I'm planning a first PC build for my 13-year-old son as a Christmas gift and would like to keep the parts around $1,000, not including peripherals. I already have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I'll probably install Fedora or Ubuntu, so hardware with good Linux support would be ideal. He's mainly interested in Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox, though I'm open to buying used parts from reputable sellers in the US. I'm not near a Micro Center. Should I start buying parts now, or wait until closer to Christmas?
2 Answers
An AMD-based system would be a sensible choice for Linux. Radeon graphics generally have good support through the standard kernel and Mesa drivers, so you usually don’t need to deal with proprietary driver installation. A Ryzen 5-class processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 1 TB NVMe SSD, and a Radeon card with around 8–16 GB of VRAM would be a good target for Minecraft and Roblox while staying near the budget. Check current prices when you’re ready, since specific parts and recommendations will change by then.
I’d wait and buy the parts together closer to Christmas instead of collecting them one at a time. Most components have fairly short return windows, and you want enough time to test everything while returns are still easy. Holiday sales may also change pricing significantly.
That makes sense. I’ll hold off until the holiday sales and extended return periods are available.