PC gaming has a pricing problem, and the memory crisis is compounding it in a way that's utterly heartbreaking for our hobby

Occasionally, on one of my rare jaunts out into the real world, someone will ask me what I do for a living. "I write for PC Gamer," I invariably respond. "Oh that's cool," comes the reply. "I'd like to buy a gaming PC, but I looked at the prices recently and…"

You get the idea. I'm also constantly asked by gamers, both online and in the real world, what PC they should buy on a budget, and my response often starts with: "What do you mean by budget?"

We exist in a space where an "affordable"...