It isn't a great time to upgrade your PC right now. Nvidia's RTX 50 series GPUs are one of the worst ever, AMD's RX 90 series has gone missing, and the latest CPUs from Intel or AMD are barely faster than the previous-gen models. Plus, you can barely find anything available at its promised MSRP anywhere, and PC hardware is set to get even more expensive as the weeks and months go by.

Fortunately, there's something you can still upgrade while waiting for things to get normal — your PC setup. Chances are that you don't need to upgrade your gaming PC, but your monitor and the rest of the desk setup are likely in need of an uplift. Your gaming PC isn't the only critical component of your setup; a capable gaming monitor, sound setup, and mechanical keyboard are also indispensable to an enviable PC setup.

5 Get a wireless charger already

Eliminate the last few cables

You might already have multiple wireless peripherals on your desk to achieve that clean look everyone is craving these days. However, wired chargers for your smartphone, smartwatch, earbuds, and other devices can easily clutter your desk, nullifying the benefits of a wireless keyboard, mouse, and headset. A wireless charger that can charge your phone, smartwatch, and earbuds is a much-needed upgrade for many setups.

Not only will it allow you to make your desk more visually appealing, but also position your phone wherever you want, so you can use it easily when it's charging. A Qi-compatible wireless charger will most probably not affect your phone's charging speed that much and will work with your other devices as well. Anything that gets rid of obstructions to your workflow is bound to make you more productive and is worth looking into.

You don't even need to spend a bomb on a wireless charger these days. You can get one for your phone for less than $40, and if you want a 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 model from one of the better-known brands, you'll not need to spend more than $100. The convenience you get from a device like that is worth way more than the asking price.

4 Upgrade to a great mechanical keyboard

You don't know what you're missing

You might feel that a wireless keyboard is convenient, but a wireless mechanical keyboard that feels great to type on, and looks awesome while doing it, will be a game-changing upgrade to your setup. Mechanical keyboards offer the best combination of typing experience, features, and customization to those who recognize the value of a high-quality keyboard. Whether you like a silent, clicky, or "thocky" keyboard, there's a great keyboard out there for you.

The satisfying tactile feedback and typing sound of a mechanical keyboard will make it impossible for you to go back to a membrane keyboard. Plus, a hot-swappable keyboard will allow you to swap the stock switches for something else to suit your tastes. You can even get Hall Effect keyboards if you want to customize the actuation points of the switches for a competitive advantage in multiplayer games.

All of these features are available on budget mechanical keyboards priced under $100. So you don't even have to shell out hundreds for a high-quality keyboard upgrade. The latest mechanical keyboards aren't just targeted toward gamers; professionals who want a more satisfying typing experience and even want to carry their keyboards with them are becoming fans of mechanical keyboards in droves.

3 Install a monitor arm

Better than buying a larger desk

Not everyone has a gigantic desk with space for a massive PC, multiple monitors, and everything else under the sun. Most of us have 4ft x 2ft desks that run out of space with just a PC and a single monitor. Many displays come with enormous stands that eat up valuable real estate on the desk, with some not even offering height adjustment for the sacrifice. A monitor arm, therefore, is essential to claiming back your desk spacer without buying a whole new desk.

Replacing your monitor's stock stand with a VESA-compatible monitor arm will allow you to position it however you like. It'll also reduce the strain on your eyes, since you'll be able to push it back, away from your eyes, something you can't do properly with the default stand. Most single monitor arms support 27-inch to 32-inch monitors and come with 10-year warranties, so you needn't worry about durability.

Installing a monitor arm is fairly simple — your variant will either come with C-clamp or grommet installation support, both of which are easy to deal with. If you work with multiple monitors, a dual-monitor arm is all but necessary on a standard desk to prevent things from becoming unmanageable.

2 Invest in a high-quality speaker system

Make your setup cinematic again

As a gamer, you might spend most of your time on headphones, so dedicated speakers might not be on your upgrade radar. However, headphones aren't perfect for every mood — sometimes you just want to sit back and enjoy a relaxing game without the added weight on your head. Your monitor speakers or budget 2.1 speakers can feel sorely lacking in such situations, especially when playing cinematic single-player games or watching movies with someone else.

A high-quality 5.1-channel PC speaker setup will be pricey, but you'll appreciate the heightened immersion that comes with it. Gaming, movies, music, and practically everything else will sound completely different, and you'd never want to go back to the way things were. You might be used to watching movies on your excellent home theater, but transforming the sound setup on your PC will open up some new possibilities.

Upgrading your PC speakers isn't something you often do, so researching the right model to buy is all the more essential. Make sure you're paying for the features that you'll actually use in your setup, and not for fancy marketing fluff that means nothing. Also, you can give soundbars a try if you want a more compact speaker, but keep in mind that a full-fledged system will always trump any soundbar.

1 Buy a gaming monitor worthy of your PC

Your high-end PC is wasted on an uninspiring display

Your monitor is responsible for delivering the high-end output from your graphics card to your eyes, so an incapable unit will ruin your gaming experience more than anything else. If you own a mid-range to high-end gaming PC but are still using a 24-inch, 1080p, 60Hz monitor with questionable color reproduction, viewing angles, and response time, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Upgrading to one of the best gaming monitors can elevate your experience to new heights, allowing you to see your games in a whole new light. Large displays, high resolutions, instantaneous response times, fast refresh rates, and true HDR capabilities have come to affordable gaming monitors. You can now buy 27-inch 1440p 240Hz IPS monitors for around $300 that boast blazing-fast response times and impeccable color reproduction.

If you have a bit more to spend and want to move up another notch, OLED and ultrawide monitors offer the most immersive gaming experience on a PC. The contrast and HDR experience on an OLED display is unparalleled, and an ultrawide screen wraps around your field of vision to completely immerse you in the game. Today, 34-inch QD-OLED monitors with WQHD resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and near-instantaneous response time are available for around $650.

While upgrading your PC, don't leave your setup behind

It's always exciting to look forward to the next best CPUs and GPUs and plan what you'll upgrade to. In chasing these upgrades, don't forget that your PC setup also needs to keep up with your high-end PC. Without a great gaming monitor, you'll never be able to experience the high-end goodness of your PC. And without a quality sound system, your games and media will never offer the immersion you desire. Even upgrades that seem minor, such as a mechanical keyboard, monitor arm, and wireless charger can significantly transform your PC setup, making it more efficient and satisfying than ever.