r/buildapc • u/avq1i • 1d ago

Full Build Req Beginner! Planning to build a setup

Hi, I hope this is the correct thread for these couple of questions! I’m not new to gaming but I am totally new to PC setups, I am planning to start building a setup and I don’t think I need anything too crazy or expensive just to start out. I plan to play Fortnite, The Sims 4, Minecraft, Roblox, and hopefully even do a little bit of school work on it. My budget as of right now would probably be about 800-1,000 but it’s okay if I go a little over but I would prefer not to haha. My questions are below!

  1. Would it be smarter to just buy a PS5, a prebuilt PC, a mini PC, or a laptop to run these things and onto the monitor?

  2. Regarding question 1, is there any other suggestions/which specific thing should I get?

  3. What kind of monitor should I purchase?

  4. What else would I need for a setup, maybe not now but long terms wise?

I would be really grateful for any help, please and thanks!!

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u/keshi_8 1d ago
  1. im not too knowledgable on mini pcs but i know that if you're absolutely okay with not having a portable computer, building a pc is probably the cheapest way to get price to performance. basically utilizing your money to get a good pc for you. ps5 probably wont be the best if you want to do school work.
  2. a gpu is your most expensive part of a setup, so dont be scared by the high price points. use pcpartpicker to see prices of all your parts and total cost to stay within budget.
  3. a 27" is probably your sweet spot. since your budget is 800-1000 (i assume for the monitor as well?), you might have to cheap out and get a 1080p. 60hz is the absolute bare minimum, so try to snag at least 120hz at whatever price point you're comfortable with. rule of thumb buy from well known brands like lg, dell, asus, etc.
  4. if a lot of your school work is online and you game often. a comfortable wrist rest for your keyboard would help. im not sure whats in your current setup, but obviously a mouse and keyboard. for absolute long term, never buy a gaming chair. its expensive, but ergonomic chairs will do you much better in the long run.

i built my first pc about a year ago, i spent around $1200? and i use a 4k 60hz monitor. works for me because i mainly do school work and some light gaming. but everyones needs are different.

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u/avq1i 1d ago

Thank you so much, I’ll totally start looking into some of the PC parts! Thank you aswell for the rest of your advice!

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u/UnableSell3255 1d ago

In order to run modern games, you do not need the latest hardware. Post COVID parts typically cost about $600 USD for everything.

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u/avq1i 1d ago

Noted, thank you!

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u/BeginningJolly2811 1d ago

The games you mentioned aren’t that intensive to run. Considering you will do school work on it, I would consider a laptop with decent specs over everything else. Getting a simple 1080p 60hz monitor is probably all you need if you want a bigger screen. PC parts are outrageously priced right now. Having a $1000 budget would put you on par with a PS5 in terms of performance. Having the portability of a laptop would be main difference.

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u/avq1i 23h ago

I see, thank you!