Doing your own PC build is a great option if choices and DIY don't scare you - it's sometimes the only way to get the best gaming PC configuration for your needs - or if you think PC building will be fun. As they go through the gaming PC build, they also wonder whether the resulting gaming experience is worth it.

(And when it's time to sweat the details, User Benchmark is a great site for getting a sense of key features and performance deltas between different components.)Īs far as PC gaming goes, all power players ponder how to build a gaming PC at some point or another. I'll admit, I'm waving my hands a bit here: Some of these aren't recommendations for a specific gaming computer, more for ballpark configurations and honorable mentions of the manufacturers or system builders with a specific case design that you should consider in various scenarios if you're a PC gamer. In the meantime, you could fill the gap with a cloud-gaming service (such as Stadia or GeForce Now) or a desktop-as-a-service like Shadow - provided your network connection is up to it. If you're unsure, you may want to hold off for a little while before jumping in. Further, your buying decisions have likely been influenced by the ongoing effects of the pandemic, whether because you're anticipating working from home for the long haul or because your budget has shrunk substantially.