5 Things Budget Gamers Should Reconsider

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Photo URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/nkLivBi2Mvs

Gaming is universal, and it’s not true that you must be rich to enjoy the hobby. There are ways you can play video games without spending a ton of money. You can either borrow or go to game centers to play. The downside for the latter is that it requires more time and effort on your part.

If you’re finally biting the bullet and buy a gaming PC of your own, you’ve come to the right place. Gaming electronics are a significant investment, and you need to ensure you get the best out of your hard-earned money. Budget gaming builds exist, but here are some essential factors you should reconsider.

Determine Specs Needed

If you want to build your own PC, you need to determine which components you need. To help you decide, you need to know which games you aim to play. Remember that AAA titles will require higher-end specs. When working with a budget, there will be some compromises along the way, and you need to know which parts to splurge on or be stingy on.

Budget and Prioritization

As briefly mentioned above, the budget will determine what gaming PC you’ll have. It’s recommended to save as early as you can or while planning. There are many ways you can earn extra income. If you have a surplus of items, you can sell them online easily with the help of user-friendly e-commerce platforms. Online selling is lucrative, especially if you have collector’s items, designer products, and more.

When choosing the parts of the PC for gaming, focus on four major components: the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), storage, and RAM. Most of these parts are vital for in-game performance, including graphics and resolution. Always remember that some parts can be upgraded later.

Solid-State Drives > Hard Drives

Storage is important if you plan to install many games and apps. Hard drives (HD) are the most common form of storage, and while they’re cheap and accessible, they’re not as fast as solid-state drives (SSD) are. HDs operate mechanically and offer 750 gigabytes and 1 terabyte in space, which are both decent for a gaming computer.

However, load times are slower with HD, compared to SSD. The latter has a quicker loading time because it doesn’t use movable parts to read and retrieve data. For comparison, a game that loads a save file for one minute using an HD will load in approximately ten to fifteen seconds on SSD.

With the rise of powerful gaming computers comes the demand for SSD, and while it is more expensive than HD, it’s cheaper now than it was years ago. You can opt to have purely HD, SSD, or both. Just make sure you put the operating system on the SSD to get faster boot times when you turn on and operate your PC.

Don’t Forget the Extras

Now that you’ve figured out the components you need, you need to look into the other things to complete your gaming system. Parts such as the monitor and peripherals such as mouse and keyboard are important, and fortunately, selections widely vary in options and prices, so you’ll find something for you.

Monitors are a little tricky. If your gaming PC is built to run video games in high resolution or at least 1080p, then your display should be able to show that. You don’t have to do it right away if you don’t have the money. You’re better off putting your money on the most important components and make do with a less powerful display.

Consider getting a refurbished or secondhand monitor for deals or discounts that are within budget. Despite being preloved, monitors from authorized refurbishment centers work perfectly and have a warranty.

Don’t forget about the speakers, headphones, or both. They have their own pros and cons. Buy headphones that have good-quality mic and audio if you plan to play games that use voice chat. Speakers come in handy if you plan to use your PC to stream videos.

Conclusion

The popularity of playing video games will not stop soon. You’ll soon realize that a gaming PC is within reach once you have determined your needs and budget. The flexibility of most components that are in the market right now makes building a low-cost PC possible more than ever. The same can be said for upgrading.

By Sam

Sam Lowy is a writer, actor, comedian, musician, and everything in between. A true jack of all trades, Sam is constantly striving to learn and grow. Whether it's for a festival or just a once-in-a-lifetime club show, Sam loves to travel across the country to catch the best artists around. When he's at home in Tempe, AZ, Sam enjoys reading, playing guitar, and watching Frasier, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.