Building a PC is an exciting thing, but it’s also pretty expensive. Ah, what am I saying — let’s not beat around the bush here. It’s really expensive. With the prices of the best graphics cards higher than they’ve been in years, getting yourself a gaming rig is pricey even if you go down the budget route — but it gets worse if you want a more powerful PC.
Still, it’s entirely possible to build a good computer on a budget. The problem is that you’ll often talk yourself into spending more than you need to. That’s probably how I ended up spending $3,000 on a PC that’s mostly used for playing a $20 game.
The FOMO is real
I didn’t build my PC just now — in fact, I’d recommend holding off if you’re planning to upgrade. The market is in shambles.
But, my PC was built fairly recently, just over a year ago, and at the time, it cost me nearly $3,000. I know that many people have spent way more on their gaming rigs, but it was still the most I’ve ever spent on any build of mine, and my initial budget sat at a firm $2,000.
So, you might be wondering how I ended up here, around $800 over my initial budget. And to that, I will say one thing: I blame FOMO, or fear of missing out.
FOMO is the driving force behind many budgets that were tossed aside and forgotten about. It’s the reason why PC building communities are full of people being told to spend just a little more. It’s the reason why many of us end up with PCs that are more powerful than we really need.
When building a PC, it’s all too easy to think (or be told) that spending just a little more gets you something significantly better. Oftentimes, that might actually be true. After all, if you’re already spending $2,000 and more on your computer, why not toss in an extra $400 to get a much better GPU? Or $200 more to get the best gaming CPU available at the time?
The problem is that all these extra costs have an alarming tendency to add up. And, while future-proofing is a thing, a new generation of hardware inevitably comes along and gives you a little hint of that sense of FOMO yet again. This is why people who already own an RTX 4090 might still be ready to shell out $3,000 or $4,000 on an RTX 5090. Few people truly need this type of upgrade, but having the best thing out there is a great feeling.
This endless chase might leave you with a PC that’s a little out of your league. That’s kind of what happened to me.
My Steam library gave me a reality check
When I first got my PC, it was a massive upgrade. Going from an Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU all the way up to an RTX 4080 felt amazing. I’ve played around with different GPUs (a fun perk of doing this for a living), but my own rig was terribly neglected. So, as soon as I could, I dove right into the AAA titles.
Cyberpunk 2077. Marvel’s Spider Man Remastered. Horizon Zero Dawn. Hogwarts Legacy.
Was it a great experience? A thousand times yes. The games played like a dream and looked even better.
Have I finished any of them? No, of course not. They’re still sitting in my library, half-finished and hardly appreciated the way they deserve.
It’s not that I don’t game a lot, because I definitely do. It’s just that spending $3,000 on a new PC didn’t change my gaming habits, which don’t lean toward the triple A titles that take our breaths away year after year. A quick look through my Steam library gave me a reality check about just that. My most played game of 2024 was anything but a blockbuster.
There’s a game that many of you probably haven’t heard of. It’s called Spelunky 2, and it’s a roguelike platformer. Your character (and you get to pick from a few different ones) sets off on an adventure that takes them deep underground. In the process, they rescue some cute animals, collect treasure, dodge traps, and fight enemies.
If it sounds simple, that’s because it is. But there’s something shockingly addictive in this game’s simplicity, and that something made me rack up over 600 hours of playtime in a game that cost me $20. Meanwhile, my ever-so-impressive Marvel’s Spider Man Remastered sits at a measly 20 hours and I can’t bring myself to go back.
While Spelunky 2 looks simple and friendly, it’s often anything but. It’s a punishing game that will make you scream in frustration when you rush through a level only to end up in a trap. Once you die, you’re right back to level one and the game begins again. And no two games are ever the same, all thanks to the roguelike nature of Spelunky 2. However, there’s something deeply satisfying that many games aren’t able to replicate — Spelunky 2 is largely based on skill. You can feel yourself get better with each failed attempt, and it feels great to rush through the game and try new things that seemed all too difficult to do before.
I wish I could tell you that the rest of my gaming hours are dedicated to something that pushes my PC to the very limit and squeezes out every frame, but I’d be lying. I also play World of Warcraft Classic, which has now made it all the way to Cataclysm (and very nearly Mists of Pandaria). I get to play at max settings and maintain 165 fps in almost every situation, but let’s face it — the game is 12 years old, so it’d be weird if my PC failed to meet its requirements.
Some of my other recently played games include Stardew Valley, Split Fiction, Elden Ring, and R.E.P.O. Yeah, I’m an awfully demanding gamer.
Don’t go over budget (unless it’s really worth it)
I know that I’m giving the impression that I regret building myself a solid PC, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
I love being able to play every game at max settings. I love knowing that I don’t have to spend money on upgrades until at least the next generation of hardware (although, of course, writing about components day in and day out, I am constantly tempted). I love not having to compromise in any of the games that I play.
With that said, I know now that I could’ve gotten away with a much cheaper PC. Having a beastly PC (and yes, I know it’s no longer beastly, what with the RTX 50-series being a thing) doesn’t automatically turn you into an AAA gamer, and that’s okay.
When building a PC, it’s important to assess how much of that stuff is really needed. How much will it help your PC stay relevant for the years to come? Will it help you enjoy your life more or will it just add an extra 10 fps to an already abundant frame rate counter?
If I didn’t let FOMO get the best of me, I might’ve settled for an RTX 4070. As it is now, I have zero regrets … beyond maybe wishing that my Spelunky 2 addiction could subside just enough for me to check out those blockbuster titles that I’ve also spent money on. (Any gamer with a stupidly large Steam library will relate to this.)
Oh, well. Time for a quick game.
