How Much to Build a Gaming PC?
Building a gaming PC can be an exciting and rewarding experience, especially for those who are looking to create a rig that meets their specific gaming needs and budget. However, one of the biggest concerns for many people is the cost. With so many components to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine how much to budget for a gaming PC build.
Answering the Question: How Much to Build a Gaming PC?
The cost of building a gaming PC can vary greatly, depending on several factors such as the type of components, quality, and brand. Here are some general guidelines to help you estimate the cost of a gaming PC build:
- GPU (Graphics Card): £150-£500 ( Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £150-£250 (e.g., AMD RX 560, NVIDIA GTX 1650 Super)
- Mid-Range: £250-£400 (e.g., AMD RX 6700 XT, NVIDIA RTX 3060)
- High-End: £400-£500 (e.g., AMD RX 7800 XT, NVIDIA RTX 3070)
- CPU (Central Processing Unit): £100-£300 ( Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £100-£150 (e.g., AMD Ryzen 3, Intel Core i3)
- Mid-Range: £150-£250 (e.g., AMD Ryzen 5, Intel Core i5)
- High-End: £250-£300 (e.g., AMD Ryzen 9, Intel Core i9)
- Motherboard: £50-£200 (Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £50-£100 (e.g., Basic A320 or B360 chipset)
- Mid-Range: £100-£150 (e.g., Feature-rich B450 or H310 chipset)
- High-End: £150-£200 (e.g., High-end X570 or Z390 chipset)
- Memory (RAM): £60-£120 (Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £60-£80 (2x8GB DDR4 2133MHz)
- Mid-Range: £80-£100 (2x16GB DDR4 2400MHz)
- High-End: £100-£120 (4x16GB DDR4 3200MHz)
- Storage: £50-£200 (Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £50-£80 (1TB SATA SSD)
- Mid-Range: £80-£120 (500GB NVMe SSD)
- High-End: £120-£200 (1TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD)
- Case: £30-£80 (Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £30-£50 (Basic PC case with good airflow)
- Mid-Range: £50-£60 (Mid-range case with good cable management)
- High-End: £60-£80 (High-end case with exceptional cable management and aesthetics)
- Power Supply: £30-£100 (Basic to High-End)
- Entry-Level: £30-£50 (Basic 300W PSU)
- Mid-Range: £50-£70 (Mid-range 650W PSU)
- High-End: £70-£100 (High-end 850W PSU with modular cabling)
Total Cost:
Here’s a rough estimate of the total cost of a gaming PC build based on these components:
- Entry-Level: £350-£500 (Basic components for casual gaming)
- Mid-Range: £500-£750 (Mid-range components for mainstream gaming)
- High-End: £800-£1,200 (High-end components for extreme gaming)
Other Considerations:
When building a gaming PC, there are several other factors to consider that can affect the overall cost:
- Operating System: £100-£300 (Windows 10 Home/Pro or Linux distribution)
- Peripherals: £50-£200 (Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, etc.)
- Cooling: £20-£50 (Air cooler or liquid cooling)
- Sound Card: £10-£50 (Basic sound card or audio interface)
Conclusion:
The cost of building a gaming PC can vary greatly, depending on the components and budget. By considering the cost of individual components and peripherals, you can get a rough estimate of the total cost of a gaming PC build. Remember to balance your budget with your gaming needs and the level of performance you require. With these guidelines, you can build a gaming PC that meets your needs and budget.