Build it yourself! Building a gaming PC is equivalent to configuring your own digital Excalibur-a profoundly rewarding experience where YOU conduct your budget, custom-pick the components, and combine these in rhythm with your absolute vision for a euphoric gaming experience. Consider this not a mere building guide but your cheat map for assembling raw HP into a low-budget value-for-money gaming rig.
If you need some additional food for thought, we recommend our guide on gaming PC building considerations.
How to Prioritize Parts for a Value-for-Money Gaming PC
Building a gaming PC? Don’t throw money down the drain! The key is really finding that sweet spot: a PC that has enough power to crush your games but will not destroy your bank account. Master the art of wattage-wise choices, miss those common PC building pitfalls, and really get maximum game glory for every dollar.
Forget about those bargain CPUs. Four-core processors? No way. Integrated graphics? No way, if you are into serious gaming. Today’s gaming titles want six cores to truly shine. Some hungry beasts even want eight cores. Undercutting your gaming rig with upped silicon is just being cruel.
Going for such an expensive configuration at a 1440p sweet spot? Well, you gotta get your CPU and GPU right first. There is where the magic happens in converting hard-earned money into pixelating power. Once you’re done with these two, the rest of the parts like RAM, Storage, Case, and PSU fall together like Tetris blocks to complete your bargain gaming rig.
Tip: upgrade your existing PC into a high-end 2024-ready gaming rig with the best gaming PC parts.
CPU Recommendations
Any high-end graphics card becomes totally unemployable if associated with a slow processor! A CPU that runs at the same pace as the GPU is an enforce of GPU’s full capacity once wasted. That will certainly supercharge your whole gaming and creativity experience.
Forget spending thousands on a champion gaming CPU. It really is an underdog in the market. Gaming-wise, it matches the performance of Intel’s Costlier Core i5-13600KF (and the very new Core i5-14600KF!). But the 7600X doesn’t stop at gaming. Tasks of productivity come on its platter, bringing in the win for the longer run. Thanks to AMD deciding to be nice to platform longevity and power efficiency, your system will be running cooler, utilizing less energy, and will allow easy upgrades in the future without the annoyance of needing to swap your freaking motherboard. In plain language: Die Ryzen 5 7600X is the smart choice.
Grab that Ryzen 5 7600 whenever you find a good deal on it. You’ll save a lot of cash and almost gain the same gaming punch with it in your gaming arsenal. This is the little secret of every smart gamer.
When it comes to raw processing power, the Intel Core i5-13600K has no competitors. It thrashes the Ryzen 5 7600X in multi-threaded applications, and the very second fact goes on to show how well the Core i5-13600K performs: it contests really hard with the newer Core i5-14600KF and even manages to brush the Core i7-13700KF aside in gaming.
For a detailed breakdown of what to look for when buying a desktop CPU, check out our CPU buying guide.
GPU Suggestions
Graphics cards: Remember when getting a decent one didn’t mean that you had to sell a kidney? Five years ago, that meant money for the serious graphical horsepower. Today, that very same money affords you an upper-mid-tier card at best. For the latest, there are no bargains. AMD is currently the best bang for the buck offer.
Make your 1440p gaming experience rock with AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT. It just devours the newest titles at high settings with one hundred frames per second and more in just about every game. Ray tracing worries? Don’t. RX 7800 XT just flexes where it matters. Its massive 16GB of VRAM basically means it doesn’t even have to consider stuttering, unlike 8GB Nvidia RTX 4070, which is left choking. So smooth 1440p crushing and some 4K finesse awaits!
Reveal unseen strength! Overclocking is indeed within the cards when we’re talking about MSI Afterburner. Not too sure about the tweaking just yet? Check out our GPU buying guide featuring some cool contenders in the budget and high-end markets.
Best Motherboard Options
If you consider your PC a world-class racing car, the CPU and GPU would be that roaring engine and sleek aerodynamic body, but what about the motherboard? This is the chassis-the mainframe on which the entire machine rests and dictates how far you can push the machine, besides ease of upgrades for more speed.
To make a perfect combination with our CPU, the Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX has been chosen. It isn’t just a motherboard, it’s a gateway to the future. Since this is an AM5-based platform, your investment is geared toward a setup that will be ready for the new generation of processors, basically making sure that your rig remains in the cutting edge without a full-on upgrade. This is the choice that makes sense: great performance and value!
Magnify the scope of your next AMD build with the B650 Eagle, a motherboard that packs features at a knockout price. With three blazing-fast M.2 Gen4 slots (one with the future-proof PCIe 5.0), Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and support for speedy DDR5 memory, it is prepared for all the challenges you throw at it. With its sturdy VRM design, you will be able to push your CPU to the limits without fear. The B650 Eagle does not just perform well; it looks the part as well with black-gold solar-style heat sinks that will make your chassis look like a showpiece.
Dominate your nextgen games: Discover the ultimate motherboards for Intel 12th/13th Gen and AMD CPUs.
Option 2 (BenefitDriven):
Get into peak gaming performance. Choose the perfect motherboard for your Intel 12th/13th Gen or AMD CPUyou are halfway there to the win.
Option 3 (Intriguing):
Deciding on a CPU? Your motherboard should be part of your considerations. We present the best gaming boards for Intel 12th/13th Gen and AMD to ensure maximum execution and stability.
Option 4 (Direct & ActionOriented):
Level up your rig! Get the best gaming motherboard for your Intel (12th/13th Gen) or AMD CPU now.
Buying Memory
Gaming rig could always use some more memory, eh? Price drops are prime time for upgrading. In the RAM jungle of brands and speeds and the DDR4 versus DDR5 debate, keep this one in mind: DDR5 is future-proof for the hardcore gamers out there. Best part? Top-tier DDR5 kits are a steal now. Shine on!
For blazing-fast performance and eye-catching aesthetics, Teamgroup T-Force presents the T-Force Delta RGB DDR5 6000 32GB (2x16GB) kit. It is not just a RAM kit; it is a pathway toward smooth gameplay and multitasking. With 32GB of RAM operating at the DDR5 sweet spot for speed and latency, you can slay demanding games while juggling apps in the background. And, frankly, the RGB lighting and build quality of this kit will shame designs of pricier kits. Adorn your rig with colors and performance that can dazzle anybody.
Storage Considerations
Don’t think about storage space very much. If you want a fast ride, NVMe SSD is the way to go. Then what does it have past “providing speed benefits?” Let’s find about space, PCI generation, and memory issues.
Thinking of building a gaming rig? Then, throw in a fair priced 1 terabyte NVMe SSD device that comes with PCIe 4.0 interfacing. This is indeed the next best thing after gofaster stripes.
DRAM or DRAMless SSD? For gaming, both are identical, so save the greenbacks. However, DRAM helps only when moving big files all the time. Otherwise, keep playing.
T500 Crucial is a super-fast SSD with a PCIe 4.0 interface. There is a 7,300 Mbps read speed with 1GB DRAM Cache. This is the best price-performance Gen4 SSD on the market. With Gen3 SSDs or without DRAM, you need to sacrifice performance, but T500 really balances the cost and performance.
Feeling overwhelmed with the storage options out there? “Don’t miss your chance to find out how much of space your PC actually needs before you make the big purchase!”
Finding a PC Case
Think of your PC case as more than just a metal box. It’s the architect of your dream machine, the silent guardian of your high-performance components. Choose wisely, because this chassis dictates airflow, taming heat and banishing distracting fan noise. A case with optimized intake breathes life into your system, maximizing performance. Beyond cooling, a well-designed interior with smart cable management and plentiful drive bays unlocks a clean, expandable build. Ultimately, the perfect PC case size is a personal statement, tailored to your components and your vision.
Building a PC? Let your dream rig breathe! The case is, in a way, the home of your system. That should partly influence your choice. Next comes motherboard compatibility. Follow this by picturing that monster of a graphics card and tall CPU cooler – will they actuallyfit?
For a case that gives a living touch to your components, check out Montech Air 903 Max. It is a breeze of airflow that made things very cool. The pre-installed RGB fans add instant glitz, while gobs of space welcome any liquid cooling setup and big GPU ever conceived. And yet, it is made to be used and not just look good.
For more suggestions, look at our recommendations for desktop PC cases.
Getting a Power Supply
The Power Supply Unit? Consider it the heart of your gaming rig. Forgetful approach to decide on a PSU, and you’ve almost begged for disaster. An underpowered or unstable PSU will starve your glorious components into crashes, drop in performance, and, worst of all, hardware being ruined forever. Don’t let a cheap PSU become a silent killer to your gaming dreams.
Choosing The PSU According to Your Gaming Rig? Think of picking a PS as picking the heart for a performance beast. The GPU and CPU are the most power-hungry components, which means they basically determine the wattage you’ll need. Don’t skimp on an 80 Plus rating-it’s your lifeline for delivering efficiency. Bronze is the bare minimum, just a safety net to avert catastrophic component failure. But if you really want to sleep well at night and enjoy a cleaner build, consider buying the 80 Plus Gold fully modular PSU. It is an investment in stability, long-term service, and almost blissful cable management.
What do you want to call a beast that was built on a budget? MSI MAG A850GL powers this term into the stratosphere. This is not your ordinary power supply; more than just powering your computer, it is the fundamental support structure of your nextgeneration gaming rig. Equipped with the latest ATX 3.0 standard and an 80 Plus Gold rating, it makes sure you get full power and efficiency all the time. Moreover, being fully modular will keep your build neat and airflow clear. You have an 850W capacity for any hungry downtheline GPUs or CPUs. With such guts, it’s worthy of being called the ultimate upgrade.
For more information, read about all the considerations for buying a power supply.
Keeping Things Chill With a CPU Cooler
Think your CPU cooler is good enough? Think again. That stock cooler hugging your processor might be a thermal bottleneck waiting to happen, especially when you start really pushing that processor hard. And if you’re eventhinkingabout overclocking to squeeze out every last ounce of performance? Forget about it. You’ll have to make a serious cooling upgrade, either air or liquid, or hear your processor wax eloquent into silicon soup.
A meltdown could have been prevented with your CPU. DeepCool LS720 SE comes storming into the rescue like an arctic breeze. It is more than cooling; it is an expression. We are talking about a 360mm cooler in liquid form that takes on the most greedy processors. Think of this: the whisper-quiet ARGB fans kick in and start painting your rig in colors worthy of an artist, all the while staying cool. But the real killer is that AIO pump with infinity mirror design-hypnotizing! So yes, value for money: it surely is. A LS720 SE does not just serve the purpose of cooling but also adds glamour to your rig.
Summary: Best Value-for-Money Gaming PC
Unleash your inner PC builder! Here’s a battle-tested list to create a gaming rig that iswayabove being with its price while being wallet-friendly. This is your arsenal blueprint complementing a budget layout to keep you aligned.
- CPU: Ryzen 5 7600X
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
- Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX
- RAM: Teamgroup T-Force Delta RGB DDR5 6000 32GB
- SSD: Crucial T500 1TB
- Case: Montech Air 903 Max
- PSU: MSI MAG A850GL PCIe 5.0
- Cooler: DeepCool LS720 SE
Estimated Total Budget: $1350 (prices are subject to change)
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Tanveer Singh.
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