Reuse Your Old Parts

A good way to save money on your new computer is to reuse old parts where possible. Strip out all the good parts from your old computer, you may be able to use these parts in your new PC.

Components such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, CD-ROM drive, and computer case are good candidates for reuse. In some cases you might even be able to keep your old graphics card and sound card, leaving you with only the core components to replace, the CPU, motherboard, RAM, and hard drive.

Watch for Sweet Spot in Market

Another good tip to building a cheap gaming computer is to watch for the ‘sweet spot' in the market. The sweet spot is basically the point at which certain components are still not far behind those with top performance, yet they've already been through price drops.

Keep in mind that new hardware releases in the market will cause older components to drop in price. You should hunt for those quality components that have been through these price drops.

Shop Around For Your Components

This is common sense, but there are people out there who don't do it. To get the best deals around on your components you must shop around and compare prices. Avoid buying impulsively, whatever you do. Instead, become an informed and smart buyer.

If you want the very best deals you will need to put in a little effort. Try to compare prices from various sellers over time, perhaps a few weeks or so to get an idea of where the hot deals are.

Gaming computers can be pretty expensive. If you're like most people, you won't have all the money in the world to spend on your new machine. So use these tips to your advantage and build your gaming computer the smart way. Always remember, be a smart, patient and informed consumer. The money you save is worth it.