PCWorld

Don’t build a gaming PC right now. Buying one premade can save you hundreds of dollars.

It crushes my soul to say this, but if you need a new gaming PC, don’t build your own. Buy a prebuilt computer instead. That’s not permanent advice. I’m a die-hard DIYer. Few things in life are more satisfying than seeing your handmade rig POST the first time you boot it up. The deck is stacked against home-brew PC builders in today’s market, though, as hardware shortages and the cryptocurrency boom have sent the cost of crucial components sky-high.

Current graphics card  unless you’re targeting entry-level GPUs, with most models selling for at least twice their suggested price. is supposed to start at $170, for example, but the cheapest I can find on Newegg right now , and the vast majority go for closer to $600. It’s no better at other retailers, or even with used graphics cards. We’ve even taken the drastic step of suggesting that gamers in a bind snag an with Forza Horizon 3 for $240 or an for $500 until the GPU pricing pain stops. Ugh.

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