Gaming PC buying advice

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GeoffisPure

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

#196606 6-Jun-2016 15:40

Hi all,

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=WKSPB64010&name=PB-The-Phoenix-Gaming-System-Intel-Skylake-i5-6500

I'm looking at buying a new gaming PC and this one here caught my eye because the specs seem okay, it's on special and in the price range I'm looking for. I'm no expert with computer hardware (I'm currently using a laptop). Can you let me know if there's anything glaringly obvious that I'm missing here. Is this PC okay for it's price or do you have a better recommendation?

Also, I'm wanting a 2-screen set up. Any monitor recommendations? I don't even know what types I should be looking for - connections/ports etc.

Any advice much appreciated.

heavenlywild

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#1566561 6-Jun-2016 15:48

Looks pretty decent! I can't see anything wrong with it. It's got the wireless built in as well.

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richms

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#1566566 6-Jun-2016 15:55

Ive had no end of issues with the DVI ports on my GTX970 when trying to get multiple screens working. a combo of HDMI and the 3 displayports has worked perfectly every time, whereas the DVI would often turn off one of the display ports when used, but not constantly the same one.

So I would get monitors with displayport to be most forward compatible with your next upgrade where it will probably not have the option for DVI on the card.

Not wanting to hold out for the 1070??

Richard rich.ms

GeoffisPure

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1566571 6-Jun-2016 16:07

richms:

Not wanting to hold out for the 1070??

Just looked it up and sounds like it's worth waiting for. How long after the June 10th release date will we start to see it included in prebuilt PCs in NZ stores? And how much will it push up the price?

richms

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#1566572 6-Jun-2016 16:21

No idea on prebuilt sorry.

Usually the cards are out on time on their own here. The 970 is quite old now and the price doesnt seem to have come down to reflect that, so the other thing that might happen is the 970 gets a little more attractivly priced.

I just wouldnt be getting a new PC with an 18 month old card in it.

Richard rich.ms

heavenlywild

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#1566575 6-Jun-2016 16:28

1070s are likely to be priced quite a bit higher than the 970s. It's a good time to grab the 980s.

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reven

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#1566588 6-Jun-2016 17:02

i would wait for the 1070 or 1080.

darylblake

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#1566831 7-Jun-2016 07:41

I am sort of in the same situation as you.
I am currently playing some games on a laptop, and its pretty bad... Would like to get over 60 frames at 1080, and a GTX 970+ would probably do it for a lot of titles, (game dependant).

I also have a machine with almost the same spec as that, to replace it, I just need a new graphics card. I am just waiting for the 1070 to be released in the US, and I will get my sister to pick one up from the states. Rumor has it that the GTX1070 is going be close to $1000 NZD from the stores here. It is faster than the GTX980, its been announced for $379 USD for a cardmakers card which we will be probably be waiting a few months for. If you want to buy a reference card you will be able to get it earlier but it will be a little bit more expensive.

So in short, you will probably end up waiting a couple of months to get the 1070 if you want to wait. So I don't know if that will help influence your decision or not.

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Smix

111 posts

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#1566834 7-Jun-2016 07:56

Don't buy it! You can build it much cheaper - I did a very similar build with everything purchased from PB Tech for $1,700 back in February:

i5 6500: $343.85

G.SKILL 2133mhz 16gb: $161

Sapphire R9 390: $596.85

Gigabyte B150M $148.20

Coolermaster V-Series 650S: $147.20

WD 1TB: $90.85

NZXT H440: $218.50

Total: $1,706.45

This was my first ever build (moved from PS4) so took me a few hours. It's pretty easy to do everything yourself, and it's akin to adult lego...can't really stuff too much up. I managed to score a free 240gb SSD from a friend when I built it but you'd be able to add one in for less than the asking price.

As others have mentioned, I'd wait for the new gen cards but they *should* be around the same price...

GeoffisPure

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1575250 16-Jun-2016 19:09

I see the new graphics cards are starting to hit the stores now.

This one looks decent for the price?

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=WKSPB62202&name=PB-Gaming-62202-Skylake-Core-i7--6700-Quad-Core-3.

toejam316

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#1575256 16-Jun-2016 19:23

Doesn't look half bad, might pay to find out the parts and see how much it'd cost to get it put together by Computer Lounge or Playtech before you pull the trigger though - I've heard PB can be difficult to deal with sometimes if things go wrong.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

darylblake

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#1575263 16-Jun-2016 19:39

I personally have had no issues with PB. Infact I did end up building that machine with some parts from PB.

What I ended up building:

i5-6500 (I may upgrade to a 'K' chip later, so I went for a Z170 chipset)

Gigabyte Z170-HD3

1x DDR4 8GB Ram Stick (Samsung leftover) Will got dual channel later when i get a few extra $.

1x 250GB Samsung SSD

1x NZXT s340 case (bought from a member here).

1x EVGA 650W Gold Fully Modular PSU

1x Gigabyte GTX 780. (my mate upgraded to a 1080 so i got this off him) - Im actually pretty happy with this card. I got a 1080p monitor and I can max out every game I got.

I actually did very well out of this, because I got a lot of the parts cheap and re-used some items.

Let me know how you go.

I havnt bothered to rotate these.