Gaming PC Buyers Guide
How to choose a gaming PC
Unlike consoles which are available in just a handful of different models, PCs are available in a huge variety of configurations. This is a strength, in that you have a lot of choice over things such as performance, appearance and budget, but having so many choices can seem overwhelming. This guide highlights the main things you need to consider, broken down into three main topics, by the end of which you’ll know how to pick the perfect gaming PC.
Our Credentials
There are dozens of brands of gaming PC advertised on the Internet, so how do you know which brand to choose? It’s a crucial decision to get right, to make sure you receive a professionally assembled system, built from high quality branded components, it’s competitively priced, and most importantly of all is provided with excellent customer service in case anything does go wrong.
Scan’s own in-house brand, 3XS Systems, has been designing and building PCs for more than 20 years, so we have a huge wealth of experience and deep understanding of how to build amazing gaming PCs.
Great reasons to buy a Gaming PC from Scan
3 years warranty
3XS Gaming PCs include a three-year warranty, so if anything goes faulty we’ll repair or replace it.
FIND OUT MORE
30 Day return Policy
If you’re not totally satisfied with your 3XS Gaming PC you can return it up to 30 days after delivery.
FIND OUT MOREQuality from the Ground Up
We believe quality components build a quality gaming PC. We’re proud to partner with the world’s leading brands, and on every product page you can see the make and model of every component that goes into our gaming PCs.
User Experience
To save you scouring through thousands of possible combinations of components, we’ve created five distinct ranges of gaming PC, 3XS Fluid, 3XS Vengeance, 3XS Gamer, Scan Performance and Scan Gamer, each designed to appeal at different price points.
| 3XS FLUID | 3XS VENGEANCE | 3XS GAMER | SCAN PERFORMANCE | SCAN GAMER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXPERIENCE | ULTIMATE | PREMIUM | DELUXE | BETTER | GOOD |
| PRICE POINT | £££££ | ££££ | £££ | ££ | £ |
| COOLING | WATER-COOLED | PREMIUM HYDRO-COOLER | HYDRO-COOLER | PREMIUM AIR COOLER | AIR-COOLED |
| RGB LIGHTING |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| NOISE | VERY LOW | LOW | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM |
| WARRANTY | 3 YEARS | 3 YEARS | 3 YEARS | 2 YEARS | 2 YEARS |
3XS Fluid PCs
3XS Fluid PCs are the ultimate gaming PCs, featuring state-of-the-art water-cooling for the CPU and graphics card, and premium components. Fluid Gaming PCs provide the ultimate user experience, with custom fan profiles and finely tuned overclocks for maximum performance.
Key Features
WATER-COOLING
The ultimate cooling system for a gaming PC.
PREMIUM COMPONENTS
Built from the finest components for a refined gaming experience.
OVERCLOCKED
The CPU and graphics card tuned for maximum performance.
RGB LIGHTING
AURA programmable RGB lighting illuminates your PC.
3 YEAR WARRANTY
If anything goes faulty we’ll repair or replace it.
3XS Vengeance PCs
3XS Vengeance PCs are premium gaming PCs, featuring best-in-class components that are overclocked for superior performance, and quiet hydrocooling for the CPU.
HYDRO-COOLING
Quiet and stylish cooling for your gaming PC.
PREMIUM COMPONENTS
Built from the finest components for a refined gaming experience.
OVERCLOCKED
The CPU and graphics card tuned for maximum performance.
RGB LIGHTING
AURA programmable RGB lighting illuminates your PC.
3 YEAR WARRANTY
If anything goes faulty we’ll repair or replace it.
Scan Gamer RX, AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB DDR4, 8GB AMD Radeon RX 7600, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN137034
RRP: £789.98
Scan Gamer RX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 8GB AMD Radeon RX 7600, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN137037
RRP: £929.99
Scan Performance RX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 8GB AMD Radeon RX 7600, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN137039
RRP: £1,029.98
3XS Gamer PCs
3XS Gamer PCs are competitively priced gaming PCs, featuring high quality components such as a hydrocooler for the processor. 3XS Gamer PCs are available in two styles, the standard models which are built in aluminium cases with a side window and RGB lighting, and the iCUE models which are built in glass cases and have even more RGB lighting for a more distinctive look.
HYDRO-COOLING
Quiet and stylish cooling for your gaming PC.
PREMIUM COMPONENTS
Built from the finest components for a refined gaming experience.
RGB LIGHTING
AURA programmable RGB lighting illuminates your PC.
3 YEAR WARRANTY
If anything goes faulty we’ll repair or replace it.
Scan Gamer RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 8GB NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN136915
RRP: £1,049.99
Scan Gamer RTX, AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB DDR4, 8GB NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN136913
RRP: £929.99
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB DDR4, 8GB ASUS RTX 4060 Ti, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN142339
RRP: £1,029.98
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 8GB NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN136916
RRP: £1,179.98
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 8GB ASUS RTX 4060 Ti, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN142366
RRP: £1,179.98
Scan Performance PCs
Scan Performance PCs are a real crowd pleaser, providing a step up from our entry-level Scan Gamer PCs with even more RGB lighting and higher-grade components such as quieter coolers.
AIR-COOLING
Quiet and stylish cooling for your gaming PC.
PREMIUM COMPONENTS
Built from the finest components for a refined gaming experience.
RGB LIGHTING
AURA programmable RGB lighting illuminates your PC.
2 YEAR WARRANTY
If anything goes faulty we’ll repair or replace it.
Scan Gamer RTX, AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB DDR4, 12GB NVIDIA RTX 4070, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN135735
RRP: £1,049.99
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB DDR4, 12GB NVIDIA RTX 4070, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN135737
RRP: £1,179.98
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB DDR4, 12GB ASUS RTX 4070, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN142418
RRP: £1,249.99
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 12GB NVIDIA RTX 4070, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN135739
RRP: £1,329.98
Scan Performance RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB DDR4, 12GB ASUS RTX 4070, 1TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN142423
RRP: £1,379.99
3XS Gamer RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 32GB DDR4, 12GB NVIDIA RTX 4070, 2TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN135743
RRP: £1,629.98
3XS Gamer RTX, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32GB DDR5, 12GB NVIDIA RTX 4070, 2TB M.2 SSD, Win 11
LN135705
RRP: £1,849.99
Scan Gamer PCs
Scan Gamer PCs provide a cost-effective entry in the world of PC gaming. These gaming PCs are built using branded components and have a two year warranty.
AIR-COOLING
Quiet and stylish cooling for your gaming PC.
PREMIUM COMPONENTS
Built from the finest components for a refined gaming experience.
RGB LIGHTING
AURA programmable RGB lighting illuminates your PC.
2 YEAR WARRANTY
If anything goes faulty we’ll repair or replace it.
PC Performance
While every component in a PC has an important role to play, the GPU or graphics card is by far the most critical. This is because the graphics card does all the heavy lifting when it comes to gaming, with more powerful models delivering smoother frame rates for a better gaming experience. More capable graphics cards will also enable you to increase the quality settings and up the resolution for greater fidelity.
The graphics card is also the most expensive component, so it has the biggest effect on the cost of a gaming PC. The most popular graphics cards are NVIDIA GeForce, but we also offer AMD Radeon graphics cards in our gaming PCs. The two tables below show all the latest graphics cards, indicating their performance level and other capabilities such as ray tracing and VR. We also recommend optimum resolutions for each graphics card so you can match your PC with the right monitor. All you need to do is browse across to the graphics card that best meets your requirements and click the link to view the range of 3XS gaming PCs with that card.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX Graphics Cards
| RTX 4090 |
RTX 4080 Super |
RTX 4080 |
RTX 4070 Ti Super |
RTX 4070 Ti |
RTX 4070 Super |
RTX 4070 |
RTX 4060 Ti |
RTX 4060 |
RTX 3050 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Ray Tracing | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| VR Ready | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Optimum Resolution | 8K/4K UW-QHD |
4K UW-QHD |
4K UW-QHD |
4K UW-QHD |
4K UW-QHD |
1440p | 1440p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > |
AMD Radeon RX Graphics Cards
| RX 7900 XTX | RX 7900 XT | RX 7800 XT | RX 7700 XT | RX 7600 | Vega | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| RAY TRACING | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| VR READY | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| OPTIMUM RESOLUTIONY | 4K / UW-QHD | 4K / UW-QHD | 1440p | 1440p | 1080p | 1080p |
| VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > | VIEW PCs > |
Custom Gaming PCs
If you can’t find the perfect PC from among our range of pre-built systems we also offer a custom build service where you pick the components and we’ll build your perfect PC.
Visit our PC configurator to find out more.