Gaming Rig on a Budget: Build Your Setup Without Breaking the Bank

While you can spend a small fortune on a gaming setup, it’s actually pretty easy to build a gaming rig on a budget. There are even great cheap gaming PCs and laptops that are pre-built, setting you up to start gaming and streaming right out of the box. Fetch is here with the tips you need to get started gaming with an affordable setup that doesn’t feel cheap.

We’ve got the breakdown on building a budget gaming rig, from parts to PCs to peripherals, including how to get rewarded just for buying your new equipment with Fetch.

Great cheap gaming PCs and laptops

Your best bet for building a gaming rig on a budget is to look for a pre-built desktop machine that can later be upgraded. The secret to budget-shopping electronics is to keep an eye out for open-box and refurbished models.

If you’re concerned about upgradability on a cheap gaming PC under $250, you should look for bigger, bulkier cases or towers: these models have open space inside and are easier for you to upgrade on your own.

Best pre-built gaming PCs under $250

Walmart’s selection of pre-built gaming PCs under $250 offers quite a bit of variety, and if you go with a “restored” model, you’ll get more bang for your buck. Here are a few great starting points as you shop for your budget gaming rig:

• Restored HP G3 ProDesk RGB Desktop Computer PC. Complete with peripherals like a gaming keyboard and mouse as well as a 22-inch monitor, this all-in-one setup is $224.99 and kicks you off with 16 GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD with room for plenty of games.
• Restored Dell 3020 Core i5 Desktop Tower Gaming Computer. This tower PC sports an NVIDIA GT 1030, 16 GB of RAM, a 120 GB SSD and a 500 GB HDD for $199.99, making it a perfect candidate to upgrade the family PC to a gaming oriented setup.

Both of these offer a great starting point for gaming, with 16 GB of RAM being the benchmark for a mid range gaming PC. Once you settle in and get more comfortable, you can know whether it’s time to upgrade your keyboard, mouse or display.

Affordable gaming laptops under $300

As with buying a desktop, your best bet for affordable gaming laptops under $300 is going to be a refurbished model. Because upgrading a laptop is often more difficult, the best cheap gaming laptop is going to be one that’s a bit future-proof, with more RAM or a larger hard drive. Consider starting with:

• Refurbished Lenovo 14-inch i5. This $279.31 gaming laptop kicks you off with 16 GB of RAM and features a 256GB SSD and Intel HD Graphics card with HDMI output if you want a bigger (or dual) display.
• 14-inch HP Touchscreen Laptop. This $299.99 touchscreen laptop is a solid all-purpose option for someone who needs a computer for both light gaming and everyday utility. Its 4GB of RAM will set you up for games like Minecraft and includes Office 365.

Essential peripherals for a budget gaming rig

If you’re just getting started, the most important budget gaming rig item is the computer, but if you can afford to give yourself some small upgrades at the beginning, you’ll do yourself a favor in the long run. You should find an affordable gaming mouse that doesn’t feel cheap as well as budget-friendly upgrades from stock keyboards, speakers and headsets.

Gaming mice that don’t feel cheap

The stock mouse that comes with your computer will do in a pinch, but it’s not going to be optimized for gaming. The ideal gaming mouse will give you some customizability with additional buttons and be more responsive than whatever your computer ships with (and that goes double if you’re gaming on a laptop).

It’s not hard to spend a lot of money on a good mouse, but there are plenty of good gaming mice that don’t feel cheap, too. Some of our top recommendations are:

• Logitech G203 LIGHTSYNC Gaming Mouse. This six-button mouse is available in four colors and priced starting at just $29.99 at Logitech.
• Razer DeathAdder Essential. This black-and-green five-button mouse is customizable with macro functions to fit the specific game(s) you’re playing and priced at $20.41.

Budget-friendly gaming keyboards and headsets

After upgrading your mouse, it’s a smart move to search for a responsive keyboard and a high-quality headset. You don’t need audiophile-grade headphones, but something more than stock speakers or cheap earbuds is a must.

For a keyboard, we recommend the Redragon K552 Compact Gaming Keyboard, currently $59.99 at Best Buy. Hot-swappable keys ensure you’ll have your favorite switches and key caps while the compact size keeps your gaming space clear for your mouse or any gamer fuel you might need.

On the headphones front, the Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is made for the PS5 but is perfect for your gaming rig. You can find the standard Pulse 3D for $99.99 or the Elite for $149.99 at Best Buy.

Where to buy a budget gaming rig and earn Fetch rewards

Whether you assemble your budget gaming rig piecemeal from different retailers or you place one big order, you can do it all from Fetch Shop. Just open the Fetch app and tap the shopping cart icon at the bottom of the screen to get access to all of the retailers in Fetch Shop, including:

• Walmart
• Logitech
• Sony
• Best Buy
• Brookstone
• Belkin
• HSN

Whenever you shop through these retailers in Fetch Shop, you’ll earn Fetch Points on every dollar you spend. That means outfitting your gaming rig will earn you future rewards that you can use to upgrade your setup!

How to redeem Fetch Points for gift cards

Whether you’ve earned your points from buying your budget gaming PC or your groceries, redeeming them for a gift card to Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target and many other retailers is simple:

1. Open up the Fetch app.
2. Tap your point total in the top right corner of the app.
3. Scroll down to the category you want a gift card for (you can also search a specific retailer).
4. Choose the gift card total you want to redeem your points for.
5. Tap the “Get my reward” button at the bottom of the screen.
6. Treat yourself to your next piece of gaming gear!

Tips for maximizing savings on a budget gaming rig

Our top tip to save on a budget gaming rig is to make the most out of your Fetch Points and redeem them for gift cards to cover your gaming expenses. If you’re waiting to build up more points first, follow these tips to maximize your savings:

• Shop refurbished/refreshed and open-box deals at Fetch Shop retailers.
• Stack retailer-specific promotions and available Fetch offers to max out your savings.
• Check back with retailers periodically to see how cheap their best gaming laptops and desktops are.
• Keep an eye on the Special Offers in Fetch Shop to see which retailers will earn you the most points on gaming purchases.
• Follow our gaming blogs to see how gamers can earn more points with Fetch. 

Start shopping for your budget gaming setup in Fetch Shop

If you have a specific game or two in mind, use their performance requirements to create a baseline for your budget gaming rig. If not, go with one of our examples above. Download the Fetch app, find your favorite electronics retailer in Fetch Shop, and start making a list of your gaming necessities.

We think it won’t take long to see that a starter gaming setup can easily fit into your budget.