Keep in mind, PC hardware gets viewed as old very quickly here. Tech is constantly and always changing here on the PC. So much so (on the changing part), I've been debating buying a new desktop for about a week now and been up & down w/ it on the "Do I do this or not?"...namely b/c of all the new AMD and NVidia stuff that's coming this year.
Be warned: PC gaming is not a cheap hobby. To do well here, IMHO...I often think you're looking at either desktops or laptops in the $800-2000 area, just to get something good-to-great brand new (i.e. not used).
Sure, you can save a ton of $ on games w/ Humble Bundles, bundle sites, Epic Store freebies, sales, and other stuff of that sort - but if done right, your real money's going to be spent on the hardware.
Lately, I've found myself less & less using my desktop (i7 950; 16 GB RAM DDR3; 4GB GTX 970; W7 x 64) - and more so using my Acer for older stuff/not as demanding stuff and surfing; and my SC15 laptop for real gaming (i7 7700HQ; 16 GB RAM DDR4; 6GB GTX 1060; W10). So, yeah - a part of me is really in "I want a new desktop" mode...even though it's also not really a great time to be in that mode (i.e. too much change seems to be coming with just this year alone - this doesn't look to be another recursive year of tech).
Let's face it: laptops are not really built for upgrading, for most people. If you know what you're doing, you could bust it open and probably change things like RAM and maybe the HDD/SSD easily - but you probably aren't going to change CPU's and GPU's (they're often welded to the board). If you want to change GPU's in a laptop, you're going to want Thunderbolt 3 (or better) - and most laptops don't come with that anyways (i.e. this stuff ain't cheap and ain't common yet). And then you're going to need another case likely, so you won't likely be mobile to get that boost. And if you're going to want a future & you are looking to future-proof stuff, you're better off w/ a desktop - as parts are much easier to swap in & out there...if you want to be able to do the upgrading route.
We're starting to see a lot of PC parts, PC's (desktops & laptops), and other things...drop BIG time...namely b/c of all the new stuff coming. Heck, look at Reddit and all of the prices dropping at Microcenter for Ryzen CPU's b/c of the new stuff coming around the corner. And it's going to change even crazier b/c everything seems to be changing w/ new consoles on the way too. AMD is really starting to get competitive again (for probably the real first time in 10 years or so) - and things could drastically change soon & fast, w/ new architectures (i.e. read stuff on how the Ryzen works, for example) and the 7nm-based tech that's coming (most Intel stuff use 14nm, for example). We could be seeing one of the biggest jumps & changes in a long time happening very soon within one whole generation of stuff here, since probably the Intel i3/i5/i7 line began some 10 years ago or so...and it could be, this time around, AMD changing the market, not Intel. (For the most part, Intel's normally been the leader). AMD hasn't been competitive in years (probably since the old Athlon days when we had mostly single-core CPU's, IMHO), but...AMD's Ryzen seems to be a major threat to Intel.
If you're looking to basically run all of the stuff from the Epic Store that was free last year - I don't really see much of a challenge from any of those games w/ that system that you mentioned in the above quote. You might have a little bit of a future (me, I have similar hardware on my laptop) - but who knows really how much of one, TBH. It's going to depend a lot on what you want out of the laptop (or desktop) - are you fine w/ just wanting to play at 1080p right now? Do you want 60fps or better right now? If you're looking for just right now - sure, that PC's going to do just fine w/ the Epic Game Store Free 2019 stuff.
And you'll likely, w/ that system, also be fine w/ lots of older games on the PC, too - in which the PC has an insanely huge backlog and history catalogue here (provided you might need to mod older gamers, to get them running at all or even running properly). Plenty of that stuff to find on Steam, GOG, and places of that sort these days. I love that, pretty much, I can still run old games here on my new PC's...with not too much of a challenge and with a little bit of modding/tinkering. Always can check a PC Gaming Wiki, a Steam Guide, or online forum...and find out how to get older stuff going.
And if you want to take the risk of buying used; possibly hotter thermals (this is more common in laptops) and learn how to deal with them (i.e. just don't push stuff too hard & you will just tinker w/ things when necessary - yeah, I learned this from my Acer Nitro 960m laptop); no warranty; and any of those possibilities - hey, it's all your call. I hope you get a great used one for $500, if you're still going that route (b/c if that's things in good shape, that's a nice deal) - but, you still are dice-rolling a bit here, not going new and all. I'd personally rather spend the extra $ and get it new or even a little bit less than new w/ an open box at a retailer (that's been returned and barely touched). Just, you know, do know and be aware of what you're getting into here.
I like laptops and desktops. I have both, a fair amount of laptops (i.e. I have an Acer Nitro laptop with a 960m that I bought in 2016 and a
SC15 with a 1060m that I bought in 2018). When I go travel & go places, I often take one of my laptops with me. I can game on that, while I'm not home. Not everybody is going to be buying desktops and/or laptops left & right, like I do here & there every few years. Not everybody lives the same gaming lifestyle I do and doesn't mind tossing around $800-2000 here and there every few years.
Personally, I'm happy w/ 1080p60fps gaming. I'm even more so fine w/ games at 90fps, 120fps, 240fps, whatever - especially w/ G-Sync. I'm okay with 30fps gaming - but eh, I'd rather push better framerates. Some might prefer 1440p, 4K, or stuff of that sort - and want to spend that $. That stuff ain't cheap. I have a 4K monitor - eh, it's really gone to waste, the last year or so...since realizing how much I prefer higher framerates (if a game can go there) and G-Sync (for now). I don't have a card that really can push that stuff that hard; I don't have say a GTX 1070, GTX 1080, RTX 2070, or GTX 2080...or better yet.
no. Mmmm skin flakes, fingernails, and food morsels.
