Building the best gaming PC requires a bit of know-how and some serious money. But, if you’re willing to invest, you could get a superior gaming experience with the most updated hardware. To help you comprehend the cost of building your own gaming PC, we’ve compiled some useful tips for getting the best out of your budget.
When estimating how much you’ll need to build a gaming PC, it is crucial to be aware of the components necessary for running the best games. You will need a suitable graphics card and an excellent cooling system to prevent hardware from overheating. Furthermore, you should also consider if you’d like an additional storage drive, wireless networking and other accessories.
The heart of a gaming PC is undoubtedly the processor and graphics card. The most powerful consumer gaming PC processors today are Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7, while the most advanced graphics cards are the the RTX 2080 Ti and Radeon VII. Be sure to look out for affordable and durable components as they are often worth investing in.
You’ll also need to factor in the cost of other parts like the motherboard, RAM, hard drives and power supply unit. A good gaming PC should also have a nice set of peripherals like a gaming keyboard, mouse, headphones and monitor.
Gaming PCs are often more expensive than purchasing a pre-built computer. However, if you build your own you’ll be able to save money and customize your gaming environment. Plus, you can get the highest performance available today by getting the latest and greatest hardware.
To make sure you get the best out of your gaming PC, it is important to purchase quality items. Select reliable and established brands for your components, such as Asus and Corsair for motherboards and graphics cards, and Kingston and Corsair for RAM.
Cost of Components
When assembling the best gaming PC, it is important to consider the cost of all the necessary components. Graphics cards and processors are the most expensive items and may range from $200 to $1000. Other components like motherboards and memory will cost around $100 to $150. Hard drives, coolers, and monitors also have a wide range of pricing models, so it is important to shop around to compare prices.
Depending on your budget and needs, you can get away with lower-end components like a low-end graphics card and processor for a basic gaming PC. However, using the higher-end components will give you the most performance and graphics power when gaming.
Cooling Systems
A cooling system is necessary when building a gaming PC to prevent hardware from overheating. Often, an integrated cooling system comes with many processors and graphics cards. However, if yours does not come with a cooling system, you will need to purchase an air or liquid cooler unit for added protection.
When selecting which type of cooling system you will use, you should consider the noise level it produces, its compatibility with the PC, liquid Cooling system versus air cooling and other factors like size, airflow and its thermal design power.
Air cooling is the most common and least expensive cooling system, but they aren’t as efficient as liquid cooling systems. Liquid cooling systems are more expensive and more efficient, but require more maintenance. Selecting the right cooling system will not only give you the best gaming experience, but also increase the longevity of your PC.
Storage Solutions
A gaming PC requires a large amount of storage space if you intend to play all of the latest games and store large files. To get the most performance out of your gaming PC, you should put the storage in a separate drive like the Solid State Drive or Hard Disk Drive. You may also consider getting an additional storage drive for faster loading times when gaming.
HDD storage solutions are the cheapest and most spacious storage solutions. Although, HDDs are slower than SSDs, they are great for storing large files like games and movies. SSDs, however, are much faster and provide quicker loading times, but are much more expensive.
The best solution would be to get an SSD and HDD solution, so you have both speed and space. To save more money, you could also consider an HDD-SSD combo solution where both types of storage are on the same drive.
Wireless Networking
For the best gaming experience, you should also invest in reliable and high-speed wireless networking. WiFi signals can often interfere with gaming, so if you would like the best wireless performance, you should go for the latest and most reliable wireless networking products.
The most popular wireless networking products are the routers, switches and access points. Routers are used to connect multiple devices to the same network, while switches allow you to add more ports to the network. Lastly, access points are used to extend the range of the wireless network.
Whether you need an access point, switch, router or a combination of all three depends on your existing network setup. For example, you may need a new router if you plan to use more than one device at a time. To ensure you get the best-priced and most efficient wireless products, do some research and read customer reviews.
Other Accessories
Other than the vital components, you should also invest in some gaming accessories like a gaming keyboard and mouse, headphones and monitor. Although, these items don’t directly affect the performance of the gaming PC, they can dramatically improve the gaming experience.
When looking for an excellent gaming keyboard, make sure you get one with backlighting for enhanced visibility, dedicated macro keys and full N-key rollover for faster input. For a great gaming mouse, an ideal features include customizable buttons, adjustable dpi and ergonomic design.
Gaming headphones are essential to get the most immersive gaming experience. When looking for gaming headphones look out for noise cancellation, comfortable design, and built-in mic support.
Finally, if you need to upgrade your monitor, look out for the refresh rate, response time and resolution. Often, the more expensive monitors will have better specs and more features, but you can also save money and buy a more adequate monitor too.
