@puzzlezaddict Just checked out the desktop you built, would that be better quality than the Acer? With spending a lot of money I want to make sure I’m getting the correct item with a good brand. Something he wouldn’t have to keep upgrading with new parts etc. Also something that won’t crash while loading the game after 2/3 years if possible.
I appreciate your help
@SophieBxnks The reason I like to suggest custom builds, if people can afford them, is that you can get better quality parts than you would in a prebuilt model. Acer is a reputable company and wouldn't sell you a computer with bad hardware. But it's going to include the minimum reasonable components to support the processor and graphics card already included. It wouldn't make sense for any company to pay more to include parts that the current build doesn't need, even if those parts would be nice to have for future upgrades.
In practical terms, that means you'd be getting a lower-end motherboard, power supply, and maybe CPU cooler. Those parts would be fine for now, but they might not support an upgrade in a few years. The advantage of the build I linked (and others like it) is that all the included components will support an upgrade in the future. What it really means is that your son could decide, for example, he wants a new graphics card in a couple of years and merely swap out the old one without worrying about whether the rest of the computer can handle it. The mainboard in particular also supports PCIe 4.0, an upgrade that current hardware can't take advantage of, but that will probably become standard in a few years, at least for the high-end components.
Having said that, as long as it's properly maintained, the Acer should be able to run Sims 4 on ultra settings for the entire run of the game, no matter how many mods are thrown at it. With an Nvidia 2060 and an Intel i7 that's almost certainly of comparable quality, your son would never have an issue. The nice thing about being willing to spend £1,500 is that as long as you do a little bit of homework, you're going to get what you need and then some.
Edit: This is a slightly better configuration, at £1,068 including VAT:
http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1857828
It's worth mentioning that a (very unnecessary for Sims 4) upgrade to an even stronger processor, the AMD 3700X, is £100 without VAT. Also in the category of unnecessary, there are a number of cases in various loud colors that your son might like, at various prices. You could in theory get a stronger graphics card as well, but there isn't much of a point in spending that money now—it would be more efficient to buy a much faster card in 2 or 3 years if your son eventually decides he has a use for it.
@puzzlezaddict so in a couple of years time it was needed new parts, how would he go about doing that? He wouldn’t know how to do it himself you see. Could you build me a desktop for around £1,500 that is best for Sims 4. With the better processor AMD 3700X. Or even more of what would be more powerful to run the game and extension packs on with no issue of it crashing. You’ve been a great help
@SophieBxnks The point of getting the higher-end components (motherboard, power supply, CPU and CPU cooler) is that the computer would only need one upgrade at a time. For example, this build would support any graphics card currently on the market, even the £1,200 Nvidia 2080 ti, not that your son would have any use for it. But in two or three years, he could swap out his current card for whatever is new and shiny without worrying about anything else.
Installing a GPU is pretty simple, even if it seems intimidating for someone who's never done it. Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG0GZpr9w_A&feature=youtu.be
The other option would be to take the computer to a shop and ask for help. If you bought the card there and asked nicely, they'd probably install it for free or for some low service charge.
As for the card itself, an Nvidia 2060 is already overkill for Sims 4. (The cards that are £100 cheaper are already more than enough for the game.) There's nothing wrong with that, but spending an extra £200 or so on a more powerful card isn't going to make any difference to the game, now or ever. So there's really no point in getting a better card until your son has some use for it and decides how powerful that new card would need to be.
As for the build overall, I can keep adding better and better parts if you want: a solid state drive from a more respected brand (but the same speed), a second SSD instead of a mechanical drive for extra storage, or a 1 TB primary SSD instead of 512 GB; a motherboard with more slots that your son will probably ever use, but the same overall technology as the one I initially picked; lots of completely unnecessary RGB lighting.
But without knowing what your goal is, aside from budget, it's hard for me to know where and how to apply the upgrades. If you really don't know, I can just pick the best parts up to £1,500 or close, but I'd rather choose upgrades that will be worth the money to you.
And just to reiterate, hardware in this class is not in any danger of faltering while running Sims 4. As long as the hardware itself isn't somehow defective—always a risk with any kind of computer, but that's what warranties are for—your son should never have any issues playing the game. It might still crash here and there, because all games crash occasionally (mine crashed just yesterday, and I laughed), but it won't be the computer's fault.
Once I have bought the computer desktop, how long would it last without needing an upgrade? And when you say upgrade does that mean new parts for the computer itself or an upgrade that I would install on the desktop. Also would these desktops connect to a standard 55” TV?
I’m struggling to understand what it all means. I’m not sure what a Nvidia 2060 is even though I have just googled the name haha. I just want the best I can get for £1,500/£2000.
I know that he would play the Sims 5 when that is released (he says maybe early 2020) so I’m looking for more than enough memory on the computer. A very good graphics card, if that is Nvidia 2060 then I’d like that please. Also anything extra that will make the machine run more powerful.
What does the solid state drive do? If we could get a really good one of those from a very good respected brand like you mentioned that would be great, especially at a fast speed.
My goal is to have an extremely good gaming desktop for my son, that will run fast and smooth, extremely powerful and has a brilliant amount of storage. Something that won’t need updating with new parts regularly (as neither of us know what we’re doing within that area) and also won’t over heat.
If you could build the ideal machine for me within the price range of anything under £2000 that would be brilliant.
@SophieBxnks When I talk about an upgrade, I mean adding or replacing any physical component(s). But in practice, the point of this build is to make sure that most upgrades are unnecessary. The exception is the graphics card, because cards are improving so much so quickly these days. Even a really good card will be somewhat outdated in four or five years; it can’t be helped.
On the subject of Sims 5, it’s in all likelihood several years away. The developers have said that Sims 4 has at least a couple more years to go, with new packs coming out at the current pace. And then there will probably be a yearlong gap before the next version is released. (That is, if it ever comes out at all.)
We can’t know what that game will look like, but I would expect that even at its most ambitious, the base game will run beautifully on a 2060. After all, EA knows that much of its audience is comprised of casual players who can’t or don’t want to spend a fortune on a proper gaming PC. If it runs okay on a basic laptop, it should run on ultra settings on a 2060. And by the time the more demanding expansions start rolling out, your son would be ready for a new graphics card anyway. Again, this time frame would probably be around four years, give or take, unless he decided he wanted to play some demanding game in the interim and needed a new card. That’s why I’m saying there’s no point in getting a better card than a 2060—you can’t possibly know what he’d need in a few years, and the cards available then will be a lot faster than anything you’d want to buy now.
I don’t know what connection your 55” TV has (probably HDMI), but the 2060 has DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI connectors. These are standard with any modern graphics card. If necessary, you could get an adaptor, but you’re probably already covered.
A solid state drive is much faster than a traditional mechanical drive. SSDs come in a few different flavors, from reasonably fast to faster than you’d ever need for gaming or other normal use. The default configuration, which I picked initially, is usually a smaller SSD and a larger HDD for storage, but with this build, you can choose whatever you want. I could replace the HDD with a second SSD for storage, although it wouldn’t matter all that much. As long as Windows and applications are on an SSD, they’ll load extremely quickly. Stored files like music, movies, and photos will play back the same on a mechanical drive as they would on an SSD, which is why people usually go for the much cheaper HDDs for storage. But, like I said, at this price point, you can get whatever you want, including a well-respected (and more expensive) brand for each drive.
So let me know anything else you want me to take into consideration, and I’ll put together another build. The one thing I can’t pick for you is the case—style is highly personal. (Besides, I’m not a fan of flashiness in general.) If your son knows this computer is coming, you could ask him to pick one from the available options. Otherwise, maybe you can guess from what you already know about his preferred style. And don’t worry about compatibility; if you happen to pick a case that doesn’t fit the existing parts, the site will give you a warning and ask you to pick something else instead.
My son isn’t aware that I’m getting him this computer desktop and I don’t want to ask him as it is a surprise.
As I am unsure still as to what all the parts mean from reading what you have said I would like a solid state drive that is faster than I require (as I want the best). I would also like a larger HDD for storage. I want the best graphics card I can get, of course you mentioned the Nvidia 2060, if that is the best one I can get then that would be great. I also would like something to stop the desktop from overheating if that is possible. The best ones you can find with a well respected brand for each drive within the price range of £2000 please.
You said “As long as Windows and applications are on an SSD, they’ll load extremely quickly” How would I make sure the windows and applications are on an SSD?
I’ve tried to look on the website but unsure if I’m looking in the right place. Could you link me the options of case-style of the desktops please.
@SophieBxnks There are a number of cards stronger than an Nvidia 2060, up to and including an Nvidia 2080 ti, which costs around £1,200 all by itself. The reason I haven’t recommended a stronger card than the 2060 is that it won’t make even the tiniest difference to Sims 4, now or ever. But if you’d prefer a 2060 Super, just because you can, it’s an extra £61 before VAT.
I would stay away from the next card up after the 2060 Super—the 2070—just because the only option offered is by a lower-end brand. The next card after that is a 2070 Super, but again, by the time your son has any use for all that extra power in a few years, it will be time for a completely new card anyway.
CyberpowerPC will install Windows onto the fastest hard drive and designate it the C drive. The way Windows and applications like Origin are set up, programs will automatically be installed to C as well, unless you decide to install elsewhere. So as long as C is a solid state drive (which it will be), those applications, and Windows, will get the benefits of a super fast drive.
I already included liquid cooling for the processor, which is the component that generates the most heat by itself. The graphics cards you’re considering are high quality and come with their own dual-fan setup. These cards are generally very good at cooling themselves. After that, it’s a matter of moving air into and out of the case quickly enough. The processor cooler has two fans over its radiator, and the case comes with three more; five fans should be more than enough. But I can add higher quality fans (vs. the default case fans) for £9 extra, if you want.
For the case, the site shows pictures of all your options, along with technical details. (You can ask me about those if you want, but the cases are all fine.) Click on the link for the build I showed you earlier, look at the list of components on the left side of the screen, and click on Case (the second one from the top). Then you can scroll through the options and pick one you think your son will like. Keep in mind that most of the pictures show what the case will look like with RGB lighting from the internal components. Many of the cases themselves don’t have their own lighting by default; the RGB comes from the hardware inside, and maybe from the case fans if you get ones with LED.
So, there are a couple of choices you should make, and then I’ll send you the link.
Let me know, and I'll send you a new link with everything picked out. And by the way, the next processor up from the 3700X is the 3800X, at only £28 more before VAT, so I figured you might want that too.
This is sounding brilliant.
Yes so I will have the 2060 Super for the extra £61 +VAT. If you could also add the higher quality fans for the extra £9 would be great, ones that are most powerful and if it has to be a certain colour I would like Blue please. If no colour is required that is also ok. The case you have originally sent me looks good to me. The 3800X processor would be brilliant thank you.
Looking forward to seeing the outcome.
@SophieBxnks Okay, here's the final build:
I wasn't sure whether you wanted plain black case fans or blue LED ones, so I copied the build for each one.
black: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1860809
blue: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1860810
Finally, CyberpowerPC wants me (you) to know that you can save 5% with the code BFRIDAY5 "on selected systems." (I think I might qualify as a frequent flier by now.)
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
@puzzlezaddict This is looking great. I notice the price is only £1395. Would you be able to do 32GB RAM 3200 MHz rather than 16GB and also maybe see if they do a bigger SSD than 512 GB Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe, maybe 1TB if possible. I understand this will increase the price but I’m more than happy to do so as long as it’s within the price range of £2000. I would like the desktop fan plain black please also could i change the case of the desktop to Fractal Design Define R6 Silent E-ATX Brushed Aluminium Case, Black as this says it is super quiet too which was also something i was looking for as i know the fans can be quite loud. I think this was an extra £78. I really appreciate your help!
@puzzlezaddict I forgot to mention i also need to make sure that the desktop has a place where my son can place his disks in as not all of his extension packs are digital download.
@puzzlezaddict I've decided to keep the case you originally picked. I've had a go and changing a couple of the things but I'm not sure if i have done it correctly. Would you be able to check please? I mentioned above about the disk drive for a physical copy of the game. Does this desktop have one?
This is the one I've made some changes to: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1862254
@SophieBxnks Sorry it took me a bit to get back to you.
A couple of notes: First, getting the 1 TB Samsung SSD is certainly unnecessary for most people, but it's a nice investment if you're willing to spend the money. So no argument there. However, the 1000W power supply is definitely overkill. Even 750W is a bit much—the recommendation for a 2060 Super is 550W, and even a 2080 ti only needs 650W. (I went with 750W to give you some extra leeway on the next graphics card.) The more powerful PSUs are for people who run multiple cards side by side, which means mostly competitive gamers and even more competitive overclockers.
Additionally, 64 GB RAM will be completely useless. Even hardcore gamers are fine with 16 GB and only go to 32 to show off, or if they like to stream or edit screenshots and videos while playing. Sims 4 by itself runs just fine on 8 GB memory. The only people who can make use of 64 GB are doing professional-level video editing, or compiling code, or something else on that level.
So if you want to go to 32 GB just because you can, why not, but 64 is a waste. Besides, much like graphics cards, RAM is getting faster very quickly right now. It would be better to wait and upgrade in a couple of years if your son thinks it's necessary. The MSI motherboard will support memory up to 4400 MHz, a speed that isn't even certified yet. (Anything you see in that range is factory overclocked and possibly unstable.)
Having said all that, it's your money. I'd still skip the 64 GB RAM just because there's no conceivable way for your son to use it, but the power supply isn't all that much more expensive.
As far as DVD drives go, they're not as popular as they used to be, and only a few cases have space for them:
You could pick one of those, or just get an external drive. But with the last three, take note of their dimensions—those are massive cases with room for dual radiators and liquid cooling loops for multiple video cards. Depending on where you want to put the case, these might not even fit.
@puzzlezaddict That's ok, i really appreciate your help.
Yes, i would like to go with the 1TB Samsung SSD. I will also go back from the 64 GB RAM and back to the 32 GB like you mentioned. For the sake of £25 i would like to go with the 1000W rather than 750W PSU (Power Supply) - My only worry is, will the 1000W damage or affect the computer in anyway with it being too powerful? If so i will reduce it back to 750W or even 850W. I have also upgraded from 1TB Seagate Barracuda HDD to a 2TB, is this ok? Also would you check i have put the correct case on which has a disk drive for my son to insert his Disked Games.
My buid so far (If you could just double check i am correct):
The Link For The Final Build: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1863997
If you think everything is ok with this build i will purchase it right away. Thank you once again.
@SophieBxnks It looks good. In the link you sent, the HDD is still showing as the 1 TB version, not 2 TB, but other than that, the options are all there. The 1000W power supply isn't an issue—the components will draw only the power they need, as they need it. And you selected the correct case and DVD drive as well.
Your son is certainly lucky to have you as a parent, certainly for your investment in this computer, but much more so for all the effort you've put into making sure you get him the best options available. It's impressive that someone who admittedly doesn't know much about hardware would take the time to figure things out. I hope he enjoys that part of your gift to him as well.
@puzzlezaddict I'm sorry for the late reply as i have been away for the weekend.
I really can't thank you enough for the help you have given me. I think I've changed the HDD from 1TB to 2TB if you could just double check for me before i purchase please? Would you also be able to check the Moniter, Mouse and Keyboard I've selected and let me know if they are ok for the tower you have helped me build.
http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1870341
My son wouldn't have his dream christmas present if it wasn't for you, so thank you very much for not only your help, but for the time you've taken to explain and create this for my boy, i will tell him all about this after he has received his gift.
@SophieBxnks Don't worry about the delay; it's never an issue.
The link you've sent me is throwing an error about the selected case no longer being available, and it looks like the site is assigning the default case for that build instead. That's a problem because there's no room for a disc drive, although the case is fine in general. So you can pick another case that does have room, or go with an external drive instead. Or you could contact Cyberpower and ask when the case might be available again.
The rest of the core components look great.
As for the monitor, mouse, and keyboard, I personally think it would be better to go shopping with your son and pick out these accessories. All three can be highly personal choices, and even a high quality option can happen to work badly for a particular person for one reason or another. For example, the mouse might not fit right in someone's hand, or the keyboard might be too "clicky" (or not clicky enough). The other option is to get a cheap mouse and keyboard and let your son pick out what he wants on his own at some later time.
The monitor in particular is almost impossible to choose for someone else. As an example, Dell makes high-quality monitors that many people like. But I would never want one just because of the way they look, and I've talked to other people who feel the same way. The best way to choose a monitor is to go into a store and just look at the screens on display, then make a list of what brands you like.
On the subject of the monitor you chose, it's fine for what it is, but it's in the lowest category in terms of image. TN panels are cheap with high refresh rates, great for competitive gamers or people who don't have a lot of money to spend. But their color panels are not great, and their viewing angles are limited. At the other end are IPS monitors, with brilliant colors, wide viewing angles, and typically lower refresh rates. The 144 Hz models can be quite expensive. In the middle are VA panels, with good colors and a lot of options in terms of refresh rate.
The other detail that matters is the resolution. A 27" monitor at 1920x1080 is going to look pixellated up close, but of course a 2560x1440 (QHD) or 3840x2160 (4k) monitor will be more expensive. Sims 4 would look great in QHD, and a 2060 Super could probably maintain somewhere close to 144 Hz, or maybe not quite that high. The refresh rate would be considerably lower in 4k. On the other hand, Sims 4 doesn't require fast reaction times, so many people would happily play on a 60 Hz monitor.
The reason I didn't bring all this up before is that you asked if the graphics card would work with a TV, so I thought that was your plan. I'm sorry, I should have asked, but monitors are a whole other subject that require their own discussion. Still, all specs aside, how a monitor looks is the most important factor. It's not quite as complicated as it seems though—all panels from a given manufacturer in a given category (IPS, VA, or TN) will look pretty much the same, aside from the resolution. So if you like the look of, say, one Samsung VA panel, you'll probably like the look of all Samsung VA panels equally well.
It should also be noted that Cyberpower's monitor prices are somewhat inflated, or at least they were the last time I checked. You'd probably do better ordering from Amazon or a local store.
P.S. You don't need to explain this whole discussion to your son if you don't want to. I help because I enjoy it, not for the appreciation, and there's little on this site that's more fun than picking out parts for a new computer. So however much you want to share with him is fine.
My Final Build: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1873008
I have purchased this desktop, what do you think?
Also I'm now looking to purchase a monitor for the Desktop. What would you recommend for me knowing the desktop i have had built and what it would be used for. I'm not looking for something extravagant, just something that will show the picture/graphics clear on the screen. You mention that Sims4 would look great in QHD - Would you be able to browse through a couple of different monitors (from websites you recommend) to find me something of what i am looking for. If you need a price, i would say £500 maximum (give or take).
@SophieBxnks Sorry for the late reply (again); it's been a busy couple of days.
The build looks good, with all the components we talked about. It should be a great computer.
As for monitors, there are a couple of easy choices. With an Nvidia 2060 Super running Sims 4, any resolution below QHD (2560x1440) would be a waste, and even in QHD, the card will maintain something close to 144 Hz. It gets more complicated when you consider the monitor size. I think that anything over 27" would look a bit grainy unless it was 4k (3840x2160), but 4k monitors are more expensive, and the framerates are going to drop significantly, maybe by half compared to QHD (a very rough estimate). On the other hand, if your son is going to sit more than a couple of feet away from the screen, a larger QHD monitor would probably look fine.
The two best options, at least in my opinion, are a 25" or 27" QHD monitor with a 144 Hz refresh rate, or a larger 4k monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate. Personally, I'd go with the first, because I like to be close to the screen, and even 27" is big. But here are a few different good options. The IPS versions have somewhat brighter colors than the VA panels, but the VAs are still high quality.
Samsung 27" VA panel, QHD, 144 Hz
Acer 27" IPS panel, QHD, 144 Hz (back ordered on Amazon, but maybe available elsewhere)
Asus 32" VA panel, QHD, 144 Hz (in case your son sits a few feet away from the monitor)
These companies' monitors are all considered high quality and reliable. My highly subjective impression is that Acer laptops look a bit lighter, not washed out but just a slightly lighter set of colors. So it depends on personal preference. But monitors can be calibrated to the user's liking as well, so it's not crucial to get this exactly right. By the way, don't worry about the FreeSync designation—that's a technology that works with AMD graphics cards, and it takes some tinkering to get it to work with Nvidia cards, if it works at all. But it's also largely unnecessary, especially when running a game like Sims 4.
If I were buying, I'd prefer a QHD monitor with a higher refresh rate, but again, that's subjective. There's no bad answer here.
I like the look of Samsung 27" VA Panel , QHD 144Hz - you mentioned that if you was buying a monitor you would prefer QHD with a higher refresh rate. Is that what this monitor does? If not what Monitor best describes what you would prefer?
@SophieBxnks Yes, the Samsung has the higher refresh rate, 144 Hz, as opposed to the 60 Hz of the 4k monitors. I would be happy with the Samsung, and probably also with the first Acer listed, if I could find it available somewhere. The Acer technically has better colors (it's an IPS panel instead of a VA), but the quality is close, and I like how Samsung screens look better. So for me personally, it would be a tossup.
If you want, I can look for other options in various U.K. stores. Now that things have slowed down a bit for me, I can do a more thorough search of other sites.
@puzzlezaddict yes that would be great if you could look for similar monitors. I love the style of the Samsung Monitor. So if we could find something similar to that with maybe 144Hz and IPS would be great.
@SophieBxnks I looked for other Samsung monitors first, but the company doesn't currently make any models that are IPS (or PLS as Samsung calls it), QHD, 144 Hz, and in the 23-30 inch range. Their VA panels are still very good, and the one you're looking at would do fine.
If you really want a QHD IPS monitor with a high refresh rate, there are some options made by quality manufacturers, but they're significantly more expensive, other than the one Ben-Q model I listed earlier. Still, here's a list you can browse:
https://uk-store.acer.com/vg0-gaming-monitor-nitro-vg270up-black
https://uk-store.acer.com/xv2-gaming-monitor-xv272up-black
You can also compare prices at other U.K. stores. I couldn't begin to tell you which ones are trustworthy, but there are plenty of sites that will list out prices for comparison, and you can decide for yourself where to shop. For example, this is for the Asus linked above:
https://pricespy.co.uk/computers-accessories/monitors/asus-tuf-gaming-vg27aq--p5174152
@puzzlezaddict
I still quite like the original Samsung one you sent me. Would the quality of the picture be good on the screen?
@SophieBxnks I think it would be—I personally like the look of Samsung monitors. And again, they can be calibrated to the user's preference.
