The Ultimate £800 Gaming PC featuring Xeon 1230 V3 | April 2016

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Home Hardware The Ultimate £800 Gaming PC featuring Xeon 1230 V3 | April 2016

The Ultimate £800 Gaming PC featuring Xeon 1230 V3 | April 2016

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Overview of the PC Build
The Processor (Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3)
The CPU Cooler (Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO)
The Motherboard (Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3)
The RAM (Patriot Viper 3)
The Storage (OCZ Trion 240GB SSD and WD Caviar Blue 1TB HDD)
The Graphics Card (XFX Radeon R9 390)
The Case (NZXT H340)
The Power Supply (EVGA 600B)
Pros and Cons of the Build

Introduction: Hey guys, welcome back to another PC build episode. Today, I'm going to introduce you to the ultimate value for money build, or as I like to call it, the ultimate bang for the buck build. This build is all about extracting the most performance for the money you spend. With a budget of 800 pounds, which falls in the mid-range to upper mid-range price range, we'll be able to achieve an amazing 1440p gaming experience with high settings and good frame rates. So, let's dive into the components and see how we can achieve this.

Overview of the PC Build: Before we go into the specifics of each component, let me give you an overview of the whole build. In this build, we've focused on getting the best performance per pound spent. Starting with the processor, we've chosen the Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3, which offers great performance at a lower price compared to its equivalent i7 processor. Moving on, we have the Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO, a budget-friendly and efficient CPU cooler that will help keep the temperatures in check. For the motherboard, we've selected the Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3, a solid choice with 12 VRM heat sinks for excellent power management. The RAM we went with is the Patriot Viper 3, a 16GB DDR3 1600MHz kit that offers great value for the price. In terms of storage, we have the OCZ Trion 240GB SSD for fast boot times and game loading, along with the WD Caviar Blue 1TB HDD for additional mass storage. For graphics, we've chosen the XFX Radeon R9 390, which provides excellent performance and value compared to its Nvidia counterpart. The case we've selected is the NZXT H340, a mid-tower case with good cable management and airflow. Lastly, we have the EVGA 600B power supply, which offers sufficient wattage and reliability.

Now that you have a general idea of the build, let's dive into the specifics of each component.

The Processor (Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3)

The heart of our build is the Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3 processor. This quad-core processor, based on the same architecture as the i7 4770K and i7 4790K, offers excellent performance at a lower price. With a base clock of 3.3GHz and a boost clock of 3.7GHz, it delivers enough processing power for gaming and other demanding tasks. While it lacks integrated graphics, it makes up for it with its great value for money. With a power consumption of only 80 watts, it runs cool and efficient. Although it doesn't support overclocking, it still provides comparable performance to its i7 counterparts. Overall, the Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3 is a solid choice for our budget-friendly gaming build.

The CPU Cooler (Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO)

Although the Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3 comes with a stock cooler, we recommend upgrading it to the Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO. While the stock cooler is sufficient, it can become noisy under load. The Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO, on the other HAND, offers better cooling performance and is still budget-friendly. Its compact design, with a 92mm fan, fits well in most cases. With improved cooling capabilities, it enables better overclocking potential for our processor. Priced at only 16 pounds, it's a worthwhile investment to ensure smooth and quiet operation of your CPU.

The Motherboard (Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3)

Now let's move on to the motherboard, and for our build, we've chosen the Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3. This motherboard, based on the B85 chipset, offers a balance between price and features. With a price tag of 76 pounds, it's not the cheapest option available, but it's worth it for the peace of mind it provides. One crucial feature we considered is the 12 VRM heat sinks, which ensure efficient power delivery to the CPU and help prevent overheating. While the Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3 doesn't support overclocking, having a solid power delivery system is always beneficial. Moreover, the GA-PH5-3HT3 offers four DIMM slots, providing expandability for RAM if needed in the future. Additionally, it has USB 3.0 headers, which are essential for modern cases with front USB ports. Overall, this Gigabyte motherboard is a reliable choice for our build.

The RAM (Patriot Viper 3)

In terms of RAM, we've chosen the Patriot Viper 3, a 16GB DDR3 1600MHz kit. While 8GB of RAM is usually sufficient for gaming, we opted for 16GB to future-proof our build. With the increasing RAM requirements of modern games, having 16GB ensures smooth gameplay without any unnecessary bottlenecks. The Patriot Viper 3 is a budget-friendly option, priced at only 50 pounds, making it an excellent value for money choice. Its sleek design and reliable performance make it a suitable companion for our build. Whether you're gaming, multitasking, or running memory-intensive applications, 16GB of RAM will ensure a seamless experience.

The Storage (OCZ Trion 240GB SSD and WD Caviar Blue 1TB HDD)

For storage, we've opted for a combination of speed and capacity. Firstly, we have the OCZ Trion 240GB SSD, which offers fast read and write speeds. Priced at 46 pounds, it provides excellent value for money and is perfect for installing your operating system and frequently played games. The SSD will significantly reduce boot times and loading screens, providing a Snappy and responsive system. However, since 240GB might not be enough for all your storage needs, we've included the WD Caviar Blue 1TB HDD. Priced at 49 pounds, it offers ample space for your media library, games, and other files. Western Digital is known for its reliable hard drives, and the Caviar Blue series is no exception. With these two storage options combined, you'll have a balanced and efficient storage solution for your build.

The Graphics Card (XFX Radeon R9 390)

The XFX Radeon R9 390 is the star of our build when it comes to graphics. Priced at 260 pounds, it offers exceptional performance and value. This graphics card comes with 8GB of VRAM, which is crucial for handling demanding games at high resolutions and settings. Compared to its Nvidia counterpart, the GTX 970, the R9 390 performs better in games that require more VRAM. With the potential for more games to utilize larger amounts of VRAM in the future, the R9 390 ensures a more future-proof gaming experience. While it might require turning down a few settings in more intensive games, it will still deliver great frame rates in the 60 FPS range for 1080p gaming. Overall, the XFX Radeon R9 390 is an excellent choice for achieving a solid and high-performance gaming experience.

The Case (NZXT H340)

When it comes to the case, we've selected the NZXT H340. This mid-tower case offers a combination of style and functionality. As an H340 user myself, I can vouch for its solid build quality and convenient features. The case provides good cable management options, ensuring a clean and clutter-free interior. Its compact size makes it suitable for any ATX build, offering a good balance between space and portability. Additionally, the large side window allows you to showcase your components, adding a touch of aesthetics to your setup. With good airflow and overall ease of use, the NZXT H340 is a reliable and attractive choice for our build.

The Power Supply (EVGA 600B)

To provide ample power for all our components, we've chosen the EVGA 600B power supply. This 600-watt, 80 Plus Bronze certified power supply is capable of handling the load of our build without any issues. EVGA is known for producing high-quality power supplies, and the 600B is no exception. With its reliable performance and quiet operation, it will keep your system running smoothly. While it's not modular, the NZXT H340 case already has a power supply shroud that hides the cables, ensuring a clean and tidy build. However, if you plan on adding a Second graphics card for crossfire in the future, you might want to consider a higher wattage power supply, such as an 850-watt or 750-watt option. Priced at 60 pounds, the EVGA 600B provides excellent value and stability for our build.

Pros and Cons of the Build

Pros:

Excellent value for money, maximizing performance within the budget
Capable of delivering smooth 1440p gaming experience
Solid construction and reliable components
Future-proof with upgrade options such as increasing RAM or adding a second graphics card for crossfire
Good cable management options and sleek design

Cons:

Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3 lacks integrated graphics, but not a concern when using a discrete GPU
Limited overclocking potential due to the locked nature of the processor
Might require turning down settings in more intensive games for stable frame rates at higher resolutions

Highlights:

Ultimate value for money build for 1440p gaming
Intel Xeon E3-2004 EV3 processor provides great performance at a lower price
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO ensures efficient cooling and overclocking potential
Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3 motherboard offers solid power delivery and expandability options
Patriot Viper 3 16GB RAM provides ample memory for gaming and multitasking
OCZ Trion 240GB SSD and WD Caviar Blue 1TB HDD offer a balanced storage solution
XFX Radeon R9 390 delivers exceptional graphics performance and future-proofing
NZXT H340 case provides style, cable management, and good airflow
EVGA 600B power supply ensures stable and reliable power delivery

FAQ:

Q: Can this build handle 1080p gaming? A: Yes, this build is more than capable of handling 1080p gaming with ease. You'll achieve smooth gameplay at high settings and good frame rates.

Q: Can I upgrade the RAM in the future? A: Absolutely! The Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3 motherboard offers four DIMM slots, providing expandability options for RAM. You can easily upgrade to 32GB or even more if needed.

Q: Is the NZXT H340 case spacious enough for all the components? A: Yes, the NZXT H340 is a mid-tower case that provides sufficient space for all the components listed in this build. It offers good cable management options and ease of installation.

Q: Will this build support future graphics card upgrades? A: Yes, the Gigabyte GA-PH5-3HT3 motherboard supports AMD Crossfire technology, allowing you to add a second graphics card for increased performance. Just ensure you have a power supply with enough wattage to handle the additional load.

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