Tips for Purchasing and Building a Budget Gaming Computer

There is a lot of aspiration in these times for one to build high-end, multi thousand dollar gaming computers that can play 12 instances of Crisis on ultra settings. While that would be amazingly awesome and if I was Warren Buffet, or Bill Gates I would certainly invest in one the size of a common bedroom, that is typically out of the financial reach of the common working man or woman. Today, I'm going to show you how to build one that works well, and can play any of today's modern games for under $1000. This is going to assume you have a monitor, if you want one you may search on Newegg.

First: The Source of Parts

There is only one place I recommend to clients for very cheap but very good, brand-name products. Newegg. Newegg is an online technological shopping market that delivers hardware for your computer and other electronic devices at the most cost-effective prices I have ever seen. If you are planning on building your computer from scratch, start here.

Second: The Parts

Case

Cases can be very cheap. I know that it is a common goal for PC builders to have cases that look like the Star Trek console stations, and illuminate the night sky, it's completely unnecessary and quite expensive. I can find completely functioning cases for only around $20.

Motherboard

This can be the most important part of your PC. If nothing else is compatible with the motherboard, you have a lot of random pieces of hardware that you cannot do anything with. First, make sure the motherboard is compatible with your case. Most new cases/motherboards that you can purchase are ATX, but make sure under specifications at Newegg. I have found surprisingly well-off motherboards for approximately $75. Not too bad.

Processor

The processor, as I stated in a previous article, is essentially the "brain" of the computer. This will carry out all of the computer's basic tasks and functions, and will perform the calculations and operations while playing games. A good processor is essential to gaming rigs, so I recommend at least a dual core, which can go for around $200-$300 right now. This is the more than likely the most expensive item in your computer.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

RAM is quite important when pertaining to gaming. RAM temporarily stores information waiting to be executed or calculated in the processor, so the more you have the faster the processor can work at calculating your mathematical equations in-game. For a budget rig, 2 or 3 GB will suffice, which will cost you around $50-$75. This will also prevent you from having to purchase a 64-bit operating system, which we will deal with a bit later.

Video Card (Graphics Card)

While many people claim the video card is the most important aspect to a gaming computer, it's really not. While it is important, you can have the best video card available, and a horrible processor and have choppy gaming. For a budget rig, I would recommend an nVidia GeForce either 7 or 8 series, probably either the 7800 or an 8600 GT or GTS. These are both around $100-$150 depending on which specific model you buy.

Operating System

Since this is a budget rig and we have less than 4 GB of RAM, a 64-bit operating system would be useless. 32-bit editions of Windows XP or Vista Home Premium are around $200 and will work fine for budget gaming.

Other Accessories

Other things are optional. You may want to get an optical drive, but it's not entirely necessary for operation. You may also want to buy your own mouse and keyboard, or other input devices. I went over the main hardware you will need to know about.

Our total:

Case: $20

Motherboard: $75

Processor: $200

RAM: $50

Video Card: $100

Operating System: $200

Total: $645

Not too bad for a nice gaming PC.