I'm hoping to buy my partner a gaming PC for Christmas, but I don't know much about computer hardware. He currently uses an ASUS Nitro AN15-57 laptop connected to a monitor, but it crashes frequently and runs very loudly. I've been looking at budget desktops available in New Zealand, though I'm not sure which options would actually perform better than his laptop. My budget is around $1,000–$2,000 NZD. Would a prebuilt or a custom-built PC be the better choice, and what kind of specifications should I look for?
4 Answers
Check local retailers as well as used listings. You may find better value by buying used RAM or an SSD, while purchasing the important parts such as the power supply and graphics card new. Prices are not as good as they were previously, so compare several complete systems instead of focusing only on the graphics card.
A custom build can offer better value, but only if your partner is comfortable choosing parts and assembling it. A reputable prebuilt is simpler and safer for a gift, especially if it includes a decent warranty. At this budget, look for a modern six-core processor, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a graphics card such as an RTX 4060, RTX 5060, RX 7600, or better. Any well-balanced system with those parts should be a substantial improvement over the laptop.
You could take your budget and requirements to a few local computer stores, but it helps to have the main specifications written down first. Ask for a complete price including Windows, warranty, and delivery, since those can make a supposedly cheap system more expensive. Also make sure the case has decent cooling so the new PC doesn’t recreate the laptop’s noise problem.
Selling the laptop could add some money to the budget, assuming your partner is happy to part with it. Look for a desktop with at least an RTX 4060 or RX 7600-class GPU, 16GB of RAM, and good airflow. Avoid systems that advertise a powerful GPU but cut costs with a low-quality power supply, only 8GB of RAM, or a tiny amount of storage.
I hadn’t thought about selling the laptop, but I’ll see whether there’s a reasonable second-hand market for it.
Thanks! I’m leaning toward a prebuilt since it’s a gift and I don’t know enough to assemble one confidently.