Budget: Mac builds a Gaming PC

We are going to Figure out what is my Gaming PC Budget.

Hi, I am “Mac”. If you read my previous post about my plans to build a gaming PC you would know that I tend to be more of a Mac and Linux person. It’s not that I can’t work on PCs (Linux it’s the same hardware) it is that it is just a little different and takes me longer to do so.

When I purchased Lithgow Tech Services I did not want to be behind the tech curve when it comes to Windows and Gaming PCs. So what better way to teach myself than to build my own Gaming Rig from scratch?

Gaming PC Budget

You would think that as a computer repair business owner, I would have all kinds of money to build the most amazing and powerful Gaming PC EVER! But that is not how business works. The Shop has a budget but that is all allocated to expenses needed to keep the business running. And The money is not mine .. it belongs to the business. (There is a difference)

So how am I going to build this gaming PC on this budget? It is not like we can use some of the old parts that have been lying around. That might work for building a Linux computer that can almost run on anything. But we are talking about something with performance.

What kinds of Games am I going to play

When considering what kind of Gaming PC budget you have you need to start with what kind of games are you going to be playing. I remember when I worked at CompUSA in the States someone bought a computer with Maxed GPU, PROCESSOR, AND HARDRIVE (At the time … remember this was a long time ago) just to read email. That was a waste of money for something a smartphone could do.

First step check out Steam!

If you do not know what Steam is, it is the online gaming superstore. Almost all games that can be downloaded onto your computer can be purchased from their online store.

Steam also lists the system requirements for each game. I remember back in the day I waited for two years for a game to come out (“Black and White” by Lionhead Entertainment….. yes I am old). I got the game installed it and it would not run because my graphics card was too old. This was a very disappointing day for me. So to avoid this look at the games you want to play , check out the system requirements, and consider that your minimum stats for your computer

I like to Play Ark Survival on my iPhone 14 Pro but let’s face it even on a Pro version of a phone it is a totally different game. With the understanding that he new version of the game has yet to be announced here are the minimum requirements for the last version.

• OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit versions)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 670 2GB/AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB or better
• DirectX: Version 10
• Storage: 60 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Requires broadband internet connection for multiplayer

With that said I am going to be spending the next few days trying to figure out what other games I want to play.

Do I really Need lights and LEDS?

The interesting thing is that most gamers are spending their time in their homes alone. So nobody else is going to see their computer. So what does it need LEDs and Lights? Because they are so very cool. I have to admit I like the idea of having LEDs , LED Fans and glowing RAM on my computer even if nobody else will ever look at it.

The “Cool Factor” and the idea that I am going to need to have experience with setting up LEDS in a gaming computer I figure why not go all out! I want to light up the whole house with this computer.

Next time we are going to talk about what parts to buy.

Now that we have our gaming PC budget.. It is time to buy the parts.. Next time we are going to talk about what case to buy and how to pick the right one!