I'm ready to upgrade from my old gaming PC and am considering building my own instead of going with a prebuilt model. While I've heard that building my own can be cheaper, I find myself overwhelmed by all the options available. As someone who usually plays single-player RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3, I don't necessarily care about having the absolute best graphics, but I do want something that looks decent. I'd like it to last for a few years without worrying about it becoming outdated too quickly.
I'm planning to spread out my purchases over the next year if I build it myself, but I want to make sure I'm buying parts that won't skyrocket in price as I go. I live in Canada, and my budget for a prebuilt was under $2000 CAD, but I could stretch it to $2500 if needed. Any guidance on what parts I should consider or how to find the best deals would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy Baldur's Gate 3 on medium settings. Keep in mind that some parts may be priced high right now, especially RAM. PC components are generally more upgradeable than consoles, so don’t panic about them getting outdated—just avoid picking parts that are super old or you might face issues sooner rather than later.
Begin by setting a firm budget and aim to buy all parts together if you can. If narrowing down parts feels daunting, consider asking for advice with your PCPartPicker list or see if a prebuilt suits your needs. You can get a solid 1440p gaming PC in the $1k to $1.5k USD range, which shouldn't break the bank!
It can sometimes be cheaper to buy a prebuilt, especially if you compare parts carefully. Six months ago, building was the cheaper option, but with RAM prices fluctuating, prebuilt systems might be a better deal. Start by listing the recommended specs for Baldur’s Gate 3 as a benchmark, like a decent CPU and GPU along with 16-32GB of RAM. Think about what you want in terms of aesthetics, like RGB lighting or form factor. Once you have your list on PCPartPicker with Canada as your location, feel free to share it here and we can help fine-tune it for you!
I wouldn't recommend buying parts over an extended period. Occasionally, components can arrive defective, and handling returns is usually easier than dealing with a full RMA process later on. Better to get everything in one go if possible!
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