Before, buying a gaming PC was something only the rich could afford. But now, times have changed, and there are a lot of gaming PCs that are more accessible and affordable.
Nonetheless, a gaming PC is still a big investment. It’s something you should research and think carefully about before you go out and head straight into buying one. There are a ton of factors to consider, such as its components, your budget, the games you’ll play, and whether or not a gaming PC is really for you.
Buying a gaming PC might be overwhelming for some since there are a lot of things to consider, but don’t worry! We’ve got your back! We’re going to discuss some of the most important questions and factors you must consider before you go ahead and buy a gaming PC. That being said, let’s get into it!
Should You Build One or Buy One?
The very first and one of the most important questions you should ask yourself before buying a gaming PC is whether you should build a gaming PC or buy one.
Way back when building a gaming PC would have been the cheaper and better option for those who were on a budget and wanted a more personalized PC. However, that’s not the case nowadays. Today, you can buy a gaming PC for almost the same price as a PC that you would’ve built. This is because some pre-built PCs are much more accessible and affordable than before.
With cost out of the way of choosing whether a pre-built or custom-built one would be better, there are still some things to consider. Now, you have to consider how much effort and time you want to put into a gaming PC. You also have to consider your knowledge and skills.
When you choose to buy a pre-built PC, this means that you won’t really have to put too much effort, time, skills, and knowledge into it since it’s essentially already done for you. All you have to do is pay for it, bring it home, and set it up. However, you wouldn’t have too much control over your PC’s components since the PC has already been pre-built by another person.
But if you want to have more control over what components and parts go into your PC and if you want it to be personalized to your tastes, then you can custom-build one for yourself. But by custom-building a PC, you would have to consider the effort and time that would go into building one, especially if you’re not skilled and knowledgeable enough to build one. It may take a bit of time to choose the components and to build the PC altogether; however, it’s not impossible, especially with the internet and all the resources you have at your fingertips.
If you want a personalized PC but don’t want to put too much effort and time into it, then the best course of action is to hire someone to build it for you. But this would cost you a lot more since you’re not only paying for the components but also the time, effort, and skill of the person that’s going to build the PC for you.
What Games Will You Play?
The second factor to consider is “what games will you play on your gaming PC?”.
Considering that you’ll build your own PC from scratch, knowing what games you’ll play on your PC will play a big role in what kinds of components you’ll have to buy. For example, if you want to play high-powered games like Elder Scrolls that require a specific RAM or GPU, then you’ll have to purchase PC parts that will meet the games’ requirements. However, if you’re planning to play indie games that don’t need much power, then lower-powered components will be the best fit.
However, we highly recommend that no matter what kind of games you’ll play, you get PC components that will be in the mid to higher range of power for you to explore the many games that the gaming industry has to offer.
If you’re really sure that you won’t be playing demanding games, then getting lower-powered gaming PC parts would be fine as it would be cheaper. But if you’re not sure what games you’ll be playing or if you’re into playing or trying every game genre, then mid to high-powered parts would be your best bet.
Know What Components You Want
In relation to what was mentioned above, you must know what components you want. There are a lot of PC components that go into a good PC. These include the:
- CPU (central processing unit/processor)
- GPU (graphics processing unit/graphics card)
- RAM (random access memory)
- Storage (you’ll have to choose between an HDD or SSD)
- The Motherboard
- Power supply unit (PSU)
- Cooling system or CPU coolers
- PC case
- Case fans
- Other gaming peripherals
A basic gaming PC is made up of the PC components stated above. Each component contributes to your gaming PC’s capacity to run most video games and other software applications properly and smoothly.
Despite the fact that all the parts are essential when building a gaming PC, the CPU and GPU are the two most crucial pieces. Not only are they the most important, but they are also the most expensive parts. This is due to the fact that they perform practically all of the processing. Furthermore, they’re the components that enhance and make your entire gaming experience smooth.
You can check out our article “How Much Does it Cost to Build a Gaming PC?” if you want to learn how much it would really cost to build your own PC.
Gaming Peripherals
Gaming peripherals are also an important factor to consider. These peripherals include your audio, visual, and other peripherals.
High-quality audio is critical to your gaming experience. Your audio peripherals could just comprise a decent set of headphones that allow you to shut out any external sounds to let you concentrate on what’s going on in your game.
A microphone is another key audio device to consider, especially if you’re gaming with friends or streaming games on Twitch or YouTube. Some gaming headphones or headsets include a built-in microphone, but the quality of a standalone mic is far superior.
In terms of your visual peripherals, your gaming PC may be performing flawlessly. However, is your monitor able to cope with it? Your games will only look and feel amazing if both the PC and monitor are working flawlessly together. So, it’s important that you find a high-quality monitor with a good refresh rate and high resolution.
Finally, once you’ve decided on just about everything, selecting these last gaming peripherals for your gaming PC will be a simple task. Despite the numerous options in each category, choosing other peripherals is far easier than selecting a CPU. Your other gaming peripherals will include a gaming keyboard, a gaming chair, a mouse, lights, and a variety of other items that will enhance your gaming setup.
What’s Your Budget?
Before purchasing a PC, consider the price. You can save money today, but you may need to upgrade in a shorter period of time. Alternatively, you can spend more money on a longer-lasting build.
The cheapest option would be to build your own gaming PC from scratch. When you build your own gaming PC, you have complete control over the cost of each component. Custom-built PCs can range in price from $300 to $3,000, depending on the components used.
If you have a little more money to spend and don’t have enough time, buying a pre-built gaming PC is your best bet. They can typically cost around $700 and up, depending on where you’ll buy your PC.
However, if you really have the money, then you can hire someone to build your own custom-built PC. Although it would be pricier than the two previous options, hiring someone to build your own custom PC will give you the best results since you get to choose your components, but won’t have to put effort and time into building it.
Is a Gaming PC What You Really Need?
Lastly, ask yourself, “Is a gaming PC what I really need?”.
A gaming PC has a lot of uses other than gaming, such as regular browsing, watching, streaming, working, school, and many more. So, you really have to ask yourself if you’re really going to be able to make use of all of your PC’s capabilities since it is a really big investment, especially for some.
If you’re really into heavy-duty gaming, then a gaming PC is definitely your best bet. However, if you’re not really into gaming, then a gaming laptop or regular laptop would be the better option.
Also, you have to take note that gaming PCs are not portable, so you can’t take them anywhere else. Portability is especially important for those who always travel, and using a gaming PC on your travels won’t really be practical (this is especially so if you don’t have a laptop).
So, before you buy a gaming PC, really think about it for a minute and see if a gaming PC is really what you need for your daily activities.
If you think a gaming laptop would be more practical for your daily tasks, then you can check out our blog about different gaming laptops with varying prices here.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot of thought that goes into buying a gaming PC. However, you should only focus on what matters to you and your preferences. There’s not one gaming PC that is the same (except if it’s commercially manufactured).
You must first determine what you enjoy and desire from your overall gaming experience before investing in the materials that will make it a reality. Remember that this is your investment, so build a PC that fits you and your needs.
We hope this article helped you! If you enjoyed this article, then you might want to check out our other articles about gaming here.
0 Comments