What Gaming PC Can I Build for $800 in Wisconsin?
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MellowKite42
I'm looking for a gaming PC with a budget of about $800, purchasing in Wisconsin. I'd like to play demanding games such as Garry's Mod with heavy addons, GTA V, Sonic Frontiers, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Cyberpunk 2077. Ideally, I want high settings and 120 FPS or more, although I may be willing to settle for around 60–90 FPS. I'm open to any case or PC style and would appreciate advice on whether I should build new, buy used, or wait for a sale.
Answers
A new $800 PC won’t realistically deliver 120 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings. You might find a suitable used desktop locally through marketplaces or classified listings, but make sure to test it, check the exact parts, and avoid systems with very old CPUs or weak power supplies.
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For $800, a used gaming desktop is probably your best option. Check local listings and focus on systems with a modern six-core CPU and a graphics card around the RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 4060, RX 6700 XT, or better. Cyberpunk at 120 FPS on high settings is unlikely at this budget, but 1080p around 60–90 FPS is much more realistic.
MellowKite42: I’ve reconsidered my target, and I’d be happy with around 60–90 FPS if that makes the budget more workable.
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Assuming you’re targeting 1080p, $800 can build or buy a decent entry-level gaming system, but 1440p and consistently high-refresh-rate performance in the newest games are beyond what this budget usually allows. Comparing used prices with major sale events may be worthwhile, though local used hardware could offer the best performance right now.
MellowKite42: Would waiting for a major sale be smarter than buying immediately, or should I keep checking local used listings?
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MellowKite42: If I can’t find a good deal, I may stick with my console for now instead of forcing an expensive PC purchase.