How Much Should I Spend on a Gaming PC?

November 4, 2020

A gaming PC is a big purchase, and the question often comes up about how much you should expect to spend to get a good computer. The reality is that there is a wide range of what you can spend—from under $1,000 to well over $10,000—and part of the answer to that question is how much budget you have available. We’ll discuss some of the basics on what you need, and how to decide what to get in your PC to stick within the budget you have.

Start by Setting a Budget

One of the coolest things about gaming PCs is that they come in a really wide variety of configurations. There are virtually endless things you can choose to upgrade or change when you build a custom gaming desktop or laptop. By setting a max budget that you can spend on your PC, you can figure out what components you can afford to upgrade and identify areas where you can cut back a little without sacrificing performance.

Decide on Your Must-Haves

Your specific must-have list for a gaming laptop or desktop computer might be different than someone else based on what games you plan to play, and whether you need to use the computer for other things besides just gaming (school, work, etc.). The most common things that people decide to splurge on include:

  • Graphics Card if you only have a budge for one upgrade, start with a graphics card. Most PC games will benefit from a higher-end graphics card with at least 1080p-1440p high refresh rates.
  • CPU more computing power can help you with more intensive games like Civilization, and in general it doesn’t hurt to have a powerful CPU as long as you have a budget to upgrade your graphics card as well.
  • RAMstart with 16GB as the standard, then if you have a budget you can increase to 32GB to “future-proof” your PC to last a couple extra years.
  • Monitor you can spend all the money in the world on a great graphics card and CPU, but without the right monitor you won’t be able to enjoy the incredible graphics. Make sure to get one with at least 1080p (1440p is even better) and 144Hz refresh rate if that’s in your budget.

The total spend you can expect is around $800-$1,200 on the low end, and between $2,500-$5,000 on the high end without going overboard.

Get Expert Help

Trying to build your own gaming PC might save you a little bit of money. But for many people the amount of time you have to invest in researching and sourcing all the components—not to mention the actual time to put it together—does not outweigh the slight increase in cost to get expert help putting your custom PC together.

Xidax offers the best of both worlds. We have great prices, plus a team of experienced gamers who can help you figure out exactly how to stay within your budget while getting a premium machine. Or you can start with one of our basic builds and customize each part until you hit your budget. If you get stuck, we have a gaming expert ready to help via chat or phone.

Shop for your custom gaming PC at Xidax today.

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