Getting Started with a Gaming PC

If you’re new to gaming, don’t know much about computers, or simply want to buy a reliable gaming PC for the family, this section is for you.

The simplest choice—if you’re unsure where to start—is to go for one of our lowest-priced PCs as they have the latest graphics cards and can run any game.

All of our gaming PCs share the same high-quality components (motherboard, processor, memory, etc.). The only difference between them is the graphics card (GPU). That means if you start with a more affordable system, you’ll still have plenty of upgrade potential. When you’re ready for more power, you just swap the graphics card—no need to replace anything else. This keeps things simple and cost-effective.

Better still, graphics cards tend to hold their value. If you decide to upgrade in the future, you can sell your current card for a good return and put that money toward your next upgrade.

Our Recommendations

NVIDIA RTX 5060 8GB – Generation 4 Gaming PC

AMD RX 9060 XT 8GB – Generation 4 Gaming PC

The difference? Both systems are excellent—one uses a graphics card from NVIDIA, the other from AMD.

NVIDIA is considered the market leader, especially strong in advanced graphics features like Ray Tracing (a technology that mimics how light behaves to make games look more realistic).

AMD cards are often seen as better value for money, delivering great performance at a lower cost for the higher end and more advanced cards.

It really comes down to your budget and whether you prefer best-in-class features (NVIDIA) or maximum value (AMD).

Please Note: Base Unit Only

All our computers are sold as base units only, meaning they do not include a monitor, keyboard, or mouse. This is ideal for customers who already own peripherals and are simply looking to upgrade their system.

If you do need a keyboard, mouse, or headset, we offer a gaming accessory bundle. You can find it at the bottom of every product page under the "You may also like..." section. The bundle includes:

• Gaming keyboard

• Gaming mouse

• Headset (with headphones and microphone for in-game communication)

• Gaming mouse mat

We do not currently sell monitors, but you can easily find great options with next-day delivery from Amazon.

Choosing a Monitor

Monitors have come a long way, and it's now rare to buy a "bad" one. If you're looking for a reliable and budget-friendly option, search for "AOC gaming monitor" on Amazon — they offer excellent value and performance.

Here’s a quick guide to monitor types:

• Budget – FHD (Full HD)
  Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (1080p)
  A solid choice for everyday use and casual gaming.

• Midrange – QHD (Quad HD)
  Resolution: 2560 × 1440 (1440p)
  Offers sharper visuals and more screen real estate — great for gaming and creative work.

• High-End – 4K UHD
  Resolution: 3840 × 2160
  Exceptional image quality, ideal for high-end gaming and professional content creation.
  Note: You’ll need a powerful PC to fully utilize a 4K monitor.

GEN4 vs GEN5 – What Does It Mean?

You may see “GEN4” and “GEN5” mentioned in our systems. These terms refer to the generation of processors (CPU) and how they connect to the motherboard which also affects the speed of communication between components.

• GEN4 is the previous generation of processors. They’re still very powerful, but because they’re being phased out, they’re now excellent value for money.
• GEN5 is the latest generation. It offers cutting-edge performance but comes at a higher price.

Buying a GEN4 system is a smart move for most people: you get premium components and plenty of performance now, while leaving the door open for cheaper upgrades later. All of our PCs also include high-end motherboards and generous amounts of memory (RAM), so you won’t need to worry about upgrading those anytime soon. There is lots of information on this subject in the tabs ‘What is GEN4?’ and ‘What is GEN5’.

Why Choose MidTown Gaming?

At MidTown Gaming, we do things differently from most PC builders. Our goal is to give you all the information you need to make a confident, informed choice.

Performance Data for ALL Our PCs – Every PC we sell has been thoroughly tested, and we share real performance data so you know exactly what you’re getting. Just click on the 'FPS' (Frames Per Second) tab on any product page to see how it performs in games and compare it with other models.

What You See Is What You Get – The photos you see aren’t just stock images of empty cases or “generic builds.” They’re actual pictures of the exact PC you’re buying, so there are no surprises when it arrives.

At MidTown Gaming, transparency and trust are built into everything we do.

Here is a list of the graphics cards that we currently offer in order of the most powerful. Keep in mind that all our PC's are powerful gaming systems and can run any game with stunning results. The more powerful the graphics card is you get a higher level of advanced graphics performace such as Ray Tracing (how natural light is simualted) and resolution (detail):

We’ve conducted extensive testing across all our PCs to provide the FPS data below. For consistency and fairness, we used standardized settings that closely reflect typical High, Mid, and Ultra presets.

Please note that the FPS figures listed are not the maximum achievable. You can often attain significantly higher performance by adjusting in-game settings to suit your personal preferences.

Our primary goal was to benchmark each PC under identical conditions, ensuring reliable comparisons—not to optimize for the highest possible frame rates.

All tests were performed using a refresh rate of 120Hz

The following data was taken using AMD FSR 3.1 Frame Gen.

High Level Specs:

Motherboard Details:

One of the reasons we love this Asrock motherboard is the fantastic specification which includes PCIe5 for both GPU and storage.

XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Dual Fan Gaming Edition 8GB RDNA 4 Graphics Card

DESIGNED FOR LIGHTNING-FAST GAMING, POWERED BY AMD RDNA™ 4Experience the next level of 1440p gaming performance with AMD Radeon™ RX 9060 XT graphics cards. Powered by groundbreaking RDNA™ 4 architecture with unified compute units featuring advanced raytracing and AI accelerators, support for AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution 4 technology and AMD HYPR-RX for ultra-smooth, ultra-responsive gameplay that makes every play count.

Powerful AI Enhanced VisualsEnjoy gaming like never before with immersive, lifelike visuals driven by next-gen raytracing, supercharged with AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution 4 ML-powered upscaling, and elevated streaming clarity by Enhanced Media Engine.

Performance Made EasyThe AMD Radeon™ RX 9000 Series puts powerful performance at your fingertips with intuitive AMD Software: Adrenaline Edition. Experience dependable feature rich drivers, real-time AI-powered assistance, and one-click optimisation with AMD HYPR-RX. Elevate your gaming with increased frame rates, reduced lag, and sharper visuals.

Future-Ready TechBuilt for longevity, AMD Radeon™ RX 9060 XT graphics cards feature up to 16GB VRAM, PCI Express® Gen 5 support, AMD Smart Access Memory™ technology, AI-enabled technologies, and seamless pairing with AMD Ryzen™ 9000 Series processors to unlock the full potential of your AM5 platform. An updated Radiance Display™ Engine featuring DisplayPort™ 2.1a and HDMI 2.1b is ready for the latest ultra-high refresh displays.

Understanding GEN4, AM4, and PCIe Versions in Our PCs

GEN4 refers to the fourth generation of PCI Express (PCIe) technology, which works alongside AMD’s AM4 socket — the connection point between the CPU and the motherboard that determines the bandwidth for communication between the CPU and other components. AM4 processors offer outstanding value for money and are still a great choice for most users, although they are gradually being replaced by newer AM5 (GEN5) platforms.

Many budget PCs on the market today still run on PCIe 3.0 (Gen3), which is more affordable but significantly slower. What’s more, some systems advertised as “PCIe 4.0” only support GEN4 speeds for either the storage or the graphics card — not both. This can lead to confusion and unbalanced performance.

In contrast, all of our PCIe 4.0 (GEN4) systems are fully PCIe 4.0 across the board — for both storage and graphics. This consistency helps deliver better performance in games and higher FPS (Frames Per Second). While most current games and GPUs don't yet fully utilize the full bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, future graphics cards certainly will. Since PCIe 4.0 doubles the data transfer speed of PCIe 3.0, GEN3 systems will become a bottleneck much sooner.

If you want to also use your MTG Gaming PC for creative workloads such as 4K/8K video editing and 3D modeling, then PCIe 5.0 (GEN5) is the way to go.

You can compare the Frames Per Second (FPS) of our PCIe 4.0 (GEN4) PC’s with the FPS of our PCIe 5.0 (GEN5) PC’s on the FPS tab above in each PC’s product page.

We offer both GEN4 (AM4/PCIe 4.0) and GEN5 (AM5/PCIe 5.0) options across all our PC builds, giving you the flexibility to choose the performance and budget level that’s right for you.

Checkout the releated products below to compare costs between GEN4 and GEN5.

Understanding GEN5, AM5, and PCIe Versions in Our PCs

GEN5 refers to the fifth generation of PCI Express (PCIe) technology, which works alongside AMD’s AM5 socket — the connection point between the CPU and the motherboard. AM5 is the latest platform from AMD and supports their most advanced (and typically most expensive) processors. One of the key advantages of AM5 over the previous AM4 platform is its support for PCIe 5.0 (GEN5) — offering double the bandwidth for communication between the CPU and other components compared to PCIe 4.0.

AM4 processors, which use PCIe 4.0, still provide excellent performance and are more than sufficient for gaming and everyday workloads. However, PCIe5 delivers added future-proofing and higher potential performance — particularly beneficial for power users — though it does come at a higher price point.

We offer both GEN4 (AM4/PCIe 4.0) and GEN5 (AM5/PCIe 5.0) options across all our PC builds, giving you the flexibility to choose the performance and budget level that’s right for you.

If you plan to use your MTG Gaming PC for demanding creative tasks such as 4K/8K video editing or 3D modeling, GEN5 (PCIe 5.0) is the ideal choice for faster data handling and long-term scalability.

Key Benefits of PCIe 5.0 for Creative Workflows

Faster Data Transfers:
PCIe 5.0 doubles the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, leading to significantly higher sequential read/write speeds for NVMe SSDs.

Enhanced Video Editing:
Professionals dealing with large video files, such as 4K and 8K footage, will experience faster import/export, smoother playback on the timeline, and improved overall responsiveness.

AI and 3D Modeling:
Data-intensive tasks like 3D modeling and generative AI workloads benefit from the increased data transfer capabilities of PCIe 5.0, allowing GPUs and processors to operate at their full potential.

Improved Future-Proofing:
As software and hardware demands grow, the higher bandwidth of PCIe 5.0 provides more headroom for future applications.

You can compare the Frames Per Second (FPS) of our PCIe4 (GEN4) PC’s with the FPS of our PCIe5 (GEN5) PC’s on the FPS tab above in each PC’s product page.

AMD or NVIDA - Which Graphics Card Shoud I Buy?

AMD’s newest graphics cards are designed to give gamers a lot of performance for their money. They focus on delivering smooth gameplay in popular resolutions like 1440p and 4K, and often include more video memory than their rivals at the same price point. This makes them particularly attractive to players who want reliable performance in modern titles without paying a premium. NVIDIA’s latest generation, on the other hand, puts more emphasis on cutting-edge features, especially in areas like lifelike lighting effects and tools that use artificial intelligence to boost frame rates and image quality.

When looking purely at “standard” gaming performance — the kind you see in most titles without fancy effects turned on — AMD offers excellent value. In many cases, you’ll get very similar frame rates for less money, especially in the mid-price range. NVIDIA still has an edge in some games, mainly where developers have worked closely with them to fine-tune performance, but overall both brands provide smooth gameplay experiences across the most common setups.

The main difference shows up when you turn on the more advanced features. NVIDIA has invested heavily in ray tracing (which makes lighting and reflections look more realistic) and in AI-driven technologies that can generate extra frames or sharpen images without as much strain on the graphics card. This can make a big difference in supported games, especially for players chasing the very best visuals. AMD has made progress here with its own open technologies, which work on a wider range of hardware, but they still aren’t quite as polished or powerful as NVIDIA’s equivalents.

In the end, the choice comes down to what matters most to you. If you want the latest visual effects, smoother performance through AI, and also plan to do creative work such as video editing, streaming, or 3D design, NVIDIA’s cards are often the stronger option — though they cost more. If you care more about value for money, want plenty of memory for future games, and are happy with excellent “standard” gaming performance, AMD’s cards are hard to beat. Put simply, NVIDIA leans toward cutting-edge features and versatility, while AMD delivers outstanding performance per pound spent.