Gaming PCs are expensive, and that’s to be expected when you look at the astronomical price of GPUs. You can still get a great gaming PC on a modest budget, however. You might not be able to get the latest machine with all the top specs, but if you’re savvy and know where to look, you could get something decent at a surprisingly low price. You also have to know where you need to spend and where it’s unnecessary. Let’s take a look at how you can get a great deal on your next gaming PC.
Sign Up for Manufacturers Clubs and Newsletters
If you want a great gaming PC deal, check out a few manufacturers’ websites and sign up for any clubs and newsletters they have. Target manufacturers that are known for selling great affordable laptops too. Lenovo, for instance, will gift you an instant discount just for signing up for their newsletter. You’ll also be the first to know if they have a special sale or might be able to enjoy deals that the general public doesn’t have access to. All you’ll need to do is submit your email and basic information.
Go for a Used PC
You can go for a used PC too, but this is something we would only recommend as a last resort. If you’re going to buy a used PC, make sure that it comes from a retailer with a verifiable track record who will be willing to back the PC with a warranty.
Don’t Get a Gaming PC
We’re not saying you shouldn’t get a PC. What we’re saying is that you should think twice about buying a PC that is marketed as a gaming PC. In many cases, there will be little that will separate a gaming machine from other comparable machines in a manufacturer’s selection but they will cost more just because of the branding.
Instead of getting a gaming machine, get a regular machine with good specs for gaming. And downsize on the features too. You might have to sacrifice things like a backlit keyboard for instance, but that’s the price you’ll have to pay to get a decent gaming machine on the cheap.
Get a Less Powerful Starter Machine
If you can wait, then we would suggest that you start with a small machine that will do the bare minimum and upgrade later on. Make sure that the machine has a reasonable CPU, however, as it will be harder to upgrade. Here, we would suggest that you go with a processor around the 2.5ghz mark with 6 cores and 12 threads minimum.
You might not be excited at the idea of having to settle for something like an RTX 1650 GPU, but they can still handle most AAA games, though not on top settings. That should be more than enough to haul you off so you can get something a bit better.
Getting a good gaming PC on the cheap is possible, but it’s not easy. It will be a matter of you buying from the right sources, timing your purchase, and being willing to give up some specs and special features.