Building a computer with your own hands is a formidable experience, as long as you're willing to solve every problem that comes your way. There's a lot to learn, and it's understandable that some users feel uneasy, but the brand-new PC Building Simulator offers the chance to assemble a PC inside a simulator with virtual parts based on real products.
A Rough Time for Hardware Enthusiasts
For years I've recommended leaving pre-assembled computers behind in favor of more personalized builds, but I also have to admit that unfortunately the hardware market is going through a very bitter moment. On one hand, the rise of cryptocurrencies caused a shortage of graphics cards, doubling their prices in the most extreme cases, and on the other, RAM is still worth a fortune, courtesy of manufacturers that can't (or won't) react. Most users refuse to be complicit and explore shortcuts in the second-hand market, but if the budget wall is too high and frustration doesn't let up, the game PC Building Simulator enables a certain catharsis by assembling PCs inside a simulator.
From Pre-Alpha to Early Access
The first time we talked about PC Building Simulator was in March of last year, when it was in its pre-alpha stage. Since then, hardware enthusiasts have downloaded its demo more than half a million times, and earlier this week it debuted on Steam under Early Access. The game still lacks support for certain components, starting with NVMe, multiple graphics cards, and liquid cooling, but they will be incorporated in the future along with cable management (a true art), RAID configurations, and overclocking. Why overclocking inside a simulator? Simple: PC Building Simulator also helps us evaluate a system's performance with simulated instances of 3DMark.
By far, one of the most interesting aspects of PC Building Simulator is the presence of several real brands, among which Corsair, EVGA, Gigabyte, MSI, and even AMD stand out, and AMD gave the green light to incorporate the virtual versions of its Ryzen and Threadripper chips. PC Building Simulator is a solid sandbox that will help you practice and visualize what could become your next computer, and with time its career mode will add more challenges. The only thing that bothers me a bit about the game is its price (18 euros), however, it's common in Early Access titles.
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