Cheapest PC that will run modern games?

[Jagosaurus]

The One is reportedly already running Windows 10. MS reports them in their count of W10 devices.

Coming full circle now. Guarantee some folks don't the name "X" box was derived from Direct X. It originally started development as a consol-ized Windows PC but changed gears a bit.

All that said, I forgot to mention the Plex app as well. I was watching a digital MKV Blu Ray rip earlier today on my One S. Looked great.

Sounds like your hang up is older Windows games. You're trying to get newer media functionality though. I'll let the PC parts guys chime in from there

[Anapan]

I was referred this site several years back by a member here. It really puts things in perspective as to what is expected of a home-built gaming rig. You need to match your GPU with similar hardware.
Logical Increments.
Also very relevant - Can you run it? - here's where you find out the GPU and ram for a crappy experience and a decent experience. Build your machine around this if you have expectations.
When you're buying used, you need to match the used parts to whatever GPU you found, and I'd recommend buying the power source separately - new. They are hard to diagnose as failure until they've been stressed - that is, after you bought it and it powered your rig - you'd need to stress test it and possibly return it... Any other spending will be a waste that should be spent on things like an audio receiver and speakers.
*Do not buy from China* - Don't buy from China!

Also, streaming does not require nearly the same as playing live - the hardware is much less and it caps at your ping and bandwidth specs - if your GPU can decode the video and your network can handle it, you're set... Given an account on one of the new competing game streaming *you do not own this* platforms you could get away with a lot less, tho early lag tests are not favoring this new shitty platform.

[isiolia]

@isiolia

I loved the Optiplex suggestion, really compact. How would I know if a specific GPU would fit in there or not? is there a spec to look for? What about the PSU requirements?

For the SFF variant of those Optiplex series (or similar offerings from others, such as the HP Elite 8200/8300) you'd basically be looking at "half-height" versions of cards (for example). Most pictures there are with a full height bracket on, but typically a card like that will include both. The PSU won't have a PCIe cable to connect to it, or likely a high power rating, so an OC'ed or something version that needs one or both of those things may not work. I'd likely be worth finding a guide/video and buying the same model they used, but either way, the only consumer cards that are currently offered in that form factor are the low end nVidia ones.

To be clear, the tower versions give a lot better potential for upgrading, as you can use full height cards, swap in a standard ATX PSU that suits the card, and so on. If going that route, then there are better cards for similar money - AMD RX580 or the nVidia 1650 Super, or a variety of ones you might find used.

[RCBH928]

I think it will be the other way around. Most Xbox games will come to Windows,

This doesn't make sense, because Windows is already the dominant platform and Microsoft is still competing on the Xbox hardware. That will only make Xbox with less reasons to own. If Microsoft sends Windows games to the Xbox, it will instantly have a huge gaming library and will be serious competitor to the Playstation. Instant Windows exclusives for the console. Also will be getting much more studios support once they can build a game once and be published on 2 platforms, instead of having a dedicated Xbox port.

The One is reportedly already running Windows 10. MS reports them in their count of W10 devices.

Coming full circle now. Guarantee some folks don't the name "X" box was derived from Direct X. It originally started development as a consol-ized Windows PC but changed gears a bit.

This is the exact impression I had when I saw the original Xbox. Consoles were quite little dedicated machines. This was a mini PC.
I always liked the Xbox name, I believed the X to stand for "something" like in mathematics, as in it can be your "gaming"box, "media"box, "internet access"box, "dvd"box. It can be anything you want.

I was referred this site several years back by a member here. It really puts things in perspective as to what is expected of a home-built gaming rig. You need to match your GPU with similar hardware.
Logical Increments.

Also, streaming does not require nearly the same as playing live - the hardware is much less and it caps at your ping and bandwidth specs - if your GPU can decode the video and your network can handle it, you're set... Given an account on one of the new competing game streaming *you do not own this* platforms you could get away with a lot less, tho early lag tests are not favoring this new shitty platform.

Thats an extremely well built site with great sense of usability. Out of curiosity, I went to see how much it costs to run Monster Hunter World in 4k 60FPS and they had a system for $3200!! Thats a huge jump from having a decent PC for say $800 that will run same games.

For the SFF variant of those Optiplex series (or similar offerings from others, such as the HP Elite 8200/8300) you'd basically be looking at "half-height" versions of cards (for example). Most pictures there are with a full height bracket on, but typically a card like that will include both. The PSU won't have a PCIe cable to connect to it, or likely a high power rating, so an OC'ed or something version that needs one or both of those things may not work. I'd likely be worth finding a guide/video and buying the same model they used, but either way, the only consumer cards that are currently offered in that form factor are the low end nVidia ones.

To be clear, the tower versions give a lot better potential for upgrading, as you can use full height cards, swap in a standard ATX PSU that suits the card, and so on. If going that route, then there are better cards for similar money - AMD RX580 or the nVidia 1650 Super, or a variety of ones you might find used.

I will do exactly this, will search for something on the local market, then look up for a video online on how I can upgrade it. Thanks for the advice!

[Jagosaurus]

The One is reportedly already running Windows 10. MS reports them in their count of W10 devices.

Coming full circle now. Guarantee some folks don't the name "X" box was derived from Direct X. It originally started development as a consol-ized Windows PC but changed gears a bit.

This is the exact impression I had when I saw the original Xbox. Consoles were quite little dedicated machines. This was a mini PC.
I always liked the Xbox name, I believed the X to stand for "something" like in mathematics, as in it can be your "gaming"box, "media"box, "internet access"box, "dvd"box. It can be anything you want.

Here's a great interview with Ed Fries, Microsoft team lead on the original xbox:
https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/podcast-november-3-2019/

Fun listen on a history of the oXbox. It was definitely started as a plug & play PC with the "X" derived from Direct X. He mentions it at some point IIRC. He's also the guy who programmed Halo for the Atari 2600

[marurun]

I think it will be the other way around. Most Xbox games will come to Windows,

This doesn't make sense, because Windows is already the dominant platform and Microsoft is still competing on the Xbox hardware. That will only make Xbox with less reasons to own. If Microsoft sends Windows games to the Xbox, it will instantly have a huge gaming library and will be serious competitor to the Playstation. Instant Windows exclusives for the console. Also will be getting much more studios support once they can build a game once and be published on 2 platforms, instead of having a dedicated Xbox port.

See, there’s a certain logic in that, but MS has already had 2 chances to do that, Xbox and Xbox One, and hasn’t. I don’t see Microsoft suddenly changing course. Just because most of the hardware platform is similar and many libraries as well doesn’t mean MS is going to let their console get turned into a commodity PC.

[RCBH928]

The One is reportedly already running Windows 10. MS reports them in their count of W10 devices.

Coming full circle now. Guarantee some folks don't the name "X" box was derived from Direct X. It originally started development as a consol-ized Windows PC but changed gears a bit.

This is the exact impression I had when I saw the original Xbox. Consoles were quite little dedicated machines. This was a mini PC.
I always liked the Xbox name, I believed the X to stand for "something" like in mathematics, as in it can be your "gaming"box, "media"box, "internet access"box, "dvd"box. It can be anything you want.

Here's a great interview with Ed Fries, Microsoft team lead on the original xbox:
https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/podcast-november-3-2019/

Fun listen on a history of the oXbox. It was definitely started as a plug & play PC with the "X" derived from Direct X. He mentions it at some point IIRC. He's also the guy who programmed Halo for the Atari 2600

thanks this is great, I like to see the business side of things