How To Shop For The Best Budget Gaming/WorkStation Computer
by Lance Mendoza
I wrote this quick technical guide to help those of us who are less technical make a informed decision when purchasing a computer. Below you will find a strategy that is hopefully easy to execute when purchasing a good value for a gaming computer/workstation computer.
This is not a guide on how to build a computer, but instead a guide on what to look for in a prebuilt computer system. If you are interested in further learning more about computer hardware technology or perhaps building a computer, please check out Linus Tech Tips or even JayzTwoCents both of which are technology professional tech reviewers.
A question that often comes up in my social sphere of technology is, “Could you help me buy a gaming computer? Also can it be great for work applications as well?” This question has be brought up more times than I have had time for unfortunately.
Fortunately, there are tons of people and salesman inside stores willing to provide you a customer experience to sell you an over priced computer. Anyone can go to there local BestBuy, Walmart, Amazon or any other electronics store and purchase a computer, but is what the sales rep telling you to buy actually worth it?
Below is a hopefully helpful step by step strategy, in how to purchase a computer.
Step 1: Identify what you are planning to use the computer for?
- Microsoft office applications
- Video editing
- Graphic design
- Computer graphics
- Entertainment
- Watching videos
- Scientific applications
- Programming
- Gaming and if so what level of computer gaming? If you are going to play solitaire or flash games online then all you need is a CPU. If you are going to be playing Call of Duty for example, you will need a graphics card. More on CPU and GPU on Step 3.
Step 2: Would you like a laptop, desktop or all in one computer?
Laptop
Pros: Mobile, compact
Cons: Battery life, small screen size
Desktop
Pros: Dedicated stationary, bigger screen size, more computing power
Cons: Bulky, requires a monitor
All in one
Pros: Less space, built in monitor
Cons: Set screen size, often more expensive, less computing power
- Tip: Often times screen size, computing power and our living space are the key elements we often tend to look for besides computer price.
Step 3: Look at computer specifications (Do not get distracted by the slick design or RGB(glamour) of a computer as it does not add computing performance).
The screenshot above shows an Apple laptop priced $1999 and $2499. Based on the screenshot above this laptop computer provides an Apple M1 Pro with an 8 Core CPU or a 10-core CPU. Core counts is usually equal to more computing power, but not necessarily faster performance.
- Tip: Typically you would want more core counts and for computing performance you would want the best consumer CPU in the market.
For gaming and workstation computers the second most important computer hardware to consider behind the CPU is GPU. GPUs were originally designed to accelerate 3D rendering graphics. GPU are now being used to accelerate high performance computing, machine learning, etc. At the time of writing the most popular GPU is Nvidia RTX 3060-Ti $460. The most powerful GPU in the consumer market is RTX 4090 $1,600.
- Tip: Typically NVIDIA (50, 60, 70, 90) and AMD GPU are incremented by by a set of numbers. The higher the number the most current generation they are, I like many other purchasers of GPUs tend to go with the most popular as usually they are better price wise.
Click here to find the most popular GPU’s on the market.
To find out more about GPU click here for a link to an article from Intel.
Step 4: Do some research about the hardware parts.
Compare and contrast what you are computer hardware you are buying yourself! Typically in stores like BestBuy or other electronic stores from my experience and the experience of others, most associates do not know what they are talking about when it comes to computers.
- Tip: Google searching now will save you pain, stress and money in the long run.
- Tip: To compare and contrast a specific hardware all you would have to do is google something like “ryzen 7700x vs apple m1 pro”.
Step 5: Look at local electronic stores and online stores specials.
Compare and contrast other offerings in other stores. Sometimes online retailers will give you a monitor, mouse, keyboard, gift cards, etc. for purchasing a computer from them.
- Tip: Usually people don’t need to buy a warranty. A good amount of electronic products usually have a standard 1 year, 3 months or 1 month warranty. If its gonna break, it’ll break immediately!
- Tip: As a person who has worked in a laptop repair shop; spilling coffee or other wise water in your computer tends to void the warranty and these laptops usually end up in the trash or used for parts.
As a rule of thumb to keep it simple when purchasing a computer you need to ask yourself:
a) Does it have a GPU(Graphic Processing Unit)?
No GPU? You probably wont be able to play Call of Duty in this computer. You will probably have a hard time processing videos, creating computer graphics, etc.
b) How powerful is the CPU(Core Processing Unit)?
Where does it score on CPU benchmark? What generation is it? Compare and contrast what you are buying as typical computers are quite an investment!
Click on this link to see all computer hardware currently available for consumer purchase.
Click on this link to see a comparison site for CPU, GPU, computer memory, etc.
c) How much storage does it have?
If I save a 200GB a typical video file, is 1 terabyte enough? If I save a 1MB picture can I store it in my computer with 1 terabyte of storage? Saving pictures would be no problem for the Apple laptop pictured above, but anything computing related which take up lots of storage space maybe you can save 3 — 20 minute videos at most.
1000KB = 1 MB
1000MB = 1GB
1000GB = 1TB
d) How much ram does it have?
Ram is short term memory the CPU needs. Everything uses ram typically computers offer 8GB of ram, but the bear minimum as of 2023 is 16GB of ram. The more ram the better!
e) Can I add computer hardware in the motherboard?
Upgradable options include adding more storage, more ram, a video capture card, adding another GPU, etc. People don't tend to add things internally in their computer, so this is probably not something to worry about.
Important Price Point Tips:
- Typically you can find a good gaming/workstation desktop computer for about $1000 USD + Tax that will last you between 5–10 or even more years if you don’t care about upgrading to the current generation computer hardware.
- When purchasing a desktop computer often times if you do not have a monitor you will need to get one as well.
- Laptops with a CPU usually cost around $400–$700 USD + Tax depending on the screen size. Laptops with a CPU and GPU usually cost between $850 — 1100 USD + Tax.
- Laptops are great because their mobile. The drawback of having a laptop with a GPU is that they will need to be plugged in all the time! Why not just buy a desktop?
- Most laptops usually have mobile CPUs and mobile GPUs compared to full blown CPUs and GPUs seen in desktop computers.
- All in One computers will often cost you $1500 — $2000 USD + Tax to be somewhat performance comparable to a $1000USD laptop or desktop.
- All in One computers are often overpriced due to having a monitor and being more compact.
- Apple laptops, All in One computers and desktops are often overpriced! It is often seen more of a status symbol rather than getting work done.
For those of us who continually consume technical entertainment and continuously learn about computer hardware products it may not be hard for us to shop for a “budget gaming computer” or an equivalent workstation. For the average consumer, its a encroaching nightmare not knowing what they have bought. I hope this technical guide was helpful in helping make an informed decision when purchasing a suitable work computer and/or gaming computer.
Lance Mendoza is a writer in artificial intelligence, game design and creative technology. He is also a computer graphic creative interested in the realm of animation, the study of video games and an advocate for fully immersive virtual reality. His work focuses on different systems and theory’s of video game creation with an emphasis in turning games into educational entertainment as will as gamifying interfaces outside of the game sphere. Some of the experimentations that he has partook on in the past include user behavior simulations and human subject research for the purpose of creating user experience centric accessible design.
