think about assembling a gaming computer.
You'll have to give up the video card, but the graphics subsystems of Intel processors have made significant progress recently, so a budget Pentium G4500 will be enough.
We take the OEM version processor, a good and fairly cheap CoolerMaster DP6 cooler, and add the AS Rock H100M-DGS motherboard.
We don’t have enough money for an SSD drive, but we can easily limit ourselves to a Western Digital WD10EZEX drive – it’s quite reliable.
Let's also take a Deepcool DN400 power supply with a power of 400 watts, since our version will add a separate video card in the future.
The final configuration of such a computer:
- Power supply: Deepcool DN400 - 2500 rubles.
- Processor – 4500 rubles.
- Housing – 2200 rubles.
- Cooler – 500 rubles.
- Western Digital WD10EZEX 1 TB drive – 3,000 rubles.
- Motherboard – 3000 rubles.
- RAM – 3700 rubles.
Total – 20,000 rubles. Agree, not bad considering that such a PC has enough capabilities for many games.
Computer costing from 35 thousand rubles
A third of the budget in this option will go to the Palit GTX 1050 Ti video card. This version has twice the memory capacity - exactly what you need for games.
We save on the processor and buy an IntelCore i3-6100 (two cores, but 3.7 GHz is enough to unlock the card’s potential). We take a more powerful cooler, taking into account the fact that the load will be large - Deepcool Gammax 200T.
Motherboard - MSI B150M Bazooka, WD 10 EZEX hard drive and add 8 gigabytes of Kingston Hyper XFury DDR4 memory.
All that remains is to add a power supply, take a 500 watt one - Aero Cool KCAS 500W. As for the case, any from Zalman (Z1 or Z1 Neo) is suitable.
Final configuration:
- Housing – 2500 rubles.
- Processor – 8000 rubles.
- Power supply – 3000 rubles.
- Cooler – 800 rubles.
- HDD drive – 3000 rubles.
- Video card – 10,000 rubles.
- Motherboard – 5000 rubles.
- RAM – 4200 rubles.
We get a pretty good gaming computer.
Gaming computer starting from 50,000 rubles
This configuration is almost identical to the previous one. You spend the remaining 15,000 on replacing the processor (quad-core Intel Core i5-6400) and video card for 8,000 (MSI GTX 1060 with 6 GB of memory). You will also need a more powerful power supply - Cireftec CTG-650C.
As a result, for this amount we get a fairly solid PC on which to play modern online games. Yes, not always maximum settings, but close to them.
Gaming computer starting from 85,000 rubles
In this option, a significant part of the budget will be spent on a GTX 1070 video card. We take a Core i5-6600K processor, a Deepcool Gammaxxx cooler, and an Asus Z170-A motherboard. This combination allows you to increase the frequency from the base 3.5 GHz to 4.5 GHz.
We increase RAM– Western Digital WD20EZRZ 2 terabytes and SSD Kingston SHFS37A 120 GB. Add a 750-watt AeroCool VX-750 power supply. The assembly should be packaged in the Aero Cool Xpredator X3 case.
Configuration:
- Housing – 7000 rubles.
- Processor – 17,000 rubles.
- Power supply – 3500 rubles.
- Cooler – 1200 rubles.
- SSD drive – 3500 rubles.
- Video card – 30,000 rubles.
- RAM – 8200 rubles.
- Motherboard – 9200 rubles.
- HDD drive – 5000 rubles.
We get a system on which you can easily play various modern projects at maximum in FullHD.
Computer dream
The most expensive of the options, but also cool. It will require the most advanced software this moment GTX video card.
Moreover, we take two Palit GTX 1080 Game Rock Premium. We purchase the flagship Intel Core i7-6700K chip, MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard, water cooling– Cooler Master LiquidPro 240.
The RAM is sufficient as before - Kingston Hyper XFury DDR4 2133 MHz, but now it is 2 sticks of 16 GB each. We install a WD30EFRX 3 TB hard drive. For RAM we take a Kingston SM2280S3G2 with a capacity of 480 GB.
Such a system requires a Thermaltake TPG-1050M kilowatt power supply and a Cooler Master StormTrooper case.
Configuration:
- body – 12,500 rubles.
- Processor – 23,000 rubles.
- Power supply – 13,000 rubles.
- Water cooling – 9000 rubles.
- SSD drive – 10,000 rubles.
- Video card (2 pieces) – 90,000 rubles.
- HDD drive – 8000 rubles.
- Motherboard – 15,000 rubles.
- RAM – 15,000 rubles.
We get the most powerful gaming computer.
In conclusion, I note that we did not indicate the cost of assembly, so you will have to pay extra if you do not understand this yourself.
The situation with gaming computers may already change by the summer of 2017, but the configurations are unlikely to change much.
After a short break, we are returning to a series of materials on assembling gaming systems of various levels. Last time we looked at two options for the most economical users. For this purpose, we chose a combination of a popular processor and video card, which in most cases copes with modern games without problems at medium/high graphics settings in Full HD resolution. We kept the same CPU, but paired it with a more powerful video card, which allowed us to raise the graphics level to high/maximum values in all modern demanding projects at 1080p resolution. And just recently it came out on our YouTube channel, where we reviewed a configuration with the sensational Intel Pentium G4560 on board.
This time we will talk about the capabilities of the tandem and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. But before starting the story, it is worth making a few clarifications, which are caused by a number of comments under previous articles. Firstly, we are not an online store or a warehouse of a large company, therefore we do not have access to a wide range of components to select the most optimal ones in terms of price / capabilities. Secondly, we have a whole where you can evaluate purchasing options and an approximate price range. Here we want to evaluate the practical results of such connections when constructing real PCs, and everything stated below should be considered only as clear example, which will help you make the right and informed choice. So let's get started.
Accessories. CPU
Otherwise, by adding just $14, we get a 200 MHz bonus in the frequency of processor cores (3.5 versus 3.3 GHz) and support for DDR4-2400 memory instead of DDR4-2133 MHz. In addition, the new Intel Skylake Refresh processors have integrated graphics with improved support for hardware encoding of high-quality video, which is useful even when using a discrete video card. For example, when streaming through the popular OBS platform.
What about the competitor? At the moment, although AMD has introduced the new Socket AM4 platform, only flagship eight-core processors are currently available for sale, and the appearance of mass six- and quad-core AMD Ryzen 5 models should be expected on April 11 of this year. If you are completely limited in budget and don’t want to wait, but at the same time you are comfortable with overclocking, then you can try to build a system on . Yes, it is already frankly outdated, but after manual optimizations, the AMD FX-8300 / 8320E looks very good in modern realities, including thanks to multi-threading.
Cooling system
Since the Intel Core i5-7400 does not support overclocking, it is quite possible to limit yourself to the supplied cooler. Let us remind you once again that not all motherboards by default adjust the speed of rotation of the fan blades depending on the temperature of the processor. If after installation this does not happen, and you hear loud noise from the cooling system, be sure to find and activate the profile with the optimal cooler operating mode in the BIOS.
For overclocking experiments or if you want to achieve better temperature and acoustic performance, you should get a more powerful cooling system, for example, Deepcool GAMMAXX 300 / S40 / 400 or
Motherboard
Since we were not initially aimed at overclocking the Intel Kaby Lake processor line, we chose a model ($91) based on the chipset as the motherboard. Of course, you can save money by choosing a solution, but to install new CPUs you must first update the BIOS, and for this you will need to arm yourself with chips or contact the service center of the store or the board manufacturer. In our case, you don’t need to do anything: installed it and everything works. Additionally, we get support for M.2 drives and Intel Optane Memory, which may come in handy in the future.
The ASUS PRIME B250M-A motherboard itself offers a compact microATX format, four DIMM slots for installing DDR4 RAM in dual-channel mode, a decent set of expansion slots (PCI Express 3.0 x16 and 2 x PCI Express x1), two M. 2 Socket 3, six SATA 6 Gb/s and a basic set of other components. If you are not constrained by finances, then you can look for full-size solutions with older chipsets or with a more advanced network controller and audio subsystem. The choice is very large, the main thing is that your desires coincide with your capabilities.
Want to try overclocking Intel Skylake or AMD Vishera processors? In the first case, you will have to fork out for motherboards based on the chipset or a model from the ASRock Hyper-OC series. Whereas in the second it is quite possible to get by affordable solutions based on AMD 970/990FX + SB950. In both cases, do not forget about the large number of power phases and the presence of at least simple radiators on them.
RAM
At the moment, 8 GB of RAM is enough, although there are already games for which this is not enough. Therefore, we decided to equip the PC with two 8 GB DDR4-2400 HyperX Fury Black (HX424C15FB2/8) modules with stylish design and an efficient low-profile radiator. This should be plenty to spare. And, as many tests show, dual-channel mode and fast hardware have benefits in processor-dependent projects.
The average price tag for one module is $74.
Video card
The video card is perhaps the most important component of a modern gaming system. In the middle price range, they are actively fighting and which have comparable prices. But which one to choose? The question is quite complicated. The first shows an advantage in many projects under DirectX 11, while the second shows better results in games under DirectX 12 and Vulkan. Although there are situations where not everything is so simple. You can see this for yourself by looking at our video channel in the section gameplay tests . The easiest way to make the right decision is to look at the performance of these models in your favorite games. A video card that demonstrates higher FPS will be preferable. It is quite possible that in the future with AMD Radeon RX 480 will repeat a similar situation as with AMD Radeon HD 7xxx / R7 / R9 2xx, which at the start were losing to their counterparts in the form of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 6xx/7xx, but are now leaving them behind.
But still, we decided to opt for the $355 one. This model boasts an original PCB with a reinforced power subsystem, a quiet and efficient proprietary DirectCU III cooling system, factory overclocking and a number of other pleasant proprietary improvements and technologies. Not ready to overpay for such a high-quality and functional solution? Please, the market offers many simpler alternatives.
Is it still too expensive for you? Then we take AMD Radeon RX 470 (8 GB), which in good overclocking is minimally behind the older representative of AMD Polaris. But you can only choose if you are ready to make compromises in graphics settings, since there are already quite a lot of projects that require more than 3 GB of video memory for Full HD resolution, and this is fraught with FPS drops and even problems (for example, in HITMAN some options simply could not be selected).
Drives
Taking into account the budget and desired functionality, we suggest equipping the assembly with a classic 2.5" SSD drive with a capacity of 240/256 GB. This is quite enough for operating system, all the necessary programs and a couple of heavyweight games. In this case we will get new level system responsiveness, and in some games we will even get rid of freezes or lags compared to a budget build.
Specifically, in our case, we settled on a popular and time-tested model with a capacity of 240 GB and an estimated price tag of $100. This is a durable solid-state drive based on MLC memory chips with a very high stated endurance rating (TBW of 641 TB), which demonstrates decent speed performance in all use scenarios.
For file storage, we chose a low-speed 3.5” HDD drive with a capacity of 2 TB with a spindle speed of 5400 rpm and a 64 MB buffer. In domestic online stores they ask for it around $75.
power unit
In the past, we have already talked about the importance of a correctly selected power source, but here it would not be superfluous to recall simple truths. First you need to calculate the energy consumption of all components. The easiest option is to use an online power calculator (for example, from be quiet! or ASUS), where you only need to enter all the components, and the system itself will perform all the necessary calculations and produce the finished result. Next, we compare this indicator with the power of the +12V channel of your power source (usually indicated on official page or on the label): if it is lower, then there should be no problems. If in doubt, please clarify in the comments - we will be happy to try to help. By the way, if you plan to overclock the processor and video card, then the reserve needs to be increased by another 100-150 W. We also do not recommend buying very cheap power supplies from dubious brands, which, at best, simply cannot work stably even at the declared rated power, and at worst, they can fail, simultaneously taking expensive components with them.
We used the 500-watt model ($49), which performed well during testing. The list of its advantages includes the presence of a single +12V channel with good load capacity (40 A), easy-to-use flat cables, a sufficient number of different connectors, good quality of the element base and the use of DC-DC converters in the low-voltage part, a decent efficiency indicator ( more than 86% at peak), the presence of almost all protections (OVP, UVP, SCP, OPP, OCP), the use of a 140 mm fan with blue LED backlighting and many others.
Frame
When selecting a case, it is not only important to look at the external appearance and quality of materials, but you also need to clarify whether it can accommodate all your components and at the same time organize a normal microclimate inside. To do this, you should look at the supported motherboard formats, the number of compartments and expansion slots, maximum length video card and power supply, cooler height, etc. It would not be superfluous to install a couple of fans, and it would be desirable to have modern I/O ports on the front panel. All this will help avoid unpleasant moments.
In our case, the role of the case was played by a budget premium option. Of course, it will cost buyers more than many analogues (about $63), but in return it offers the ability to install motherboards of various formats, 11 bays for 5.25-inch drives and 3.5-inch drives, space for long video cards (up to 330 mm) and 160 mm processor coolers, the possibility of hidden cable management and a number of other advantages.
In addition, the used version of the NZXT Source 220 case (CA-SO220-01) is already equipped with two 120 mm fans on the rear and top walls, which eliminates the need to purchase additional case fans.
total cost
The final cost of building a mid-range gaming PC was:
|
CPU |
Intel Core i5-7400 |
|
|
Included with the CPU |
||
|
Motherboard |
ASUS PRIME B250M-A |
|
|
RAM |
2 x DDR4-2400 HyperX Fury Black (HX424C15FB2/8) |
|
|
Video card |
ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce GTX 1060 OC (ROG STRIX-GTX1060-O6G-GAMING) |
|
|
Drives |
HyperX FURY SSD (SHFS37A/240G) |
|
|
HDD WD Blue WD20EZRZ |
||
|
power unit |
ZALMAN ZM500-TX 500W |
|
|
NZXT Source 220 (CA-SO220-01) |
||
|
total cost |
||
Let us remind you once again that we did not set a goal to choose the cheapest components possible, but only identified, in our opinion, the optimal configuration of a mid-level gaming PC with a selection of real components. You can choose solutions from other manufacturers or combine new models with to reduce the cost of your PC.
System assembly
Undoubtedly, most of our readers will be able to assemble such a configuration without any problems. But just in case, we decided to clearly illustrate the main points, which should be useful for beginners.
First, you need to install the processor on the motherboard and attach the supplied cooler on top. Since the thermal interface is already applied to the base of the cooling system, you only need to carefully position it and securely fix it. And don't forget to connect the 4-pin power cable to the header marked "CPU Fan" on the motherboard.
After this, you can install RAM modules, placing them in slots of the same color to implement a dual-channel operating mode.
Now you can prepare the case: install the racks for mounting the motherboard, release and route the internal cables (USB, power supply, audio block) in the required direction and install the interface panel plug from the motherboard kit. If your case does not have complete fans, then it’s time to attach them to the selected places.
Carefully place the motherboard in the case and securely fix it using the maximum number of mounting holes.
We install the drives in the appropriate slots, securely fix them and connect them to the motherboard.
We connect all the necessary internal connectors: front USB ports, front audio jacks (if necessary), power and reset buttons, as well as LED indicators. If necessary, a diagram for their correct connection can be found in the user manual of the motherboard.
Carefully install the power supply, securely fix it to back wall complete screws and supply power to all necessary components.
Thanks to the long cables and clever design, all the necessary wires can be routed behind the motherboard tray. It is better to assemble unused cables with ties: this way the assembly looks more aesthetically pleasing. If you have a power supply with modular connectors, then there are even fewer problems with cables.
All that remains is to install the video card and fix its position on the back wall with a screw to reduce the load on the PCI Express x16 connector and ensure reliable contact with the internal interface for a long time. Don't forget to connect the 8-pin PCIe connector to power it.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated, and the final result will have approximately the same or even neater appearance.
Testing
To begin with, we checked the stability of the assembled system by simultaneously running the AIDA64 and MSI Kombustor tests for 30 minutes. For the processor fan in the BIOS, the mode for automatically changing the blade rotation speed (the “Standard” profile) was selected. As a result, its frequency reached 2500 rpm, and the temperature did not exceed 57°C. At the same time, the housing propellers spun at maximum speeds of 1212 and 1542 rpm. The video card cooling system operated at a maximum of 1500 rpm, keeping the GPU temperature within the same 57°C. There were no problems with the stability of the components. The noise from the computer at full load did not exceed the average level and remained quite comfortable. In idle mode, the system worked very quietly.
Before analyzing the results, we would like to clarify some points. Firstly, built-in benchmarks were used to measure the average FPS, and where they were not available, indicators in one of the scenes. Secondly, we tried to run all tests at the most playable graphics settings. Thirdly, since in DirectX 12 mode the system, as a rule, produced less FPS, testing was carried out in DirectX 11 mode.
Traditionally, the first on our list of benchmarks is the popular test from 3DMark. It is quite expected that budget builds showed the most modest results. In the overall standings, the leader was the AMD Radeon RX 480, which is used in the computer. CPU Test demonstrates an almost threefold advantage over the junior Intel Core i5 of the Intel Kaby Lake line.
WorldofTanks
In tanks at Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and maximum graphics settings, the Intel Core i5-7400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 provided the most FPS, while when switching to Quad HD (2560 x 1440) AMD Ryzen 7 1700X and AMD were ahead Radeon RX 480. In both cases, the frame rate exceeded 100 fps - this is a more than comfortable indicator.
When switching to 4K resolution and activating a preset with medium graphics settings best performance The Intel-based system again demonstrates - 84 versus 76 FPS.
DirtRally
You can drive off-road in a rally simulator on an Intel Core i5-7400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with maximum graphics settings in Full HD and Quad HD resolutions at 85-106 frames/s.
In High mode at 4K resolution we get a playable 76 FPS. As you can see, in all cases the game gave its preference to the “blue-green” camp. It is likely that in a system with AMD Ryzen the video card is the bottleneck.
Quite expectedly, the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X and AMD Radeon RX 480 in API Vulkan mode showed the best results, where AMD video cards traditionally feel more confident than their competitors.
The transition to OpenGL brings the Intel Core i5-7400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 to the first places. But it is also worth noting that on all systems we get a completely smooth picture of the virtual world - it’s comfortable to play.
Our build allows you to easily set the maximum graphics settings to Full HD, and you can count on 72 FPS. Next comes the AMD-based system, which in a similar situation produces an average of 60 FPS.
Switching to Quad HD resolution at a low level of detail provided an average of 94 FPS. If desired, you can safely raise the graphics settings to high values and enjoy comfortable gameplay.
RiseoftheTombRaider
The adventures of Lara Croft in the game Rise of the Tomb Raider can be played without any problems at maximum graphics settings at 1920 x 1080, getting about 83 FPS. In a similar mode on AMD we get an average of 71 FPS. If you wish, you can go to 2560 x 1440, but the picture quality will have to be lowered to medium-high. In all cases, you can enjoy what is happening on the screen without any problems.
DeusEx: MankindDivided
Like the project above, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has serious system requirements. To get the coveted 60 fps, even with Full HD resolution, you will need to set high graphics settings. Ultra settings lower this bar to 44 FPS.
To play in Quad HD you will need low or medium settings. At the same time, the picture remains smooth and the controls are responsive. It is noteworthy that the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X and AMD Radeon RX 480 give up in lighter modes, but pull ahead in heavy ones.
Battlefield 1
Last on the list, but not least, is Battlefield 1. We tested this project in several modes at once. So, Full HD resolution with picture quality from low to maximum allows you to watch smooth gameplay with a frequency of 82 to 136 frames/s.
At a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and presets from low to high, the frame rate did not drop below 68 FPS. For owners of monitors with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, we recommend choosing a profile with low graphics settings, which will allow you to achieve a refresh rate of 76 FPS. In all cases, playing is more than comfortable. As in last game, the AMD-based system shows lower performance in light modes, but catches up in heavy modes.
Energy consumption
Before summing up, we propose to evaluate the energy consumption of systems in different operating modes. A computer based on AMD Ryzen 7 1700X and AMD Radeon RX 480 consumes about 351 W at maximum load. Under similar conditions, the Intel Core i5-7400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 combination required only 192 W. When idle, this figure drops to a modest 56 W and 38 W, respectively.
Results
As predicted, a mid-range gaming PC with an Intel Core i5-7400 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB graphics card allows you to enjoy modern games in resolutions of 1920 x 1080 / 2560 x 1440 at high / maximum graphics settings. If you wish, you can indulge in 4K resolution, but the detail will have to be lowered to a low or medium level.
Anticipating comments like: “4-core processors are no longer relevant in 2017,” I would like to make a few clarifications. To begin with, it is worth recalling that it is CPUs of the Intel Core microarchitecture that are the most common and have the most games and programs optimized for them. Therefore, it is unlikely that developers will abandon them so quickly, although the advent of the multi-core era is hard to ignore. Yes, you can already remember Battlefield 1 in multiplayer mode for 64 players and Watch Dogs 2. That is, in projects with a large open world, the Intel Core i5 may have some difficulties. However, it is enough to reduce the drawing distance and a couple more settings to achieve a completely comfortable frame rate. That is why “purebred” 4-core models are a completely justified choice for at least the next year or two, and then we’ll see. Naturally, if you are aimed specifically at specific games and are not ready to make compromises, and also want to get a certain margin of safety, then it is better for you to immediately look towards the Intel Core i7, but do not forget about the importance of the remaining components of the system, which may limit its overall performance.
What does the competitor offer? Everyone is waiting for the release of mass six- and quad-core AMD Ryzen 5 models, which will appear at the beginning of next month. Only after the first real tests will it be possible to judge their attractiveness and ability to compete with Intel solutions. If you are completely limited in budget and don’t want to wait, but at the same time are comfortable with overclocking, then you can completely try to build a system on Socket AM3+. Yes, it is already frankly outdated, but after manual optimizations, the AMD FX-8300 / 8320E looks very good in modern realities, including thanks to multi-threading.
We hope you find this review helpful. If you have your own thoughts about the optimal configuration or are simply interested in any questions regarding the assembly, then leave them in the comments.
We express our gratitude to the online store pcshop.ua for the processor provided for testing.
We express our gratitude to the brand HyperX for the SSD drive provided for testing.
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At the beginning of January, Intel introduced a new generation of processors. Although they did not bring revolutionary changes, they became a little better than their predecessors. The most significant innovation for those who want to build a powerful gaming computer in 2017 for little money was the release of Pentium processors that support HyperThreading technology. Thus, they are now practically no different from previous Core i3s, and are well suited for games. What else, besides the Pentium, do you need to buy in order to play well for little money? Read below.
Processor - Intel Pentium G4560, from 3540 rubles
As stated in the introduction, best build budget gaming computer is based on an Intel Pentium G4560 processor. This is a new chip of the Kaby Lake generation, which only recently went on sale. At a frankly budget price, it is equipped with a pair of powerful cores operating at frequencies up to 3.5 GHz. If we compare the Bulldozer microarchitecture with AMD's competitors, at equal frequencies one Intel core can be equal to three AMD cores. Thanks to HyperThreading technology, the Intel Pentium G4560 is capable of processing 2 threads per core, so the system recognizes it as quad-core.
In addition to two cores, the processor has 3 MB of cache memory, a RAM controller that supports DDR4 and low-voltage DDR3 memory. There is also a built-in Intel HD 610 graphics card on board, but we won't need it. The declared TDP (power consumption/discharge level) of the processor is 54 W, but in practice it is much lower. At full load, the processor consumes 20-30 W. Therefore, the stock cooler that comes with the BOX version of the Intel Pentium G4560 is sufficient for cooling without unnecessary noise. Like all Kaby Lake, the chip is installed in boards with socket 1151.
Motherboard - Asus H110M-K, from 3185 rubles
Asus H110M-K is a budget motherboard designed for assembling computers that do not support overclocking functions. It is of high quality at a very reasonable price tag, so the best build for a budget gaming computer will be based on it. The board has everything that a simple user needs: 2 DDR4 RAM slots, a 6-phase power supply circuit for components, 4 SATA III ports, 1 PCI-E x16 for a video card and a pair of PCI-E x1 for peripherals (like a Hi-class sound card -Fi) or a high-speed SSD (although why would it be in a cheap gaming PC).
There is a good set of connectors on the back panel of the board. There are even sockets for connecting PS/2 mice and keyboards, which are as old as the world. There are also a pair of USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0. You can output the image from the built-in video card using the old VGA and the newer digital DVI. There is also a network port and three headphone/speaker/microphone jacks. Inside there are also a pair of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, as well as a connector for audio connectors on the front panel. The audio path looks interesting: it is isolated to protect against interference, soldered using solid-state Japanese capacitors and illuminated in orange. Of course, it can’t compare with Hi-Fi cards in terms of sound quality, but it can reveal the potential of good speakers/headphones a little better than regular integrated sound.
Important point: When purchasing this board (or any other with an Intel 100 series chipset), ask the seller to update the BIOS firmware to the latest version. Otherwise, Kaby Lake processors will not be able to work. If the seller cannot do this, you will have to overpay a little and buy a board on an Intel B250 chip, for example, MSI B250M PRO-VD.
RAM - Crucial CT8G4DFS8213, from 3185 rubles
When choosing RAM for a budget gaming PC, there is no point in going through various heatsinks and decorations. DDR4 without overclocking is not prone to significant heating at all, and that’s all external elements on it it is more of a decoration than a necessity. It is more important to pay attention to the memory chips than to the manufacturer. Crucial CT8G4DFS8213 is just an example of inexpensive and high-quality RAM without frills. One 8 GB stick is enough for games in the near future, and if it becomes not enough, you can buy a second one. 
The brand was not chosen by chance: unlike Kingston, Patriot, Corsair, Cruical is a trademark of Micron, which independently produces chips. The listed companies do not produce the semiconductors themselves, but only purchase them from others (Micron, Hynix, Samsung), and assemble ready-made modules that they sell under their own name.
Video card - Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti G1 Gaming 4G, from 11,640 rubles
Without a powerful video card, building a good gaming computer makes no sense. The optimal candidate for this role in our case is the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti G1 Gaming 4G. This is one of the best implementations of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti on the market, and at the same time, it is not the most expensive. The map has something to show competitors and something to please gamers. All modern games can easily run on high settings; only ultra-graphics with stable 60+ FPS and 4K gaming on high settings are too tough for it. But for the rest - perfect option for their money.
The card is equipped with a GP107 graphics processor, which has 768 cores for image processing. There are also 48 texture blocks. The chip operates at a frequency of up to 1481 MHz, but this value can be increased. Good radiator on heat pipes, a pair of fans and an additional power connector - allow you to overclock the card without problems. When overclocked, you can reach values of almost 2 GHz. There is 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on board, it operates at an effective frequency of 7 GHz.
On the back of the card there is a DVI port (no analogue lines), three HDMI and one DisplayPort. A standard set, as for 2017, the absence of VGA does not look unusual. Therefore, anyone who wants to connect a card to an old VGA-only monitor will also be forced to buy an HDMI-VGA adapter for about 500-1000 rubles.
Power supply - Chieftec GPS-450A8, from 2327 rubles
Despite the fact that now any assembly of a budget gaming computer consumes little energy, you should not skimp on the power supply. Complete power supplies sold together with cases are usually not of high quality and are only suitable for an office PC with integrated graphics. Chieftec GPS-450A8 is a high-quality power supply unit with powerful hardware that can withstand high loads. It has an active PFC mechanism, so it is not afraid of load changes.
The unit has, in addition to 4 and 24-pin cables for the processor and board, three SATA cables for power hard drives and SSD, 6+2-pin cable for video card and two Molex connectors. For a computer that is not equipped with a bunch of HDDs, the set is more than sufficient. And even during an upgrade, if over time you want to install a Core i5 or i7 and a video card like a GTX 1070 or 1080, the Chieftec GPS-450A8 has enough power.
SSD drive - Kingston SKC400S37/128G, from 4097 rubles
The best gaming computer build of 2017 could do without an SSD, but now its absence can ruin the impression of a good PC. Simply because the capabilities of the HDD have long since reached the ceiling, and a slow drive reduces the responsiveness of the system as a whole. With Kingston SKC400S37/128G, the system will start in 20 seconds, programs will open very quickly, and there will be less noise. This drive has very decent speed characteristics: about 540 MB/s for reading and about 440 MB/s for writing. In addition, this SSD belongs to the business segment, so it comes with a 5-year warranty.
2018 has not yet been very kind to lovers of advanced computer hardware. Prices for RAM are rising, the cost of new processors from Intel is consistently high, and high-performance video cards are being bought en masse by miners. At the same time, solid-state drives, on the contrary, have fallen in price since January of this year.
If you don’t want to wait, you can start assembling a configuration that will delight you with new AAA projects now.
What does Steam say?
The gaming platform Steam regularly collects data on the popularity of components from certain vendors among players.
CPU
Last year, AMD burst into the processor market with its new Ryzen product, displacing Intel. But Steam statistics show that over the past six months, processors from AMD have seriously lost in popularity to solutions from Intel.
AMD is significantly lowering the prices of Ryzen processors in an effort to sell them out ahead of the release of the next generation of Zen+ processors, which are scheduled to hit shelves in April. At the same time, the new Coffee Lake generation processors from Intel are in no hurry to become cheaper.
So now there is a good chance to purchase a processor from AMD at a low price, which will be relevant in the next few years.
Video card
According to research by analysts Jon Peddie Research, AMD video cards have won 33.7% of the market from NVIDIA. This is due to the cryptocurrency gold rush - AMD adapters are always popular among miners.
System
Interestingly, the most common language among Steam users is Chinese, spoken by as many as 63.93% of players. Analysts attribute this to the growing popularity of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds in Asia.
What you need to know if you buy a video card second-hand
Online trading platforms, such as Avito, are inundated with offers for the sale of used components. This is due in no small part to cryptocurrency miners. Moreover, among them there are both seasoned miners and newcomers who belatedly joined the general hobby and are now disappointed in this matter.
For the first ones, the hardware worked non-stop and paid for itself long ago, having become rather shabby. The second ones did not really use their video cards, and now they are trying to minimize losses.
There is no clear answer to the question of whether it is worth buying used hardware. There are fierce discussions on the forums. Opponents of used components emphasize equipment wear and violation temperature regime. There are also those who snatched up an excellent video card on the cheap and are now agitating to buy components from their own hands. Some people even believe that a video card that has been tested through hard work in a mining farm will withstand anything after that.
What should you pay attention to when buying a used video card?
Buying used electronics is always a risk. If you still decide to save money, you should do the following:
- Check the documents for the video card. Please note the date of purchase and the expiration date of the warranty. Avoid purchasing a video card without documents and packaging.
- Inspect the video card for burnt or broken components, scratches and darkened PCB. Blackened or yellowed PCB is a sign of constant overheating of the video card. This may also signal that the owner of the dying video card tried to revive it with a hairdryer. In this case, you need to refuse the purchase.
- Check the cooling system. If the fans on the adapter are not original, this is a sign that the video card was mercilessly heated and the cooling was replaced before sale.
- A video card that looks normal should be tested using hard games and benchmarks. The proven FurMark will do. If this causes crashes or graphical artifacts, do not buy the video card.
- Run GPU-Z and make sure that the actual characteristics of the video card match those indicated on the manufacturer’s website.
- If you suspect that you have been mining with your video card, run any miner on it, such as MultiMiner or NiceHash. If graphic artifacts appear during operation, it means that everything that is possible has already been squeezed out of this video card.
All these manipulations will not give a 100% guarantee that the card will work. Be careful and don't trust suspicious sellers.
Assembling a gaming computer
When starting to build a gaming system, you will first have to decide whose processor and motherboard to use - AMD or Intel, and whose video card - AMD or NVIDIA. Their components are approximately equivalent in performance. So be guided by the prices and availability of certain parts in stores.
The presented configurations for different budgets will allow you to assemble the optimal machine for gaming. The assemblies indicate the main components, excluding the periphery. Parts such as the case, power supply, and cooling are included in the budget, but not mentioned separately.
Budget 35,000 rubles
This build will allow you to play most games in Full HD on medium graphics settings. It's a budget solution, but you'll save a lot of money.
- Processor and motherboard: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 and AMD B350 or Intel Pentium G4600 and Intel H110 Express.
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 470.
- RAM: 1 × 8 GB DDR4-2400/2666.
- Storage: HDD, 1 TB.
Budget 60,000 rubles
The assembly is suitable for games in Full HD with high graphics settings. She won't need major upgrades in the next two years.
- Processor and motherboard: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X and AMD B350 or Intel Core i3-8100 and Intel Z370 Express.
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480 Radeon RX 570/580.
- RAM: 2 × 8 GB DDR4-2400.
- Storage: HDD, 1 TB and SSD, 120 GB.
Budget 90,000 rubles
This system is capable of running games in Full HD at maximum graphics settings.
- Processor and motherboard: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X and AMD B350 or Intel Core i5-8400 and Intel Z370 Express.
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 580.
- RAM: 2 × 8 GB DDR4-320.
- Storage: HDD, 1 TB and SSD, 120 GB or more.
Budget from 100,000 rubles
Configuration designed for WQHD games at high and maximum graphics settings.
- Processor and motherboard: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X and AMD B350/X370 or Intel Core i7-8700 and Intel Z370 Express.
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56.
- RAM: 2 × 8 GB DDR4-3200.
- Storage: HDD, 1 TB and SSD, 240 GB or more.
Budget from 170,000 rubles
A configuration for seasoned gamers, capable of running any game in WQHD at maximum graphics settings.
- Processor and motherboard: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X and AMD X370 or Intel Core i7-8700K and Intel Z370 Express.
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti.
- RAM: 2 × 16 GB DDR4-3000/3200.
- Storage: HDD, 1 TB and SSD, 250 GB or more.
You can create a more powerful system based on AMD Ryzen Threadripper or Intel Core i9-7900X. But this solution is for very advanced and filthy rich gamers and developers. For ordinary users, such power is clearly excessive.
Naturally, solid-state drives are much faster than HDDs. But their prices are higher, and the volumes are inferior to HDDs purchased for the same money. So in the cheapest option you can do without an SSD. In the future, you can buy an additional solid-state drive and get a performance upgrade by installing the system on it, increase RAM and replace the processor with a more productive one.
Modern games take up a lot of space; one 120 GB SSD for the system and games will not be enough. If you have some extra money left, it's worth increasing the size of your SSD.