7th Grader Building First Gaming PC - $750 Budget (UP FROM INITIAL $550)

Gamer_Rent

Our 7th grade son is saving up to build his first gaming PC.  Right now he plays mostly fortnite and minecraft, but he wants to stream and play some more intensive games eventually, too.  His budget is $500-$550, not including keyboard, monitor and mouse, which we will be buying for him (though would still love suggestions on those--we are hoping to get all three for $250 or less).  Currently, he plays on a 2 year old laptop and there is a lot of "lagging" as he calls it.  So he is hoping to get decent speed and graphics, while staying w/in his budget.  Thank you for any suggestions or guidance--have not been able to get anyone from sales on the phone at MicroCenter yet, so figured this might be quicker.  ** NOTE THAT AFTER INITIAL DISCUSSIONS I UPPED THE BUDGET:)!!

PowerSpec_MikeW

Greetings,

Took my best shot at a build that's solid that you can upgrade easily in the $500 range. We came out a little over at $542 but I don't see a lot of places to save here and still offer good performance: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=38900030-7c79-427d-accc-f7bf73a78ccc 

Couple of things you can play with. You can save a little bit on the RAM with a single 8GB, but you're losing out on a considerable bandwidth improvement out of the gate, without dual channel. You can of course add more RAM whenever you like. Also, you'd be up to around $600, but you might consider a Z390 board. You'll have the ability to overclock easily. This will get you the most out of the RAM. You could probably save a little bit on the power supply as well, but we're always going to recommend a good quality unit. EVGA is reliable and our power supply inventory is very low at this time.

PowerSpec_MichaelB

Welcome to the forum, @Gamer_Rent. Happy to hear that your son is showing an interest in gaming and streaming as it's a fun hobby all around. His budget of $500-$550 is going to be pretty tight for what he is looking to use it for. Streaming, depending on his encoding method and software he intends to use, can require a pretty fast processor or graphics card and at this price range, he won't be able to have both. Since software encoding primarily uses the processor, I've compiled a list of parts that uses a faster processor, which means it will compromise on the graphics card quite a bit.
https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=9cf6d37d-6b17-472b-83b4-42ed96a4af89

Note: This build does NOT include the cost of Windows 10 OS and does not reflect the $20 bundle discount pricing.
This build uses a 6 core, 12 thread processor which should help with his multi-tasking (streaming while gaming) and will have plenty of performance for the games he plans on playing as well as some more demanding titles. The graphics card is going to be the weak point here, as it's really only designed to handle 1080p gaming. For Fortnite and Minecraft, it's going to perform just fine but for more demanding AAA titles, he might find himself lowering some of the graphical settings to achieve a smoother experience. Luckily if he needs a hand with any of that, he can always reach out here and we can help walk him through that. I would recommend checking out reviews of the graphics card for some insight on how well it will perform for specific games:
https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-geforce-gtx-1650-super-review/
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-gtx_1650-super-turing/2
https://www.anandtech.com/show/15090/the-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1650-super-review/4

One other large compromise for this build was storage space. We had two options. Either go with a large 1TB slow mechanical hard drive for more space, or go with a smaller, 256GB SSD which will be MUCH faster and offer better overall system performance. Both were $29.99, so we opted for speed over capacity. My thoughts behind this is that he can always delete older games that he isn't actively playing, or simply expand on storage by buying additional drives in the future as he celebrates birthdays, holidays or if he has other sources of income. Additionally, if he doesn't mind taking his laptop apart, he can potentially use the hard drive in the laptop in his PC build as well.

The RAM was also a compromise, as we couldn't fit 16GB in his budget, and 8GB is going to limit his ability to stream while gaming. If he can stretch the budget another $30, he can go with a 2x8GB kit of memory and will be fine, but for now, 8GB will at least get him up and running, albeit a bit slower during heavy gaming/streaming situations.

Lastly, the last compromise was the chassis and motherboard. Unfortunately his budget didn't allow for higher end motherboards which comes with extra creature comforts such as RGB lighting, WiFi, additional memory capacity, and better power delivery for future processor upgrades. His chassis also only supports mATX motherboards, so if he wanted to use a larger ATX or E-ATX motherboard in the future, he will need to upgrade his chassis alongside it.

All things considered, I think he will still enjoy the performance from that system. If he doesn't mind saving up some more, he might be able to push for more ram, more storage, and maybe even a slightly faster graphics card.

Another option for your son to consider would be buying a pre-built desktop and upgrading it with a graphics card and some extra memory. For example: https://www.microcenter.com/product/618836/powerspec-b244-desktop-computer. This system, while it has 2 fewer processing cores, comes with Windows 10 pre-installed and a 1 year warranty on the parts & labor. Our service team will also install RAM and a graphics card for free if they are purchased alongside the system, so if you need to factor in the cost of an OS, it might save him some money to go that route.

As for a monitor, keyboard & mouse, these would be my recommendation:
Monitor: https://www.microcenter.com/product/611916/aoc-m24g1c-24-full-hd-144hz-hdmi-vga-dp-freesync-curved-led-gaming-monitor
Keyboard: https://www.microcenter.com/product/617999/steelseries-apex-3-rgb-gaming-keyboard---omnipoint
Mouse: https://www.microcenter.com/product/474711/logitech-g-g203-prodigy-gaming-mouse---black

At the end of the day, mice & keyboards are highly subjective, so depending on his personal taste, hand size and keyboard switch preference, he may prefer something else. If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to ask!

Gamer_Rent

@TSMichaelB and @TSMikeW This is incredible info--thank you so much.  I have discussed with him, and he thinks if he gets creative, he may be able to earn up to $750 instead of $550.  So he could get the 16GB,  and hopefully faster processing and graphics?  Is that a more reasonable budget and if so, how would you tweak the above to reflect that increase in $$?  Can't thank you enough for your time.

Gamer_Rent

This is probably a dumb question, but does he have to have windows on his gaming computer?  Or do you only need that if you are also using the computer for school/work?  His school issues laptops, so if we can keep that off his build for now it would help w/budget

Gamer_Rent

@TSMichaelB I also like your idea of buying the pre-built unit and upgrading it.  I had thought that usually buying prebuilt, meant you had a lot less flexibility in the future in terms of swapping out components, upgrading, etc, but it sounds like that's not always true.  I am very much NOT a tech person, so the idea of building his own was more a cost consideration than anything else.  If you think we can get a good system he can expect some speed and good graphics on for $750 by upgrading the pre-built, perhaps that's the best option?

Gamer_Rent

OK @TSMichaelB I went into your build and upgraded to 16GB RAM and upgraded the graphics card too.  Does the motherboard need upgrading as well?  Is there anything else I should tweak?  Would it be better to downgrade the processor and do even more upgrading to graphics card?  I don't have a feel for any of this.  

PowerSpec_MichaelB

Gamer_Rent said:

@TSMichaelB I also like your idea of buying the pre-built unit and upgrading it.  I had thought that usually buying prebuilt, meant you had a lot less flexibility in the future in terms of swapping out components, upgrading, etc, but it sounds like that's not always true.  I am very much NOT a tech person, so the idea of building his own was more a cost consideration than anything else.  If you think we can get a good system he can expect some speed and good graphics on for $750 by upgrading the pre-built, perhaps that's the best option?

I would personally recommend this route, as it's how I got started with my first gaming PC many years ago. With his budget of $750, this opens the door to many great possibilities and he also gets the added peace of mind. I would recommend our PowerSpec brand as it comes with a 1 year warranty and 1 year of complimentary technical support over the phone should he ever need it. We also use non-proprietary components that you can find on the shelves of our stores should the urge to upgrade ever strike. 

So overall, he has a few options. With his increased budget, I would first have him check out a fully assembled gaming PC: https://www.microcenter.com/product/615138/powerspec-g162-gaming-desktop-pc. Our PowerSpec G162 is already pre-assembled and designed for gaming, so he shouldn't have to configure anything. Zero bloatware on the system, as the only pre-installed applications are the free trial of ESET Antivirus that we offer, and software to change the colors of the RGB lighting of the fans. I recommend this system because it is ready out of the box and has a really solid configuration that allows for future upgrades. The 600W power supply is plenty enough even for one of the fastest graphics cards on the market should he ever wish to upgrade, and the 6 core, 12 thread processor can also be upgraded to a 16 core, 32 thread processor in the future if he ever needed it, all without requiring a new motherboard. It also ships with 16GB of memory, so he won't need to purchase additional RAM whatsoever. The only thing he might need to upgrade in the near future is the storage as it only comes with 250GB, so depending on the number of games he plans to play at one time, he might need to add extra storage. It is slightly outside of his new budget at $770, but overall I think it's the best option for the long run.

For short term, he we have two options. https://www.microcenter.com/product/612000/powerspec-b677-desktop-computer. This system comes with 16GB of RAM and a larger 500GB SSD, but has no graphics card, so that will need to be purchased and installed for him. Luckily the system is only $530, leaving an extra $220 to spend on that endeavor. You could pair this with the system and it would be ready to meet his needs: https://www.microcenter.com/product/615814/asus-geforce-gtx-1660-super-phoenix-overclocked-single-fan-6gb-gddr6-pcie-30-graphics-card. The only concern with this route is that the processor isn't as fast as the one in the G162, and the platform no longer has any upgrade paths ahead of it. The power supply is only 400W, so a GTX 1660 Super is about the fastest card you'll be able to safely use in the system, and the processor upgrade path is nowhere near as strong as whats available in the G162. This will meet his needs for now, but might not last him as long for future upgrades.

The last option would be a full custom build, but one that takes his increased budget into consideration. https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=71c1a2bd-45ec-44c6-acb9-ac1ac616279c

This build gives him the same stronger upgrade path of the G162, but with much more storage (500GB SSD, 1TB HDD). It would only come with 90 days of phone support instead of the 1 year we offer for our PowerSpec systems, and all warranty service would have to go through the various component manufacturers unless you were to decide on replacement plans through our store, but performance wise I think he would enjoy this just as much as the others. The price does not reflect the $20 bundle discount, nor does it include the Windows 10 license.

As for whether it is necessary to purchase Windows 10, I would say it is. The operating system will still function despite not being activated, however he will miss out on customization features (changing wallpapers, system themes, lock screen, taskbar settings, etc) as well as optional updates from Windows Update. On top of that, he will see a persistent image across his screen that states "Activate Windows", which might annoy him or his stream viewers as it will always be visible until activated.


If he needed to forego a license short-term to afford the system, he can still purchase a Windows 10 license later to activate without having to reinstall the operating system, I just wanted to make sure he was aware of the drawbacks before deciding to do so. There are also free alternatives such as the many distributions of Linux, however that can be quite complicated for a first time PC gamer to get into, and it can be tricky to configure your system to game on Linux.

Hopefully this helps your son find the best options for his first entry into PC gaming. Regardless of his choice, I think he will greatly enjoy the benefits that PC gaming has to offer, and I wish him the best of luck with his streaming endeavors. Should you have any additional questions, let us know!

Gamer_Rent

Thank you for all of this info!  The fully assembled gaming PC you mentioned (see quote)--I clicked on it and it says not available in either of my atlanta stores and I don't see any price or button to order it??
TSMichaelB said:

Gamer_Rent said: So overall, he has a few options. With his increased budget, I would first have him check out a fully assembled gaming PC: https://www.microcenter.com/product/615138/powerspec-g162-gaming-desktop-pc. 

Gamer_Rent

Not sure if we'll assemble ourselves or order the one, above but wanted to get all the details.  If we assemble ourselves, can we come into the store and get help?

PowerSpec_MikeW

Right now due the pandemic our walk in support area is closed, but you can text, call or chat with us. We help with custom builds all the time. Text is the easiest medium, just because you have the ability shoot us a picture of what you're asking about or a picture of the build to verify everything is installed correctly.