£700 PC Build The Ultimate Review And Improvement Guide

Building a gaming PC on a budget can be a daunting task, especially when trying to strike the right balance between performance and cost. A £700 budget represents a sweet spot for many gamers, offering a pathway to a capable machine that can handle modern games at respectable settings. However, the specific components chosen and how they synergize is crucial to achieving optimal performance. This guide will delve into a sample £700 PC build, critically review its components, and provide actionable advice on potential improvements to maximize its gaming capabilities and overall value.

Understanding the £700 PC Build Landscape

Before diving into a specific build, it’s essential to understand the current market and the key components that make up a gaming PC. The primary components include the CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), storage (SSD or HDD), motherboard, power supply unit (PSU), and case. Each component plays a vital role in the overall system performance, and a bottleneck in any area can significantly impact your gaming experience.

The CPU is the brain of the PC, responsible for processing instructions and handling tasks. For gaming, a CPU with a good balance of core count and clock speed is essential. The GPU is the heart of gaming performance, rendering the graphics and visuals you see on your screen. It's the most critical component for achieving high frame rates and visual fidelity. RAM provides temporary storage for data that the CPU and GPU need to access quickly. 16GB of RAM is generally considered the sweet spot for modern gaming, allowing for smooth multitasking and handling demanding games. Storage comes in two main forms: Solid State Drives (SSDs) and Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). SSDs offer significantly faster read and write speeds, drastically improving load times and overall system responsiveness. HDDs, on the other hand, offer more storage capacity at a lower cost per gigabyte. The motherboard acts as the central hub, connecting all the components together. It's crucial to choose a motherboard that is compatible with your CPU and supports the features you need. The PSU provides power to all the components, and it's important to choose a unit with enough wattage and efficiency to handle the system's demands. Finally, the case houses all the components, providing cooling and protection.

When building a PC on a £700 budget, compromises are often necessary. The key is to prioritize components that have the most significant impact on gaming performance, such as the GPU and CPU, while making smart choices on other components to keep the overall cost within budget. This often involves researching the best value components in each category, taking advantage of sales and deals, and considering used components where appropriate. Balancing these factors will ensure you get the best possible gaming experience for your money.

Sample £700 PC Build: A Detailed Breakdown

To provide a concrete example for review and improvement, let's outline a sample £700 PC build. This build aims to balance performance across different areas, targeting 1080p gaming at medium to high settings.

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - £130
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 - £250
• Motherboard: MSI B450M MORTAR MAX - £70
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200MHz - £50
• Storage: Kingston 500GB NVMe SSD - £40
• PSU: Corsair CX550M 550W 80+ Bronze - £60
• Case: Corsair Carbide 100R - £50

This build totals approximately £650, leaving some headroom for peripherals or minor upgrades. The Ryzen 5 5600 is a capable CPU that offers excellent gaming performance, while the RTX 3050 is a decent entry-level GPU that can handle most modern games at 1080p with reasonable settings. The 16GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking, and the 500GB NVMe SSD provides fast storage for the operating system and frequently played games. The 550W PSU offers sufficient power for the system, and the Corsair case provides a decent enclosure for the components.

Component-by-Component Review

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a solid choice for a budget gaming PC. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, offering excellent performance in both gaming and productivity tasks. Its boost clock speed of up to 4.4 GHz ensures smooth gameplay in most titles. The Ryzen 5 5600 is also known for its power efficiency, making it a good fit for a system with a limited power budget. However, it's worth noting that newer CPUs, such as the Ryzen 5 7600, offer even better performance, but they also come with a higher price tag and require a more expensive motherboard. For a £700 budget, the Ryzen 5 5600 strikes a good balance between price and performance. Its multi-core capabilities also make it suitable for tasks beyond gaming, such as video editing and content creation, providing versatility for users who need a PC for more than just gaming.

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 is an entry-level GPU that offers a significant step up from integrated graphics. It can handle most modern games at 1080p with medium to high settings, making it a viable option for budget-conscious gamers. The RTX 3050 also supports ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), which can enhance visual fidelity and improve performance in supported games. However, its performance can be limited in more demanding titles, especially at higher resolutions or with ray tracing enabled. Alternative options in this price range include the AMD Radeon RX 6600, which often offers better raw performance but lacks the ray tracing capabilities of the RTX 3050. Choosing between these two GPUs depends on your priorities: if ray tracing is important, the RTX 3050 is the better choice, but if raw performance is the primary concern, the RX 6600 might be a better option. The RTX 3050's 8GB of VRAM is sufficient for most 1080p gaming scenarios, but it might become a limiting factor in the future as games become more demanding.

Motherboard: MSI B450M MORTAR MAX

The MSI B450M MORTAR MAX is a Micro-ATX motherboard that offers a good balance of features and affordability. It supports AMD Ryzen processors and has four RAM slots, allowing for future upgrades. The motherboard also includes essential connectivity options, such as USB 3.2 ports and M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs. However, it's an older chipset, so it might lack some of the newer features found on more modern motherboards. A potential upgrade option could be a B550 motherboard, which offers PCIe 4.0 support for faster storage and graphics card performance. However, B550 motherboards are typically more expensive, so it might not be feasible within a £700 budget. The B450M MORTAR MAX is a reliable and cost-effective choice that provides a solid foundation for the system, but users should be aware of its limitations compared to newer chipsets.

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200MHz

16GB of RAM is the current sweet spot for gaming, and the Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB kit is a popular and reliable choice. The 3200MHz speed ensures good performance with Ryzen processors, which benefit from faster memory. The 2x8GB configuration allows for dual-channel memory, which improves memory bandwidth and overall system performance. While 16GB is sufficient for most games, some very demanding titles might benefit from 32GB in the future. However, for a £700 budget, sticking with 16GB is a sensible choice. There are not many significant improvements to be made in this area without drastically increasing the budget. Corsair Vengeance LPX is known for its compatibility and reliability, making it a safe bet for a budget gaming PC. The low-profile design also ensures it will fit in most cases without interfering with other components.

Storage: Kingston 500GB NVMe SSD

A 500GB NVMe SSD provides fast storage for the operating system and frequently played games, significantly improving load times and overall system responsiveness. NVMe SSDs offer much faster speeds compared to traditional SATA SSDs, making them a worthwhile investment for a gaming PC. However, 500GB might be limiting for users who have a large game library or store a lot of media files. A potential upgrade option would be to add a 1TB HDD for additional storage, but this would increase the overall cost. Another option is to opt for a 1TB NVMe SSD instead, but this might require making compromises in other areas, such as the GPU or CPU. The Kingston SSD offers good performance for its price, making it a sensible choice for a budget build. It's important to prioritize an SSD for the operating system and frequently used applications to ensure a smooth and responsive user experience. For less frequently played games and media files, a cheaper HDD can be added later if needed.

PSU: Corsair CX550M 550W 80+ Bronze

The Corsair CX550M 550W 80+ Bronze is a reliable power supply unit that provides sufficient power for this build. The 550W capacity leaves some headroom for future upgrades, and the 80+ Bronze certification ensures decent efficiency. While a higher wattage PSU might seem appealing, it's not necessary for this build and would add unnecessary cost. It's important to choose a reputable brand like Corsair to ensure the PSU is reliable and provides stable power to the components. A faulty PSU can damage other components, so it's not an area where you want to cut corners. The CX550M is a semi-modular PSU, which means some of the cables are detachable, making cable management easier. This is a useful feature for improving airflow and aesthetics inside the case. Overall, the Corsair CX550M is a solid choice for a budget gaming PC, providing the necessary power and reliability without breaking the bank.

Case: Corsair Carbide 100R

The Corsair Carbide 100R is a budget-friendly case that offers decent airflow and cable management options. It has a simple and understated design, which might appeal to some users. The case supports ATX motherboards and has enough space for the components in this build. However, it lacks some of the premium features found on more expensive cases, such as improved sound dampening or advanced cooling options. There are many case options available at this price point, so it's worth considering alternatives based on personal preferences for aesthetics and features. For example, some cases might offer better airflow, while others might have more USB ports or a tempered glass side panel. The Corsair Carbide 100R is a functional and affordable option, but it's not the most exciting part of the build. If aesthetics or specific features are important to you, it's worth exploring other options within the budget. Good cable management is essential for airflow and aesthetics, and the Carbide 100R provides enough space and routing options to achieve a clean build.

Potential Improvements and Upgrades

While the sample build provides a solid foundation for 1080p gaming, there are several areas where improvements can be made to enhance performance or future-proof the system. These improvements range from minor tweaks to more significant upgrades that might require adjusting the budget.

GPU Upgrade: AMD Radeon RX 6600 or RTX 3060

The GPU is the most impactful component for gaming performance, so upgrading it can provide the most significant gains. If the budget allows, upgrading to an AMD Radeon RX 6600 or an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 would offer a substantial performance boost. The RX 6600 generally outperforms the RTX 3050 in raw gaming performance, while the RTX 3060 offers a good balance of performance and features, including ray tracing and DLSS. However, these GPUs are more expensive than the RTX 3050, so it might require increasing the budget or making compromises in other areas. Upgrading the GPU is particularly beneficial for users who want to play games at higher resolutions or with higher settings. A more powerful GPU will also extend the lifespan of the system, allowing it to handle newer games for longer before needing another upgrade. When considering a GPU upgrade, it's important to ensure that the PSU has sufficient wattage to handle the new GPU's power requirements.

CPU Upgrade: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 5 5600G

While the Ryzen 5 5600 is a capable CPU, upgrading to a Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 5 5600G could provide a slight performance improvement. The Ryzen 5 5600X offers a higher boost clock speed, which can result in slightly better gaming performance. The Ryzen 5 5600G, on the other hand, includes integrated graphics, which can be useful as a backup or for systems that don't require a dedicated GPU. However, the performance gains from these CPU upgrades might not be as significant as upgrading the GPU, so it's important to prioritize the GPU if the budget is limited. A CPU upgrade is most beneficial for users who perform CPU-intensive tasks, such as video editing or streaming, in addition to gaming. For purely gaming purposes, the Ryzen 5 5600 is often sufficient. When considering a CPU upgrade, it's important to ensure that the motherboard is compatible with the new CPU and that the cooler is adequate for the CPU's thermal output.

Storage Upgrade: 1TB NVMe SSD or Adding an HDD

As mentioned earlier, a 500GB SSD can fill up quickly, especially with modern games taking up significant storage space. Upgrading to a 1TB NVMe SSD would provide more storage space and ensure that you don't have to constantly uninstall games to make room for new ones. Another option is to add a 1TB or 2TB HDD for additional storage. HDDs are much cheaper per gigabyte than SSDs, making them a cost-effective solution for storing less frequently accessed files. However, using an HDD for games will result in longer load times compared to an SSD. The best approach depends on your storage needs and budget. If you prioritize speed and responsiveness, a larger SSD is the way to go. If you need a lot of storage space and are willing to sacrifice some speed, adding an HDD is a more affordable option. A hybrid approach, with a smaller SSD for the operating system and frequently played games and an HDD for mass storage, is a common compromise.

RAM Upgrade: 32GB DDR4 3200MHz

While 16GB of RAM is currently sufficient for most games, some demanding titles and future games might benefit from 32GB. Upgrading to 32GB of RAM would provide more headroom for multitasking and prevent memory bottlenecks in demanding scenarios. However, this upgrade is not essential for most users, and the performance gains might not be noticeable in all games. Upgrading to 32GB of RAM is most beneficial for users who run multiple applications simultaneously while gaming or who work with large datasets or memory-intensive applications. For purely gaming purposes, 16GB is generally sufficient. If you decide to upgrade to 32GB, make sure to purchase a kit that matches the speed and timings of your existing RAM to ensure compatibility and optimal performance. In some cases, it might be more cost-effective to sell your existing RAM and purchase a new 32GB kit rather than adding additional modules.

Case Upgrade: Improved Airflow or Features

The Corsair Carbide 100R is a functional case, but upgrading to a case with improved airflow or additional features can enhance the overall experience. Cases with mesh front panels and multiple fans can provide better cooling, which can be beneficial for overclocking or for systems that run hot. Cases with better cable management options can make it easier to build a clean and organized system. Cases with tempered glass side panels or RGB lighting can improve the aesthetics of the build. The choice of case is largely a matter of personal preference, but it's worth considering the practical aspects of airflow and cable management in addition to aesthetics. A good case will not only look good but also help to keep your components cool and running smoothly. When choosing a case, make sure it has enough space for your components and that it supports the form factor of your motherboard.

Peripheral Upgrades: Monitor, Keyboard, and Mouse

Finally, don't forget about peripherals. A high-quality monitor, keyboard, and mouse can significantly enhance your gaming experience. A monitor with a high refresh rate and low response time will provide smoother and more responsive gameplay. A mechanical keyboard offers a more tactile and precise typing experience. A gaming mouse with adjustable DPI and programmable buttons can improve accuracy and control. While these upgrades don't directly impact the PC's performance, they can make a big difference in your overall enjoyment of gaming. It's worth setting aside some budget for peripherals, as they are an essential part of the gaming experience. Consider your needs and preferences when choosing peripherals, and don't be afraid to invest in quality products that will last. A comfortable and responsive setup will allow you to play at your best and enjoy your games to the fullest.

Conclusion: Optimizing Your £700 Gaming PC

Building a £700 gaming PC requires careful consideration of components and a willingness to make strategic compromises. The sample build outlined in this guide provides a solid starting point for 1080p gaming, but there are several areas where improvements can be made to enhance performance or future-proof the system. Prioritizing the GPU and storage upgrades will likely yield the most significant performance gains, while upgrades to the CPU, RAM, and case can provide incremental improvements. Ultimately, the best approach depends on your specific needs and budget. By carefully considering the components and potential upgrades, you can build a gaming PC that provides excellent performance and value for your money. Remember to research the latest prices and deals to get the best possible components within your budget. Building a PC is a rewarding experience, and a well-planned build will provide years of gaming enjoyment.