Taming the beast: how to build a gaming PC for 2018

Buying a new computer for gaming can be a confusing endeavour. We asked a group of experts what you'll need for a slick experience

Buying a new games machine is a major investment in these financially tricky times. A capable PC that will cope with the latest releases for at least 18 months will start at 600, but, whatever you pay, your quest will involve a series of challenging decisions and compromises.

So, if you're thinking about splashing out this year, we've pulled together tips and recommendations from a group of highly experienced PC builders. James Hannett is a coder at Frozen Synapse developer Mode7; Nick Tannahill is marketing director at Firefly Studios, creator of the Stronghold series; Byron Atkinson-Jones runs Xiotex Studios; and Guardian reader Simon Beck has built dozens of PCs over the last 10 years.