I'm new to building PCs and have a budget of about $1,100 CAD after 14% tax. I'd like the system to handle VR gaming with a Meta Quest 2, high-fidelity gaming, decent video editing, and game development in Unity and similar software. Built-in Wi‑Fi is also important. My main priorities are gaming and development, but I'd like reasonable performance in the other areas too. I already own a 1080p 75Hz monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers.
2 Answers
You’ll probably need to increase the budget by a few hundred Canadian dollars for a comfortable experience, particularly for VR and high-quality gaming. At $1,100 after tax, look for a system with 16GB of RAM, a modern six-core-or-better CPU, a dedicated graphics card, and built-in Wi‑Fi, but expect to lower some settings or add upgrades later.
That budget will be very tight for all of those goals, especially if the $1,100 includes tax. VR and high-fidelity gaming benefit from a strong graphics card, while video editing and game development also need a capable processor and plenty of memory. You may need to raise the budget, buy some used parts, or accept lower settings and upgrade later.
How much would you expect a PC with these capabilities to cost? I’m working with a very limited budget, so I’m trying to understand which compromises would help most.
I understand the budget is restrictive. How much more would you recommend, and which component should I prioritize first?