{"id":2994,"date":"2021-10-31T15:51:56","date_gmt":"2021-10-31T15:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pcgearhead.com\/?p=2994"},"modified":"2022-05-24T14:34:45","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T14:34:45","slug":"how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-a-gaming-pc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pcgearhead.com\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-a-gaming-pc\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does it Cost to Build a Gaming PC? Truth Revealed!"},"content":{"rendered":"
The gaming market is growing day by day. It has caused the topic “how much does it cost to build a gaming PC”<\/strong> to get hotter. I mean really, what’s a to-the-point yet comprehensive answer to it? Well, that we’ll find out today.<\/p>\n For instance, this post will thoroughly guide you on gaming PC prices and will cover:<\/p>\n Ready? Let’s dive in.<\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n Deciding between whether to build a gaming PC or purchase a prebuilt one can be confusing. However, the rule of thumb is, purchasing a pre-built PC is cheaper and offers more performance for your money.<\/p>\n The reason is, most of the prebuilt PCs will come with the right combination of CPU, GPU, and other computer parts to avoid bottleneck and bring forth the best performance for the price. But, before going for a prebuilt gaming machine, know that they also have some limitations like:<\/p>\n However, still, if price value is your utmost concern, a prebuilt PC is your call!<\/p>\n You can build a gaming PC for under $200. You can also build one for $1000. The difference is in the performance offered, the build quality, and of course, the user experience you get.<\/p>\n If you’re into AAA titles that are graphics-intensive, you might need a fast and powerful gaming PC that won’t cost you anything less than $500. Similarly, if you love playing games on higher FPS (like 90Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz) or high-resolution (like 1440p or 4k), you might have to spend a significant account on the gaming PC.<\/p>\n To give you insights into the average costs of building a gaming PC, I’ve not only laid down detailed tables but also laid out price estimates for various computer parts.<\/p>\n Want a more in-depth overview? Well, here it is:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I don’t need to tell you that a CPU or processor is a crucial hardware piece for gaming, do I? You also already know that the faster the processor is, the more performance it will offer, and the more FPS you’ll get in games.<\/p>\n So, the bottom line is to NEVER even compromise on the processor. You can find a good gaming processor within the range of $150-$350. See the table for a clear view:<\/p>\n Now, what are the best gaming processors you can buy? Here are a few recommendations for different budgets:<\/p>\n Note: The prices may vary on where you purchase the CPU from and the condition of the CPU market at the time.<\/strong><\/p>\n A CPU or processor cooling system is a system designed to draw away heat from the CPU. It could be a heatsink, a fan, a liquid cooling technology, or a combo of any two. The CPU cooling system helps in maintaining the CPU heat level. The more efficient it is, the better your CPU will perform, and hence, the better you will be able to enjoy gaming.<\/p>\n Therefore, a good cooling system is recommended for your PC build. While a liquid cooling system is the most recommended option, a good fan will also work well but could make your computer noisy. However, you can find a good heatsink-attached fan for between $30-150.<\/p>\n The more RAM you get, the better. But the amount of RAM isn’t all that matters, the RAM speed and module also impact performance.<\/p>\n Speaking of the quantity, a minimum of 8GB RAM is recommended for gaming. To ensure smooth gaming, 16GB is the way to go. When it comes to RAM module and speed, I recommend the DDR4 RAM with a minimum 3000Mhz clock speed.<\/p>\n The worst thing you could do when building a gaming PC is not paying attention to a gaming motherboard. But, how?<\/p>\n Although the motherboard doesn’t directly impact gaming, a faster motherboard offers a better connection between different computer parts (CPU, GPU, RAM, etc) which then results in smooth gaming performance. So, again, do not sacrifice a good motherboard to invest in other hardware parts.<\/p>\n But at the same, you don’t need the highest-end motherboard either. You can find an effective one for between $100 and $200.<\/p>\n That said, one thing you should note down is that people often face compatibility issues when pairing up a GPU and a motherboard. Read our guide on how to check motherboard compatibility with the graphics card <\/a>for detailed information.<\/p>\n Storage is more than just how many games you can store. It’s also about the type of storage you get. The two main types of storage devices are HDD and SSD. HDD is the traditional storage drive while SSD is newer. And as you guessed, SSD is faster than HDD. In fact, over 10 times faster<\/a>!<\/p>\n But an SSD is not where it ends, it’s where it begins. The SSD is further categorized into different drives. The latest one is PCle NVMe SSD but costs high, as a rule of thumb.<\/p>\n For gaming, I recommend pairing up a small SSD with a large HDD. The SSD will serve the purpose of Windows installation and make it blazing-fast and lag-free. While HDD will offer enough storage to store your large games without costing you a leg and an arm.<\/p>\n If you’re still confused. SSDs are much more expensive but offer satisfactory performance at the same time. So, the way I presented is an amazing way to save money as well as enjoy that seamless performance.<\/p>\n\n
Is it Cheaper to Build a Gaming PC or Buy a Prebuilt One?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How Much Does it Cost to Build a Gaming PC: The Breakdown<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\n Range<\/strong><\/td>\n Average Cost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Low-End Gaming PC<\/td>\n $150-$500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mid-Range Gaming PC<\/td>\n $500-$1200<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-End Gaming PC<\/td>\n $1200+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\n
\n PC Tier<\/strong><\/td>\n Total Cost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Destitute<\/td>\n $252<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Poor<\/td>\n $328<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Minimum<\/td>\n $381<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Entry<\/td>\n $497<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Modest<\/td>\n $578<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Fair<\/td>\n $701<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Good<\/td>\n $805<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Very good<\/td>\n $855<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Great<\/td>\n $961<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Superb<\/td>\n $1,058<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Excellent<\/td>\n $1,204<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Outstanding<\/td>\n $1,423<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Exceptional<\/td>\n $1,892<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Enthusiast<\/td>\n $2,068<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Extremist<\/td>\n $3,468<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Monstrous<\/td>\n $4,270<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Processor<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n Range<\/strong><\/td>\n Cost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Low-End Processor<\/td>\n $50-$150<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mid-Range Processor<\/td>\n $150-$350<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-End Processor<\/td>\n $400+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n
CPU Cooling Systems<\/strong><\/h3>\n
RAM (Random Access Memory)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n <\/td>\n RAM <\/strong><\/td>\n RAM speed<\/strong><\/td>\n RAM module<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Low-end gaming<\/strong><\/td>\n 8GB<\/td>\n 1000-2000 Mhz<\/td>\n DDR3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mid-end gaming<\/strong><\/td>\n 16GB<\/td>\n 2000-3000 Mhz<\/td>\n DDR4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-end gaming<\/strong><\/td>\n 32GB<\/td>\n 3000 Mhz or 3000+ Mhz<\/td>\n DDR4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Motherboard<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n <\/strong><\/td>\n Top gaming motherboards<\/strong><\/td>\n Price estimate<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Low-end gaming<\/td>\n ASROCK B460M Steel Legend<\/td>\n Around $105<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Low-end gaming<\/td>\n ASRock A520M-ITX\/AC Supports<\/td>\n Around $99<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mid-end gaming<\/td>\n MSI MAG B550M Mortar Gaming<\/td>\n Around $159<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mid-end gaming<\/td>\n MSI MAG B460M Mortar Gaming<\/td>\n Around $169<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mid-end gaming<\/td>\n MSI Z490MEDGEWIFI MPG Z490M<\/td>\n Around $189<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-end gaming<\/td>\n GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS ULTRA<\/td>\n Around $374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-end gaming<\/td>\n ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark<\/td>\n Around $449<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-end gaming<\/td>\n GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Tachyon<\/td>\n Around $529<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Storage (Hard Drives and SSDs)<\/strong><\/h3>\n