What Gaming PC Does My Kid Actually Need for Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft?
If you are a parent staring at a wall of RGB-lit towers with names like VORTEX ULTRA X, here is the reassuring truth: the games your child actually plays are not demanding. Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft were built to run on ordinary hardware. What matters is not buying the wrong kind of ordinary — and not paying for decoration.
The only three questions that matter
1. Does it have a real graphics card?
This is the whole decision. Many “gaming” PCs under £500 use integrated graphics — a chip that borrows the computer’s memory to draw the game. It technically runs Fortnite, at 40–60 stuttery frames on low settings, which in a competitive lobby feels like playing underwater. A dedicated graphics card is a separate component with its own memory — our £499 Luz uses a GTX 1660 Super and runs Fortnite at a measured 165 FPS, Roblox at 120, Minecraft at 200. If a listing does not name a graphics card, that is the answer.
2. Will it still be good in two years?
Kids’ games change; PCs should adapt. Look for standard parts and spare room — the Luz has extra RAM and storage slots and a power supply sized to take a bigger graphics card later, so it upgrades in £50–£100 steps instead of being replaced. Modded Minecraft or streaming ambitions later? Add RAM. That is the point.
3. Who fixes it when something goes weird?
PCs are computers; occasionally something needs a hand. Buying from a marketplace listing means you own that problem. Ours come with a 1-year parts and labour warranty (upgradable to 3), 14-day no-quibble returns on standard builds, and support from the actual person who built the machine — on WhatsApp, which in practice means a photo and a fix rather than a call-centre queue.
What you do NOT need to pay for
- RGB everything. Three colour-changing fans look great through a glass panel and cost almost nothing. Cases sold on lighting alone often hide office-grade internals.
- “Intel i7” as a headline. A processor generation matters more than its tier badge; a modern 6-core Ryzen 5 is plenty for these games.
- 32GB of RAM on day one. 16GB covers everything on this list. Upgrade later if modding gets serious — it is a ten-minute job.
- A 4K monitor. A 24” 1080p 144Hz screen is the correct pairing and can be added to the build for around £110.
A realistic budget map
- Around £500 — the sweet spot for Fortnite/Roblox/Minecraft at high frame rates: see gaming PCs under £500. Everything included, nothing else to buy — Windows 11 Pro installed, WiFi, keyboard-and-mouse and monitor as optional add-ons at order time.
- Around £1000 — for a teenager pushing Warzone, Apex, streaming, or a 1440p monitor: the under-£1000 range.
The practical bits parents ask us
How fast does it arrive? Built to order, stress tested and dispatched in 3–5 working days, then free tracked, insured next-working-day delivery (DPD/DHL). Ordering for a birthday? Message us the date and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
Is it ready to go out of the box? Yes — Windows is installed and updated, drivers are done, and a recovery USB plus quick start guide are in the box. Plug into the monitor, connect WiFi, play.
What if I pick wrong? Two quick questions on our build finder and we will point you at the right machine — and standard builds carry 14-day returns, so a wrong guess is not a £500 mistake.
First order? Subscribers get £35 off orders over £75 with code WELCOME35.