DIY console PC

Sporky

Wotcher all. Lady BMcH has asked me to investigate our having a PC console - basically a Steam Machine. It should be a similar size and noise level to an XBone or PS4, and should be able to run pretty much anything at 1080p60 with high detail settings (though mostly it'll be playing fairly simple indie stuff).

When I try to configurate such a thing at any of a range of suppliers it seems to come out around the grand mark, and I think it should be about half of that. Any suggestions?

I have a mini ITX box coming for the workshop which I'll test out, but I think the solution will need better than Intel HD graphics and a fanless Celeron!

Jalapeno

Looks awesome to me, and separate graphics

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/intel-nuc-nuc6i7kyk3-core-i7-6770hq-skull-canyon-barebones-micro-pc-fs-000-if.html

strumjoughlamps

i7 currently cheaper than i5 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alienware-Machine-Generation-Processor-Electronic/dp/B0185R5E7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492946446&sr=8-1&keywords=alienware+steam&th=1

Sporky

Sorry, should have been clear - built-in Intel graphics sets probably aren't up to the job, and a PC (ie running Windows) rather than an actual Steam Box (running Linux and not able to play the majority of Steam games).

digitalscream

The problem you're going to have, with those requirements, is heat. At a minimum, you're going to want a GeForce 1060 card - while they're more power/heat efficient than most, you're going to have to compromise the noise requirement to get the size, or vice versa. Either that, or convert the card's cooling to liquid-based.

strumjoughlamps

Sporky said:

Sorry, should have been clear - built-in Intel graphics sets probably aren't up to the job, and a PC (ie running Windows) rather than an actual Steam Box (running Linux and not able to play the majority of Steam games).

Didn't know if that was a cheap way to go and then install windows 

Axe_meister

Get yourself a nice Fractal HTPC case (looks like a hi-fi amp) an ITX motherboard, 8 GB memory, i5 or Ryzen 5 and a 1050ti (budget option) or AMD RX470/RX480/GTX1060 with an SSD and a 2TB+ Spinning rust drive. And you will have all the power you need for 1080p/60fps for much less that a grand.

Emp_Fab

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

Drew_TNBD

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

Aye. Some people have wives that love them - whoddathunkit!?!

earwighoney

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy

Drew_TNBD

earwighoney said:

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy

That entire article is bullshit.

ThePrettyDamned

I picked up an alienware x51 r3 for £670. 

It's got a gtx960, a 330w power supply (although its happy to run higher apparently and plenty of people online seem to have managed to upgrade the gpu to a gtx 1060 which has more power but drinks less energy), core i7 6700, 256gb Samsung M.2 Pci-e 950 Pro ssd, 2tb spinning disk drive, in built disc reader/writer, 16gb ram, Windows 10 home. 

About the size of an xbox, quiet (I put games on the hard drive, but it's not horrendously loud) and as the power supply is external it's not got fans running all the time to cool that off. Plenty of usb/connectivity options. Runs Doom really damn good. 

Looks daft mind. 

Mine was second hand from John Lewis with 3 year extended warranty, but missing power supply (picked one up from a laptop PSU spares shop, official Dell stockist - about £60). You might find one on ebay. 

On set up, I needed to download an alienware firmware update and Dell support helped me install a fresh driver for the disc drive, which worked fine but wouldn't eject when pushing the button, only when ejecting on screen with the mouse. Bar that, it's been pretty amazing with very few crashes and insanely fast boot up time. I love it so much I'll probably take it to a computer shop in the summer for an internal clean and software tidy up to keep it running perfectly. If that's of any benefit (thread will come nearer the time!). 

Can't recommend it enough. Also, being a high end alienware, means it qualifies for dell's premium support, so faster response times and 1-to-1 live chat. They've been excellent with me. 

Sporky

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

Yes. She has an extensive Steam library and doesn't want to play it on her laplet thing when we've got a nice telly.

I would also find it useful, but it's genuinely more for her than for me, though she knows I'll enjoy the research and build bits.

ThePrettyDamned

Sporky said:

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

Yes. She has an extensive Steam library and doesn't want to play it on her laplet thing when we've got a nice telly.

I would also find it useful, but it's genuinely more for her than for me, though she knows I'll enjoy the research and build bits.

If you want to build you own, please ignore *every* word I said.

Although, spec wise it's a nice indicator. There are newer processors out now, but the i7 6700 is *brilliant* and the i5 is probably better with higher clock speeds. 

octatonic

Drew_TNBD said:

earwighoney said:

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy

That entire article is bullshit.

Drew_TNBD

Sporky said:

Emp_Fab said:

You have a wife that wants you to build a gaming console PC thing ?

Yes. She has an extensive Steam library and doesn't want to play it on her laplet thing when we've got a nice telly.

How very dare she enjoy computer games! Ovey!!

Sporky

ThePrettyDamned said:

If you want to build you own, please ignore *every* word I said.

Hmm; I don't insist on building my own. I am quite happy to do it, especially if it saves some money, but I don't mind someone else doing it for me if there's not a lot in it and it means I don't have to make as many choices!

Drew_TNBD said:

Sporky said:

Yes. She has an extensive Steam library and doesn't want to play it on her laplet thing when we've got a nice telly.

How very dare she enjoy computer games! Ovey!!

What's shocking is that she even plays games where she doesn't get to be a woman.

(also ta for the suggestions chaps - found a Shuttle style option with a 1050ti for about £770 which is getting more sensible)

digitalscream

In terms of price and heat dissipation, you're probably better off looking at the Ryzen 5 than the i5. More threads, comparable single-core performance and - crucially - lower temperatures for the same amount of work being done (ie 4 cores under full load on the Ryzen is cooler than 4 cores under full load on the i5). Looks like the 1500X has the better Spire cooler.

They're also a good £40 cheaper than the equivalent i5.

octatonic

I've been thinking of building a PC gamer box for a while now.
@Sporky, may I hijack this thread for advice as well, or should I create my own?

Sporky

The more the merrier.

ThePrettyDamned

Sporky said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

If you want to build you own, please ignore *every* word I said.

Hmm; I don't insist on building my own. I am quite happy to do it, especially if it saves some money, but I don't mind someone else doing it for me if there's not a lot in it and it means I don't have to make as many choices!

Drew_TNBD said:

Sporky said:

Yes. She has an extensive Steam library and doesn't want to play it on her laplet thing when we've got a nice telly.

How very dare she enjoy computer games! Ovey!!

What's shocking is that she even plays games where she doesn't get to be a woman.

(also ta for the suggestions chaps - found a Shuttle style option with a 1050ti for about £770 which is getting more sensible)

In that case, Alienware are not cool and it's no longer made, but I've nothing but positivity for the x51 r3. Bloody quick, pretty quiet, not huge, and available for not too many pounds, with decent chat support available. 

Build quality - not a clue sadly. But the specs are impressive and mine only gets warm when playing doom for a while. I'm currently playing final fantasy ten for extended periods of time around job applications on high graphics at 1440p and it runs fine (old game mind). Doom runs at mostly high settings at 1080p perfectly. 

Add to this the possibility of dropping in a newer graphics card (needs to be a slim one) that eats less energy and it's a pretty winning combination. 

The most taxing thing mine does beyond doom is probably Lightroom - it does great now I've disabled the graphics processor in Lightroom (don't ask, Adobe have weird ways). Loads and processes 24mp raw files pretty quickly, doesn't often lag and when it does its just time to clear the cache.