Best Entry-Level Gaming PCs for Young Kiwi Gamers

Buying a gaming PC for young people in New Zealand can be tricky as you balance educational and gaming needs. Computers in Kiwi schools are essential learning tools, and sometimes parents need to secure a dedicated machine for video games. But what if you need one machine for both educational and gaming use? Is there a PC to satisfy both schoolwork and leisure time? For the best experience, selecting the right entry-level gaming PC is crucial.

In this article, we’ll explore gaming computers for young gamers in New Zealand. The best gaming computers not only offer powerful performance but also support educational needs. We’ll investigate choosing the best gaming PC for young people that meets your budget while delivering excellent performance. We’ll even provide a guide on future-proofing your investment, ensuring the best value for money.

What Features Do You Need?

Let’s start with hardware. High-quality components play a crucial role in delivering a smooth gaming experience. If you’re new to PC gaming or buying your first gaming PC, you may opt for an entry-level gaming computer. However, it’s best to look for one that suits your specific needs and the games you play.

A mid-range processor, like an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, along with 16 GB DDR5 RAM, supports most video games. Storage-wise, solid-state drives (SSDs) are the trend. Look for a good amount - 512GB to 1TB SSD. Some PCs have the option to combine both SSD and HDD (hard-disk drive), which is great because you’ll have more space - fast SSDs speed up load-times, while a large HDD gives you tonnes of space to store games.

Next, you’ll want a good graphics card for smooth gameplay. Gaming PCs require significant power, and thus a dedicated graphics card is crucial. For children, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or 4050 GPU supports 1080p gaming at 60 fps. When considering a laptop or desktop monitor, look for one with a high-refresh rate (144Hz+) and IPS or OLED panels for good colour reproduction.

If you’re a parent, you may want some parental controls to manage play time and ensure age-appropriateness of content. Many operating systems come with built-in controls to set time limits, restrict access to games/websites, and monitor what your child sees online. These features ensure a balanced and safe gaming experience for children. If you want extra protection, installing a child-safe web browser and antivirus helps provide additional security.

HP Entry-Level Gaming PCs

Reviewed as some of the best entry-level options, these ensure great gaming experiences without breaking the bank. Here are some PCs to consider for young Kiwi gamers.

The HP Victus Series

The HP Victus is a great starting point for new gamers, with both desktop and laptop options available in New Zealand. The Victus offers a solid build and is among the best in budget gaming PCs.

For those seeking portability, the Victus 16.1 inch gaming laptop 16-r0195TX is an excellent entry-level gaming PC option that’s both powerful and portable. With 16 GB DDR5 RAM, dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, Windows 11 Home, and an Intel i7 processor, it provides a balanced design and great value for young gamers at a competitive price.

This powerful yet affordable laptop features a 16.1-inch FHD display with a 13th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, making it perfect for young gamers who need performance without breaking the bank.

• 16.1-inch FHD IPS display

• 13th Generation Intel Core i7 processor

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6 dedicated)

• 16 GB DDR5 RAM and 512 GB SSD storage

• Wi-Fi 6 connectivity

Young gamers will appreciate the performance and parents will appreciate the value, with this laptop serving double duty for both gaming and schoolwork.

The HP OMEN Series

Known for high-end gaming, the HP OMEN is HP’s flagship series when it comes to satisfying gamer needs. It delivers extraordinary gaming PC power and is ideal for enthusiasts. These PCs come equipped with slightly more powerful internals, with Intel i5-i7 and AMD Ryzen 7 processors standard.

Priced a bit higher than the Victus, gamers will see a difference in performance and visuals when they play, especially when in-game settings are maxed out. OMEN models like the OMEN 16.1 inch gaming laptop 16-wf0152TX come with AI-powered GPUs and more refined build quality. You also get OMEN AI and OMEN Gaming Hub to personalise everything from FPS to RGB lighting.

Price-Performance Comparison

Making the Right Choice

Optimal gameplay settings may vary from game to game, but for the most part, you’d want a balance between frame rate performance and graphics. Popular video games benefit from a great GPU, strong CPU, and ample RAM and storage. These PCs are tested for optimised performance in the latest video games. The configurations standard in the PCs mentioned above provide a solid foundation to enjoy popular franchises with some headroom for future releases.

If you’re thinking about buying a PC for school, the Victus and OMEN lines are more than sufficient. With Windows 11 Home pre-installed and the option to purchase MS Office 365 (at a discount), students have a powerful productivity ecosystem at their fingertips. For household needs, these models are versatile enough to handle photo/video editing and stream movies and TV shows in 4K. If you plan to store movies, photos, and documents alongside games on your PC, consider adding extra storage. Models with additional slots for RAM and PCIe can help future-proof your investment, so consider this as well. A prebuilt gaming PC with upgrade potential is a smart choice.

With the powerful 14th generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, this gaming laptop excels both in gaming and productivity tasks.

• 16-inch WQXGA OLED display with HDR, 240 Hz, 0.2 ms

• 14th generation Intel Core i7 processor

• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8 GB GDDR6 dedicated)

• 16 GB DDR5 RAM and 1 TB SSD storage

• Wi-Fi 7, 4-zone RGB Backlit Keyboard, Thunderbolt 4

Perfect for secondary and university students who need a powerful machine for both schoolwork and serious gaming performance.

Value Features

All HP PCs come with standard warranty coverage, typically a one-year limited warranty that covers manufacturing defects. For extra peace of mind, extended warranty options including accidental damage protection are offered. With pickup and return included, these services can be beneficial, especially if your child is prone to mishaps.

Support options for HP gaming PCs reflect the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction. Users have access to technical support via phone, chat, and email. HP Support Assistant comes pre-installed and gives you additional tools to troubleshoot and run diagnostics. HP’s online support forums and community also offer valuable resources for self-help and peer assistance. In a sense, you’re fully covered no matter which PC you purchase.

Other value features include HP SmartFriend, which offers coaching on all things tech, like “how-to” guides and software installation.

OMEN Gaming Hub, offered on all HP OMENs, optimises performance and customisability for all your games. The Light Studio feature lets you customise colours, animations, and lighting across your hardware and peripherals, with 16.8 million colours to choose from.

HP Sure Sense lets you game in peace, protecting your PC with AI. This anti-virus safeguards against 99% of known and unknown malware, protecting endpoints from threats like APTs and ransomware.

Future-Proofing your Investment

This is the idea that adding new components to a PC can prevent aging and make it run longer. Even if you have the best PC right now, there’s a chance that it’ll fall behind in a couple of years, so future-proofing is a concept to leave room for upgrades. To do this, take note of the motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM, and memory - as these will be the main components affecting longevity. Understanding what you have also ensures new components complement the rest of your system.

Next, look for a PC with expansion slots and compatibility with newer tech. Pay particular attention to PCIe slots (currently PCIe 4.0 or 5.0) and their ability to accommodate GPUs and NVMe SSDs in the future. Invest in systems with both traditional HDDs and fast SSDs to expand storage as you download more games. PCs like the OMEN come with multiple drive bays, so upgrading storage is easy. This versatility makes it one of the best gaming PCs for future expansions. Lastly, consider RAM. While 8GB might suffice for games today, you’ll probably need 16GB or 32GB to remain competitive in the future, so consider this as well.

As with all modern PCs, regularly maintain and clean to prevent dust build-up. Dust impairs cooling, which will affect overall performance. Also, keep your BIOS and drivers updated so that everything runs smoothly with the latest software.

How to Set up your PC

Unboxing and setup can be confusing, but don’t worry, here’s how to do it: Complete these steps to get your machine up and running smoothly.

1. Set up the space: Desktop models with their fans and multiple heat pipes need proper ventilation, so make sure the space you have is properly ventilated.

2. Connect peripherals: Connect the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, then plug into a power source.

3. Install software: Boot up the PC and follow on-screen instructions to install essential software. If you have an OMEN, check if OMEN Gaming Hub is installed; if not, install it here.

4. Set up user accounts: Create a parental admin account for yourself and a separate user account for your child. To calibrate parental controls, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info to create your administrative account, then with this account sign in to Microsoft Family Safety and select your child’s account to manage settings.

Next Steps

Now that you’re familiar with the fundamentals, it’s time to take the plunge and gift that lucky child with a gaming PC perfect for them. PCs are an investment, but with proper care and maintenance, can last a long time and serve multiple purposes, from conquering virtual worlds to school assignments.

For the best entry-level gaming experience, consider the Victus 16.1 inch gaming laptop with its excellent balance of performance and affordability. For more serious gamers who need top-tier performance, the OMEN 16 inch gaming laptop provides cutting-edge technology that will satisfy even the most demanding young gamers.

If you’re still unsure or have questions, visit the HP Store for more information about our gaming products. Our team is more than happy to help you find the perfect gaming PC for the young gamer in your life.