My 11-year-old daughter would like a gaming PC for Christmas, mainly for Roblox, Fortnite, Five Nights at Freddy's, and similar games. We're in the UK and would prefer to keep the budget at £500 or less. She doesn't need maximum graphics settings or 144 FPS—around 60 FPS at sensible settings would be perfectly fine. Is a new build realistic at this price, or would we be better off looking at used parts, a prebuilt system, a console, or another option?
5 Answers
A used system with an older Ryzen or Intel processor and a graphics card from the GTX 10, RTX 20, or RX 6000 generation should handle those games well at 1080p. Roblox can be more CPU-dependent than people expect, while Fortnite can be adjusted to run smoothly on modest hardware. Something with a GTX 1050 Ti or similar may be enough for the target games, although it won’t be ideal for demanding new releases.
£500 is extremely tight for a completely new gaming PC, especially once you include the case, power supply, storage, RAM, motherboard, and Windows. The used market is probably your best option, whether that means a complete gaming PC or a business desktop upgraded with a suitable graphics card. Check local listings, eBay, and second-hand electronics stores, but test everything carefully and avoid deals that look suspicious.
That was my concern too. I’m a bit cautious about buying from local listings without any guarantee, but I’ll look into used systems and see what protections the different sellers offer.
It may also be worth comparing the cost with a console. A console would run Fortnite and many similar games comfortably within the budget, although Roblox support and the overall game selection may not match what she wants from a PC. If the PC is important, consider setting a slightly larger budget or buying a decent used system now and upgrading it later.
Another possibility is an AMD APU build, such as a used Ryzen 5 5600G. Its integrated graphics can run Roblox and Fortnite at lower settings, letting you add a dedicated graphics card later when the budget allows. It won’t deliver high-end visuals, but it can be a sensible way to get a functional PC now without buying every expensive part at once.
When shopping for used parts, make sure the processor, motherboard, and RAM are compatible. A parts-listing tool can help check this before you buy. Used RAM, CPUs, and graphics cards can offer good value, but be particularly careful with storage: check its health and avoid drives with excessive wear. A complete pre-owned gaming PC may be easier and safer than assembling a collection of unrelated parts.
A 1050 Ti is still useful for a basic starter PC, but I’d try to find something newer if the price difference is small. Better cards will provide more headroom and make the system last longer.