WTB: mid range PC for gaming

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Forums › Offers and Wanted › WTB: mid range PC for gaming

neon

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Master Geek
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#323943 5-Feb-2026 17:46

So, looking for a PC that is ok for gaming - something around/below the $1000 mark. Posting here to see if there is anything available here thats better than some of the options on marketplace/trademe.

Essentially, what can i get for under 1k?

Ideally not really old components - i do want it to last a while. Parts are considered as well - im happy to build it (just cant justify the new prices these days); or happy to buy a partial PC and add whatever its missing etc.

Im in Auckland.

sqishy

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#3459174 5-Feb-2026 18:29

Just PM'd you a deal of the century. I'm in Auckland.

olivernz

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#3459175 5-Feb-2026 18:44

Depending on what games you intend playing maybe wait for the AMD Strix Halo Systems with 388+ CPU to come out. They should be awesome midrange and I'd expect them to b e around that value ....well depending on RAM pricing

cddt

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#3459208 6-Feb-2026 07:05

olivernz:

Depending on what games you intend playing maybe wait for the AMD Strix Halo Systems with 388+ CPU to come out. They should be awesome midrange and I'd expect them to b e around that value ....well depending on RAM pricing

With all due respect, I don't expect any Strix Halo systems to be around $1k...

sidefx

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#3459287 6-Feb-2026 10:20

Hopefully once the Steam Machine is out some cheaper brands will start undercutting it? I see that's pretty much Valve's intention - for the steam machine to be a "reference system" and they want other brands offering similar systems cheaper.

But yeah RAM pricing will be the real fly in the ointment for the next couple of years IMO :/

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cddt

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#3459419 7-Feb-2026 05:30

OP, there are occasional gems on TradeMe. But most sellers of second-hand gaming PCs are looking for top dollar so seem to be happy to relist again and again.

Unfortunately I have just sold my budget GPU otherwise would have offered you a PC with that in it...

Any idea what games you want to play, at what resolution? That may dictate the minimum spec you are looking for.

Obligatory shout-out to https://pyronic.al/

neon

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#3459441 7-Feb-2026 09:26

cddt:

OP, there are occasional gems on TradeMe. But most sellers of second-hand gaming PCs are looking for top dollar so seem to be happy to relist again and again.

Unfortunately I have just sold my budget GPU otherwise would have offered you a PC with that in it...

Any idea what games you want to play, at what resolution? That may dictate the minimum spec you are looking for.

Obligatory shout-out to https://pyronic.al/

Yeah there definitely are good options on trademe and market place.

I got a pc with a 12th gen i5 with a 3070 for 1k for a friend couple of days ago (I've also seen better ones go for about similar price). So I'm hoping for that level of performance.

It's for my partner, and we tend to play more indie games. But often some of those games are less optimised. So it would be good to have some decent power behind it. Essentially rather than buying something that is enough for the games we play, I just want to lay out the budget and get the best possible performance I can for that price and hope it lasts as long as possible before needing to upgrade haha.

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richms

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#3459471 7-Feb-2026 13:45

People on there think that their old tat is worth half what it was worth new when its 3 years old and they overpaid when they bought it. Its the land of dreamers and when you offer them $400 for something they want $1200 for they get all pissy and block you.

Richard rich.ms

neon

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#3459928 9-Feb-2026 11:41

richms:

People on there think that their old tat is worth half what it was worth new when its 3 years old and they overpaid when they bought it. Its the land of dreamers and when you offer them $400 for something they want $1200 for they get all pissy and block you.

Haha yeah theres a lot of that going on in marketplace/trademe, but sometimes (very rarely) there are some good options. Hopefully i find something reasonable here, but otherwise ill continue to keep an eye on over there too :)

shakedown14

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#3463019 19-Feb-2026 12:32

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/computers/desktops/no-monitor/listing/5789658697

Not too bad considering current pricing on ram/ssd.

neon

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#3463157 19-Feb-2026 17:31

shakedown14:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/computers/desktops/no-monitor/listing/5789658697

Not too bad considering current pricing on ram/ssd.

Thank you for the suggestion. I actually found one couple of days ago and picked it up. Ended up with a ryzen 5500 + 3070 build for just under 1k.

This thread can be closed, all sorted! :)