{"id":14547,"date":"2026-08-04T01:12:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T01:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/?p=14547"},"modified":"2026-08-04T01:12:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T01:12:34","slug":"beat-the-ai-price-surge-on-pc-hardware-leverage-newegg-combo-deals-track-amazon-prices-and-shop-refurb-outlets-like-woot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/?p=14547","title":{"rendered":"Beat the AI price surge on PC hardware \u2014 leverage Newegg combo deals, track Amazon prices, and shop refurb outlets like Woot"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n Ben Stockton <\/strong>
\n •
\nJuly 31, 2026\n<\/div>\n\n

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In less than two years, the entire market for PC hardware has erupted into a high-priced inferno. Catastrophic might seem hyperbolic, but if you\u2019re trying to build or buy a PC, the impact of the AI boom on prices has been immense, with costs consistently bolting upwards. Buying RAM, SSDs, traditional hard drives, and graphics cards, along with the PCs and laptops that require them, is now significantly more expensive than it was in 2024 and 2025, which makes finding a great deal an almost essential part of the process.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s easier said than done, of course. Like Sasquatch or the Loch Ness monster, a truly great deal on PC hardware can feel like an impossible myth. As somebody who spends their days looking for deals, however, I can say that\u2019s not the case. There are plenty of good deals out there each week, if you know where to look and what to avoid. Here are some of the places you should be checking to find the gear you need at a better price.<\/p>\n

Bundles, bundles, and more bundles<\/h2>\n
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A component bundle isn\u2019t a new concept; we\u2019ve seen retailers offer combo deals that throw together various bits you\u2019ll need to build a PC for years. Newegg\u2019s bundle deals, however, have been a lifeline for PC builders over the last few months. If you\u2019ve been a regular Tom\u2019s Hardware <\/em>reader, you\u2019ll have seen a fair few of them yourself.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a good reason why: value for money. Newegg\u2019s RAM bundles<\/u><\/a>, while not universally good value, allow buyers to pick up RAM at an effective cost that is significantly lower than buying it separately in many cases. While the RAM deals have been among our favorites lately, Newegg also combines SSDs, monitors, GPUs, and other components into bundles, although you\u2019ll need to carefully review the deals to see if they\u2019re worth the value.<\/p>\n

Other retailers offer combo deals, too, including Amazon (in rare cases) and B&H Photo, but with less frequency than Newegg. If you need a bargain for your budget, refresh Newegg\u2019s Combo Deals page<\/u><\/a> on a daily basis, because the deals are always changing.<\/p>\n

Microcenter is a PC bargain powerhouse if you can visit one <\/h2>\n
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Microcenter often advertises deals on PC hardware that are in-store only. While this is inconvenient for those who prefer to shop online, it does mean that scalping bots can\u2019t just hoover up any great deals on kit. You need to physically go to a store to pick up the best prices.<\/p>\n

Like Newegg, it also runs combo deals that combine RAM, CPU, and motherboard together for a great price. You\u2019ll also find open box and clearance stock on sale, with prices hugely marked down compared to buying new, as well as in-store exclusives that can\u2019t be beaten via its online rivals.<\/p>\n

The biggest problem with Microcenter is location: it has only 30 stores across the United States, with plenty of states missing out on the action. If you\u2019ve got one nearby, however, make sure to pop in regularly to see what you can pick up.<\/p>\n

Buying second-hand can sometimes save your money<\/h2>\n

Buying used isn\u2019t always a bad idea. While plenty of second-hand scams exist, if you\u2019re savvy with your purchases, you can save money on building or upgrading your PC. This is especially true for the components that require a little less care, like cases, peripherals, fans, and coolers.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to buy from individual sellers to do this, either. Certified refurbished hardware, straight from manufacturers or trusted third-party resellers, can also get you a tidy discount on parts or full-blown builds. Woot, Amazon\u2019s budget marketplace, is a great place to find sales on refurbs from brands like MSI and Dell on a regular basis. Some brands also offer their own refurbished products, including Apple, which offers up to 15% off and includes an additional warranty.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t dismiss the private sellers, but make sure you use your best judgement if you decide to buy gear this way. Our full guide on buying second-hand PC hardware<\/u><\/a> will help you bypass the scams.<\/p>\n

Woot is Amazon, but cheaper<\/h2>\n
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Woot<\/u><\/a> is a website that, as a deals writer, I check on a daily basis. As it’s owned by Amazon, you can take some assurance in the fact that the company isn\u2019t just going to go bankrupt overnight. It\u2019s a tried and, for many people, trusted retailer.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not why I like Woot. I like Woot because it\u2019s cheap. You can pick up serious bargains on PC hardware at Woot. Laptops, PCs, peripherals, and components can all be found at varying discounts, some as high as 75-80% compared to their highs. The deals aren\u2019t universally great, but when they\u2019re good, they\u2019re good<\/em>. A good example is with RAM, where we\u2019ve seen DDR5 RAM kits drop $70-100 below anything you\u2019ll find elsewhere.<\/p>\n

As with all good discount warehouses, the deals on Woot will ebb and flow. Sales on certain brands will appear and disappear. The best deals will sell out in hours, if not minutes. If you\u2019re planning a build or upgrade, make sure to look at Woot first.<\/p>\n

Check the price before you buy<\/h2>\n

A huge price cut can seem like the deal of the century, but don\u2019t be fooled. You need to perform due diligence on deals before you jump in, even if you\u2019re being bombarded by \u2018limited-time only\u2019 labels. This can let you narrow down a shortlist of products to buy or, in some cases, force you to change your plans and look at buying another product entirely.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, most retailers aren\u2019t hugely open about their historical pricing for products, so you have to look elsewhere. A good tool to keep in your arsenal is Camelcamelcamel, which gives you historical price data for products sold on Amazon. The graphs allow you to see immediately how good a \u2018discount\u2019 really is.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For example, Amazon has an LG monitor listed on sale right now. Camelcamelcamel\u2019s data shows that the price has steadily dropped since it launched, from as high as $850. The most recent Camel data shows a price of $484.99, but the new price, $399, is a new record low. That\u2019s a deal worth grabbing, and Camel\u2019s data makes it easy to understand. <\/p>\n

Use Newegg\u2019s PC Builder to help you put together a bargain build<\/h2>\n
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Other PC building sites exist, but I like Newegg\u2019s custom PC builder tool<\/u><\/a>. It lets you find all of the parts you\u2019ll need for different projects, whether it\u2019s a 4K gaming PC or a budget 1080p rig, and gives you the immediate price you\u2019ll need to pay. In some cases, it\u2019ll also apply additional combo discounts, as well as extra coupons, to help you bring the prices down further.<\/p>\n

It works in a few different ways, depending on how comfortable you are putting a build together. You could start by selecting your individual components. I\u2019d probably start by picking out my CPU first, as this will help you determine the type of RAM you\u2019ll need, as well as the motherboard. <\/p>\n

If that seems too difficult, you can use Newegg\u2019s AI search to put something together for you, or use the popular ranked builds, with all of the products you\u2019ll need grouped together. The ranked builds are useful, as they can give you an idea of the type of build you can get for your money right now. If it\u2019s too high, you can always mix-and-match by buying new with used, or by carefully picking up deals as you go.<\/p>\n

Patience, luck, and compromise<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, you can\u2019t go back in time to 2024. PC hardware is more expensive now than it was, and with the AI revolution showing no signs of stopping, that\u2019s unlikely to change for the time being. If you can\u2019t stick with your existing rig, a great deal on an upgrade could be your only option, as long as you don\u2019t rush out your build.<\/p>\n

The limiting factor, of course, is that you might end up paying more if you wait around. There isn\u2019t a way around that. Components are getting more expensive, but if you follow these rules, you should find reasonable deals pop up each week. Some weeks do<\/em> feel slower for deals, most noticeably before or after a big sales event like Black Friday, but that doesn\u2019t mean they stop completely.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll have to compromise, however. 2024 and 2025 pricing is long gone. That\u2019s a hard, bitter pill to swallow for all of us. Judgmentally, you\u2019ll need to look at the value of products right now<\/em>, not three or six months ago, and decide whether you\u2019re comfortable with the prices on offer. With luck, you\u2019ll find some of the diamonds in the rough.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n

Read the full article →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ben Stockton • July 31, 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-it-hardware"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14547\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}