Hardware has become expensive. MeinMMO presents you with alternatives if you want to game but do not want to buy an expensive PC.
RAM, SSDs, and graphics cards are becoming increasingly expensive and those who want to buy a new gaming PC must sometimes dig deep into their pockets. However, there are viable alternatives to gaming without immediately investing thousands of euros in a new gaming PC.
There are several ways to still game well without having to buy expensive RAM, a new PC, or modern hardware. MeinMMO presents you with a few options.
Streaming like GeForce Now
With GeForce Now, the processing of your games is handled by the data center; you just need to have bought the games on Steam, Epic, and others. GeForce Now does not provide licenses for games. You ‘borrow’ the computing power; you must already own the games.
Advantages: You stream your own purchased games and do not need to borrow anything. GeForce Now provides you with the hardware. Multiplayer with friends is possible without any issues, but you should expect latency when gaming.
Disadvantages: GeForce Now relies on a paid subscription for around 11 euros. In the free version, you must expect waiting times and can only play for one hour at a time. Not all games are supported by GeForce Now. Additionally, you are allowed to play a maximum number of hours per month via GeForce Now.
Costs: Free with limitations or €10.99 per month as a subscription.
What alternatives are there? Besides GeForce Now, there are also other streaming providers, such as Shadow PC, where you have an entire PC in the cloud. However, these offers are usually significantly more expensive than pure video game streaming.
PS5 and Xbox
Consoles like PS5 and Xbox are a good alternative if a PC is too expensive for you or if you would need an expensive upgrade. You will pay at least 600 euros for a PS5 starting April 2, 2026, for an Xbox Series X around 500 euros.
Advantages: With the PS5 and Xbox, you can enjoy all the major gaming titles of the current generation without issues in high detail. You generally do not have to worry about hardware and system settings on the console. You can usually start the game directly without any detours.
Disadvantages: You will need games for the respective console. Your Steam games, for example, cannot be used on the PS5. Both consoles offer a subscription (PS Plus or Game Pass) through which you can access a library of games for a fee. Additionally, multiplayer for some games is also fee-based.
Costs: About 600 euros for a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Additionally, there are about 10 euros for the subscription (PS Plus/Game Pass) if you want to play online.
What alternatives are there? Basically, you can also buy an old Xbox One or PS4, but you will have to sacrifice a lot of performance. Many games are now only released for the current platform (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S). Therefore, buying an old console makes sense only if you are on a tight budget and want to forgo the latest titles. Whether you should choose an Xbox or PS5 is discussed in MeinMMO.
