3 survival tips for ‘budget’ PC building in brutal times

PC building sucks right now. At least, that’s the case for anyone with even a reasonable budget.

This reality is documented in stark and painful fashion by my colleague Mike Crider, who attempted to put together a decent gaming PC for less than $1,000. Nothing too fancy by pre-RAMpocalypse standards: a six-core, 12-thread CPU, 8GB RTX 5060 GPU, 1TB SSD, 32GB DDR5 memory. Modest air cooler, case, and PSU.

Total? Approximately $1,250, including sales taxes. In the old days, you would have paid around $800. Maybe less, with good deals.

Even a reliable escape route – pre-built computers – is not the refuge we hope for. As Mike also details, you might save a few hundred dollars, with the trade-off of unknown power supplies and possible proprietary configurations. And you may need to live near a particular retailer to get the best possible specs. Mike was able to find a pre-built Dell with similar specs to his build list, but with an upgrade to a 5060 Ti 8GB GPU for $1,000. But you have to live near a Micro Center (the PC building mecca) to get one.

So what should you do if you’re still looking to build a new PC? Or at least, a solid refreshment? I have some advice.

First of all: Search for packages. This strategy works for both upgrades and new versions. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spotted several excellent motherboard and RAM bundles, some for the same price as the RAM alone, if purchased separately. You also don’t have to settle for models with a single memory DIMM. The bundles I saw (and liked) both had DIMMs and decent speeds. (The last one to cross my feed was the DDR5-6000.)

Pexels/Athena Sandrini

Second: If you’re using a brand new computer, you can increase your budget even more if you don’t mind shopping on a slow schedule. Buy the pack when you can get it. Buy the other components when you spot a good deal. Crowded deal sites like Slickdeals are helpful for finding sales, as is monitoring /r/buildapcsales on Reddit.

(I know, this advice flies in the face of conventional wisdom. But in reality, we’re no longer on a normal schedule. Releases have slowed to a crawl for consumer hardware. Right now, depreciation isn’t a major factor.)

Third: Look for older, high-performance hardware. Intel may be a good option here, as its Alder Lake, Raptor Lake, and Raptor Lake Refresh (12th to 14th generation) components can be used in motherboards that support both DDR4 and DDR5, giving you the option to upgrade your memory later if you feel particularly strong about it. You can go new or used for this route: look for the best prices and the most reputable sellers.

It’s a difficult time to build, yes. Mike’s PC building exercise makes this clear. It’s also an (unwelcome) reminder that not so long ago, focused builds were the norm. Gaming PC? I didn’t need that much memory. Mainly browse the web with only periodic games? I didn’t need such a powerful GPU. We’ve returned to an era where most of us can’t buy a ton of performance. No more throwing everything into a build for fun or “just in case”.

I’m glad, however, that there is at least some wiggle room. #teambundle

In this episode of The Full Nerd

In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Brad Chacos, Alaina Yee and Will Smith analyze our feelings about AMD’s new Ryzen 7 9850X3D, what would distinguish a version two of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the fragile, withering trust we users have in Microsoft right now.

Adam also intentionally confuses Korean fried chicken with KFC – a terrible mistake on his part. (In the meantime, I’m still wondering if I should go to Popeye’s this week.)

Willis Lai / Foundry

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This week’s busy nerd news

I was expecting an even slower news period, but last week proved me completely wrong. Urgent security alerts, a major anniversary for a flagship game, possible clues about the next Xbox, cool science stuff: so much showed up in my feed!

Notepad++

• Update Notepad++ ASAP: This popular alternative to the Windows Notepad app was compromised between June and December 2025. Its creator claims the issue is now resolved, but advises manual reinstallation.

• Okay, this is pretty cool: MIT researchers have described a process for converting the heat generated by computer components into more performance.

• Speaking of waste heat: excess heat from the Large Hadron Collider is used to heat neighboring houses in France. Gorgeous.

• New Xbox in 2027? AMD’s wording suggests a launch could will be next year, but does not definitively confirm it. (It looks like you’re ready to leave for a party, but still waiting for other people to travel with.)

• It seems dangerously addictive: but also rather irresistible. I can’t say I always trust Wikipedia, but receiving random articles seems like a much better alternative to doomscrolling.

• My first multiplayer game just turned 30: Happy birthday, Duke Nukem 3D. I remember having trouble establishing a peer-to-peer connection with a 14.4 modem and always thinking how cool it was. (Also, you didn’t experience any lag until you tried that.)

• Let’s rewind: NASA is sending the Artemis II to explore the far side of the Moon, and this beautifully glossy NatGeo cover digs into the details.

• Oooh: Kudos, as usual, to Mark Tyson at Tom’s Hardware for this find. I like books. I like PCs. I love Tokyo. Beautiful PCB bookmarks showing Tokyo subway maps? Heck yes.

Foundry

• Update your Bluetooth devices now: Vulnerability may allow hackers to track your location through Bluetooth accessories. Given the number of BT headphones, mice, etc. that I manage for myself and my family, it seems like my weekend plans are set…

• A brand new version of the “mini-PC”: Chinese scientists have invented a computer chip as thin as a lock of hair. I’m really looking forward to seeing if this will one day trickle down to medical applications.

• Rationale: I’ve never been on board with 8K, but I couldn’t admit it openly during its buzz. (Cool technology, little practical application.) However, consumers have sided with me on this one.

• Would you use a second Windows taskbar? I like the power user angle, but I’m also weird about clutter in my user interfaces. Maybe I could get used to it.

• A sad (and uplifting) story: Honestly, I should probably think about updating or replacing a few of my own power supplies, given their age…

• Speaking of ChromeOS: During this week’s show, we briefly discussed the future fate of ChromeOS, given Google’s focus on AluminumOS. Perhaps I do not yet need to insist on immediate turnover (…Even if we are talking about Google here).

• A lovely love letter: The Nvidia Shield is still going strong, much to my amazement, and this piece from Ars Technica does a fantastic job chronicling its endurance.

• A Guardian: Sometimes it’s really the thought that counts. (Especially when the result is so cute and the reason for the creativity is painfully identifiable.)

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, which means I’m looking forward to February 15th, the day of the discounted candy sale. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that I started getting more serious about workout apps.

See you next week!

Alaina
This bulletin is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ungfounder and host of The Full Nerd, and Hardware Editor at PCWorld.