Is $5000 too much to spend on a gaming PC in 2024/2024? The enthusiast‘s perspective
As an avid PC gamer and builder always chasing the next frame rate milestone, I believe $5000 is not an unreasonable budget for building an uncompromising, cutting-edge gaming rig this year.
However, spending this much is still likely overkill for most mainstream gamers. In this detailed guide, I‘ll break down who can justify a $5000 gaming PC in 2024/2024, how the money can be spent, and what kind of performance you can expect.
Justifying the cost: Who needs a $5k gaming PC in 2024/2024?
While dropping $5k on a gaming PC seems absurd to many, for a small subset of power users, the investment makes sense:
Enthusiast PC builders
As a lifelong PC enthusiast, I understand the thrill of building the ultimate dream machine with no compromises. The pursuit of groundbreaking benchmarks and prestige drives many enthusiasts to spare no expense.
Competitive esports gamers
When gaming competitively, every frame and millisecond matters. Esports pros may reasonably seek to max out 400+ FPS at 1080p with a $5k rig, even if overkill for casual gaming.
Content creators and streamers
For content creators editing 4K or 8K video, 3D animators, or streamers broadcasting gameplay at a high bitrate, a top-tier PC with 12-16 cores helps tremendously for smooth workflows.
Power users wanting 5+ years of maximal performance
Some prefer to go overkill upfront to avoid incremental upgrades down the road. A $5k PC built in 2024 could reasonably stay cutting-edge for AAA gaming until 2028.
Early adopters of new technology
Getting the latest tech like DDR5 RAM, PCIe 5.0 SSDs, and high refresh rate 4K monitors appeals to some early adopters with discretionary income.
VR enthusiasts
To power upcoming high-res VR headsets, a $5k PC with an RTX 4090 could offer fluid VR gameplay for years. No motion sickness from dropped frames allowed!
In summary, for regular gamers seeking solid 1440p or entry-level 4K gaming, a $5k build is overspending. But a small niche of enthusiasts exists who can reasonably justify the cost.
Breaking down the $5000 budget
For those willing to spend $5k, here is an example of an enthusiast-grade dream build for 2023/2024:
| Component | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i9-13900K | $599 |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4090 | $1599 |
| Motherboard | ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero | $849 |
| RAM | 64GB DDR5-6400 | $400 |
| SSD Storage | 2TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe Gen4 | $220 |
| HDD Storage | 6TB 7200RPM HDD | $120 |
| Cooling | 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler + 10 RGB case fans | $489 |
| Case | Lian Li O11D XL Full Tower | $350 |
| Power Supply | 1200W 80+ Platinum Fully Modular PSU | $349 |
| Extras | Premium cables, tools, accessories | $150 |
| Total: | $5125 |
Breaking down the key components
RTX 4090 GPU: This monstrous flagship GPU offers up to 2-3x performance over previous gen cards. It can power 4K gaming at 120+ FPS.
13900K CPU: With 24 cores and 32 threads, Intel‘s new flagship CPU delivers maximum performance for gaming and creative workloads.
64GB DDR5 RAM: More than enough for today‘s games and ensures smooth performance for years. Can also aid content creation.
Gen4 SSD + HDD storage: Blazing fast 2TB NVMe SSD paired with a high capacity HDD for mass storage.
Premium cooling: AIO cooler and 10 case fans allows heavy overclocking while keeping things frosty.
1200W PSU: Provides ample headroom for power-hungry components with overclocking.
No compromises were made with this hypothetical $5k build. But does this translate to a 2-3X better real-world experience versus a mainstream $1500 PC? Not necessarily.
Diminishing returns: Is it worth 2-3X the price?
It‘s worth examining if a $5000 PC truly provides a 2-3X gaming experience compared to a $1500 mainstream build with a RTX 3070 or RX 6800 XT. Let‘s compare some benchmarks:
1080p gaming performance
| Game | RTX 3070 10GB | RTX 4090 24GB | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 122 FPS | 190 FPS | 55% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 132 FPS | 179 FPS | 35% |
| Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla | 89 FPS | 148 FPS | 66% |
At 1080p, the average FPS gain is around 50%. Helpful for pushing past 144Hz/240Hz monitors, but likely overkill for many.
1440p gaming performance
| Game | RTX 3070 10GB | RTX 4090 24GB | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 86 FPS | 141 FPS | 64% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 96 FPS | 126 FPS | 31% |
| Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla | 65 FPS | 106 FPS | 63% |
At 1440p, the FPS gain is around 50% on average – great, but still not proportional to the 2-3X cost increase.
4K gaming performance
| Game | RTX 3070 10GB | RTX 4090 24GB | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 31 FPS | 78 FPS | 152% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 44 FPS | 98 FPS | 123% |
| Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla | 38 FPS | 90 FPS | 137% |
At 4K, the 4090‘s performance advantage is clearer – average FPS doubled in these tests. For a flawless 4K 60+ FPS experience, the 4090 excels.
While the 4090 at $1600 is far ahead, the law of diminishing returns makes it hard to justify 3X the total build cost for ~50% more FPS at mainstream resolutions like 1440p. This cements that 4K gaming is the main scenario where a $5k build shines.
Performance target: Where will $5000 get you in 2024/2024?
Here are some reasonable performance targets for a $5000 gaming PC build in 2024/2024:
1080p: Easily achieve 240+ FPS on high settings in any esports or competitive title. Enjoy buttery smooth gameplay on 240Hz/360Hz monitors.
1440p: Expect at least 100+ FPS and potentially up to 144+ FPS in AAA titles on max settings. Ideal for making the most of 165Hz/240Hz displays.
4K: Reliably deliver 80-120+ FPS across most AAA games at max settings. Enjoy smooth 4K gameplay.
Ultrawide 1440p: Similar to 4K, easily power 100+ FPS gameplay on a visually immersive ultrawide monitor.
VR: Enjoy flawless VR gameplay with zero dropped frames or motion sickness. The 4090 can handle upcoming high-res VR headsets.
While hardcore enthusiasts may still want even more performance, a $5k PC undoubtedly delivers an exceptional experience today that should hold up well for years of 4K gaming to come.
Building a well-balanced 4K gaming PC for under $3000
If spending $5000 purely for incremental gains in fidelity seems unreasonable, here is an alternative well-balanced 4K gaming build for under $3000 that I would recommend to most gamers:
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 3.4 GHz 8-Core Processor | $419.99 @ Amazon |
| CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler | $109.95 @ Amazon |
| Motherboard | MSI MPG B550 GAMING EDGE WIFI ATX AM4 Motherboard | $169.99 @ Amazon |
| Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory | $119.99 @ Newegg |
| Storage | Western Digital Black SN850 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive | $229.99 @ Amazon |
| Video Card | MSI GAMING Z TRIO GeForce RTX 3080 12GB LHR 12 GB Video Card | $739.99 @ Newegg |
| Case | Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact TG Dark Tint ATX Mid Tower Case | $138.98 @ Newegg |
| Power Supply | Corsair RM850x (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply | $134.99 @ Amazon |
| Case Fan | ARCTIC P12 PST 56.3 CFM 120 mm Fan 5-Pack | $35.99 @ Amazon |
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts | ||
| Total | $2099.86 |
Key highlights:
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D: Fastest gaming CPU with impressive 1080p and 1440p performance.
RTX 3080 12GB: Can hit 60+ FPS at max settings in 4K. Great value at $740.
32GB DDR4 RAM: 16GB is still enough today, but 32GB leaves room to grow.
2TB Gen4 SSD: Blazing fast app/game load times and storage.
5 extra case fans: Maximize cooling and airflow through the mesh case.
850W PSU: Efficient and fully modular with headroom for upgrades.
At just under $2100, this balanced build would allow high-refresh rate 1440p gaming and 60+ FPS 4K gaming for thousands less than a maxed out $5k rig, while still using premium components. Sometimes restraint yields a better overall experience!
Closing thoughts
While building a no-compromises $5000 gaming PC sounds exciting to enthusiasts like myself, for over 90% of gamers, more balanced rigs in the $1500 to $2500 range make the most sense.
Only those seeking bragging rights or early adoption of cutting-edge tech need apply for the $5k ‘Dream Machine‘ club these days. With midrange parts now able to deliver a smooth 60 FPS 4K gaming experience, we‘ve definitely entered an era of diminishing returns on PC builds.
But for hardcore PC enthusiasts who have the means and passion for chasing benchmarks, a huge budget can undoubtedly enable a phenomenal gaming experience – just don‘t expect a proportional leap over mainstream builds! Thanks for reading – let me know your thoughts on dream builds.
