If you are unsettled about buying a gaming PC and you would like to know how long it will usually last before you need a new one, you need to know all about the components and also how the market moves.
Tech companies will continue advancing their products and release more optimal features while increasing processing power. This will can have a direct relation to how long a gaming PC can last before they get outdated.
In a more technical way, gaming PCs will take close to a decade to deteriorate and will become outdated way before they break.
This article will show you how long a gaming PC should last from that perspective before getting outdated or breaking.
Gaming PC Lifespan Criteria
The criteria used for this article will be to check how long a gaming PC would last based on when it will become outdated to run the latest games. This includes builds such as budget PCs, mid-range builds, and the highest end of components for the time being.
Not everyone can build the latest generation of hardware to build their gaming PC and it is highly not recommended as it immediately drops to a mid-range build in just a couple of years. Gaming components, in terms of actual lifespan (before parts deteriorate), lasts extremely long and they will usually become outdated before they break. This is assuming that you are taking good care of your gaming PC.
If your gaming PC is in a nice and cool environment, consistently cleaned from dust, and habitually maintained, it will last as long as it does not become outdated.
How Long Will Your Gaming PC Last?
Budget gaming PCs
Gaming PCs that are under $700, excluding peripherals, accessories and the monitor, should last slightly less time than mid-range gaming PCs.
This is because they become outdated fast as they are usually the ones with the components that are already dropping off the market. For example, if the latest GPU would be Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080, the budget GPU would be at least 2 generations older (GeForce RTX 1060 or 1070 even).
These are mostly for gamers who are just looking to play a game they love for countless years such as popular MOBAs, FPS games, and old school games. These games rarely update performance as they are more focused on gameplay. Low budget gaming PCs can last as long as they do not upgrade their engines or if you get tired of the game eventually.
This setup should last for around 2-3 years for playing the bare minimum system requirements of the latest upcoming games.
Mid-range gaming PCs
Mid-range built gaming PCs are probably the ones that give you the best value for money. As long as you buy parts when new GPUs and processors are released, the past generation components’ drop prices so technically, you can still buy any part as long as it is the season (new part releases) to be buying them.
The mid-range gaming PCs are one of the best ones to buy if you are looking for the best value for your money. This is assuming that you would play consistently for the next 4-7 years.
The market is usually big for this part of the consumer base and game developers would not want to miss out on this. The bigger the market for consumers with lower-tier gaming PCs, the longer the new games come out with lesser minimum requirements.
You can see this becoming a trend as a game like Cyberpunk 2077 can still handle hardware from 3 generations of GPUs before. The market is quite volatile so a mid-range gaming PC built at a time where new releases of components come out should last for 4-8 years.
Top tier gaming PCs
For the top tier gaming PC builds, you are looking at the best of the best components that mesh together. It might cost a hefty price but it should last you at least a decade. It still depends on how fast the advancement in game development and technology is.
AMD and Intel are all making waves on their releases by improving ray tracing, VR-ready components, and multi-tasking capabilities. They will continue to release new technology and this strategy of buying the best ones out every 5-6 years should remain relevant in the future.
Top tier gaming PCs should remain relevant for up to 6-10 years because of the pace of the market and the game developer’s strategy. This could change but for decades now, this has been consistent throughout.
How to Prolong Your Gaming PC
There are so many things that can make or break your gaming PC. You have to know a lot of things to make sure that it is properly maintained so you can prolong its lifespan. These are some tips and tricks you can do to patch up your gaming PC. It is better to be proactive than reactive on these issues and you will be able to avoid problems in the future.
- Refrain from overclocking
- Make sure your CPU is not constantly overheating
- Clean your PC quarterly or even monthly for dust
- Clean out your space and always keep space on the drive where your Windows is installed
- Refrain from downloading from an unknown source as well as clicking unknown sites
- Regularly update your software, drivers, and operating system
- Clean registry as often as you can
Conclusion
There are many ways to prolong your PC and proper maintenance is always the key. No matter what PC gaming build you are using, it can last as long as you want as long as it does not get outdated on the games you would want to play.