Hey everyone! I'm new to the PC building community and after learning a lot in the last couple of months, I'm really excited about building my own gaming rig. I'm planning to save up for a PC that costs around $3,500, and I have two main questions: 1) Is it worth spending that much on a gaming PC, considering I'm mainly focusing on high frame rates and resolutions for gaming? 2) Are there cheaper options that could still meet my gaming needs? I want to know if this investment will pay off in the long run, so any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated! Here are the specs I'm looking at:
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor
- Asus ROG STRIX X870-A GAMING WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
- ASRock Taichi OC Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24 GB Video Card
- NZXT H9 Flow ATX Mid Tower Case
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE WHITE ARGB CPU Cooler
- Corsair Vengeance RGB 64 GB DDR5-6000 Memory
- Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB NVME SSD
- Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 Snow 1200 W Power Supply
- Multiple Lian Li Uni Fans
- Microsoft Windows 11 Home
4 Answers
While $3.5k is quite a hefty budget for a gaming PC, it all depends on what you want out of it. If you're looking for exceptional performance and plan to keep the PC for 5-6 years without needing upgrades, then it could be worth it for you. Just remember, PCs tend to depreciate in value, so think of it more as a tool for enjoyment rather than an investment in the traditional sense.
For gaming with good settings, 32GB of RAM is generally sufficient. Upgrading to an NVMe SSD should be based on storage needs more than speed for gaming. You might also find that an 850W PSU is more than enough for your build. It's all about balance!
That’s a relief, I was worried I’d need all those high-spec components right away.
Honestly, most gamers are spending between $1.3k to $1.5k these days, which is a sweet spot for performance and cost. You could still get excellent performance without going overboard on specs. Why not consider cutting down on RAM or opting for a less expensive GPU?
Yeah, I might need to rethink those specs if I can still game well at a lower price.
It’s definitely a strong parts list, but remember, no PC is a good 'investment' unless you’re making money from it. If you want to future-proof it, just make sure you can swap out parts when needed, and think about how often you'll upgrade stuff. You might be paying a premium for aesthetics this way though!
Thanks for the insight! I didn't consider future-proofing that way before.
That's a good point! I guess maintaining it properly could extend its life, right?