A good gaming PC costs about $1,049 for entry 1080p esports play, $2,179 to $3,049 for strong 1080p and 1440p, $4,089 to $4,259 for an RTX 5080 system aimed at 4K, and $8,499 and up for an RTX 5090 flagship. Those are list prices on xidax.com, priced on 2026-11-04.
The rest of this guide shows what each price tier gets you, where the money goes inside the case, why memory and SSD costs climbed this year, and how to spread the cost out. Every system named here is a real listing you can open today.
Gaming PC price tiers in 2026
The graphics card sets the tier. Pick the resolution you play at, find the GPU class that matches it, and the price range follows.
| Tier | Aimed at | GPU class | Price range on xidax.com | Example system and price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | 1080p, esports and lighter games | Radeon integrated graphics | $1,049 | X-6 R5 5600GT Xen Black (Radeon Graphics) (16GB DDR4, 1TB), $1,049 |
| Rare | 1080p high settings, entry 1440p | GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB | $2,179 to $2,589 | Xidax Rare Intel (Core Ultra 5 250K, 32GB DDR5, 1TB), $2,179 |
| Epic | 1440p | GeForce RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti | $2,569 to $3,448 | Xidax Epic AMD (RTX 5070 Ti, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32GB, 2TB), $3,049 |
| Legendary | High refresh 1440p and 4K | Radeon RX 9070 XT and GeForce RTX 5080 | $2,989 to $4,259 | Xidax Legendary AMD GeForce RTX 5080 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 32GB, 2TB), $4,259 |
| Mythic | 4K flagship | GeForce RTX 5090 | $8,499 to $9,879 | X-6 GeForce RTX 5090 + R7 9800X3D (64GB DDR5, 4TB), $8,499 |
Priced on 2026-11-04. List prices from the 14 systems on our gaming PC lineup. On xidax.com the entry system is listed in the Rare tier. During Black November, our biggest sale of the year, up to $600 off is applied automatically at checkout, so the price you pay can be lower than the list price above. Prices and stock change; the live page is always current.
Two tiers overlap on price. The Xidax Legendary AMD pairs a Radeon RX 9070 XT with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D for $2,989, which lands inside the Epic range. If you play at 1440p and want the faster gaming CPU, that overlap is where the value sits. For our favorite systems at each budget, see our picks by budget.
What about under $1,000?
Our lowest-priced system on 2026-11-04 was $1,049, the X-6 R5 5600GT Xen Black. It uses the Ryzen 5 5600GT's integrated Radeon graphics, so it suits esports titles and older games more than new releases at high settings. During Black November it showed $996.55 after the automatic discount on 2026-11-04. A dedicated graphics card starts one step up, at $2,179 for the Xidax Rare Intel with a GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB.
Where the money goes
The GPU is the biggest single line on the bill, then the CPU, then memory and storage. Cooling, the case and the power supply matter for noise and lifespan, but they rarely decide the tier.
You can see the GPU's weight in our own lineup. The Xidax Legendary AMD ($2,989) and the Xidax Legendary AMD GeForce RTX 5080 ($4,259) share the same Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 32GB of DDR5 and 2TB of NVMe storage on their spec lines. The graphics card is the headline difference, and the price gap is $1,270.
- Graphics card (GPU): sets your resolution and settings. Move from an RTX 5060 Ti to an RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5080 and the system price climbs a full tier each time.
- Processor (CPU): drives frame pacing in big open worlds, simulation games and streaming while you play. AMD's X3D chips, like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and 9800X3D, appear from the Epic tier up.
- Memory (RAM): 16GB is the floor for a modern gaming PC and 32GB is the comfortable target. On 2026-11-04, every Xidax system with a dedicated graphics card listed 32GB of DDR5 or more, and the RTX 5090 systems listed 64GB.
- Storage: an NVMe SSD for Windows and your games. Our listings run from 1TB on entry systems up to 4TB on the RTX 5090 flagships.
- Cooling, case and power supply: these keep the GPU and CPU fed with clean power and cool enough to hold full speed without throttling.
Budget rule of thumb: put the money into the GPU first, keep 32GB of memory, and choose parts that leave room to upgrade later. When it is time to swap the card, our guide on when to upgrade your GPU covers the signs.
Why memory and SSD prices moved in 2026
Memory and flash storage cost more in 2026 because chip makers shifted supply toward AI servers. That pushed up the contract prices PC makers pay for DRAM and NAND flash, and those costs flow through to system prices.
The numbers come from TrendForce, a memory market research firm. On 2026-02-02 it raised its first-quarter 2026 forecast for conventional DRAM contract prices to a 90 to 95% quarter-over-quarter increase, said PC DRAM was projected to rise more than 100% in that quarter (a record), and forecast NAND flash up 55 to 60% (TrendForce, February 2026). The climb slowed later in the year: on 2026-09-30 it projected fourth-quarter conventional DRAM contract prices up 10 to 15% and NAND flash up 15 to 20% (TrendForce, September 2026).
What this means for you: a price you saw last year is not a fair comparison for memory or SSDs today. That is why every price in this guide carries a date.
Prebuilt vs putting one together yourself: the real cost
A parts list can come in below a finished system, but it leaves out testing, setup, and having one team to call when something fails. Compare the full cost, not only the parts.
When you put a PC together yourself, you handle compatibility checks, putting the parts in the case, the BIOS setup and the first boot, and each part's warranty goes back to its own maker. Every Xidax desktop is configured and stress-tested before it ships, and carries Lifetime Service & Labor plus 2 years of parts coverage, with extended parts coverage optional at checkout. Designed & supported in Utah. For the full comparison, read is a prebuilt worth it.
Want to choose every part without doing the hands-on work? You can configure your own and pick the GPU, CPU, memory and storage yourself. In a hurry? Systems in the ships in 1 to 3 days collection leave in 1 to 3 business days; custom configurations take 5 to 7. Shipping is calculated at checkout.
Paying for it: financing
Orders over $999 can be paid over time, subject to approval. On 2026-11-04, every system on our gaming PC lineup showed a monthly estimate right on the listing.
On 2026-11-04 the financing page listed three partners: Affirm monthly installments (6, 12, 18, 24 or 36 month terms based on eligibility, soft credit check to apply), Progressive lease-to-own (no credit needed, not a loan), and the Xidax store card by Synchrony with promotional 0% APR or deferred-interest terms on qualifying purchases. As one example, the Xidax Legendary AMD GeForce RTX 5080 showed "Starting at $138/mo with Affirm" on the collection page that day. Your rate and terms depend on approval.
FAQ
Is $1,000 enough for a gaming PC?
It gets you close to the entry tier. On 2026-11-04, the lowest-priced Xidax system was $1,049 with integrated Radeon graphics, which suits esports and older games. A dedicated graphics card, the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, started at $2,179, which is also where new releases at high settings start to make sense.
Is it cheaper to buy or put together a PC?
The parts alone can cost less than a finished system, especially if you already own tools and a Windows license. A finished system adds stress testing, setup and one point of contact for repairs. Every Xidax desktop includes Lifetime Service & Labor plus 2 years of parts coverage, so weigh that against the time and risk of doing it yourself.
How much does a 4K gaming PC cost?
Plan on about $4,000 to $4,300 for an RTX 5080 system and $8,499 and up for an RTX 5090. On 2026-11-04, the Xidax Legendary Intel (RTX 5080, Core i9 14900KF) listed at $4,089, the Xidax Legendary AMD GeForce RTX 5080 at $4,259, and the X-6 GeForce RTX 5090 + R7 9800X3D at $8,499.
How much should I spend for 1440p?
On our lineup, 1440p systems run $2,569 to $3,448. That covers the Epic tier with an RTX 5070 or RTX 5070 Ti and the Xidax Legendary AMD with a Radeon RX 9070 XT at $2,989, all priced on 2026-11-04. If you want high refresh rates at 1440p, lean toward the RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT.
Ready to pick yours? See every price tier or configure your own.
