Building a gaming pc that won’t break the bank can be a tough task if you’re unfamiliar with components and their prices. Even more difficult would be balancing the cost to performance ratio. There’s no single perfect Formula for this, but with a few key tips and tricks we can get a good value for money gaming build.
Choosing the right components for your build is maybe the most important part when it comes to establishing a balanced budget. Above all else, you should make sure the parts you use are compatible with eachother. Depending on how much you’re willing to spend there are different ranges of components to choose from. Some are more suitable to entry level gaming while others may favor performance users. You must be sure to make the right choice for your specific build.
The order of your components is also important. Invest in the components that matter most and save on lower priority ones. For example, when it comes to gaming, the GPU is the most important part as it’s in charge of rendering the games. Allocating more of your budget towards a good GPU will undoubtedly lead to better gaming performance. A good CPU is also important in gaming so if you can afford it go for a mid-range model to squeeze out even further performance.
Storage is something most pc builds must include. Most gamers opt for an HDD and an SSD combination for a good balance between affordability and performance. SSDs are definitely faster due to their lack of moving parts, but they are a little more expensive. The amount of space you’ll need depends on how many games or programs you’ll put in your build. Just make sure both drives are large enough to fit your needs.
Also keep in mind if you decide to go for an AMD CPU, you’ll need a Ryzen 5 or higher for gaming performance. For Intel, it’s a Core i3 or higher. With such cores, you’ll be able to have decent performance from most games with a mid-range GPU.
As for the PC case, make sure you have room for all your components, as well as integrated cooling. A front fan is highly recommended for optimal airflow and temperature control. Lastly, no gaming PC is complete without a monitor. This is completely up to the user on what to pick, but just keep in mind resolution, refresh rate and response time might affect gameplay.
Picking A GPU
The most important component when it comes to gaming would be the GPU, or Graphic Processing Unit. For every game, there’s a minimum requirement for the GPU and a comprehensive list of supported cards. You’ll want the latest and greatest when it comes to performance but the truth is older models that are still in production can provide just as good, if not better, performance. If you can’t afford a high-end GPU there’s always the option to choose a budget card as some of them can provide decent performance. Make sure to do your research and pick a GPU that won’t bottleneck your other components.
Choosing a CPU
The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is in charge of processing the data sent from the GPU. It does not need to be extremely powerful for gaming, but it is a good idea to get a decent one nonetheless. We would recommend getting at least a 4 Core CPU with a respectable speed. Make sure it’s compatible with the other components you’ve chosen as they need to match eachother in order to function properly.
Going For The RAM
RAM or Random Access Memory is important in gaming as it helps with multitasking and applications. 8GB should suffice most games but we recommend at least 16GB for more intensive games. Keep in mind that if you’re looking to upgrade your ram later on, your motherboard model and CPU architecture may influence compatibility.
The Cooling Part
Cooling is also very important especially when computing intensive tasks. If your components are too hot they may end up crashing and damaging other parts of the build. The options for cooling range from air coolers to AIO liquid coolers, but we recommend an aftermarket cooler to achieve the best temperature control.
Don’t Forget The Power Supply
Keeping the components powered is also important. You’ll want to get a good quality power supply to keep all the parts running at their fullest without causing any undue problems. It’s advisable to check the watts your build will consume, add some extra for safe measure and pick out a PSU that’s able to output those.
The Motherboard
The motherboard provides the connection for all the components and, depending on what you need your PC for, it can become very important. If you’re planning on overclocking parts, you’ll need an appropriate motherboard with good voltage regulation. Make sure to check compatibility with CPU and RAM, and decide if you want just the basics or more features.
