# Let's do another "help me buy a gaming PC" thread
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812
**Category:** The Game Room
**Tags:** computer-hardware
**Created:** [July 9, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812 "2023-07-09T12:42:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/81 "2023-11-04T17:16:38Z")
> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> Here’s a parts list for a build your own $1500 system going with Intel and Nvidia
Throw another $100-$150 in there for a Win11 key. Or $10 for a sketch key, I don’t judge (but others might not want to)
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/82 "2023-11-04T17:20:16Z")
Just tossing this out there, my experience with sketch has been very positive. I believe it’s been 2 years now.
Conversely, the whopping $380 I spent on Windows and Office (both Home) for my main gaming rig has become a pretty significant sore spot for me based on the wonderful $30 (both Pro) sketch experience on my secondary / workstation computer.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/83 "2023-11-04T17:26:43Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> or doing a Zipcar if you have them
IIRC Zipcar has a steep upfront cost to let you join the club (so to speak) so, for a one-off rental, you are likely to get a better deal with usual rental place (like Hertz or Budget or whatever).
Sorry for the aside…
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/84 "2023-11-04T17:27:48Z")
> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> Conversely, the whopping $380 I spent on Windows and Office
I thought Office is only a subscription now. You can’t just buy it.
IMO the subscription is a bigger rip-off but it seems usual these days (Adobe is another that pisses me off having to pay a subscription).
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/85 "2023-11-04T17:32:27Z")
I bought Office 2019 back in January of 2021. Then again in August of the same year. If I were buying today, I would probably get Office 2021, which appears to still be a thing you can buy.
> **[Microsoft Office 2021](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Office_2021)**
>
> Microsoft Office 2021 (third release codenamed Office 16) is a version of the Microsoft Office suite of applications for the Microsoft Windows and macOS operating systems. It was released on October 5, 2021, along with Windows 11, and replaced Office 2019.
> Office 2021 retains the same major version number of 16 that previous versions of Office had. It introduces new dynamic arrays, XLOOKUP features for Excel, full dark mode support and performance improvements. Support for retail versions of O...
I’ve now had my main gaming rig for 33 months, for which I paid full price of $260 for Microsoft Office 2019 Home. That works out to under $8 per month, so even with that ridiculous price I think I’m still ahead of the curve compared to their 365 subscription package. (Google says 365 costs $100 per year or $10 per month.)
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/86 "2023-11-04T17:36:54Z")
> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> Just tossing this out there, my experience with sketch has been very positive
Preaching to the choir. In fact, I think I might have given you the link to my preferred source (but maybe I’m thinking of someone else).
But some people are worried about cooties and won’t want to do it, even to save $125
(For the record, we’re not talking about piracy. Rather the number of OEM or enterprise keys you can get for around ten bucks usually, directly or indirectly, from Asian markets)
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/87 "2023-11-04T17:38:38Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> In fact, I think I might have given you the link to my preferred source (but maybe I’m thinking of someone else).
Yep, that was me.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/88 "2023-11-04T17:39:29Z")
I will say that if you are a spreadsheet poweruser MS-Excel is, by FAR, the gold standard for spreadsheets. It’s kinda crazy what that can do in the hands of someone who knows how to get the most out of it. If you are one of those people that can be worth the price of admission.
Other than that there are free alternatives to the MS-Office suite that are as good (or close enough).
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/89 "2023-11-04T18:13:59Z")
> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> How would you feel about assembling the whole thing from scratch yourself?
I’ve just about had my fill of that sort of thing. I used to do that for a living, way back when the 80286 was just entering the market.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/90 "2023-11-04T18:19:18Z")
> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> You mentioned how Microcenter was kind of a pain in the butt to get to
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> I do not know where you live or how close a Microcenter is but for a $1500(ish) purchase
It’s do-able but takes two buses and a Metro train, totaling about 80 minutes each way; last thing I bought there was my iPad. We have a small hand truck somewhere, capable of moving computer equipment.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/91 "2023-11-04T18:20:03Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> Other than that there are free alternatives to the MS-Office suite that are as good (or close enough).
We’ve been using Open Office for a long time.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/92 "2023-11-04T19:07:43Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#):
>
> I’ve just about had my fill of that sort of thing. I used to do that for a living, way back when the 80286 was just entering the market.
Fair enough, can’t argue with that.
I’ll start the pre-built options with a 13700 / 4070 build for $1440. (On sale from $1800.) Note that this has a better CPU than the build-your-own option I posted above, which was a 13600 / 4070 build.
[https://www.newegg.com/abs-sa13700f4070-stratos-aqua/p/N82E16883360404?Item=N82E16883360404&Source=socialshare&cm\_mmc=snc-social-\_-sr-\_-83-360-404-\_-11042023](https://www.newegg.com/abs-sa13700f4070-stratos-aqua/p/N82E16883360404?Item=N82E16883360404&Source=socialshare&cm_mmc=snc-social-_-sr-_-83-360-404-_-11042023)
I specifically looked for an ABS pre-built (Newegg house brand) because last time we had a thread like this\*, ABS ended up being the winner. Part of the reason it was attractive was because it used standard off-the-shelf parts as opposed to proprietary (non-upgradable) hardware.
Not sure if this one does too.
\*Technically speaking, “last time we had a thread like this” was this very thread.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/93 "2023-11-04T19:17:21Z")
Speaking of, it’s been around 4 months now. @Johnny_Bravo, how do you like your ABS pre-built? Would you recommend ABS?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/94 "2023-11-04T20:54:21Z")
I like it! It’s definitely a little loud, but beyond that it does computer things real good.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/95 "2023-11-04T21:04:51Z")
Both the Microcenter and ABS systems look good. Really sort of a coin flip between them.
The MC one has an older 12th gen i7 but can be overclocked, is in a board that supports overclocking and has an AIO.
The ABS one is a newer 13th gen i7 but neither the chip nor board supports overclocking and the cooler wouldn’t handle it well anyway.
I’d rather have 32GB of DDR4 than 16GB of DDR5 but memory is a relatively cheap and simply upgrade. Same basic GPU, PSU, 1TB Storage, Wifi and Bluetooth enabled.
If I knew someone might want to tinker, I’d recommend the MC one, if I knew they’d never touch the BIOS then the ABS one will provide a little more oomph out of the box with the i7-13700F. Really neither is a bad option unless you have specific wants.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/96 "2023-11-04T22:08:43Z")
There’s also the element of having it delivered to your door but it will take a few days, or you can get yourself to the store which might be a hassle but you’ll go home with it that day.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/97 "2023-11-04T23:54:55Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#):
>
> a little loud
There’s a decent chance you can make it much quieter for free (and without sacrificing much or any performance) with MSI Afterburner if you’re interested.
> **[Afterburner](https://www.msi.com/Landing/afterburner/graphics-cards)**
>
> MSI Afterburner is the world’s most recognized and widely used graphics card overclocking utility. It provides detailed overview of your hardware and comes with some additional features like customizing fan profiles, benchmarking and video recording.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/98 "2023-11-05T00:06:43Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> If I knew someone might want to tinker,
Yeah, that’s me. I don’t really do builds anymore but I do plenty of tinkering.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/99 "2023-12-05T03:44:29Z")
Looks like I missed out on the G444s; neither of the nearby stores have listed any in stock for quite a while. I’ll probably be going a bit outside my price range with a G446; maybe I’ll be able to score one of the open box items.
Yeah, there are two Micro Centers in my area; the one up in Rockville is further away but probably easier to get to, practically right across the street from a Metro station. I still prefer Fairfax, a Lyft from there should be like 20 bucks.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-another-help-me-buy-a-gaming-pc-thread/986812/100 "2023-12-05T05:26:44Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#):
>
> Looks like I missed out on the G444s; neither of the nearby stores have listed any in stock for quite a while.
Bummer. With a 12th gen processor, they were likely old stock and once gone, gone. Still, with an i7-14700KF, you won’t be looking for an upgrade any time soon.
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