With high-end graphics and elaborate story plots, time spent gaming has increased, and with that, so has the necessity of a dedicated gaming room. If you're thinking about adding a gaming room to your home, you're probably wondering how much it will cost you. Well, we've researched everything you need to create a gaming room and have an answer for you.
The average cost of a gaming room is around $3,000. The cost of a gaming room will vary depending on the equipment you choose and any add-ons. If you already have a gaming device, you can expect to spend at least $1,000 for the additional essentials, but many people spend upwards of thousands of dollars.
Now you know that you'll probably need to spend at least $1,000 on your gaming room. Keep reading as we go into detail about the cost of each gaming room essential. We'll also answer some other questions you might have about your gaming room.
Gaming Room Essentials
Let's talk about the essentials for a gaming room. We will discuss the bare minimum equipment you will need to begin creating your room.
PC, Laptop, or Gaming Console
The first thing you'll need for your gaming room is a device to play your games on. Your first decision should be whether you want to game on a PC, laptop, or gaming console.
If you choose a PC, you'll need to choose a PC with a high processor, RAM, a gaming card, and large storage. If you choose to purchase a ready-made gaming PC, you can expect to pay between $800 and upwards of $2,000. Choosing to custom build your PC may cost you less or more, depending on the parts you choose to use.
Click here to see iBUYPOWER gaming PC on Amazon.
A gaming laptop will cost you between $800 and $1,200 for basic gaming capabilities. Expect to pay more for higher-end features.
Click here to see Razor Blade 15 gaming laptop on Amazon.
If you choose to purchase a gaming console, it'll cost you around $500 for the newer model X-Box or PlayStation.
Click here to see PlayStation Classic Console on Amazon.
Monitor or TV
If you have a PC or a gaming console, you'll also need a TV or monitor. At a minimum, you'll need a monitor that has a refresh rate of 75 Hz, a resolution of 1080p, and a response rate of 5 milliseconds. Depending on the brand, these monitors are around $150.
A TV will need at least the same specs. You could play on a monitor or TV with lower specifications, but you may be disappointed at how it looks and runs. The cost of a TV depends on the size and brand of the TV. You can expect to pay at least $150 for a small TV.
Gaming Keyboard & Mouse
Though a regular keyboard and mouse will likely work fine, if you're going to create a game room, a gaming mouse and keyboard might as well be included. They allow for better gameplay and operate smoother than the average models. A basic gaming mouse or keyboard will cost you around $20 each. However, some models range between $50 and $150.
Gaming Chair
While there are non-gaming chairs that are likely more comfortable, the main reason gamers choose to purchase a gaming chair is for the design. They just look cool and can really add to the look of your gaming space. A simple gaming chair will start around $100, but some models sell for thousands.
Desk
You'll need somewhere to put your gaming device, so a desk is a must-have for your gaming room. The cost of the desk will depend on the size and style you choose. If you choose to have multiple monitors, make sure you choose a desk large enough to fit your equipment. While cheap desks can be purchased for around $100, expect to pay between $200 to $2,000 for a quality desk.
Gaming Room Extras
We've gone over the essential items you'll need to create a gaming room, but let's discuss some extras you might want to include.
Graphics Cards
For the best gaming experience, you should either make sure your store-bought gaming PC has a good graphics card, or you should make sure your custom-built PC is going to have one. A high-end graphics card like the GTX 1080 will work well for gaming and VR headsets.
There are currently stock issues for graphics cards, so prices are inflated. In the current market, a graphics card will cost you several hundred dollars. The average price for a GTX 1080 is currently $600.
Click here to see GTX 1080 on Amazon.
RGB Lighting
While you can get by without adding the lighting to your room, it will definitely add to it. Fortunately, adding RGB (red, blue, and green) LED lighting to your room can be pretty inexpensive, and there are many ways you can do it. The most popular is to purchase RGB lighting strips. They come in a variety of sizes with different features. You can get them for as low as $14 on Amazon. You can hang them around your room, under your desk, or even behind your monitor to give it a backlit look.
Click here to see RGB Lighting on Amazon.
Soundproofing
If you share a home with others and you know you're pretty noisy when you game, you may want to soundproof your room. You'll be happy to know that most people don't soundproof their entire game room but instead, use sound blocking curtains or door seals. A lot of noise can escape from under your door or through a window. A soundproofing door stopper will cost you around $15 to $20.
Click here to see Holikme Door Noise Blocker on Amazon.
Why Do Gamers Have Three Monitors?
You may have noticed that most gamers often have at least two monitors but will often have three monitors. Why is this? Well, multiple monitors aren't necessary to game, but they definitely have some perks.
Most gamers have multiple monitors to multitask. Having multiple monitors allows you to game on one and use the others for things like streaming or movie watching. Some games have in-game chat features, and having two monitors will allow you to have a chat open on a separate screen.
Some gamers choose to have multiple monitors for a more immersive game playing experience. Instead of buying a curved monitor, they can angle two additional monitors around a centered monitor to create one large game playing screen. This is a good idea for racing games and games with a wide viewing area.
Are Gaming Chairs Comfortable?
We mentioned earlier that gaming chairs are more often purchased for their looks rather than their comfort level. However, this doesn't mean you won't be able to find yourself a comfortable gaming chair. Comfort is subjective, and what someone else might find comfortable, you might not. The best thing to do is to research gaming chairs and check out their reviews.
If comfort is your main priority, we suggest heading to a store and testing out some chairs. If you don't mind passing on the gaming chair looks, an office chair will likely be more comfortable for you.
Click here to see Homall Gaming Chair on Amazon.
If you decide to go with an office chair instead, check out: "What to Look for in an Office Chair [6 Things to Check Before You Buy]."
What Color Lighting Is Best For Gaming?
Once you've got all of your equipment, you might wonder what you should do about lighting. Well, there isn't really a color that works best per se; it's really a personal preference. Most people prefer to game with dim lighting so that there are no glares on their game screens. Gamers often choose RGB lighting.
RGB lighting stands for red, green, blue, and these pigments are used to create many different colors. Gamers choose RGB lighting to choose a color based on their mood or the feel they want to create.
You will often see a lot of gaming equipment with color-changing features. Gaming keyboards, gaming mice, and monitors can all be bought with RGB lighting. You can also purchase RGB lighting strips to go behind monitors and under your desk. The possibilities for customization are endless.
Click here to see Govee Smart LED Strip Lights on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
A gaming room can be made pretty affordably, but it is quite easy to spend thousands of dollars creating an amazing gaming room if you choose. Decide on a budget and go from there! Happy Gaming!
If you're worried about how your cables will look, check out our other post: "How To Hide Wires On Desk (6 Under-Desk Cable Management Solutions)."