How Much Does a Good PC Cost?

Buying a good PC can be challenging, especially if you don’t know how much to budget for it. There are so many things to put into consideration. But at the end of the day, what matters the most is what you are after. So, how much should one set aside for a good PC today? 

You can get more value from your budget by building the PC and shopping for second-hand parts. Remember, before you set a budget for a good PC, you should first lay out what you want to use it for. Keep reading to learn more about the breakdown of the cost of a good PC. 

What Is the Average Cost of the Components of a Good PC?

If you are looking for a good PC, it means you are looking for something that can handle rigorous tasks without being fazed. While laptops can handle many demanding tasks, a PC workstation offers more flexibility in getting the right features you want. 

When going for a PC workstation, we can split up every component into three parts based on cost: entry-level, mid-range, and high-end. Typically, high-end is what you want to aim for, but the trade-off is that they are more costly. 

So let’s take a closer look into the cost estimation of the various components of a good PC build. 

Component #1: CPU 

There are several options available for you regarding the CPU you can buy. However, getting a CPU from one of the two biggest CPU manufacturers, Intel and AMD, is advisable. Two flagship processors from Intel and AMD (12900K and 5900X), both retailing between $550 and $600, are a great buy.

Here’s what to expect in terms of the price of CPUs: 

• If you want an entry-level CPU, have a budget between $125 and $200.
• If you want a mid-range CPU, have a budget between $200 and $450. 
• If you want a high-end CPU, have a budget above $450. 

Component #2: Graphics Card 

A Graphics card or GPU is a must-have on a good PC. No doubt, graphics cards are easily the most expensive part of a PC build. When buying a GPU, NVidia and AMD are the mainstream GPU manufacturers. 

In the flagship section of these manufacturers is the NVidia GeForce RTC3090 Ti which is priced at $1899 compared to AMD’s Radeon R 695 X, which costs $1099. And, of course, there are cheaper options for those who don’t need high-end.  

Here’s what to expect in terms of the price of graphics cards: 

• If you want an entry-level graphics card, have a budget of around $200. 
• If you want a mid-range graphics card, have a budget between $250 and $600. 
• If you want a high-end graphics card, have a budget above $600. 

Component #3: RAM 

The sufficient amount of RAM you want to see in a good PC should be 8GB or above. You also want to aim for DDR4 RAM and not DDR3 RAM. Also, how much you spend for the RAM sticks depends on how much memory you want and the type. 

Here’s what to expect in terms of the price of RAMs: 

• If you want an entry-level 8GB RAM, have a budget between $40 and $60. 
• If you want a mid-range 16GB RAM, have a budget between $70 and $100. 
• If you want a high-end 32GB RAM, have a budget above $100. 

Component #4: Storage  

When it comes to storage, how much you spend depends on its size and its speed. Typically, HDD is cheaper compared to SSD, but SSD is better than HDD. However, SSD is often the preferred option because it is faster than HDD. 

Here’s what to expect in terms of the price of storage: 

• If you want an entry-level 250GB storage, have a budget between $30 and $60. 
• If you want a mid-range 500GB storage, have a budget between $60 and $100. 
• If you want a high-end 1TB+ storage, have a budget above $100. 

Component #5: Motherboard 

When it comes to the motherboard, you don’t have to spend much. However, a low-end motherboard means giving up a few features and capabilities. 

Here’s what to expect in terms of the price of motherboards: 

• If you want an entry-level motherboard, have a budget between $60 and $100. 
• If you want a mid-range motherboard, have a budget between $100 and $200. 
• If you want a high-end motherboard, have a budget above $200. 

Component #6: PC Case 

Like other components on a PC build, the PC case is available in a few variations. How much you end up spending on the PC case depends on how much preference you put on aesthetics. Some PC cases include a fan, lighting, and some interesting features, while some are bare. 

Here’s what to expect in terms of the price of the PC case: 

• If you want an entry-level PC case, have a budget between $40 and $60. 
• If you want a mid-range PC case, have a budget between $60 and $100. 
• For a high-end PC case, have a budget above $100. 

Summary

We did not name the cost of everything you will need to build a PC. However, we did mention every critical component that will take up a considerable part of your budget. So, from our budget analysis, you should be able to paint a picture of how much you should expect to spend when you decide to get a good PC.