How to build a cheap gamer PC in 2023: prices for less than 180 thousand pesos

Building a gaming

can be a real headache.

The options for each component can be overwhelming: processor, RAM, storage, video card, motherboard, power supply, and cabinet make up a complex puzzle.

And, month by month, prices go up.

However, you can always build a computer with

and cheap components in relation to the enormous range of possibilities that this world offers.

With an "input" option you can play all of today's games.

Of course, with compromises: video games on PC allow you to change different parameters and play in lower quality or resolution.

But keeping the

When we talk about "acceptable" we mean that it runs smoothly and does not alter the gaming experience.

That is, a minimum average of 30 frames per second (FPS) in

: according to Steam statistics, until December 2022,

of gamers continue to play with this monitor configuration.

Thus, in order to save, you can choose a processor (CPU) with

-that is, not buy a dedicated video card- and

a good amount of money.

And, of course, one big advantage of building a gaming PC is that it can be upgraded over time: if you decide to forgo integrated graphics and buy a video card later, you can.

For this configuration, the following criteria were taken into account:

• Future upgrades:

  some input components can be problematic (such as an excessively small 120 GB SSD).

  Decisions will be made with future updates in mind.

• "Input" components, but of quality: 

  generic sources, for example, are dangerous for the general health of the PC.

  These options will be avoided.

• Approximate and current prices by the end of January 2023

  : A well-known website for the sale of PC components will be taken as a reference, which does not mean that they cannot be obtained cheaper or more expensive (prices vary greatly depending on each site).

  It is recommended to compare prices on sites such as Precialo, Donde Promo or MercadoTrack.

• PC only considered:

  Operating system, monitor, and peripherals (keyboard, mouse, headphones, etc.) are not included.

  This is because many aspiring gaming PCs already have one and want to take a leap in quality to be able to play and can

  reuse these components 

  or get used ones for very good prices.

Processor: $57,350 

AMD Ryzen 5 4600G

AMD Ryzen 4000 Series.

Photo AMD

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the chip that carries out the instructions that come from the programs, that is, it executes what the user requests.

and the one that determines a large part of the

: the more powerful, logically, the more expensive.

"The Ryzen 5000 G Series incorporates high-performance

, boosting more than 100 FPS in eSport games and high speed for content creation without the need to add a discrete graphics card and

," explains Pablo Ance to Clarín, from AMD Argentina.

Those FPS depend, of course, on the

.

This CPU is, strictly speaking, an

(Accelerated Processing Unit), which includes a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

Like everyone, they have different

.

“If we compare them with the highly demanded Ryzen 3 3200G and Ryzen 5 3400G, we can see a

in several aspects, energy efficiency, gaming performance and productivity performance.

This is thanks to the benefits offered by the

under the

manufacturing process ”, he argues.

For this reason, a good middle ground option between the latest release and something older is the Ryzen 5 4600G, which is less expensive than the newer, yet

with a big price difference.

It is true that if what you are looking for is "future-proof" it may be worth going for the latest generation.

Anyway, both options allow for future

: "When the user needs to improve their gaming experience, either by wanting to play at more frames per second or at higher resolutions, the Ryzen 5000 G Series processors

”.

In this area, AMD has better options than Intel's integrated graphics and also comes with an integrated thermal solution (cooler), so it is not necessary to buy a separate one for cooling.

Motherboard: $25,750

Motherboard MSI A520M PRO-VH AM4

Motherboard Mother MSI A520M PRO-VH AM4.

MSI photo

Although the motherboard is the part of the PC in which the rest of the components are inserted, most of those offered by current brands in their input range is more than enough to build a gaming PC.

RAM sockets 

(DDR5 is still very new and makes the final price much more expensive) in addition to having an

port to be able to put the fastest solid disks that exist today (see next section).

To take into account: the one we chose does not have

, so if you are not going to connect to the internet via a network cable (which is the most convenient for playing online), you have to consider buying an external receiver (there are about 5 thousand pesos).

Storage: $11,300 pesos

Solid Disk SSD Adata 480GB SU650 520MB/s.

SSDs in SATA format are cheaper than M2 and perform very well.

ADATA photo

To "raise" the computer, that is, turn it on, it is best to have a solid state drive (SSD). 

Solid State Drives greatly improve the performance of computers, making them between 10 and 15 times faster than traditional disks, that is, hard disks (HDD, Hard Disk Drive) that work mechanically with a pin that reads precisely , a hard drive.

The choice of

is because those of 120 are too short and, currently, even those of 240 may be insufficient: some games (such as Call of Duty Warzone) already weigh

Of course, you can add a mechanical disk for more storage, but this can be left for later since with 480 you can install some games at the same time, although you will have to uninstall to play when it is full.

RAM memory: $38,600

2x Kingston DDR4 8GB 3200Mhz Memory

There are RAM options with heatsinks, but they are not necessary.

Photo Shutterstock

“The average memory usage in general is around 10 to 12 GB, with which

The recommendation is to go for 16 and if there are budget limitations, it is fine to start with 8 but with an eye already set on raising it to 16 as soon as possible”, explains José Luis Fernández, Kingston's Technology Manager for Latin America.

Undoubtedly, for gaming, the current standard is already 16GB and the best configuration is 2 sticks to take advantage of the dual channel, a system that increases the communication transfer speed between the CPU and RAM.

A speed of

was chosen because the selected motherboard guarantees that speed.

Source: $23,640

Thermaltake 650W 80 Plus Bronze SMART BX1

One key component: the power supply.

Photo Thermaltake

The font is one of the

: a bad choice can damage the rest of the components.

For this reason, it is key to buy a

"That the power supply is certified means that it goes through rigorous consumer testing, which guarantees users that the product has more than 80% energy conversion efficiency when the load is 20%, 50%, and 100% of its nominal capacity", explains Alejandro Espinoza, Sales Manager for the Southern Cone.

"The 80 Plus certification promotes greater energy efficiency in products to take care of electricity consumption and the environment," he adds.

It is a bad idea to buy non-certified sources: "The main point to avoid generic sources is their deterioration in the short term with intensive use, these products do not usually have the certifications that we mentioned above (80 Plus) that guarantee a conversion of efficient energy, likewise consuming more than necessary, and increasing the electrical consumption of the internal components lead to

, he warns.

"Many generic sources do not usually have surge and low voltage protections, which are usually the main problem of burned computer components. Over time, these components that increase their temperature also lose their useful life, because the worst enemy of electrical components is the heat, likewise it can lead to their deterioration and stop working over time," he says.

In this sense, it is

convenient to buy sources that are not certified, no matter how cheap they are.

Although

is well above what a computer with an integrated motherboard consumes, the possibility of 

with a video card in the future makes it better to be loose (the motherboard is what consumes the most).

Cabinet: $19,700 pesos

Thermaltake V200 Tempered Glass

V200 Tempered Glass, a sober cabinet.

Photo Thermaltake

The cabinet doesn't make much of a difference.

Although many prefer them with lights (RGB), this usually makes them more expensive without much sense.

It is true that the more fans (coolers) you have, the better general cooling the equipment will have.

But with one input and one output it is more than enough.

Monitor, keyboard and mouse: do not spend more

We decided not to include peripherals since, in most cases, those looking for a gaming PC already have a keyboard, monitor and mouse.

With any input is more than good to start.

Then, later on, you can gradually change these components: the bulk of the money has to go to the PC.

It must also be taken into account that most of the sites that sell computer components offer

, which can range between

The

general recommendation is that if a PC has never been built, pay that value to avoid putting the components at risk.

Approximate total price:

$176,340

Doom Eternal.

Photo Capture on PC

In this way, with these components you can build a gaming PC to play current games in a resolution of 1080 and low (or medium, in some cases) graphic settings.

Of course, a PC with these characteristics is not going to be able to run Elden Ring or God of War at a stable 60 FPS in high qualities: their "entry" range

But if what you are looking for is to enter the world of gaming on PC to go play, there is always the possibility of improving components little by little, over time.

After all, the most important thing is that the PC adapts not only to the taste,

of the complex Argentine economy.

look too

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