Getting a gaming PC can seem intimidating to first-time buyers, especially given all the different choices in terms of components that you can mix and match together to make your perfect PC. That said, one good thing about having a market full of competitors is that you can usually find good, high-performance parts for relatively cheap.
In this article, we’re talking about how much a gaming PC costs, the considerations you need to keep in mind when building one and giving you a basic parts list to put together your first gaming PC without breaking the bank.
Also read: How much does a PC cost?
What kind of games do you play?
The first and the most important question you should ask yourself is the kind of games you play the most. If you play sim racing or competitive shooters, FPS is your top priority which means spending more on your processor would be a better idea. On the flip side, if you enjoy AAA titles more, maybe getting a better GPU to get those ray-traced graphics will be a better idea.
The whole point is to know what kind of games you’ll be playing so you can invest more in the right places to enhance your gaming experience. Not all games are the same, with some being more CPU bound than GPU and deciding what you’ll primarily be playing beforehand can help you pick the right parts, whether they’re your PC’s internal components or the peripherals on your desk.
Also read: How much does a 3D printer cost?
Performance vs mobility
When it comes to PC gaming, a desktop will give you the best possible performance, and often for cheaper than what even the best gaming laptops offer. However, laptops do have the benefit of fitting in your backpack and if all your gaming PC is going to do is sit at home and collect dust, you’ll be better off with a laptop that might cost you more but lets you play games wherever you want.
For most people, building a PC themselves is also a bit of a daunting task. It’s not that difficult and we absolutely recommend that you do it on your own, but it’s understandable if you’d want to pick up a prebuilt PC or get the local computer store to build your PC for you, especially considering just how expensive high-performance PC parts can get.
You don’t want to be plugging your $1000+ GPU incorrectly only to turn it into a paperweight. That said, there are a lot of online resources available on the internet to guide first-time PC builders. As a side benefit, if something breaks or you need to upgrade down the line, you won’t have to run around trying to find someone to do it for you.
As far as laptops are concerned, well all you have to do is unbox them and press the power button. There isn’t any assembly or set-up that you need to concern yourselves with, not to mention the only peripherals you really need with a laptop are a mouse and a pair of headphones. However, good gaming laptops often tend to be quite expensive, and they have a limited lifespan, meaning you’ll have to go through the hassle of buying a whole new computer three to four years down the line.
How much does an entry-level gaming PC cost?
If you’re looking for an entry-level gaming PC that can tackle 1080p or 1440p gaming at high graphics settings, be willing to shell anywhere between $1000-$1500 for a desktop, and $1500-$2000 for a laptop.
While we already have guides on how to build a gaming PC under ₹1 lakh, ₹50,000 and ₹30,000, to help you get started we’ve put together an updated list of basic parts that’ll get you good performance with the most bang for your buck.
| Part Category | Part name | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-13400F | ₹21,999 ($268.90) |
| Motherboard | MSI Pro B760M-E | ₹11,769 ($143.86) |
| Memory | Kingston Fury Beast 16GB RAM dual-channel kit (2 x 8GB) | ₹5,699 ($69.66) |
| Storage | Crucial P3 Plus 1TB PCIe 4.9 NVMe M.2 SSD | ₹6,599 ($80.66) |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | ₹31,449 ($384.41) |
| Power Supply | Ant Esports FP750B 750W | ₹4,599 ($56.21) |
| Case | Ant Esports 220 | ₹3,299 ($40.32) |
| Cooling (optional but recommended) | MSI Mag Coreliquid 280R | ₹7,959 ($97.29) |
| Total: | ₹93, 372 ($1141.31) |
Note that the prices are mentioned as they are at the time of writing. There’s a good chance that these might change down the line. Additionally, based on your geographical location, you might find that some parts cost more or less than what’s mentioned below.
As you can see, for a little over $1100, you can get a pretty good PC that’ll be able to handle 1080p/1440p gaming, video editing and creative workloads as well as programming and development tasks without breaking a sweat. These aren’t necessarily the highest-end components, but give you the most value for your money and will last you a fairly long time.
Of course, the aforementioned part list doesn’t include any of the peripherals you’ll need, but cobbling together a basic 1080p/1440p 144Hz monitor won’t cost you a fortune. The same goes for keyboard, mouse and any other peripherals you’ll need to get your workstation up and running.
Also read: How much does a printer cost?
