When searching for a “gaming PC” on eBay, the first sponsored result is from “Sj Computers LLC.” They offer a refurbished HP mini-tower with RGB lighting, which serves as a good example of what is available in this market. The price of this PC ranges from $274.99 to $482.99, depending on the configuration. The vendor also provides free shipping, free returns, and a one-year warranty from Allstate (formerly SquareTrade).

You have the option to customize the specs of the PC. You can choose between 16GB or 32GB of DDR4 RAM, mixed SSD/HDD storage options or a 1TB SSD, and either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti with 4GB RAM or an NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 with 2GB RAM as your GPU. Additionally, you can add-on a monitor (22 or 24 inches) and/or an accessory bundle (RGB mouse/keyboard combo or the same bundle along with an unbranded headset). The CPU is a 3.4GHz (4.0GHz turbo boost) sixth-generation Intel Core i7-6700.

Now, let’s take a look at the most powerful configuration: the one with the highest RAM, the most storage (1TB SSD plus 2TB HDD), the more powerful graphics card, RGB accessories, and no monitor. This particular configuration is priced at $384.99 plus tax. Not a bad deal for a “gaming PC,” right?

However, if you read the description carefully, you’ll notice that these PCs are recommended for “Casual Computing, Engineering Coding, Gaming, Graphic Design, Industrial, Office.” This raises the question: why are these PCs versatile enough for such a wide range of tasks?