# Cheap off the shelf gaming computer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-off-the-shelf-gaming-computer/669423>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 22, 2013, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-off-the-shelf-gaming-computer/669423 "2013-09-22T06:49:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-off-the-shelf-gaming-computer/669423/21 "2013-09-27T18:32:55Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> Right, but most off-the-shelf entry-level desktop computers come with separate graphic cards. They’re basically standard-issue.

Not as far as I can tell.  
Best Buy offers several desktops with integrated graphics, as do retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

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**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-off-the-shelf-gaming-computer/669423/22 "2013-09-27T18:48:16Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> You could say the same thing about the DVD drive - or the RAM.

Um, yes? I have never encountered a DVD drive or RAM that weren’t discrete components. There are however many motherboards with integrated graphics.

Edit: On desktops, I don’t pay much attention to laptops.

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-off-the-shelf-gaming-computer/669423/23 "2013-09-27T20:28:53Z")

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> [@zoid](#):
>
> Not as far as I can tell.  
> Best Buy offers several desktops with integrated graphics, as do retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

Really? Huh. It’s just that I assumed that since graphic cards were ubiquitous here, it would be the same in the U.S. My mistake.

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