Buying a gaming desktop?

[SimsLover2247]

Hey all, long time no talk!

I was originally a part of the Sims.com forums back around 2014-2015 when Sims 4 first came out. I'd like to get a new gaming desktop that can be futureproofed for 4 and can also run the Sims 3 with all of its expansions, as well as other graphically demanding games such as World of Warcraft, Conan Exiles, Fallout, etc. basically any of them. My boyfriend is also wanting to start making YouTube videos on games. If any of the PC gurus on here could help point us in the right direction we'd highly appreciate it! Would like it to be the cheapest possible but we are willing to get whatever is needed for it all to run properly. 

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@SimsLover2247  Sorry for the delay; I was caught up in a couple of things.

So, if you want a 2070, it's best to go with the standard version and replace it in a few years.  (The high-end 2070s, the ones meant to last 5 years, are $160 more, and by then you'll have moved on to more demanding games than any 2070 could handle.  The baseline 2080 would be $198 extra.)  I upgraded the power supply in this model so that you'll be able to add whatever kind of card you want later, and it has a 240mm liquid cooling kit so you won't ever have to worry about keeping your processor temperatures down.

Edit:  I checked before going to bed, and the deals changed at midnight PDT.  This configuration is $1673, with a 1 TB SSD as well as a 3 TB HDD that's free today only.  (There's always something free or heavily discounted, so it's just a matter of picking the right day to buy.  Yesterday, 16 GB RAM was $40 off.)  Keyboard and mouse, $5 each, are included.

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1LGAXF

A couple of notes:  I didn't "decorate" the computer at all; it comes with the default case fans.  If you want the embellishments, you can add them now, or just replace the fans later.  If you don't like the case I picked out (the cheapest one), there are a couple of other options to choose from.

The video capture card is said to be the best entry-level model for streaming, but it only captures at 1920x1080.  A 4K card would be significantly more expensive, and most viewers wouldn't notice a difference, anyway.

I upgraded the power supply (850W) so that it will be able to support the next graphics card you buy, whatever it happens to be.  The upgrade was only $14 extra from the 650W you'd need, and Corsair is an excellent brand for PSUs.

As always, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

[jpkarlsen]

@SimsLover2247 

Look for specs like these:


CPU = Intel I5/I7 generation 7 or better AMD Ryzen 7 or better
RAM = 8GB DDR4 or more
HDD = 250GB SSD with secondary HDD for storage or 512GB SSD
Graphics = Geforce 1060 6GB or equivalent AMD card

If you find one you like and want an opinion feel free to post a link.

[SimsLover2247]

Thank you so much! I was wondering what you thought about these? https://www.ibuypower.com/Site/Computer/Desktops?fbclid=IwAR2DYoDiAIo3eOQIDLL0hE5Uhd1WrlAysHqydHeWkt...

Or this is supposed to be the best prebuilt gaming computer as of now: https://www.ibuypower.com/Store/Gaming-RDY-ELIBG207

[puzzlezaddict]

@SimsLover2247  Ibuypower has a reputation for shipping computers that don't work and then dragging out tech support until the window for returns has run out.  Now, maybe they've gotten better in the past year or two, but I wouldn't trust them at all.

It looks like you're on the right track though.  For the games you listed, you'd need at least an Nvidia 1070 to play on the highest settings, and a 2070 or even a 2080 might be better for the sake of futureproofing.  If you're looking to order a custom built computer, CyberpowerPC has an excellent reputation (and three years of free support).

https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/

Or, if you'd like some help picking out the parts, let me know and I'll look for something.  Just list your preferred budget and I'll take a look.

[SimsLover2247]

Hey there @puzzlezaddict. My budget can be 1000+, possibly 2000+ if it's needed. Of course cheapest possible but I want to make sure the system can handle what we need it to. https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/category/gaming-pcs/

One other possibility, is there any chance my current Dell Inspiron 3847 can be decently upgraded to handle gaming better? On another site someone said I could get either a Nvidia 1050ti or AMD RX 580 along with a Corsair CX Series 650 Watts 80 Plus Bronze PSU and my system could handle 1080p gaming. What's your opinion on that? Wanting a second one before making any decisions. Appreciate all the help!

[puzzlezaddict]

@SimsLover2247  First, I don't think that upgrading your existing computer is the way to go.  An Nvidia 2070 would cost you around $500, but you'd also need a new power supply ($100); the stock model you currently have can't support a high-end GPU.  Your processor is below the recommendations for both Conan Exiles and the newest Fallout; a new one would cost at least $300, depending on what you wanted, plus you'd need a new motherboard ($120 and up) and CPU cooler (maybe $80 for liquid cooling).  Your RAM might not be compatible with the new board, and your case might not fit the parts.  So you're better off starting over.

Edit:  I just saw your edit, and I still think you'd end up needing more expensive upgrades before long.  Plus, neither a 1050 ti nor a 580 would allow you to run your other games in ultra.

On that note, I found a few models that could work for you.  A budget of $1000-2000 is a wide range, but I aimed for the lower end in the prebuilt models.

This one is the cheapest I'd go, and it would need a couple of improvements that would raise its initial price of $900.  Its Nvidia 1070 ti would be fine for all your games for now, although that may not be true in the future; the 1070's benchmarks are weaker than the newer 2070's.  It has a single 500 GB SSD, which would probably end up not being enough, but it would be easy to install a second hard drive when you needed it.  (Maybe $50 for a quality HDD or $110 for an SSD.)  It also has only 8 GB memory, but you could buy a second RAM stickfor maybe $60-70, depending on what comes already installed.  (You'd need to match the existing one by serial number, but that shouldn't be too hard.)  So if you're really into saving money, you could make this model into what you wanted with a bit more money.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16883289015?Item=N82E16883289015

This one, at $1200, comes with a better processor, an Nvidia 2070, 16 GB of faster RAM, and a 1 TB SSD already installed.  It wouldn't need any additional parts, if you'd rather not have to upgrade yourself.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16883289031?Item=N82E16883289031

These are both good computers, but they have their disadvantages, especially for what you want to do.  The best experience will come from playing off a solid state drive, which will be faster for most modern games, although TS4 wouldn't notice a difference, and 500 GB may not be enough.  You may also want a liquid CPU cooler; I would expect that the above models only have air cooling.  Furthermore, their power supplies are not the highest quality.

If you want all these upgrades, you're better off going with a custom build.  I put together one on CyberpowerPC that would start at $1406, although you could add further upgrades.  This model would have:

• an AMD Ryzen 2700X processor, almost equal to an Intel 9700K
• an Nvidia 2070, the cheapest version
• 16 GB RAM 3000 MHz, currently on sale
• a 1 TB Intel 660P NVMe SSD (SATAs are usually cheaper, but not with this offer)
• liquid cooling, an 80+ Gold power supply, and an MSI motherboard with room to add more parts

Additions you might want to consider:

• an Asus brand graphics card, for $65 extra, but only if you're planning on keeping this card for a while; if you want to upgrade in a couple of years, you can go with the cheaper option
• an Nvidia 2080 would cost $249 more, or $272 for the cheapest Asus
• a video capture card for streaming, starting at $164, although it would be cheaper to buy one on Amazon (same version is $120) and install it yourself
• a Corsair brand 750W Gold certified power supply, for $62, which is supposed to be good for up to 10 years
• a 240mm liquid cooler (starts at $20 more)
• a second 1 GB SSD, for $125

None of the above are strictly necessary; these are more ideas for you to think about, and what you want will depend on your plans for this computer.  For example, how long do you want to keep it, and do you want to upgrade parts as you need them?  And are you comfortable doing so?  A bit more money now will make smaller, cheaper upgrades possible later, like swapping out the graphics card for a new one.  These models in particular are meant to support multiple upgrades, and it would be fairly easy to handle this yourself.

[SimsLover2247]

@puzzlezaddict I didn't think the Inspiron would have much worth when it came to upgrading, however I thought I'd ask anyway.

I definitely like the sound of that custom build most of all along with the recommended additions. We want the computer and parts to last as long as possible before having to shell out more money. Asus or Nvidia would do, whichever would perform better.

[puzzlezaddict]

@SimsLover2247  Nvidia designs its graphics cards and makes a few of its own (the Founders Edition, if you ever see that around).  It also contracts out to other companies to make their own versions of the cards, and those companies tweak the builds slightly and add things like overclocking to make a range of cards.  So you might see half a dozen or so versions of a 2070 each from Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and Zotac.

A card merely listed as "Nvidia 2070" is likely made by Palit or PNY, companies that focus on affordable price rather than quality or long-term survival.  This isn't as much a problem for people who expect to buy a new card every 2 years, but if you want it to last 3-5, you're better off spending more for the brand name.  This is a separate question from whether you want the rest of the computer to last, since you could swap out a graphics card in a few minutes, without any special technical knowledge, and without replacing anything else.

So, since you'd prefer quality over cheaper parts, please answer a few questions, and I'll send you a link for the custom build.

• Do you still want the 2070, or would you prefer the 2080?  Here are some game benchmarks, in case it helps.
• Do you want a video capture card built in, or would you prefer to add it yourself if and when you need it?
• Do you want a single 1 TB SSD, or a second drive (SSD or HDD) as well?  You could add this later too.

If there's anything else I haven't thought of, let me know, but you could also customize the build after I send it to you.

[SimsLover2247]

I’d like the 2070 and yes to the video capture and second drive. Thank you 

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@SimsLover2247  Sorry for the delay; I was caught up in a couple of things.

So, if you want a 2070, it's best to go with the standard version and replace it in a few years.  (The high-end 2070s, the ones meant to last 5 years, are $160 more, and by then you'll have moved on to more demanding games than any 2070 could handle.  The baseline 2080 would be $198 extra.)  I upgraded the power supply in this model so that you'll be able to add whatever kind of card you want later, and it has a 240mm liquid cooling kit so you won't ever have to worry about keeping your processor temperatures down.

Edit:  I checked before going to bed, and the deals changed at midnight PDT.  This configuration is $1673, with a 1 TB SSD as well as a 3 TB HDD that's free today only.  (There's always something free or heavily discounted, so it's just a matter of picking the right day to buy.  Yesterday, 16 GB RAM was $40 off.)  Keyboard and mouse, $5 each, are included.

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1LGAXF

A couple of notes:  I didn't "decorate" the computer at all; it comes with the default case fans.  If you want the embellishments, you can add them now, or just replace the fans later.  If you don't like the case I picked out (the cheapest one), there are a couple of other options to choose from.

The video capture card is said to be the best entry-level model for streaming, but it only captures at 1920x1080.  A 4K card would be significantly more expensive, and most viewers wouldn't notice a difference, anyway.

I upgraded the power supply (850W) so that it will be able to support the next graphics card you buy, whatever it happens to be.  The upgrade was only $14 extra from the 650W you'd need, and Corsair is an excellent brand for PSUs.

As always, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask.