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576316

macrumors 601
Original poster
May 19, 2011
4,056
2,556
Hey MacRumors folk!

Although I love my 2012 rMBP very much, it's just not cutting it for the power I need for uni. I'm on a games programming course and so I'm running a lot of Windows software, and developing for Windows in general. So it's time to build myself a PC - plus I've been wanting to get back into PC gaming for a while.

My budget is as close to £700 as I can possibly get it, without scrimping too much on hardware. Below is a list of specs I've chosen:

Intel i5 7400 @ 3.0Ghz (Kaby Lake)
8GB DDR3 1866Mhz HyperX FURY RAM (2 x 4GB)
Asus H110M-K motherboard
525GB Crucial SSD
Corsair VS450w PSU
Thermaltake Core V21 case


These components are pretty much set in stone, as I think they're exactly right for my needs right now. However, the one component which is confusing me the most is my choice of GPU.

I want to get the ASUS GeForce 1060 DUAL-GTX but I cannot decide whether I should get the 3GB VRAM version (running me £198) or the 6GB version (running me £256). The latter of which will push the build up to almost £800, the former I'd be sitting at just over £700.

I've searched no end for a definitive answer on this, but I can't seem to find one. I want a GPU that's going to run almost all the latest games at high FPS and high settings, although I tend to only really play indie titles. I have my PS4 for big AAA titles, of which I play few (feel like I just answered my own question with that sentence). It would be hooked up to two 1080p 144Hz monitors via DisplayPort.

Would I regret not going with the 6GB variant within just a couple years? Or can anyone guarantee the 3GB variant would be more than enough for the foreseeable future? All I can find is people saying, "You need to get 6GB because all games are gonna require more than 4GB by next year!!! Argh!!!!".

Anyone shed any light on this?

I'm very keen to run the entire system from an SSD as I've seen the massive benefits that gains you. I have very low footprint when it comes to storage as I've lived comfortably on a 256GB MacBook Pro for the past 4 years - I tend to push everything to my Western Digital MyCloud 3Tb NAS drive. But if necessary, I could probably shave the SSD down to a 250GB variant which would cut off the extra £50 needed to get the more expensive card. I'm just not sure a 250GB system is wise, or future proof. But adding more storage is easier than adding a new GPU.

Edit:
Thank you to those that replied. I've now ordered my new PC parts and the exciting build process will start this Friday! I decided to go with the 6GB variant in the end, and also changed a few other specs! Let's just say...I found a bit more money to actually do this PC properly! Setting the thread to resolved...
 
Last edited:

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
For an extra £50 it's doubling the VRAM. Though games won't be unusable on 3GB by any means, it's a no brainer to just pay the (comparatively small) extra for longevity.
 
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