Buying a dedicated gaming PC puts you at the front line in conquering the toughest AAA or eSports games. However, simply buying any gaming doesn’t guarantee high-end graphical performance in any game you play on your PC. Before investing in your first gaming machine, there are certain key factors you need to consider. Should you build your gaming PC or opt for a prebuilt one? When is the best time to buy a gaming PC, and where should you purchase it? This guide will provide detailed answers to all these questions.
I won’t fluff things up and will get straight to the point!
Factors to Consider When Buying A Gaming PC
Below are the most crucial factors that decide what type of gaming performance you can expect out of your gaming PC.
1. CPU
Whenever newbies ask me which part of a gaming PC they should invest more money in, my answer is always the “CPU” or Processor. CPU acts as the “Brain of your Computer”.
When you play or launch a specific game on your PC, it’s the CPU that has to do the calculations and pass instructions to your GPU (Graphics Card) to create visual images on your screen.
Therefore, when buying a gaming PC, the first thing to focus on is a powerful CPU. At the time of writing this guide, there are two famous brands of CPU, the Intel and AMD.
One of the biggest decisions for beginners at this stage is choosing between Intel and AMD. While both brands are renowned for producing high-end CPUs for gaming, some key differences set them apart.
- Choose an Intel CPU If: You need a CPU with a higher clock speed for high-end gaming performance. Intel CPUs are good for high-end AAA games where FPS (Frames Per Second) matters the most.
- Choose an AMD CPU If: You want to save money (AMD CPUs are cheaper than Intel CPUs). AMD CPUs serve as a better option for multitasking as they come with more cores/threads. AMD processors are ideal if you want to play games in low-medium settings.
People who are new to PC gaming believe that getting more cores/threads on a CPU will boost their gaming performance, which is wrong. Y
es, modern games are designed to advantage of multiple cores on a CPU. However, most games do not consume more than six cores on a CPU. I have written a complete guide on how many CPU cores you need for playing games on a PC.
2. GPU
If there’s any hardware that’ll impact your gaming performance after the CPU, it’s the GPU or Graphics Card. There was a time when a 2GB video card was enough to conquer the toughest game on the planet.
Things have changed and modern video games demand more VRAM on your graphics card to create images at 1080p, 4K, or 8K on your computer screen.
If you are not too heavy on games, then a 4GB graphics card will get the job done. However, if you want to play games in full glory (1440p or 4K settings), then go with an 8GB graphics card.
When buying a gaming PC, you’ll usually come across two GPU brands, Nvidia and AMD. Nvidia is the favourite among the PC gaming community whereas AMD is usually preferred by gamers low on budget.
Nvidia is leading the GPU market by offering innovative features like ray-tracing and DLSS in their RTX GPU line-up. The inclusion of ray-tracing and DLSS in Nvidia RTX cards results in real-life gaming experience in the games that support this technology.
3. RAM (Memory)
RAM or Random Access Memory is the short-term memory used by the computer to quickly access the data while a program is running.
More RAM on your gaming PC enhances gameplay by allowing smoother multitasking, faster data retrieval, and reducing lag during intense gaming sessions. Moreover, having a higher amount of RAM helps in loading larger game worlds and assets quickly, ensuring a seamless experience.
Make sure that the new gaming PC you are buying has at least 16GB of RAM for smoother gameplay and multitasking. Prices of RAM have dropped significantly in the past few years, so getting a higher amount won’t put any load on your wallet or budget.
Read my guide on how much RAM you need for gaming.
4. Storage
Modern PC games swap a lot of space on your computer. There was a time when 40 GB of storage was hard to fill up with hundreds of PC games. But now games like Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War require at least 125GB of free space to install on your computer.
According to a study conducted by IGN.com, you should have at least 1TB of storage space for gaming.
When we talk about gaming PCs, you’ll find different types of storage technology.
- HDD (Hard Disk Drive)
- SSD (Solid State Drive)
- Both (SSD and HDD)
SSDs are faster than traditional HDD drives in loading games and other programs. At the time of writing this article, we have the NVMe drive that offers superior performance over the standard SSD.
Advancing from SSDs to NVMe drives significantly boosts data transfer speeds, reducing load times and improving overall system responsiveness.
5. Motherboard
The motherboard is the main platform that holds the computer hardware in one place. The communication between the hardware on a computer takes place via slots and circuits present on a motherboard.
Generally, there are three types of motherboards you’ll find on a computer:
- Standard ATX
- Micro-ATX
- Mini-ITX
Here’s a small table comparing the motherboard types, their best use cases, and upgrade options:
| Motherboard Type | Best For | Upgradability |
|---|---|---|
| Standard ATX | High-performance gaming and workstations | High upgradability with multiple slots for GPUs, RAM, and storage |
| Micro-ATX | Budget builds and compact gaming setups | Moderate upgradability with fewer expansion slots than ATX |
| Mini-ITX | Compact and portable builds | Limited upgradability due to space constraints, often only one expansion slot |
6: PSU
Also known as the powerhouse of a computer, a PSU or Power Supply Unit is responsible for powering all the components of a computer.
For an average PC equipped with a discrete GPU, the power requirement typically ranges between 350 to 500 watts. However, a high-end gaming PC, especially one with powerful GPUs, multiple storage drives, and advanced cooling systems, can easily consume over 800 watts.
It’s crucial to choose a power supply that not only meets your system’s current needs but also allows for future upgrades.
Additionally, considering the power efficiency rating (e.g., 80 PLUS certification) can help ensure stable performance and reduce energy costs.
Should You Buy A New Pre-built or Custom-Built Gaming PC?
A pre-built gaming PC is a good investment for someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of building a gaming PC. You can rely on trusted gaming PC brands Alienware, NZXT, HP, etc to buy your first gaming PC without doing any math.
Once you are confident enough about how different gaming PC parts affect your gaming performance, you can then learn about building your gaming PC.
Building a new gaming PC isn’t a skill, rather it’s a hobby or fun learning activity that anybody can do by showing little interest. Moreover, it’s cheaper to build a gaming PC rather than buying a pre-built one.
I’ve written an entire guide about prebuilt vs custom-built gaming PCs, just read it to find out which one you should go with.
Best Place to Buy A PC For Gaming?
Let’s explore some options for where to buy your gaming PC parts. It’s essential to carefully review the specifications of the components and compare them to the minimum (or recommended) requirements for the games you intend to play.
Since games are constantly evolving and becoming more demanding, investing in newer-generation components can help delay the need for upgrades.
Here are some of the most trusted places to buy a gaming PC from:
- BestBuy
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Newegg
- PC Part Go
Best Time of Year to Buy A Gaming PC?
There are always discounts available on gaming PCs all year round on different platforms I’ve mentioned above. However, there are select times when the prices of pre-built gaming machines dip down significantly over the rest of the year.
Below are the best times to buy a gaming PC:
1. Black Friday / Cyber Monday
Black Friday and Cyber Monday both are the best events to buy a new gaming PC at a discounted price. You can get the best deals on a new or old gaming PC alongside hardware components at these events. Dell and HP tend to offer a heavy discount on their gaming machines at Black Friday and Cyber Monday events.
- Upcoming Black Friday 2024: 29th November
- Upcoming Cyber Monday 2024: 2nd December
2. Amazon Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day is the best time for you to buy an old or new gaming computer. Prime Day takes place every year in July and you expect a huge discount on gaming PCs and related components during this event.
3. New Year Sales
With the start of the calendar year, manufacturers try to clear out the old stock through flash sales. You can visit any gaming PC manufacturer’s website to buy old gaming PCs at a low price.
4. Hardware Launch
Whenever a newer generation of computer hardware is launched, the prices of old hardware drop significantly. For example, with the launch of Intel’s Raptor Lake chipset, the price of Intel Alder Lake CPUs was reduced. Therefore, the gaming machines that were backed by Intel Alder Lake processors had a price cut.
Editor’s Recommendation:
Mosaab Jamal Ahmed is a seasoned technology enthusiast with a passion for gaming and PC upgrades. His journey began in 1998 with a Pentium 1 PC, igniting his lifelong fascination with computer hardware.
Over the years, Mosaab has honed his skills in upgrading and optimizing PCs with the latest components, ensuring peak performance for gaming and other demanding applications.
Through his insightful articles, Mosaab shares his extensive knowledge on building and enhancing gaming PCs.