Brand new low spec vs 2nd hand higher spec

freeman3030

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Aug 4, 2017
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Hi all,
I'm dying for a new PC (currently using a 2011 iMac) and wanting to change back to Windows for gaming.
I currently have shared use of a laptop to satisfy my gaming needs but I'd like my own PC to game on.
I particularly play Planet Coaster, Cities in Motion, GTA 5, The Sims 4 etc.
I have seen a used PC on ebay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zoostorm-NZXT-Phantom-240-gaming-pc-Intel-Core-i7-6700-Windows-10-home-64bit/282810670988?hash=item41d8d45f8c:g:SAAAAOSwDFBaTlcp

But I was wondering, for approximately £200 more I could buy these parts brand new and build a PC myself:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/guide/T3Xscf/entry-level-amd-gaming-build

What would you do? If I purchased the used PC, what upgrades would you recommend I do with the 'spare' £200?
 
Solution
Yeah, the pre-owned system looks to have better hardware than that "Entry Level Gaming Build".

An i7-6700 should be a bit faster all-around than a Ryzen 1200. It was a current-generation processor up until a year ago, and can still be considered a solid mid-range CPU among the models available today.

8GB of RAM is arguably still enough for a gaming system, but some games coming out within the next couple years may require more, so the 16GB in that system would be nice to have. RAM is also kind of expensive at the moment.

The GTX 960 should also be relatively similar in performance to a 1050 Ti in most games, though it only has 2GB of VRAM like a regular 1050. Both could be considered a bit lower-end, but either should work...
Yeah, the pre-owned system looks to have better hardware than that "Entry Level Gaming Build".

An i7-6700 should be a bit faster all-around than a Ryzen 1200. It was a current-generation processor up until a year ago, and can still be considered a solid mid-range CPU among the models available today.

8GB of RAM is arguably still enough for a gaming system, but some games coming out within the next couple years may require more, so the 16GB in that system would be nice to have. RAM is also kind of expensive at the moment.

The GTX 960 should also be relatively similar in performance to a 1050 Ti in most games, though it only has 2GB of VRAM like a regular 1050. Both could be considered a bit lower-end, but either should work reasonably well running most games at 1080p. Due to a graphics card shortage, the prices of graphics cards are very high right now, so anything more powerful than those might not be a good fit for a lower-cost system. They will likely work well enough for the time being though, if you're willing to reduce graphics settings in some of the more demanding games.

In addition to the hard drive, there's also a small SSD in that system, which would help the OS and applications run smoother, and it probably has enough room for a few of your most played games as well. (GTAV would probably need to stay on the Hard Drive, since I know that game requires a lot of space)

Overall, the used system looks relative nice, and is more capable in most ways compared to that new system build. Of course, the new components will all have warranty coverage and such.
 
Solution

freeman3030

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Aug 4, 2017
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Thank you for taking the time to reply, I think I might opt for the use system as its a fair bit cheaper and can always upgrade the GPU in the future when finances permit.
Thanks for your help.