2 weeks ago
15
It's rough out there, trust me, we know. And there are few signs that things are improving, in fact all the noise from across the globe, from almost every memory company and chip producer, is that it's only getting worse. Yes, it seems like the RAMpocalypse is here to stay, which means buying new hardware to upgrade your gaming PC, or even buying a new desktop or gaming laptop can be a battle.
That's why we've set up this little hub page here to help support you through this difficult time. If we all get together maybe we can minimise the pain just a little bit? The PC Gamer hardware team has been regularly chasing down the best deals on a wide range of gaming tech for years, and you can search through all our hand-picked recommendations below.
But it's not just top-tier hardware that sparks joy, so the PC Gamer team is also recommending some things that bring them happiness in these dark times. Sometimes that might be gaming tech, sometimes a new or beloved board game, or sometimes even just a great read. That is what PC Gamer's Favorite Stuff is all about. And then sometimes all you need is the basics, which is why our Andy takes on a new cheap tech challenge each month hopefully finding new Budget Wins.
And finally, we love building PCs, so we're also letting you know what we think makes for the best PC build in three different categories—budget (or what passes for budget these days), mid range, and high end.
If you find any great deals yourself, hit us up in the comments and share your findings with the group!
PC Gamer's Hand-picked Deals
Pick a category, or just browse the lot, and check out all the latest PC gaming hardware deals recommended by our own experts.
PC Gamer's Favorite Stuff
We are well-rounded folk here at PC Gamer, which means we don't just want to recommend expensive hardware, we want to talk about the things we love in and around the hobby, too. And not all of them have to be expensive.
1
Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1
COMIC BOOK $17
One of the best comics currently in print, this inversion of DC's 1941 heroine sees Diana's divine upbringing turned on its head. In this alternate universe, she's raised as a witch in hell, separated from her Amazon sisters and all others, save for her mother Circe.
Nature wins out over nurture—Diana's optimism and caring spirit haven't been lost in the depths of hell, but the tools she brings into battle are more demonic, including a hilariously big buster sword.
2
Noctua NV-FS1
You might've heard of Noctua. The company has earned the top spot in both our best air coolers guide and best PC fans guide. But here's a product you might not know about: a desk fan.
This fan has been a godsend for me in the British summer. And yes, folks outside of Britain will think it silly to complain about the heat in our famously dreary country, but it does get hot, and we have no AC. The fan moves a lot of air with only a slight hum, or can be practically silent. It doesn't get picked
3
Dragonbane Core Set
TABLETOP RPG $50
Old school charm meets clever, modern design in this brilliantly accessible fantasy TTRPG. Publisher Free League's signature high production values are on full display, and the dark yet whimsical artwork of Johan Egerkans seals the deal.
This core set is a brilliant package, including not just the full rules of the game but also a full sandbox campaign that's ready to run out of the box.
Oh, and you can play a talking duck.
4
Saga Book 1, 2 & 3
If Saga isn't already considered part of the canon of all-time great comics alongside the likes of Watchmen and The Sandman, it certainly will be in the future. I think you really do just have to read it to understand how elegantly it balances its very human character relationships (even when they're TV-headed robots) with an adventure that leaps from galactic war to alien brothel planets to revenge quests to… I don't even know, man, it's a lot.
5
SleepPhones Wireless
Bluetooth headphones $100
I can't fall asleep easily without listening to something—a TV show, podcast, or white noise. Earbuds can fall out at night (or stay in and hurt like heck in the morning) and headphones don't let you sleep on your side, so I've been using this bluetooth audio headband.
The fleece headband is soft and comfy, the speakers are so flat you can sleep on your side, and there's no discomfort in the morning like you get with in-ear speakers. Best of all is the battery life—I wear them almost every n
6
Logitech G903
Gaming mouse $125
I'll swear until my dying breath that this is the finest design Logitech's ever put out. I've yet to touch another mouse with a click that feels as good as this one, owing to its one-of-a-kind pivot bar where a traditional hinge would be.
Clearly something about the design didn't take off, as Logitech has never reused it except in its minor refresh of the original G900. But until I hear otherwise, I'm just going to assume their engineers have simply never been able to one-up it.
7
Fractal Design Scape
Wireless gaming headset $200
Rarely has any piece of hardware gained the immediate status of "permanent fixture on my desk", but the Fractal Scape has done just that. More than being an excellent gaming headset, it's added a level of convenience to my setup I didn't know I needed.
Beyond being extremely comfortable to wear, the Scape comes with a slim and sleek magnet-assisted wireless charging stand, which makes it simple to top-up. No cables for me anymore—I'm living in 3025, and let me tell you, it's great out here.
8
Ceptics Power Adapter
Power plugs $30
There are a gazillion power adapter options out there that'll get the job done, but this is the only one I've owned that I can say I really like for international travel. Most of them are oversized chunkers that cram three or four different plugs into a single body, making them bulky to travel with and hard to fit on a cramped socket. This one is svelte by comparison and its sockets can be swapped out with a hearty click, so you can buy and pack just the specific plugs you need for your trip.
9
Thermalright Peerless Assassin
CPU cooler $35
In my office, I have seven different PCs for testing hardware and games. They've all got different parts and pieces, but there's one bit of kit common to four of them. It's the brilliant Thermalright PA120SE: a cheap CPU air cooler that has no right being as good as it is.
Sure, it can be fiddly to install in some PCs, and the fans can get a bit loud, but it handles just about any processor and looks pretty neat, to boot. Did I mention that it's cheap? Like $35 cheap?
10
Vantage
Board game $85
A genuine open-world board game, Vantage crashes you and up to five friends into an alien planet overflowing with life, weirdness, and discovery: burning deserts, magic crystals, treasure heists, and underwater prisons. Vantage is structurally loose and light on complexity, leaving maximum room for pleasant wandering. You might start off trying to repair your broken spaceship, but decide that you actually want to settle down and build a barn for all the sentient rock people you've befriended.
Budget win or recycle bin?
Cheap hardare can either feel like a new life hack, or a frustrating false economy. So our intrepid budget explorer Andy regularly gets sent packages from Dave, without any prior warning or knowledge, and he has to decide whether the cheap tech in question is a budget win or more food for the techie recycle bin.
Amazon Basics Condenser Mic
I've had the privilege of working with some roadworthy audio equipment over the years, and the little Amazon Basics mic has the same sort of heft I'd usually associate with something gig-proof, like a Shure SM58 or SM57.
ICYMI...
- My editor forced me to use this $19 gaming headset for a whole week and it's goppingly awful in ways I never dreamed of
- I didn't know I needed dedicated photography lights until this $44 set turned up, but now I'm a convert
PC Gamer Reviews
We review hundreds and hundreds of different pieces of PC gaming hardware each year, so if you want to know how we rated the some old Razer mouse or a brand new Alienware monitor just check out the list of recent reviews or search for a classic.
PC Gamer Builds
Find your way through the memory crisis with our team's selected builds. It may be tough out there, but we still love building PCs. And, while it might be prohibitively expensive to buy everything on our recommened lists, maybe you could look for quality second-hand options in some categories to save money for others.
English (US) ·