3 survival tips for ‘budget’ PC building in brutal times

Here is a 188-word summary of the news article: The article discusses strategies for building a "budget" PC in the current challenging market. PC building has become much more expensive, with even a modest gaming setup costing around $1,250 - nearly $500 more than pre-pandemic prices. Pre-built systems offer some savings, but come with compromises. The author offers three main tips for budget-conscious PC builders: 1. Look for hardware bundles, especially for motherboards and RAM, which can provide significant savings. 2. Be flexible and patient, buying components over time as good deals appear, rather than all at once. 3. Consider older but still high-performing hardware, like Intel's 12th-14th Gen CPUs that support both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The article acknowledges these are challenging times for PC building, but notes there is still some "breathing room" through strategies like bundling. It also touches on other tech news, including security updates, innovative cooling methods, and the potential for a new Xbox console in 2027.