The Cost of a Custom PC: What You Need to Know

So, you’re looking into getting a custom PC for the first time. What do you need to expect when factoring in costs for everything? The initial cost of the PC itself is going to vary wildly depending on what kind of performance you want—with the graphics card generally being the most expensive component for most custom gaming PC builds.

Essential Peripherals for Your Custom PC Setup

What some people don’t realize they need to account for are additional peripherals for the system such as a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Depending on what kind of quality you want, these can add up quickly. Although there are budget options for all of them, it’s still something to factor into the total cost of a custom-built PC.

Choosing the Right Keyboard for Your Custom PC or Workstation

There are a few main types of keyboards. Mainly, you’re going to be looking at membrane or mechanical keyboards. Membrane keyboards are typically going to be your budget options. Nothing wrong with them, they’re generally quiet to type on, but the feeling of the keys is a bit softer. They generally aren’t quite as durable.

Mechanical keyboards can have quite a wide variety of typing feels as there are a lot of different types of mechanical switches. That’s a deep rabbit hole to dive down. They’re generally a bit more durable, and it’s pretty common to be able to swap out the switches, which not only allows you to try different kinds but also makes them more repairable should a switch fail. I personally have a Nuphy Halo96 V2 with Cherry Silent Red Clear Top switches and have been enjoying it—although the RGB control via software has been spotty.

Best Mice for Custom Gaming PCs and Workstations

Mice are a bit simpler than keyboards. There’s a wide variety of them, but as long as they have a fast enough response time and are comfortable in your hand, that’s generally the biggest part of it. Some people prefer lighter mice for gaming. Then there’s the question of whether you want a wired or wireless mouse. I use a Logitech G502 X currently and have always been a fan of Logitech’s offerings.

What to Know About Monitors for Custom PCs and Gaming Builds

Monitors are a more complicated story. What kind of size do you want? What resolution? What kind of refresh rate do you want to run at? Does your custom PC support that refresh rate at the resolution you’re trying to use?

For the most part, your system will work with any monitor or TV you plug it into, as long as it has the correct ports. But the performance may be limited to whatever the maximum specifications for the display are. Depending on what you’re trying to do, that might not matter. It would generally matter most for gamers wanting high refresh rates.

If you’re doing work that requires color accuracy, like photo or video editing, you’ll want to make sure the monitor has good coverage of the color space you want to work in, and generally a high resolution to go with that.

Software Costs to Consider for Your Custom Gaming or Workstation PC

Then you need to factor in the costs of any applications you want to run. Games can rack up the bill quickly, although there are a lot of free games you can play. Microsoft Office and the Adobe Suite are very common needs for many as well—especially if you’re building a custom workstation PC for productivity or creative work.

Over time, depending on how much you end up downloading or recording, you may also need to look into additional storage for your custom PC. Modern AAA title games are rising in size, some being upwards of 100GB on their own. And if you record footage or do any sort of video editing, those files can add up quickly.

Custom PC Repairs and Troubleshooting: What to Expect

Custom PCs are great—and generally more repairable than laptops and all-in-ones. However, nothing is perfect, and parts will inevitably fail. Sometimes things last 10+ years. Other times, a component may develop a fault even within the first year.

As long as you’re in warranty, it isn’t generally as much of a concern, but most manufacturers will require at least the cost of shipping the failed component back to them. Once you’re out of warranty, though, you’ll need to look for a replacement on your own. And sometimes, if a direct replacement isn’t available, you might need to upgrade other parts of the system as well.

It may seem like a lot to get set up with a custom PC at first, but once you’ve invested in quality peripherals, they generally last a long time. While I’ve upgraded some of my setup, I still have the mouse, keyboard, and monitor I purchased 7–8 years ago, and I use them elsewhere. They have no issues other than a little wear from use over time. And the good news is: budget options have gotten much better in recent years for a lot of peripherals, making the entry point for a custom gaming PC or workstation PC even more accessible.