5 PC gaming myths you might still believe (and shouldn’t)

If you’re looking to get into PC gaming but aren’t sure how to, you’re not alone. There’s a lot of information out there, and it’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t, especially if you’ve heard things that aren’t necessarily true. These are some of the biggest myths when it comes to PC gaming, so that you can have a better idea when it comes to building your PC of what you need to care about.

It doesn’t have to be

PC gaming rigs can look intimidating, complete with flashy lights and towering cases. Add to that the ever-evolving hardware market, and it’s easy to assume you need to spend thousands of dollars to get started. The reality is significantly different.

For starters, entry-level gaming PCs or even gaming laptops can be surprisingly affordable. You don’t need a top-of-the-line graphics card to play many of today’s most popular titles (think indie games, esports titles, or optimized AAA games). You can even start with a modest build and upgrade parts over time as your budget allows, spreading out costs over years instead of paying all at once.

For the cost of a PlayStation 5 Pro, you can build a pretty powerful gaming PC. The beauty of it is you’re not locked in and can upgrade over time, and you can also play older titles, too. Even better, games on PC can be significantly cheaper, especially when it comes to Steam sales. That means you’ll actually save money in the long run.

4

You need powerful hardware to enjoy PC games

Plenty of games run on lower-tier hardware

Many PC gaming enthusiasts love discussing their benchmark scores and talking about the newest graphics cards. This focus on “max settings” can make it seem like anything less than a powerhouse PC isn’t worth having. That’s far from the case though, and in fact, your GPU might not even be the bottleneck you think it is.

Most modern games come with scalable graphics settings, allowing you to choose performance over ultra graphics. Even integrated graphics can handle many popular esports titles like League of Legends or Counter-Strike 2. In fact, you could play Cyberpunk: 2077 on the Steam Deck preset and have an enjoyable experience on a low-spec PC.

It all comes down to personal preference, as some gamers prioritize a smooth 60+ FPS over high-resolution textures, making mid-range or even budget systems perfectly viable.

3

PC gaming is too complicated for beginners

A combination of prebuilt PCs and good software makes this no longer the case

The idea of “building a rig,” updating drivers, and adjusting in-game settings sounds like rocket science if you’ve never done it. That can scare off people who just want to plug in and play, but that doesn’t have to be a problem if you don’t want it to be. There are plenty of great prebuilt PCs out there that will admittedly cost a bit more than building it yourself, but you’re paying for the convenience of it.

On top of that, operating systems and driver management software have come a long way. Platforms like Steam handle your game updates automatically, and with programs like the official Nvidia app you typically only need to click “Download” to keep your graphics drivers current. There are tons of great community forums out there you can ask for help in too.

2

You have to upgrade every year

Quite rare for people to do

Graphics cards, processors, and other components get refreshed seemingly every 6 to 12 months. For those on the sidelines, this constant hardware cycle can look overwhelming. You don’t need to upgrade that frequently though, as a well-built PC can last for years before needing major upgrades. You might only need to swap out your graphics card after several years to keep up with new game demands, or maybe put in an additional stick of RAM.

Most of the time, when it’s time to upgrade, you can do so piece by piece—unlike buying an entirely new console generation. This makes it pretty easy to keep things up to date, and I know plenty of PC gamers who just buy a new machine every few years or upgrade parts as they need them rather than making yearly changes. You don’t need a shiny new RTX 5090 just because it came out this year.

1

PC gaming is only for hardcore gamers

It’s open to everyone, really

While there’s a stereotype that PC gaming revolves around esports pros or enthusiasts who play complex strategy games with dozens of hotkeys, the reality is far from that. PC has the widest variety of titles, from casual indie adventures and puzzle games to AAA action and competitive esports. In fact, most PC games today include native controller support, so you don’t even need to worry about playing with mouse and keyboard if that seems daunting to you.

On top of that, Steam, the Epic Games Store, and other platforms regularly offer free-to-play titles or demos that you can play. There are also multiple deals holidays a year, with Steam’s deals being some of the most famous in the PC gaming space because of how cheap games can be. It’s inclusive to everyone, and you don’t need to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy it.

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Source: XDA Developers

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