Even if you have one of the hottest new consoles, like the Xbox Series X or PS5, there are plenty of reasons why you may want to switch over to PC. If you’re still using last-gen hardware and are looking for something new, then there’s really no better time to invest in a gaming PC. When you consider the fact that consoles have been becoming more like budget PCs for many years now, it’s hard to argue that there are plenty of advantages to PC gaming.
This mainly refers to gaming on a desktop, since laptops have similar limitations to consoles when it comes to upgrades. With a desktop PC, you can choose all of your own components, upgrade them as they need it to ensure your system is “future-proofed,” and experience the most powerful hardware as it releases.
Of course, buying all the best hardware at once can run up a huge price tag before you know it. There’s no need to go into debt over a great gaming machine. Here’s how you can get the best gaming PC for your needs without taking out a second mortgage. Just be aware that the best option is to build your own PC if your goal is to save money. Pre-built machines will always be more expensive, and they may not even include the best components.
Check for deals on processors.
The central processing unit (CPU) is essentially the brain of your PC. If you’re looking to build a great gaming desktop that can easily handle performing complex computations and tasks, then you’ll need to choose this part carefully. Generally speaking, Intel and AMD processors will be good for any gaming needs.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is considered one of the best on the market at the moment, and you can’t go wrong with the new architecture of the Intel Core Rocket Lake series with i5, i7, and i9 processors. Check out the latest CPU benchmarks to find the component that’s right for you.
Know the games you want to play before buying a GPU.
When gamers tout the advantages of PC gaming, graphical displays are often among the first things to come up. Yes, you can spend a lot of money on the latest monitor and an absolute beast of a graphics card, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, which still suffers from the GPU shortage. The real question is, should you? If you prefer the gameplay of classics and intend to mainly play games with low graphics intensity, such as World of Warcraft or Rocket League, then there’s really no reason to let a GPU cause you to dip into your emergency funds.
While the best graphics cards on the market can easily run you over $2,000, you can actually still get a great card for around half that price. A great choice is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, which is still capable of running 4K graphics, so you can put a fancy monitor to good use playing the latest Call of Duty in high levels of detail. This card also boasts 11 GB of VRAM, so you’ll be able to keep up with most games for the near future. Your GPU is really the most important component for your gaming experience, so if you’re in doubt about what you need, it’s better to get something that’s a little too powerful than not powerful enough.
Consider an SSD over a hard drive.
If you’ll be playing a lot of games, then you’ll need to make sure your PC has sufficient storage. These days, solid-state drives (SSDs) are becoming much more affordable, and they’re extremely popular thanks to their fast loading times. In fact, some pretty good SSDs capable of quickly rendering 4K visuals can be bought online for less than $100, so this component really doesn’t need to break your budget.
Ultimately, building a PC grants you so much freedom that it only needs to cost what you want to invest. Even if it’s your first time building, and you’re using mid-range components, you can still build a machine capable of a gaming experience far beyond what you’re used to.