How Long Does A Gaming PC Last

There isn’t a definitive solution to the question. For instance, some users require a new PC each year, or more frequently. On the other hand, some users could go for five years with no updating their PCs.

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of people talking about gaming computers losing value over time , but you’ve never had any data of a complex nature to support it.

I set out to discover the complexities of the numbers for myself.

The results are as follows:

A gaming laptop valued at $2,226 10 years ago is valued at $438 in the present which is a decrease of about 400%.

But not every part appreciated at the same rate. The rates of depreciation varied due to the fact that certain parts, such as instances, will retain their value longer than others.

However CPUs are always being introduced with a decade-old processor will be many time slower than the newest CPU, as per Moore’s Law.

Alongside calculating the total depreciation of the PC over ten years I also wanted be aware of the amount each component was worth over the course of the course of ten years.

Here’s a chart of component depreciation over ten year (higher bars indicate higher depreciation):

Gaming PC component depreciation chart for a 10 years

As you can observe, the GPU, RAM, and CPU lost much of their value in comparison to other components. This is not surprising, considering that they’re updated frequently and have the biggest effect on performance in gaming.

The results suggest that when it’s time for you to update, then you’ll likely require a refresh of your CPU and GPU first, then your RAM. The case, however, appeared to be losing more value than its motherboard, or the hard drive. Also the PSU is going to last the best, at the very least during our test.

My observations are logical anecdotally too as when I upgraded my computer the first component I switched included my graphic card followed by my CPU and then, finally the RAM.

The exact motherboard, case, drive and PSU originally installed during the build.

Gaming PC Lifespan

This is among the most terrifying things for anyone who is who is trying to learn about PC gaming. It’s the most frequent question I come across on the subreddit r/buildapc often and then their components configuration.

Here’s the scoop:

If you think that the exact gaming computer you’re building today will offer the exact same performance five years’ time, it’s likely to be unhappy at the conclusion of the fifth year.

Graphics technology is constantly evolving and games are becoming increasingly demanding to run since the computing power of computers is increasing (Moore’s law).

However, this doesn’t mean that your PC is guaranteed to be a failure, and neither do you need to spend more cash to keep your gaming computer running longer. I wouldn’t recommend moving with that approach.

With a budget of around $800 Let’s say that you are able to install the Ryzen 5 3600 and a GTX 1070 into your build and play every game at 1080p on ultra or high settings.

Gaming PC

This type of thinking is acceptable for the next 2-3 years, but ultimately it boils down to your expectations, and that’s something you have to determine for your own.

Let’s take an example. Jim buys a new PC equipped with an R5 and GTX 1070. Jim would like to play the most recent games at 1080p and with incredible settings and frame rates. He’s not worried about changing his settings and not locking 60FPS when playing more demanding games.

However, Bill builds the same PC , but has higher expectations. He would like to play every game at 60 FPS 1080p and maximum settings.

Jim’s PC will have more extended shelf life than Bill’s. However, if you’re of the same outlook that Bill would you consider buying a powerful RTX 2080 Ti rather than the GTX 1070 to extend the lifespan of your computer?

Not at all.

One of the most appealing aspects when building a gaming PC instead of purchasing an console is the ability to upgrade at any time you wish.

Purchase the components you require right now to get what you want, i.e. an Ryzen 5 or 1070. Within 2 years or when you think it is needed, you could change your graphics card and get the best alternative.

Gaming PC setup

The sale of the graphics card you currently have and using the proceeds to pay for your new device will offset the expense of the new GPU which is also quite awesome.

Upgrade your PC when it is time is the most efficient way to maximize the value of your money. Instead of investing in a whole new system at first, believing that your PC will last for a long time.

But keep in mind that you must to come up with a compromise. Do not buy a cheap graphic card that needs to be upgraded within six months. Then you’re throwing away money.

The search for a balance involves more than only the GPU too. If, at some point, you’d like to switch your Ryzen 5 for a Ryzen 7 this choice is available too. You can also upgrade your RAM, too.

The idea of putting a time stamp on a PC isn’t feasible as we have different expectations for Gaming PCs.

There’s a chance that you’ll find yourself in the Jim camp , where you’re content in lowering some settings but not getting a fully locked 60 FPS in which case , you’ll enjoy an extended life from your computer.

If it’s like Bill and would like to play all the latest games at 1440p or higher than that, then you’ll need to upgrade more frequently than someone who has the previous attitude.

It’s all about the level of your expectations. Sure, you’ll need to upgrade. It’s a fact of life when playing on your PC.

But, it’s not entirely negative. In fact, getting more visual fidelity from your games is among the greatest benefits to PC gaming. In contrast to consoles that have performance limited to the generation that is currently in use PCs are able to be upgraded at any time you wish.

How Long do Prebuilt PCs Last?

A prebuilt computer isn’t likely to have a greater or shorter life span as a custom-built one since it’s already built.

Prebuilt PCs aren’t necessarily superior or less than custom-built PCs . The only distinction is that they’re made by an individual.

The issue is that prebuilt computers are generally more expensive due to the fact that you’re paying for their labour as well as the business must make profits too.

In reality it’s hard to find a prebuilt computer at the same cost as a custom-built computer with superior performance.

This discrepancy in performance means that an unbuilt $500 PC is likely to require an upgrade sooner than a custom-built PC of $500 because prebuilt computers are likely to contain slower components, in the beginning.

How Long Will a High-End Computer Last?

Gaming PC Setup

A top-quality PC can last for a long time when you’re willing to lower your settings down. Certain, a top-of the-line PC can slay 1440p gaming at a breeze at the time it’s built.

After an entire year or so passes through, you’ll need upgrade to keep the same level of performance.

However If you’re comfortable changing the settings slightly, you’ll not require any upgrades in any way.

My friend Diego constructed his gaming laptop at the age of eighth class (probably five or six years old now). He invested a significant amount of money into his computer in the past, opting for an i7-4790K as well as an R9-290X, which had 16GB of DDR3 RAM and an SSD.

The computer was a beast that cost close to $2,000 after all was done and dusted. The computer hasn’t been upgraded apart from adding an additional SSD and the PC continues to run.

But he’s not playing the most recent titles on 1440p ultra settings or play games that are extremely demanding.

However, he can play the most recent AAA games at 1080p, with acceptable framerates and graphics.

If he wants to play the most recent games that offer the highest performance, he’d have upgrade. All it depends on your expectations.

How Often Do You Update a Gaming PC?

It’s all about the goals you’re trying to achieve. In general, users will replace a component every two to three years. However, that doesn’t mean that you should invest thousands of dollars.

The majority of users upgrade their storage or purchase a brand new GPU, and leave the rest of their hardware. You can also sell your GPU and then use the proceeds for upgrading to the latest version, meaning you don’t have to shell out this much money after making the initial purchase.

If you’re hoping to play the latest games on the most optimal settings at all times You’ll have to upgrade your PC every year to keep up. If you’re ok in letting things go and don’t set unrealistic expectations, your computer will last for about 3-5 years depending on the amount you put into it initially.

How Much Should You Spend on a Gaming PC?

To answer this query well, it all depends.

It’s dependent on how much you’re willing to put aside, and the sort of performance you’re hoping to attain. To get a complete explanation look over our complete guide here.

Are Gaming PCs Worth It?

All it comes to what you wish to achieve. The most important question to ask yourself should be “is spending x amount of money on a gaming PC worth it?”

The amount you pay for gaming computers (assuming you are spending it on the correct components) will have an immediate influence on performance.

I believe gaming PCs are well worth the investment. There are exclusive PC games better keyboard and mouse control superior graphics, more framerates, a greater community, greater flexibility, and so on.

In addition, gaming PCs can also serve as normal computers for jobs like rendering, editing or working, school, and so on.

Gaming PCs are worth the investment – but it’s all about how much you’re willing to invest in gaming equipment, as well as your expectations of the performance and durability.