One of the most common questions people have when building a gaming PC is how long their rig will last. While the answer isn’t straightforward, it all comes down to expectations. If you’re planning on using your PC for the next five years and expect to get the same performance on day one as on the last day of the fifth year, you’ll likely be disappointed.
But that doesn’t mean you need to spend more money to make your PC last longer. Instead, it’s all about finding a balance between your expectations and your budget. For example, if you have an $800 budget and want to run all your games at 1080p on higher ultra settings, an Intel Core i5 and a GTX 970 build should last you two to three years.
Of course, everyone’s expectations are different. Let’s say you get a new gaming PC with an Intel Core i5 and a GTX 970. If your goal is to play all the newest titles on very good settings and frame rates, you’ll likely have a longer shelf life out of your PC than someone who wants to run all the games at 60 frames per second at 1080p on near-maxed-out settings.
But regardless of your expectations, the beauty of PC gaming is that you can upgrade your parts whenever you want. So instead of spending more money on a graphics card that you might not be happy with in six months, focus on finding a balance. And if you want to upgrade your PC down the line, you’ll have that option open to you.
Ultimately, putting a time stamp on someone’s PC just isn’t possible. We all have different expectations out of our gaming PCs, and that’s okay. It’s all about setting realistic expectations and finding a balance between your expectations and your budget. So don’t be afraid to upgrade your parts when you need to, and enjoy the constantly evolving world of PC gaming.