What can make or break a gaming rig is the GPU. 256GB of flash memory comes standard with 16GB of Optane, big check. It has 8GB of memory, a bit light, but check. It has an 11th gen Intel Core i5 (1135G7 to be exact), check. The HP Pavilion x360 comes with Windows 10, check.

Considering it can be picked up for $530 (our config is $699, but has the same graphics), it fits in with the idea of a budget model. Considering the hype around Intel Iris Xe graphics, we decided to give that a try.įor this use case, we are looking at the HP Pavilion x360 convertible to see if it checks the boxes. With crypto sending GPUs through the roof though, we looked for more modest alternatives. In fact for this project, we were on the hunt for the cheapest gaming rig we could build. On the other hand, you have people that are just interested in playing some video games as a hobby and aren’t quite looking to pony up the big bucks at the start. They tend to spend a lot of money supplying these rigs with the best components to get the most out of gaming. A quick internet search can show all kinds of elaborately built, designed, and decorated rigs. Gamers take a certain amount of pride in their rigs (and for those not in the know, the term rig is typically how they refer to their gaming computer). This got us thinking, is Intel Iris Xe graphics “good enough” for a budget gaming rig? Why? Simple, these new methods tend to be lower costs. Now mobile gaming is taking off to compete with the PC as well.

Consoles opened up a bigger doorway into gaming with some sacrifices, though they have massively improved. If you wanted the game to look the best and have the best controls, PC is where it was at. For the longest time, PC gaming was the dominant market force. It is no longer a young person’s hobby as people of all ages tend to game, even old fogeys like me.

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