Planning to buy or build a gaming PC? Here is everything you need to know before making the wise decision for your next gaming rig.
Getting a new gaming PC can become hectic when you have to decide on everything to choose from, unlike console gaming, where you go with a standard build pre-built option that ideally covers all your gaming requirements.
A gaming PC has endless choices for selecting and upgrading specs. However, the first question that might pop up is whether you should build one or purchase a pre-assembled gaming PC while considering the budget.
A pre-built gaming PC can give you peace of mind that goes up and running quickly without getting into the online PC Building research on forums and the assembly phase. It saves time from technical issues but comes at a cost that may or may not be suitable for your budget. On the other hand, building your PC expands the customization options, and it’s relatively cheaper than buying a pre-assembled PC since the labor costs are omitted.
So which option should you go for and why? In this article, we will state a detailed comparison between the pros and cons of buying vs. building a gaming PC. We will also state some factors you must consider before buying or building your gaming PC that is essential in either case.
5 Key Factors to Consider in PC Gaming
PC gaming can get complicated if you don’t perform the proper checks and balances while choosing your setup, like the basics of CPU and GPU cooling. Therefore, we have stated a few factors to consider in building and buying a gaming PC to get you started with the components and specifications.
1. Motherboard
The motherboard is your gaming PC’s first and far most essential component. The motherboard is where your SATA ports go in, and your front panel cables are attached. It handles all the rest of the hardware components, and it controls everything connected to your PC since the power button is connected to the motherboard as well.
For gaming, you must choose a high-performance motherboard that can handle additional hardware. Vendors like Asus, MSI, and Aorus Therefore, consider how many RAM slots it has and the number of PCI slots. You can also connect extra fans to the motherboard for better cooling support.
2. CPU (Processor)
Choosing the CPU mainly leaves us with Intel vs. AMD, but you must check which CPU is compatible with your system’s motherboard, especially if you are building your PC. While considering the power in both AMD and Intel, make sure the clock speed is stated in GHz. Secondly, you have to check the cores and threads of the CPU, which denotes the amplification of that GHz figure.
In simple words, a more significant number of GHz, cores, and threads means a more powerful CPU. You can always run CPU Benchmarks to check the CPU usage and how it utilizes the processing power. The best range for gaming is between 2 to 4 GHz of clock speed with at least 6 core and 12 threads processor for running CPU-intensive games in 2023.
3. GPU (Graphics Card)
Like the powerful CPU, you also have to find the perfect graphics card for gaming. A GPU delivers stunning graphics in the best gaming resolution for razor-sharp imaging and new graphics features like ray tracing in upcoming games. With graphics cards, the choice is again narrowed to the two most famous brands, including Nvidia and AMD. Intel GPUs have also joined the market with relatively affordable rates and for the same performance. To measure the GPU strength, you also have to consider the clock speed and VRAM. The amount in GBs defines how powerful a GPU is. You can also overclock the CPU and high-end GPUs, but it may affect the temperature, which can overheat your PC.
4. RAM (Memory)
Random Access, commonly referred to as the Memory of a computer system, goes side by side when it comes to usage with the CPU. RAMs have evolved to DDR5 for gaming PCs with all the RGB effects and fancy-looking form factors in recent years.
Still, it’s essential to check which RAM is compatible with your PC, DDR, and the bits that it carries. We recommended 8 to 16 gigabytes of DDR5 RAM for a gaming PC. More Memory means more multitasking and reduced bottleneck that allows unlocking the full potential of RAM installed on your PC.
5. Storage Size (HDD/SSD)
Storage size capacity and type are both essential to consider for Memory in PC gaming. You must know how many games or media you will install on your system and what type of performance you’ll get from it.
In that case, it’s always best to jump in the Terabyte range if you are going for an HDD and the Gigabyte range for the SSD. It’s also essential to consider HDD and SSD health as there will be a lot of transferring and rewriting of files when it comes to gaming.
Buying VS Building Gaming PC
Now that we have discussed the crucial factors to consider in a gaming PC, let’s talk about whether it is more budget-friendly to build or buy one by considering the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
Building a Gaming PC
Building a Gaming PC in 2023 with no prior experience in setting up hardware can become pretty challenging. It’s not just about putting the components together; you also have to consider hardware options like which PSU to buy or what case size to choose.
It’ll take a lot of digging, but eventually, making your own customized gaming PC will be worth the effort and the price. So, if you decide to build your gaming rig, the pros, and cons are stated below.
＋ADVANTAGES
Here are the top benefits of building your PC to get the most rewarding feeling for gamers if everything goes right.
1. Budget-Friendly Option
We recommend gamers on a budget go for building their PC by putting in that extra effort, as it can save you some bucks. With PC building, you get to choose your parts for the price that’s right for you. You can also avoid the expensive and unnecessary add-ons that usually come with a pre-built PC.
Plus, there are no labor costs as you assemble the PC by yourself. And even if you are tight on budget, you can even go for some used parts that wouldn’t make much difference, like a PC case or cooling system.
2. More Customization Options
When you’re building your PC, the customization options are endless. From PC case style to the brand names for hardware, you can choose everything by yourself. Such a capability allows you to make the combination of hardware perfect for your gaming requirements. However, you must be careful with the customization by correctly installing the CPU and the rest of the hardware.
3. Get to Know Hardware
The best part about building your PC is the fun and knowledge experience you gain during the process. PC building can expand your knowledge of hardware and software-related aspects of a computer system, which is a very productive skill. It can be a long-term journey to assemble a properly working gaming PC; this technical knowledge will make it easier and cheaper for you to upgrade your gaming rig in the future.
4. Easy to Fix
Now that you have gained complete knowledge of what you’ve put together, it becomes easier to point out the problems or issues in case you face any in the future. By building your PC, you gain sufficient knowledge to perform hardware and software troubleshooting that saves the additional costs on repairs or replacement of parts, unless necessary. Plus, you can save trips to tech support experts and resolve minor issues yourself.
5. Quality Assurance
PC building is much like crafting your masterpiece with handpicked components; you certainly know what you’re putting together. Hence the compromise on quality is minimum, and you make sure it’s not lacking in the crucial parts. For example, if you’re willing to play GPU-intensive games, it’s better to go for a high-end GPU and a top-tier power supply to overclock graphics cards for higher performance.
− DISADVANTAGES
While there are a number of advantages of PC building, it also comes with a few cons that may give you second thoughts if you’re not a tech geek.
1. Technical Errors
The most concerning problem you can get into the errors like the black screen of death or beeps from the computer system that could be caused due to a hardware or software issue. In any case, beginners and PC building can only set everything right by a miracle, and 90% of the time, you may run into some errors. This could happen due to the installation of wrong drivers, wrong cable connection, or a loosely bound or snapped cable causing issues.
2. Compatibility Issues
Compatibility issues are another drawback of PC building that can occur due to a lack of technical knowledge. While building your own PC, ensuring that all the parts you’re putting together are compatible is essential. Each component, from the cooling fans to the CPU shouldn’t be put the wrong way, and they are dependent on some other piece of hardware to deliver their full potential or even run properly.
Buying a Gaming PC
If you don’t have that extra time to put together and fix the errors from a gaming PC, it’s better to go for a simpler solution by just paying and getting the job done by someone else.
Buying a PC might save you some time but can cost you money. Hence it comes with some great benefits and some concerning disadvantages that are mentioned below.
＋ADVANTAGES
The one significant advantage of buying a pre-built PC is peace of mind, further categorized into the following advantages mentioned below.
1. Saves Time
With a pre-built PC, everything is done for you. You have to plug and play it as soon as it gets delivered. No need to get into the mess of assembling and searching for parts, nor do you have to install any software. So, buying a PC is an ideal option for those who are always on the run and don’t want to get into technical troubles from their busy schedule.
2. Warranty
The added benefit you get with the added price is the warranty. Pre-built gaming computers may have a warranty on the overall build or parts that work like insurance. So, if your PC ever runs into an issue or stops working, your warranty will cover it for free, and you don’t have to repair it yourself.
3. One-Time Delivery
Again, getting things delivered is less hectic and more time-saving. With a pre-built PC, you’ll receive the package only once. Unlike building a PC, where you must keep track of all the parts and wait for deliveries to get your gaming rig together. Buying a pre-built PC is quicker and easier to get you going.
− DISADVANTAGES
Now where you get all the convenience and warranties for parts, there are some downsides of buying a pre-built PC mentioned below.
1. Limited Configuration
There is little room for customization of options in a pre-built PC, and you have to settle for what you’re getting since the pre-built PCs are made in bulk and built under a specific configuration. You’ll have to settle for a particular graphics card with a specific processor that can run various games. The downside is that it may not work well for those particular games that you want to play.
2. Hectic Repairs
Since you haven’t put this PC together, identifying and repairing the problem is likely impossible. The biggest challenge is identifying the error. You may have to waste precious time by taking it for repairs to the manufacturer’s tech support each time you encounter a problem. In that case, you lose the purpose of saving time as you might waste more on the repairs.
Is it Cheaper to Buy or Build a Gaming PC?
Comparing the advantages and disadvantages, building your PC is cheaper than buying a pre-built gaming rig. With PC building, you get the freedom to explore options and discounts on parts, and you can save the costs of repairs/labor, making it even more budget-friendly.
The only downside with PC building is that you must search for the right parts that will cover your needs which requires a lot of time and research. However, there is an easy solution in modern times that can make a job of hours only a matter of minutes.
How to Build the Right Gaming PC?
If you don’t know what parts would be the right fit for your favorite games, you can always take assistance from the online PC builder by The CPU Guide, which makes the PC building process more seamless. The online PC builder is the ultimate platform for giving you all the options to build a gaming PC that fits your budget and needs.
What are the Features of the Online PC Builder?
An online PC builder offers the simplest yet most creative options to assist the PC building process by providing the following features.
- Presents different options for Pro, Budget, and Expert Build.
- It presents an extensive range of games to choose from.
- Free and easy to use.
- Allows to keep a history of previous builds with login or signup.
- Provides one-click purchase for all the gaming PC parts.
Using Online PC Builder
It only takes a few steps and less than a minute to build your ultimate gaming PC with the online PC Builder by following these steps.
- First, you have to choose the set of games you want to play on your PC and then click the arrow icon to proceed.
2. In a few seconds, the PC builder will generate three different options for you with various hardware options suitable for your chosen games. Select one that fits your budget and click the next icon.
3. Now, you have to select the ‘Buy All’ options after overviewing all the specifications the PC builder offers. You can also save it for later if you don’t want to purchase it immediately.
And that’s it; the site will redirect you to Amazon, where the products recommended by the PC builder will be enlisted, and you can purchase them with a single click all at once.
Final Words
Both PC building and buying have their benefits. If you’re a person who values time over money, buying a pre-built gaming PC may seem like a suitable option. In comparison, those who want to enjoy the process can go for PC building alone. PC Building is a journey of getting known to your computer system and gives you the extensive knowledge to sort some things independently. We hope our comparison was comprehensive enough to help you make the right choice.
