In January 2023, assembling a basic gamer PC to play current releases cost about 180 thousand pesos. By mid-year, that cost almost doubled: with the same components, it already leaves about 270 thousand.
With inflation forecast at 9% for May, prices climbed in some cases as much as double. Add to this the fact that building a PC can be a real headache, and it's not easy to make decisions. The options for each component can overwhelm: processor, RAM, storage, video card, motherboard, source and cabinet put together a complex puzzle.
However, you can always build a computer with good updated, new and cheap components in relation to the huge range of possibilities that this world offers.
With an "input" option you can play all today's games. Of course, with compromises: video games on PC allow you to alter different parameters and play in lower quality or resolution. But keeping the gameplay experience at an acceptable level.
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 1080 resolution: according to Steam statistics, until December 2022, 64.52% of gamers are still playing with this monitor configuration.
Thus, in order to save you can opt for a processor (CPU) with integrated graphics – that is, not buy a dedicated video card – and save a good amount of money.
And, of course, a great advantage of building a gaming PC is that it can be improved over time: if you decide to give up integrated graphics and buy a video card later, it can be done.
The following criteria were taken into account for this configuration:
- 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 quality: generic sources, for example, are dangerous to the overall health of the PC. These options will be avoided.
- Approximate and current prices towards June 2023: A group of well-known pages selling PC components will be taken as a reference, which does not mean that they cannot be cheaper or more expensive (prices vary greatly according to each site). It is recommended to compare costs on sites such as Precialo, Dónde Promo or MercadoTrack.
- Only the PC is considered: Operating system, monitor and peripherals (keyboard, mouse, headset, etc.) are not included. This is because many aspiring PC gamers already have one and want to make a leap in quality to be able to play and can reuse these components or get used for very good prices.
Processor: $ 113,999
AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
AMD Ryzen: good integrated graphics. Photo AMD
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the chip that carries forward the instructions that come from the programs, that is, what executes what the user requests. It is the first component to choose and the one that conditions a large part of the rig: the more powerful, logically, the more expensive.
"The G Series of Ryzen 5000 incorporates high-performance Radeon graphics, boosting more than 100 FPS in eSport games and high speed for content creation without the need to add a discrete graphics card and without sacrificing fluidity," Pablo Ance, from AMD Argentina, explains to Clarín. Those FPS depend, of course, on the user's configuration.
This CPU is, strictly speaking, an APU (Accelerated Processing Unit), which includes GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). Like everyone, they have different generations. "If we compare them with the highly demanded Ryzen 3 3200G and Ryzen 5 3400G, we can see a significant difference in several aspects, energy efficiency, gaming performance and productivity performance. This is thanks to the benefits offered by the Zen 3 architecture under the 7nm manufacturing process," he argues.
In this area, AMD has better options than Intel integrated graphics and also comes with integrated thermal solution (cooler), so you do not need to buy a separate one to cool.
For this reason, a good option to "shield" yourself from the future (what is called "future-proof") is to go for this generation. "When users need to improve their gaming experience, whether they want to play at more frames per second or at higher resolutions, Ryzen 5000 G-Series processors are ready to get the most out of any graphics card."
Motherboard: $ 52,220
Mother Gigabyte A520M
Motherboard, where all the components go. Photo Pexels
While 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 entry range is more than enough to build a gamer PC.
The most important thing is that it has DDR4 RAM sockets (DDR5 is still very new and makes the final price very expensive) in addition to having an M2 port to be able to install the fastest solid disks that exist today (see next section).
To take into account: the one we chose does not have WiFi, so, if you are not going to connect to the internet through a network cable (which is the most convenient to play online), you have to consider buying an external receiver (there are about 5 thousand pesos).
Storage: $20,990
WD 480GB Green SN350 2400MB/s NVME
WD 480GB Green SN350 2400MB/s NVME. Photo WD
To "lift" the computer, that is, turn it on, it is best to have a solid state disk (SSD).
The Solid State Drive greatly improves 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 pick that reads, precisely, a hard disk.
The choice of 480GB is because the 120 are very short and, at present, even the 240 may be insufficient: some games (such as Call of Duty Warzone) already weigh more than 200GB.
The fastest options that exist today are the Nvme, M2 format. In addition, they leave the SATA ports free to add some other disk in the future.
Of course, you can also add now a mechanical disc for more storage, but this can be left for later since with 480 you can install some games at once, although you will have to uninstall to play when it is full.
RAM: $ 34.880
2x PNY DDR4 8GB 3200Mhz Memory
There are RAM options with heatsinks, but they are not necessary. Photo Shutterstock
"The average memory usage in general is between 10 to 12 GB, so the current standard is 16 gigabytes. The recommendation is to go for 16 and if there are budget limitations it is good to start with 8 but with the aim already set on that it is barely possible to raise it to 16, "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 in 2 sticks to take advantage of the dual channel, a system that increases the transfer speed of communication between the CPU and RAM.
A speed of 3200 Mhz was chosen because the selected mother guarantees that speed.
Source: $ 23,300
Gigabyte 450W 80 Plus Bronze P450B
Gigabyte 450W 80 Plus Bronze P450B. Gigabyte
The font is one of the most sensitive components of a computer: a bad choice can damage the rest of the components.
For this reason, it is key to buy a certified source: "That the power supply is certified means that it goes through a rigorous consumption test, 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 Southern Cone.
"The 80 Plus certification promotes greater energy efficiency of 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 the deterioration of them in the short term with intensive use, these products do not usually have certifications that we mentioned above (80 Plus) that guarantees an effective energy conversion, likewise consuming more than necessary, and raising the electrical consumption of the internal components lead to a higher temperature ", Warns.
"Many generic sources also do not usually have protections from voltage peaks and dips that are usually the main problem of burned computer components. With the passage of time these components that raise their temperature also lose useful life, because the worst enemy of electrical components is heat, it can also lead to its deterioration and stop working over time, "he says.
In this sense, it is never advisable to buy sources that are not certified, no matter how cheap they are.
While 450w is one of the lowest powers, a PC without a video card demands between 115 and 130 watts, depending on the case.
Cabinet: $ 25.199
Thermaltake V200 Tempered Glass
V200 Tempered Glass, a sober cabinet. Photo Thermaltake
The cabinet doesn't make much difference. While 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 overall cooling the equipment will have. But with one input and one output is more than enough.
Monitor, keyboard and mouse: don't overspend
We decided not to include peripherals since, in most cases, those looking for a PC to play already usually have a keyboard, monitor and mouse.
With any input is more than fine to boot. Then, later, these components can be changed little by little: the bulk of the money has to go to the PC.
It should also be borne in mind that most sites that sell computer components offer the assembly service, which can range between one thousand and 2 thousand pesos.
The general recommendation is that if you have never assembled a PC, pay that value to avoid putting the components at risk.
Approximate total price: $ 270.588
Doom Eternal. Photo Capture on PC
In this way, with these components you can build a gamer 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 will not be able to run Elden Ring or God of War at 60 FPS stable in high qualities: its "entry" range entails certain sacrifices.
But if what you are looking for is to enter the world of PC gaming to start playing, 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, but also to the pocket of the complex Argentine economy.
SL
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