Hey,
It’s Pete Matheson with a new issue of Experiments in Progress.
A lot of gaming setup advice online falls into two extremes:
either “just build a $4000 monster PC”
or “buy whatever console you can afford.”
But most people fall somewhere in between.
So this week we looked at what actually makes sense across three different budget levels from a simple portable setup all the way to a no-expense-spared gaming machine.
🎮 The Best Gaming Setup at 3 Budget Levels
One interesting wrinkle right now:
storage prices are unusually high.
AI infrastructure is driving massive demand for memory and SSDs, which means some upgrades are starting to cost absurd amounts.
In fact, in some cases today it can literally be cheaper to buy an entirely new console than to upgrade storage.
So with that in mind, here’s how we’d approach gaming setups right now.
🎮 Entry Level: Portable & Simple
If you’re just getting into gaming (or want something flexible) the best starting point right now isn’t necessarily a full gaming PC.
It’s portable PC gaming.
A handheld device like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally gives you a surprisingly capable gaming system that can travel with you.
Recommended setup:
Steam Deck or ROG Ally (portable PC gaming)
Xbox Series X or PS5 if you prefer a traditional console
Xiaomi G34WQi ultrawide monitor for a bigger screen
Dock the handheld when you’re home, play portable when you’re not
This setup works because modern handhelds are basically small gaming PCs, meaning you can run Steam libraries, emulators, and a huge range of games without needing a full desktop rig.
And when you dock them to a monitor or TV, they become a surprisingly capable home setup.
For most casual gamers, this is honestly the easiest entry point into PC gaming today.
Source: TechRadar
🖥 Mid-Range: The DIY Gaming PC
This is where things start getting interesting.
This is the tier where:
performance is excellent
parts are still relatively affordable
upgrades remain easy
If you want the best value gaming experience, this is usually the tier to target.
If you want the best balance of price and performance, a build-your-own gaming PC still wins.
A typical mid-range build right now looks something like this:
Core components:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7600X or Intel Core i5-14600K
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4060 or 4060 Ti
RAM: 32GB DDR5
Storage: 1–2TB NVMe SSD
Power supply: ~650–750W
Systems in this range are designed to run modern games smoothly at 1080p or 1440p with high settings.
For example, builds around an Intel Core i5-14600K with DDR5 RAM and an RTX-class GPU are designed to run today’s most popular games (from Fortnite to Call of Duty) at high settings without becoming overly complicated or expensive.
Pair that with a 27-inch LG UltraGear gaming monitor, and you get a setup that feels dramatically more powerful than console gaming.
Source: LG
🚀 Ultimate Setup: No-Compromise Gaming
At the top end, you’re optimizing for experience.
This level of setup is ideal for:
high-refresh competitive gaming
ultrawide immersion
streaming or content creation
It’s overkill for many people but if gaming is a major hobby, it’s an incredible experience.
Recommended setup:
MSI MEG Vision X AI high-end gaming desktop
Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti or similar class GPU
32GB+ DDR5 RAM
2TB+ NVMe SSD
High-end enthusiast builds often pair CPUs like the Ryzen 9600X with powerful GPUs such as the RTX 5070 Ti, designed to drive high-resolution displays and high refresh rates.
For the display, this is where OLED shines: LG UltraGear 45" OLED
Once you see modern OLED gaming monitors in person, it’s hard to go back:
near-instant response times
incredible contrast
extremely smooth motion
Source: MSI
🎮 Quick Summary
If you’re building a gaming setup today:
Budget Level | Recommended Setup |
|---|---|
Entry Level | Steam Deck / ROG Ally + Xiaomi G34WQi monitor (or TV) |
Mid-Range (Best Value) | Custom gaming PC (Ryzen 7600X / i5-14600K + RTX 4060) + LG UltraGear 27" monitor |
Ultimate Setup | MSI MEG Vision X AI gaming desktop + LG UltraGear 45" OLED |
Where are you in your gaming setup journey?
📱 Enjoying this newsletter? Share it with a friend who’s as obsessed with tech as you are:
I accidentally deleted my entire YouTube channel.
In this episode of Aspiring Creator, I break down what actually happened.
We also get into the bigger questions many creators are facing right now: whether chasing views is still the smartest strategy, how brands decide who they invite to events, and why some creators are shifting toward products instead of pure audience growth.
Why I wondered if I should just make monitor videos forever
The real story behind accidentally deleting my YouTube channel
What the growing trend of paid views and paid growth means for creators
How creators actually get invited to media events
Whether SEO on YouTube is dying
The debate around MrBeast and buying growth
Where I’m investing time and energy in my creator business right now
Why building products might be smarter than chasing traffic
🎧 New episodes every Wednesday
