I've been using an HP 2-in-1 x360 15-ew for about three years for gaming, studying, and work. It now runs hot, and having more than a couple of browser tabs open often pushes the RAM usage very high. I've never built a desktop before, but I'd like to learn and put together something comfortable for working from home and playing story-driven games such as Silent Hill and Cyberpunk 2077. I'm based in the UK and originally planned to spend around £800–£1,000, although I can spread the purchase over two months and could increase the budget to roughly £1,700 if that gives me a much better experience. I'd appreciate advice on suitable parts, reliable brands, and beginner-friendly building tips.
2 Answers
For a modern gaming and work build, aim for at least a six-core processor and 32GB of RAM if your budget allows. Sixteen gigabytes can still work, but 32GB gives you more breathing room for gaming, browser tabs, and work applications. Two matching RAM sticks are generally preferable to four. A used processor, motherboard, and memory bundle can reduce costs, but buy the power supply new from a reputable brand and choose a properly rated model. Avoid an especially small case as a first build, since larger cases are easier to work in and usually provide better cooling. Put a meaningful part of the budget toward the graphics card, ideally with at least 8GB of VRAM.
Your original £800–£1,000 budget may be tight for a comfortable new gaming system, especially with current component prices. Since you can wait and increase the budget to around £1,700, taking time to compare prices and buy parts gradually should give you much more flexibility. The exact graphics card should depend on the games and resolution you want, but Cyberpunk and newer titles benefit greatly from investing in the GPU rather than overspending on cosmetic parts. AMD and Nvidia graphics cards can both work with either AMD or Intel processors, so you do not need an all-one-brand build; compare performance, price, features, and warranty instead.
Would you recommend sticking to one brand, such as an all-AMD or all-Nvidia build, for compatibility? I’m not sure whether the graphics card and processor need to match.