I just got back into Old School RuneScape for the first time since 2008ish, and I'm pretty sure playing on my laptop with its smaller screen is causing my headaches. I've been meaning to get a desktop for a while now, and this is as good of a time as any. My main requirements are a decent sized screen (shouldn't be a problem with a desktop I don't think) and the ability to install Windows 10 on it (ie there are drivers that will allow the hardware to work on Windows 10). My budget is $1000, but that's a soft limit.
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Yeah, I probably don't need a PC that's explicitly for gaming. The most performance intensive games I play are The Sims 3 (thanks to EA's shitty optimization), pre-2010 Total War games, and Victoria 3. I've had decent luck finding lower end gaming laptops under $1200ish, but I don't know if or how that translates into desktops. I've haven't used desktops regularly since 2010. I got my current gaming laptop on sale for $850, and I think the original price was around $1000.
I'd like to be the guy who can build his own, but I just don't have the time to learn how to do it unfortunately. I get you on Faggit subs though. Niche subs can be so useful even though they make you feel so dirty about supporting that troon infested hellhole. I guess holding your nose and using an ad blocker is the best way to do it if better alternatives don't exist.
I considered that, but I'm 90% sure that would distracting as hell to me, especially since I'd still be using my laptop keyboard. I can't even plug my laptop into my TV to watch movies without positioning the laptop completely out of eyesight.
I'll check out Cyberpower. Low end gaming computers meet my needs quite well. The fact that they can perform moderately intensive machine learning tasks is very useful to me as well.
One nice thing about upgrading from on older computer is, basically any decent modern computer will likely be better.
As someone still running a computer I built over a decade ago, I'm looking forward to upgrading my own machine. It was nice back in the day, but technology has come a long way. Thankfully, some lastgen GPUs are finally affordable again. There were like two or three years where it made no sense to upgrade, because the prices were so absurd. A "budget" option would have been barely a step up from my ancient GPU; not worth it. A high end GPU was thousands of dollars...no thanks. Things are a bit more reasonable finally, though.
Why use your laptop keyboard? Plug in a decent external keyboard and monitor, close your laptop up, and never touch it when you're in 'desktop' mode. I've been using a laptop as my primary PC for a few years and that's pretty much what I do.
My understanding is that closing the laptop puts it in sleep/hibernation mode and therefore unable to run anything. If I'm wrong that would certainly solve this particular problem, although I've been wanting a desktop for other reasons for a while now.
You can change it in the power options, so that closing the laptop does nothing/leaves it running.
It's configurable in power options. Here ya go: https://www.howtogeek.com/412876/how-to-keep-your-laptop-on-with-the-lid-closed-on-windows-10/
The warning about shutting it down they give on there is important. I once closed mine up and put it under a pillow but it was still awake. It got so hot I could barely touch it and I was sure it was going to be bricked. Fortunately it hadn't been under there for too long so it was still alive and I was hella relieved (it was new at the time). I'm sure it would have been dead if it stayed under there for much longer.
Parts themselves are easier to install than lego pieces. They all pretty much only go one place and only fit one way. The tricky part is compatibility, but pcpartspicker somewhat checks that for you.
If you do build your own, and space isn't an issue, I'd recommend an unnecessarily large tower. I personally think they're eyesores, but it sure does help getting things installed when you're not 100% sure what you're doing.