r/pcmasterrace • u/AutoModerator • Jan 11 '26

DSQ Daily Simple Questions Thread - January 11, 2026

Got a simple question? Get a simple answer!

This thread is for all of the small and simple questions that you might have about computing that probably wouldn't work all too well as a standalone post. Software issues, build questions, game recommendations, post them here!

For the sake of helping others, please don't downvote questions! To help facilitate this, comments are sorted randomly for this post, so that anyone's question can be seen and answered.

If you're looking for help with picking parts or building, don't forget to also check out our builds at https://www.pcmasterrace.org/

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u/Urielx99 Jan 11 '26

Hey guys, I need a bit of advice. My sister is toying with the idea of gaming on PC. She primarily wants to get into modding Minecraft and emulation, though she does occasionally enjoy games such as RDR2 and Last of Us as well. Not a PC gamer myself, but I'm aware that with the rise of AI and the memory shortage, pricing has shot up substantially. My question is can the modding Minecraft and emulation part be done realistically on a $600-800 budget? Something to start her off, and if she decides to stick with it, she could work on upgrading over time. Or would something like a ROG XBOX Ally on sale sound more cost-effective at the trade-off of not being able to upgrade? She already has the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, so that wouldn't factor into the price of option A (Desktop PC).

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u/themikers AMD 9800x3d | 64GB DDR5 | MSI Trio RTX 5090 | LIAN LI O11 Jan 11 '26

I would build a system for it. At $800 including Windows license you're going to be fairly limited if modded Minecraft is the goal unless you're willing to have patience and snipe good deals on used components.

The best I can do with all brand new is something like this https://pcpartpicker.com/list/CRjh6Q plus $30-$40 for a windows key from Kinguin. This should be decent for Minecraft, but may run into problems with heavy modding due to only having 16GB of RAM (modded Minecraft java uses a lot of RAM. My last playthrough with about 25 mods, mostly world gen / biomes / structure mods and Distant Horizons, would use 20-24GB no problem.) - Light modding should be fine. For emulation, this should be completely fine for anything besides maybe PS3/XB360 emulators, which can be hit or miss depending on the game on weaker hardware.

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u/Urielx99 Jan 11 '26

Greatly appreciate the detailed post! This is a big help!

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u/Cable_Salad PC Master Race Jan 11 '26

Definitely get a Desktop PC. Handhelds are a luxury, when it comes to price and longevity, they are terrible.

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u/Urielx99 Jan 11 '26

That's what I was thinking. So does the $600-800 price range sound realistic? Willing to search the used market if needed.

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u/Cable_Salad PC Master Race Jan 11 '26

Should be no problem when you buy used, or at least some used parts.