I've been gaming on my Xbox One for about four years, but I've recently started playing on my HP EliteBook laptop, which has an Intel Core i5-8350U and 8GB of RAM. I bought a gaming mouse and some headphones, and I'm really enjoying PC gaming. However, my laptop feels like it's holding me back since it's pretty weak. I'm wondering if I should just upgrade the RAM or invest in a new PC. If I go for a new PC, should I build it myself or buy a prebuilt one? My budget is around $1,500, but I might stretch it to $2,000 if needed. As a newbie in this area, I'm not sure what the best option is.
5 Answers
With your budget, you can easily get yourself a great gaming PC. Whether to build it yourself or buy a prebuilt depends on your comfort level. If you're completely new, buying a prebuilt might save you some headaches, but building your own can save you money in the long run!
Check out PCPartPicker for some starter builds. While adding RAM to your laptop might help with multitasking like opening more tabs, it won't significantly improve your gaming experience. If you're serious about gaming, a new PC will really make a difference!
Definitely! I'd recommend doing some research on the types of games you love to play, too. It helps you decide what specs you need!
If you're leaning towards building, using sites like PCPartPicker helps you avoid compatibility issues when selecting parts. Just be mindful of balancing your GPU and CPU to prevent bottlenecks. But if you're not fully confident in building, I suggest going for a prebuilt to keep it simple.
And if you later want to upgrade or learn how to build, you can always take that prebuilt apart and see how it all fits together!
Exactly! The last thing you want is to end up with a bunch of parts that don't work together. Buying a good prebuilt can give you a reliable starting point.
Honestly, I wouldn’t bother upgrading the laptop at all. If you're planning for a gaming experience, just go with a prebuilt for now. You can always learn to build your own later on, and that way you get a solid gaming machine right off the bat.
Just get a new PC! With your budget, you can find something that really meets your gaming needs. Keep your peripherals, and if you're considering portability, check out gaming laptops or a Steam Deck too!
Yeah, adding more RAM will help a bit, but it's not going to transform your old laptop into a gamer. It's really time to invest in a dedicated system.