Buying a standard computer is one thing. Buying a gaming PC is another story altogether. There are several factors that come into play here. The specs are much different than those of a normal PC. For instance, a gaming PC needs a powerful CPU and graphics card unit to drive the games played. Because of this, it doesn’t come cheap. However, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get one. In this guide, we help you know how much a good gaming PC costs in 2021.
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Buying A Pre-Built Gaming PC
When looking for a gaming computer, you can either buy an assembled unit or build one yourself. If you go the former route, you are looking at spending anything from less than $100 to more than $2,000 according to Boost Hardware. It really just depends on the features you are looking for and the money in your pocket.
Before anything else, you should determine what games you will play with the PC. If you are hoping to play simple games such as the League of Legends or Fortnite, you don’t have to splurge. A good tiered computer will get the job done. However, if you are after playing virtual reality games at extremely high settings or doing streaming, you will require a fully-powered machine.
If you are on a budget, choose a PC with a budget ATX motherboard, a CPU with 4-6 core chips, 8-16GB of DDR4 RAM, lower-tier graphics card (AMD or Nvidia), and 1080p monitor for about $530 – $1060. For a high-end machine of $1000 – $4000 you get a rich full-size ATX motherboard, 6-16 core chips with overclocking processor, liquid or aftermarket air cooling, high-tier GPU, M.2 NVMe storage drives, a case with good features, a higher-tier mechanical keyboard, and 1440p monitor.
To round things up, a decent quality gaming PC will set you back for less than $1000. For anything between $1000 and $1500, you get more features. You enter ‘high-end’ territory for $2000 where you have a chance at playing VR games. If you have more money to spend, you can go as far as $3000 and $4000 to get a true gaming masterpiece.
Building your own PC
Buying a gaming computer has its advantages. However, it can be an expensive route to take. If you are pressed for cash but want a good PC, consider building your own computer. With the right parts, you will get a very nice machine for way less. In addition, making your own build offers more customization not to mention better overall value.
When it comes to building a gaming PC, you want to focus on the CPU and graphics card. These two will offer you the best features for play. Of course, you still want good RAM, storage, and monitor, and other components for the overall user experience.
For under $1000, you can build yourself a powerful machine that would otherwise have cost about $1500 or more for a pre-built version. Ideally, a fair machine will cost around $700, a mid-range $1000, and an excellent one for about $2000.
Buy or build?
We’ve already seen that the biggest difference between building your own PC and buying one is the price. With the second option, you have to pay for the company’s overhead as well as labor. Someone has taken their time to assemble everything and you will pay for it. However, it is less time-consuming as you find everything ready to go. Plus, if you don’t know much about using a screwdriver, buying is a better option for you. Some of the parts are not easy to install.
On the other hand, building is a cheaper route. Since you shop for the parts yourself, you will make sure to get value for money. In addition, you get to choose the very best parts for your needs. The only con is that if you don’t know how to build the PC, you risk making a costly mistake.
There it is – the cost of a good gaming PC. Hopefully, now you have a rough idea of how much to spend to play your desired games. In summary, prepare anything from $1000 and $2000 for a gaming machine if you are building and something more than if you are buying a new one.
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