We don't all want to look like Henry Cavill, a beefcake of a man putting together a meaty gaming rig.
Some of us would like to get away from the severe black and chrome battle stations and build something that fits our personal aesthetic. A "cute" gaming PC.
But, what makes a battle station cute? It's all about customization. From tower cases to SSD covers, there are ways to break from the stereotypical "gamer setup" without breaking the bank.
So, let's look at how you can build a beautiful PC that suits your tastes and style perfectly.
Tower of love
Tower cases these days are available in a variety of colors and sizes, and can transform the look of your entire station.
One reddit user shared her pink and white gaming station on r/GirlGamers. You can get the look with a pink tower case with a transparent window, which is widely available online.
The window reveals further cuteness inside the case, in the form of a matching pink and white polka dotted SSD cover and GPU backplate. Both are custom print jobs, which take more time and money to source, but there are standard options for colored backplates and covers available at sites like jmmods. You can also spruce up the interior of the case with brightly colored case fans, which are generally inexpensive.
Check out our guide to the best PC cases for more inspiration.
Screen dreams
When putting together an aesthetically pleasing PC, it helps to have a light colored monitor to tie everything together. If your monitor is basic black, there aren't a lot of options for prettifying it while it's in use, but you can keep it protected with a decorative dust cover that matches your theme.
Some people even match their webcams and microphones; in the Reddit post above, the user found a pink and white Logitech C170 webcam and a white Snowball microphone.
Of course, check our our best monitors, best gaming monitors and best webcam guides for more buying advice.
Picking peripherals
Finding the perfect mouse can be a challenge, as the name-brand mice trend toward being black and somewhat utilitarian.
Razer comes to the rescue here with its line of quartz pink peripherals. The Basilisk gaming mouse has all the bells and whistles you'll need with an optical sensor, eight buttons, and scroll resistance. You can spend a little less money and get an off-brand mouse with all sorts of bling, and a little less functionality on Amazon.
Next up is the keyboard. A good mechanical keyboard is always welcome, and the Azio MK-Retro fits the bill. The pink and white combo can be found on eBay, but the company sells a variety of colored keyboards on its website.
Another option is a light colored keyboard with an RGB setting, like the Corsair K70 Special Edition, which comes in silver. There's also the RK61 RGB Mechanical keyboard which is white and compact, with a colorful RGB backlight.
The PC itself
As for the actual gaming build, you should pick the parts that best suit your needs. In the example PC used here, the total amount for parts was less than $800 (around £630, AU$1,100).
A top-of-the-line gaming PC could also be built for a lot more. It's all about the needs of the person you're building for, and the restraints of your budget.
In the end, the person who wants a cute gaming rig may also need a top of the line video card and plenty of memory—so you may have to cut costs when it comes to the custom aesthetic parts.
We have a guide on how to build a PC which will help you choose the components you need and how to install them.
Building a PC can take a lot of time and a lot of money, but creating a welcoming space for the user makes it all worth it in the end.
- These are the best gaming PCs for people who want a pre-built system
