New PC 5 years on...!

I

InfinityZone

Member
Hi there,

In 2019 I bought a computer from PCSPECIALIST and I'm looking to treat myself to a new one. At the time, I got advice from this community and others, which was really helpful, as my original build wasn't overly balanced, so I was able to make some tweaks. The spec comes out at about £1,500, happy to go nearer £2,000 if it makes sense to!

I thought I would post my original (2019) PC and the one I am looking to purchase soon. I'm not very technical, so would be good to understand if this is a good upgrade, or if I should swap some things around. I use my PC significantly to work (nothing too intensive) and game frequently a mixture of new and old games, such as Helldivers 2 and League of Legends. I'm also due to get a Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt™ Hub Monitor - U4025QW.

My current PC is getting a bit hot when I try and play newer games at their best graphics and occasionally lags. I've also looked at the pre-built machines, for e.g https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers-for-next-day-delivery/1673/ and trying to understand the differences (whether the 2024 spec below is better, not much in it).

Thanks in advance!

NEW SPEC 2024:

Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 500 ARGB
Promotional Item
Get a discount code for 20% off select peripherals at Corsair.com
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 20-Core Processor i7-14700 (Up to 5.4GHz) 33MB Cache
Motherboard
GIGABYTE H610M K DDR4 (mATX, LGA1700, DDR4, PCIe 4.0)
Memory (RAM)
32GB PCS PRO DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
Graphics Card Support Bracket
NONE (BRACKET INCLUDED AS STANDARD ON 4070 Ti / RX 7700 XT AND ABOVE)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3500MB/sR, 1625MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
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
DeepCool AK620 ZERO DARK High-Performance Dual Tower CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book

OLD SPEC 2019:

Case
THERMALTAKE V200 TEMPERED GLASS RGB EDITION GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® CoreTM i7 Eight Core Processor i7-9700K (3.6GHz) 12MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING II: ATX, LGA1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2070 - HDMI, 3x DP GeForce - RTX VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
500GB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 16MB CACHE
2nd Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 32MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
32GB Hard Drive Onboard (eMMC)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIESTM VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
INTEL STANDARD 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
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
Kingdom - English Language
 
Last edited:
Ekans2011

Ekans2011

VALUED CONTRIBUTOR
InfinityZone said:
Hi there,

In 2019 I bought a computer from PCSPECIALIST and I'm looking to treat myself to a new one. At the time, I got advice from this community and others, which was really helpful, as my original build wasn't overly balanced, so I was able to make some tweaks. The spec comes out at about £1,500, happy to go nearer £2,000 if it makes sense to!

I thought I would post my original (2019) PC and the one I am looking to purchase soon. I'm not very technical, so would be good to understand if this is a good upgrade, or if I should swap some things around. I use my PC significantly to work (nothing too intensive) and game frequently a mixture of new and old games, such as Helldivers 2 and League of Legends. I'm also due to get a Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt™ Hub Monitor - U4025QW.

My current PC is getting a bit hot when I try and play newer games at their best graphics and occasionally lags. I've also looked at the pre-built machines, for e.g https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers-for-next-day-delivery/1673/ and trying to understand the differences (whether the 2024 spec below is better, not much in it).

Thanks in advance!

NEW SPEC 2024:

Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 500 ARGB
Promotional Item
Get a discount code for 20% off select peripherals at Corsair.com
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 20-Core Processor i7-14700 (Up to 5.4GHz) 33MB Cache
Motherboard
GIGABYTE H610M K DDR4 (mATX, LGA1700, DDR4, PCIe 4.0)
Memory (RAM)
32GB PCS PRO DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
Graphics Card Support Bracket
NONE (BRACKET INCLUDED AS STANDARD ON 4070 Ti / RX 7700 XT AND ABOVE)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3500MB/sR, 1625MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
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
DeepCool AK620 ZERO DARK High-Performance Dual Tower CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book

OLD SPEC 2019:

Case
THERMALTAKE V200 TEMPERED GLASS RGB EDITION GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® CoreTM i7 Eight Core Processor i7-9700K (3.6GHz) 12MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING II: ATX, LGA1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2070 - HDMI, 3x DP GeForce - RTX VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
500GB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 16MB CACHE
2nd Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 32MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
32GB Hard Drive Onboard (eMMC)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIESTM VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
INTEL STANDARD 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
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
Kingdom - English Language
Click to expand...
Hi, the pre-built system is really awful, as is yours unfortunately. 😞
Moreover, neither of them can support the resolution of the mentioned Dell monitor (is there any specific reason to buy that monitor?).

The £2000 budget is quite tight for getting a suitable dGPU that can handle such very high resolution gaming experience.

This is the bare minimum to meet your budget, providing you can transfer your OS licence and do not require NVIDIA technologies (DLSS, RT, or FG).

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 215 GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/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
20GB AMD RADEON™ RX 7900 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
Graphics Card Support Bracket
NONE (BRACKET INCLUDED AS STANDARD ON 4070 Ti / RX 7700 XT AND ABOVE)
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 P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 2950MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W RMx SHIFT 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 H100x RGB ELITE 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
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
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Price: £2,015.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/z0kU4WThMg/
 
Last edited:
Ekans2011

Ekans2011

VALUED CONTRIBUTOR
InfinityZone said:
Thank you @Ekans2011 - that's helpful. RE: monitor, I've been looking to buy an Ultrawide for some time, and have been comparing LG/Samsung/Dell and after watching/reading reviews, opted to go for the Dell.
Click to expand...
I understand; there's nothing wrong with having an ultrawide, but keep in mind that the PC and monitor must match each others or you'll spend thousands of pounds and never have a balanced and functional system.

Why not consider a 1440p ultrawide? I believe this would be a much better, more affordable choice.
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
InfinityZone said:
Would it work with the Dell UltraSharp 40? Looking at the manual it seems it would but not sure @SpyderTracks
Click to expand...
That's not a gaming monitor, you realise that? It's designed for graphics work, editing. The price of it is because of colour accuracy and connectivity mainly in the Apple ecosystem.

It's completely useless for what you described as your uses?

Maybe I'm missing something?
 
I

InfinityZone

Member
Thanks @SpyderTracks , yeah it'll help me with my work, gaming is an extra thing to do in the evenings, I was reading comparisons to other Ultrawides and the general consensus was it seemed a decent pick for hybrid of work/professional/gaming - but I am looking at the other monitors recommended above as they may be better suited
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
InfinityZone said:
Thanks @SpyderTracks , yeah it'll help me with my work, gaming is an extra thing to do in the evenings, I was reading comparisons to other Ultrawides and the general consensus was it seemed a decent pick for hybrid of work/professional/gaming - but I am looking at the other monitors recommended above as they may be better suited
Click to expand...
So that would suggest then that you haven't outlined what the PC is for, so we'll need to go back to square one?
 
I

InfinityZone

Member
SpyderTracks said:
So that would suggest then that you haven't outlined what the PC is for, so we'll need to go back to square one?
Click to expand...
"I use my PC significantly to work (nothing too intensive) and game frequently a mixture of new and old games, such as Helldivers 2 and League of Legends." was in the original post - the ability to play modern games with high quality graphics but also work on it significantly, which isn't overly intensive, so for a display I'm looking for something that does a good job at both, and reviews I read suggested the Dell did just that. I shall keep exploring the other monitors!
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
InfinityZone said:
"I use my PC significantly to work (nothing too intensive) and game frequently a mixture of new and old games, such as Helldivers 2 and League of Legends." was in the original post - the ability to play modern games with high quality graphics but also work on it significantly, which isn't overly intensive, so for a display I'm looking for something that does a good job at both, and reviews I read suggested the Dell did just that. I shall keep exploring the other monitors!
Click to expand...
Yes but “work” doesn’t mean anything to us.

Must be something graphical if you’re willing to pay £1000 premium for a mid range IPS monitor simply for colour accuracy. An equivalent monitor without colour accuracy would cost about £400

Bit without knowing the suites you’re working with, it’s rather difficult to know the requirements behind it?
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
I’m trying to prevent history repeating itself.

Youre here because you’re having to replace a poorly designed system after only 5 years. If you’d taken the advice we offered back then, at this time you could have simply upgraded the cpu and gpu and had a top tier experience again to last you another 5 years.

Without concise understanding of budget and useage, you’ll end up with another unsuitable build.

That’s in no one’s best interest
 
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