Gaming computers can range dramatically in price, from budget builds under $500 to ultimate dream machines costing over $3,000. In this guide, we’ll walk through constructing 3 sample gaming PC builds at different price points and performance levels.
Budget Gaming PC Under $600
First up is piecing together a capable budget gaming rig for under $600. The goal here is maximizing performance while cutting any unnecessary costs.
Used GPU Market – RX 6600
For the GPU, shopping the used market can find deals on still-capable last-gen cards. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 regularly sells for $140-150 used, so we’ll budget $140.
Intel Core i3-12100F CPU
With a used GPU, we can spend a bit more on the CPU. The 4-core Intel Core i3-12100F is a solid budget option at just $90. It includes a decent stock cooler too.
MSI PRO B760M-P WiFi Motherboard
For the motherboard, the MSI PRO B760M-P WiFi has a good balance of features for $135. B760 chipset, WiFi, decent power delivery for the i3-12100F.
Other Core Components
- RAM – 16GB DDR4-3600 Crucial Ballistix for $80. Fast speed without RGB bling.
- Storage – 1TB WD Blue SN570 NVMe SSD for $84. Tons of fast storage.
- Case – Montech Air 100 Lite for $50. Budget case with mesh front panel.
- Power Supply – Corsair CV550 550W 80+ Bronze for $50. Reliable wattage for this mid-range build.
Total Cost:
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| GPU (Used) | AMD Radeon RX 6600 | $140 |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-12100F | $90 |
| Motherboard | MSI PRO B760M-P WiFi | $135 |
| RAM | 16GB Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 | $80 |
| SSD | 1TB WD Blue SN570 | $84 |
| Case | Montech Air 100 Lite | $50 |
| Power Supply | Corsair CV550 550W | $50 |
| Total | $629 |
This leaves room in the budget for a ~$600 capable 1080p gaming rig.
Mid-Range Gaming PC Under $1,000
Moving up to a $1,000 budget allows for excellent 1080p and entry-level 1440p gaming performance.
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU
The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT delivers great 1080p and 1440p gaming for $320. Alternately, an RTX 3060 Ti is capable as well.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU
A budget of $1,000 makes the 6-core Ryzen 5 7600X a good fit at $230. Great for gaming and light streaming/multitasking.
Asus TUF Gaming B650M-PLUS WiFi Motherboard
The Asus TUF Gaming B650M-PLUS WiFi motherboard offers a good feature set for $160 like WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and USB 3.2 Gen 2.
More Performance Components
- RAM – 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6000 for $105. Speedy RAM with RGB flair.
- Storage – 1TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe SSD for $100. Blazing fast Gen 4 speeds.
- Case – Lian Li Lancool II Mesh for $90. Excellent airflow and build quality.
- Power Supply – Corsair RM650x 650W 80+ Gold Modular for $100. Reliable fully modular PSU.
Total Cost:
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT | $320 |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | $230 |
| Motherboard | Asus TUF Gaming B650M-PLUS WiFi | $160 |
| RAM | 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6000 | $105 |
| SSD | 1TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe SSD | $100 |
| Case | Lian Li Lancool II Mesh | $90 |
| Power Supply | Corsair RM650x 650W 80+ Gold Modular | $100 |
| Total | $1,105 |
With some minor tweaks, we’ve built a powerful $1,000 mid-range gaming PC.
High-End 4K Gaming Beast PC
Finally, we’ll construct an ultra high-end 4K gaming rig without holding back on performance.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU
The undisputed 4K gaming champion, the RTX 4090 delivers insane performance with 24GB of VRAM for $1600.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU
AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the best CPU for gaming today. Its large 3D V-Cache results in massively boosted 1080p and 1440p game speeds for $430.
Gigabyte X670E AORUS Master Motherboard
A premium motherboard like the Gigabyte X670E AORUS Master allows fully utilizing the Ryzen 7000 series power with beefy VRMs for $350.
Maximizing Performance
- RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6000 for $220. Lower capacity, still speedy RAM.
- Storage: 2TB Corsair MP600 Pro Hydro X NVMe SSD for $260. Blazing fast Gen4 speeds with integrated cooling.
- Cooler: Deepcool LS720 360mm AIO liquid cooler for $190. Quiet cooling for the hot Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
- Case: Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic XL for $190. Spacious case great for liquid cooling.
- Power Supply: be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 1000W for $210. Highly efficient, fully modular with 1000W capacity.
Total Cost:
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | $1600 |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | $430 |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte X670E AORUS Master | $350 |
| RAM | 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6000 | $220 |
| Storage | 2TB Corsair MP600 Pro Hydro X | $260 |
| Cooler | Deepcool LS720 360mm AIO | $190 |
| Case | Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic XL | $190 |
| Power Supply | be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 1000W | $210 |
| Total | $3450 |
Going no compromises results in a watercooled 4K gaming monster!
Conclusion
Building a custom gaming PC involves carefully balancing performance and budget. With some part hunting, we successfully built capable rigs at $600, $1000, and $3450 pricepoints. Mixing old and new components can squeeze the most value from any budget. Hopefully this guide gives you some inspiration for your next PC project!