This is the second entry in our monthly preview of the best PC gaming components for Destiny 2. The first entry is available here.
Again, the original is on Medium. It may look better on mobile there, but the text has been copied and formatted for here.
Welcome back, Guardians and aspiring Guardians! We’re back with hardware recommendations based on all the E3 news. Let’s do this thing.
What’s new for June?
- Xbox One X comparison
- Checking up on our updates from May
- Recommendations for 1080p builds that can hit a consistent 60 fps
- Recommendations for a 1080p build that can average 144 fps (buckle up)
- Recommendations for 1440p builds that can hit a consistent 60 fps
- Recommendations for a 4k60 build that averages 60 fps
- Current Monitor Recommendations
TL;DR
1. This is a terrible time to try to DIY a computer, not just because we still don't know the recommended specs. Mainstream graphics cards are in extreme shortage, driving up prices to nearly double their normal retail price. For anyone in the market right now, we put together a guide for what the best cards are and what price you should be paying. To that end, we're adding a column to our reports to indicate what a normal price would be for these components.
2. Console Pricing as of June 2017:
| Console |
Subscription Length |
Price |
| Xbox One and Xbox Live |
12 month |
$290 |
| PlayStation4 and PlayStation+ |
12 month |
$275 |
| PlayStation4 Pro and PlayStation+ |
12 month |
$445 |
| Project Scorpio and Xbox Live |
12 month |
$539 |
3. The Xbox One X is such a unique configuration that there is not an equivalent PC gaming rig. At $499, it is a pretty good deal.
4. Destiny 2 will be a CPU intensive game, as noted by the fact that the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro are CPU-limited to 30 fps.
5. 60 fps is going to be a PC EXCLUSIVE. See, Phil S, I can use that word too. It’s not EXCLUSIVE to just Microsoft’s EXCLUSIVE event. Let's hope Bungie thinks of a way to optimize its engine and offers it to Xbox One X and PS4 Pro gamers with one of the later DLCs.
6. Wait until the PC beta (late August) to buy any PC gaming stuff. Markets are all messed up, and we’re just guessing at how stuff will run, but for specifics about Destiny 2, we need to wait and see the beta.
7. Bungie seems to be taking the PC version very seriously. Per TeftyTeft at the Intel E3 Conference, Bungie is investing significant resources to ensure the game scales across multiple-core CPUs. That indicates they are taking their port seriously and that investments in better processors should pay off.
8. We’re using data from GamersNexus with their blessing. They are awesome and if you want to go deep into performance analysis, they are a great resource.
Xbox One X Comparison
Microsoft dropped its latest hardware, the Xbox One X, at E3. While capable of displaying 4K graphics, Bungie announced it will be 4K at 30 fps, the same as PS4. Bungie is on the record of saying that they’re CPU limited on PS4 Pro, and Xbox One X uses an identical processor that’s only 8% faster.
The thing about CPU limitations is that they’re independent of the resolution. (Not sure how what a CPU or GPU limitation means? Check our primer.) The only way to resolve them is to drop the quality settings or get a better CPU. Bungie apparently didn’t want to drop the settings so, it’s a 30 fps game on console.
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
Intel Pentium G4560 |
$88 |
$105 |
$75-85 |
| GPU |
MSI RX 580 Gaming X 8G |
$752 |
$260 Out of Stock |
$245 |
| Memory |
8 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 2400 MHz |
$62 |
$62 |
$50-60 |
| Motherboard |
ASRock B250M-HDV MicroATX |
$63 |
$63 |
$63 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Caviar Green 500GB 7200 rpm |
$26 |
N/A |
$26 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA 600 B1 Power Supply |
$47 |
$50 |
$47 |
| Chassis |
Xion Performance mATX USB 3.0 Tower Case |
$32 |
$23 |
$23 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$529 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$103 |
|
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
|
| System Cost |
$647 |
|
Original build here here
Fortunately for PC gamers, finding a better CPU is easy. However, Microsoft did something really smart here, equivalent to min-maxing a character in a class-based RPG. Because they were building their system from scratch, they designed the CPU and GPU perfectly to be able to handle 4K textures. To do this, they used a mid-range GPU but juiced the hell out of the memory bandwidth to the tune of 9 GB of GDDR. There’s no equivalent graphics card that offers 9 GB of GDDR! The RX 580 comes with up to 8 GB of GDDR, but the Xbox One X has 40 cores vs the RX 580’s 36 and one extra GB of VRAM. The RX 580 can pull off 4k30 in many games, but it’s designed to excel at 1080p settings.
May Recommendations Update
Honestly, getting a little nervous about this one. The Pentium G4560 is an awesome processor for $80, but the thing is it doesn’t perform that much better than the parts found in the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro. The difference on PC is that you can typically drop some of the settings to achieve a higher framerate. Expect this to achieve 30 fps with ease at whatever settings Bungie has been demoing D2 at on console (signs point to High, but not Ultra). Consider dropping the settings to get closer to 45 fps.
Performance Prediction:
1080p 60 fps at Medium Settings
1080p ~45 fps at Ultra Settings
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
Intel Pentium G4560 |
$88 |
$105 |
$75-85 |
| GPU |
MSI GeForce GTX 1050 2G OC |
$89 |
$89 |
$80-90 |
| Memory |
4GB Patriot Signature DDR4 2400 MHz |
$30 |
N/A |
$30 |
| Motherboard |
ASRock B250M-HDV MicroATX |
$63 |
$63 |
$63 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Caviar Green 500GB 7200 rpm |
$26 |
N/A |
$26 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA 430 W1 |
$30 |
$34 |
$30 |
| Chassis |
Fractal Design Core 1000 USB3.0 |
$48 |
$40 |
$35-40 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$345 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$100 |
$93 |
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
$25 |
| System Cost |
|
|
|
$463 |
This is using the same CPU but a juiced GPU. Again, considering the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro can’t hit a consistent 60 fps with their CPU, I’m worried this one won’t at similar settings, but there may be options to reduce to Medium-High to hit 1080p60. I’m still guessing here.
Performance Prediction:
1080p 60 fps at High settings if it is more FPS than Open World (i.e. like BF1)
1080p 60 fps at Medium settings if it is more Open World than FPS (i.e. more like Watch Dogs 2)
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
Intel Pentium G4560 |
$88 |
$105 |
$75-85 |
| GPU |
MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Gaming X |
$140 |
$155 |
$140 |
| Memory |
4GB Patriot Signature DDR4 2400 MHz |
$30 |
N/A |
$30 |
| Motherboard |
ASRock B250M-HDV MicroATX |
$63 |
$63 |
$63 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Caviar Green 500GB 7200 rpm |
$26 |
N/A |
$26 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA 430 W1 |
$30 |
$34 |
$30 |
| Chassis |
Corsair Carbide Series 100R Mid Tower Case |
$50 |
$40 |
$40 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$404 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$100 |
$93 |
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
$25 |
| System Cost |
|
|
|
$522 |
New Recommendations
We were asked to expand recommendations beyond the cheapest kits, so here are kits we wholly endorse for gaming in general. The key difference between the average and consistent recommendations is that a "consistent 60 fps" should never be below 60 fps, whereas the average one will see dips below 60 at the most extreme circumstances. From a benchmark perspective, we're essentially basing performance off a component's "minimum" performance instead of its average. We don't use true minimums because computers do weird shit, so instead we look at its minimum over 99% of the time and use that.
Here, we are beefing up the CPU to the R5 1500X, which will get you well above the 60 fps threshold and last for several years. The X370 is one of the higher end motherboards that will allow some expansion, but a B350 chipset could save you $60.
Performance Prediction:
1080p 60 fps at Ultra settings if it is more FPS than Open World (i.e. like BF1)
1080p 60 fps at High settings if it is more Open World than FPS (i.e. more like Watch Dogs 2)
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
AMD R5 1500X |
$190 |
$190 |
$190 |
| GPU |
EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 SSC |
$320 |
$280 |
$225 |
| Memory |
Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4 3000MHz |
$70 |
$70 |
$70 |
| Motherboard |
ASUS Prime X370-Pro |
$176 |
$160 |
$160 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Blue 500 GB 2.5" SATA SSD |
$150 |
$150 |
$150 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA 600 B1 Power Supply |
$47 |
$50 |
$47 |
| Chassis |
Corsair Carbide Series 200R Mid Tower Case |
$55 |
$55 |
$55 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$897 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$100 |
$93 |
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
$25 |
| System Cost |
|
|
|
$1,015 |
144 fps has been championed by eSports competitors and shooter fans, as every frame counts. When you start spending this much, you can really ball out. This is a top of the line Core i7, a GTX 1070 that can spit out high frame rates, a 144 Hz monitor that prevents screen tearing with G-SYNC, and a 525 GB SSD. This system is about as good as it gets at 1080p.
Performance Prediction:
1080p 144 fps at Ultra settings if it is more FPS than Open World (i.e. like BF1)
1080p 110 fps at High settings if it is more Open World than FPS (i.e. more like Watch Dogs 2)
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
Intel Core i7-7700K |
$325 |
$340 |
$325 |
| Thermal Solution |
Corsair Hydro Series H100i v2 |
$101 |
$110 |
$101 |
| GPU |
MSI GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G |
$477 |
$502 |
$410 |
| Memory |
Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4 3000MHz |
$70 |
$70 |
$70 |
| Motherboard |
GIGABYTE GA-Z270M-D3H |
$120 |
$122 |
$120 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Blue 500 GB 2.5" SATA SSD |
$150 |
$150 |
$150 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA 600 B1 Power Supply |
$47 |
$50 |
$47 |
| Chassis |
NZXT S340 Mid Tower Computer Case |
$65 |
$60 |
$60 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$1,283 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$100 |
$93 |
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
$25 |
| Monitor |
Acer Predator XB241H 24" 1080p144 |
$370 |
$370 |
$370 |
| System Cost |
|
|
|
$1,771 |
1440p gaming is in a weird place because some parts of 2160p gaming are getting very cheap and others are not. For example, the 1440p monitor we recommend is $380, while there’s a 2160p monitor on sale for $313. The problem is that the $70 savings in the monitor upgrade is swallowed by the $300 difference to get a graphics card that can do 1440p60.
Regardless, the GTX 1070 is a great card for 1440p gaming. The GTX 1070 and R5 1500X should serve you well for several years.
Performance Prediction:
1440p 90 fps at Ultra settings if it is more FPS than Open World (i.e. like BF1)
1440p 60 fps at High settings if it is more Open World than FPS (i.e. more like Watch Dogs 2)
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
AMD R5 1500X |
$190 |
$190 |
$190 |
| GPU |
MSI GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G |
$477 |
$502 |
$410 |
| Memory |
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3000MHz |
$127 |
$136 |
$127 |
| Motherboard |
ASUS Prime X370-Pro |
$176 |
$160 |
$160 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Blue 500 GB 2.5" SATA SSD |
$150 |
$150 |
$150 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA 600 B1 Power Supply |
$47 |
$50 |
$47 |
| Chassis |
NZXT S340 Mid Tower Computer Case |
$65 |
$60 |
$60 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$1,144 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$100 |
$93 |
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
$25 |
| Monitor |
Asus PB278Q 27" 1440p60 |
$380 |
$380 |
$380 |
| System Cost |
|
|
|
$1,642 |
We couldn’t resist a 4k60 build, if only to show what "native" 4k60 is going to look like. This is 4K at a different level from the Xbox One X — it’s not just scraping by at 30 fps or reducing visual settings. This is everything on blast and still getting 60 fps in 2017’s most demanding games. Note that NVIDIA is running a promotion to get Destiny 2 with the purchase of a GTX 1080 or GTX 1080 Ti.
We chose the 4k60 monitor simply to show how cheap 4K monitors are getting. $280 is cheaper than most 1440p monitors, and this one comes with FreeSync. Granted, no AMD GPU can hit 60 fps at 4K Ultra, so we’re sticking with an NVIDIA GPU that can. But for that price, it’s a dream.
Performance Prediction:
2160p 100 fps at Ultra settings if it is more FPS than Open World (i.e. like BF1)
2160p 60 fps at Very High settings if it is more Open World than FPS (i.e. more like Watch Dogs 2)
| Component |
Name |
Amazon |
NewEgg |
Fair Price |
| CPU |
Intel Core i7-7700K |
$325 |
$340 |
$325 |
| Thermal Solution |
Corsair Hydro Series H100i v2 |
$101 |
$110 |
$101 |
| GPU |
MSI GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X 11G |
$780 |
$740 |
$720 |
| Memory |
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3000MHz |
$127 |
$136 |
$127 |
| Motherboard |
MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon |
$165 |
$165 |
$165 |
| Storage |
Western Digital Blue 500 GB 2.5" SATA SSD |
$150 |
$150 |
$150 |
| Power Supply |
EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G2 |
$88 |
$90 |
$88 |
| Chassis |
NZXT H440 Mid Tower Computer Case |
$126 |
$110 |
$110 |
| Hardware Only Cost |
$1,786 |
|
| OS |
Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
$93 |
$100 |
$93 |
| Input |
Cooler Master Devastator II |
$25 |
$25 |
$25 |
| Monitor |
LG 24UD58-B 24" 2160p60 (4k60) FreeSync |
$280 |
$310 |
$280 |
| System Cost |
|
|
|
$2,184 |
Monitor Recommendations
We were asked for a few monitor recommendations. I will list our recommendations by resolution as well as FreeSync and G-SYNC model. I use a G-SYNC monitor and think it makes a huge difference if you have the budget.
1080p
| Price |
Name |
Size |
Max Refresh Rate |
Adaptive Refresh |
| $120 |
Asus VS238H-P |
23" |
60 |
None |
| $179 |
Asus VG245H |
24" |
75 |
FreeSync |
| $255 |
Asus VG248QE |
24" |
144 |
None |
| $370 |
Acer XB241H |
24" |
144 |
G-SYNC |
1440p
| Price |
Name |
Size |
Max Refresh Rate |
Adaptive Refresh |
| $380 |
Asus PB278Q |
27" |
60 |
None |
| $505 |
Asus MG279Q |
27" |
144 |
FreeSync |
| $620 |
Asus PG278QR |
27" |
165 |
G-SYNC |
| $392 |
Dell Gaming S2417DG |
24" |
165 |
G-SYNC |
2160p (4K)
| Price |
Name |
Size |
Max Refresh Rate |
Adaptive Refresh |
| $280* |
LG 24UD58-B |
24" |
60 |
FreeSync |
| $390 |
Asus PB287Q |
28" |
60 |
None |
| $821 |
Asus ROG Swift PG27AQ |
27" |
60 |
G-SYNC |
*This would be awesome for anyone buying an Xbox One X, as the Xbox One X will enable FreeSync.
Wrapping Up
To try to summarize the value of the recommendations, I prepared a quick diagram of what I’m recommending and how they fit together for comparison.
To do this, let’s assume every system is just a black box spitting out pixels. For a system to spit out 1080p60, it would have to deliver 1920 x 1080 x 60 pixels/second. The answer to that is our y-axis, which we plot against price on the x-axis. Note that we took out display costs so it’s a pure look at hardware, and we are using our own performance predictions for what the average would be for the “consistent 60 fps” builds. I also guessed that the PS4 Pro would run at 2560x1440x30, but we don’t have evidence one way or another yet.
Makes Microsoft look pretty darn smart doesn’t it? They were able to juice the GPU and VRAM without adding significant cost. The reality is that higher framerates require more CPU which require more money. Being able to hit 4K at close to $500 is a good thing for gamers, and I hope it spurs more interest in beefier hardware and good optimization.
One final note. It was previously announced that Vicarious Visions is developing Destiny 2 for PC, not Bungie themselves. Bungie frames this as a true partnership and not an outsourcing situation, and I take them at their word that it will be a well-optimized game and not an Assassin’s Creed or Arkham Knight scenario. Time will tell, but at this week’s E3 Bungie revealed that Destiny 2 is optimizing for multiple cores, beyond even 4 cores, scaling up to the 12, 16, and 18 core CPUs coming later this year. That is a strong indicator that Vicarious Visions is intent on building a good product that will reward investing in better hardware.
As per usual, I'm happy to answer any questions. Special thanks to u/etski for giving me some feedback on this. I'd also invite you to hit me up on Twitter or Facebook if that's more convenient. Most posts are either updates to our tool or some new analysis, but we're always down to just talk tech.
Submitted by AmdahlCube | #Specialdealer
Special Offer Online Shopping Store 2016
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