Gaming PC might be superior to a gaming console in terms of graphics, but it also is so much more expensive to buy and constantly upgrade your gaming PC than buying a console that stays relevant for years once. But what if you want to join the PC master-race, build your own gaming PC, and brag around about how cool the graphics on your computer, but the budget’s tight? We are here to give you some information on how to build a decent gaming PC in under a grand and play all the new and awesome games you want. If you are really into PC gaming, stick around to find out how you can build a cheap but powerful computer.
Easy 300$ Entry-Level Computer
Let’s be realistic here; do not expect a crazy gaming PC if 300$ is all you’ve got, but you may still end up with decent gaming gear. If you are a student on a budget, you do not have much time to work and make some extra money because you’ve got to write that head cracking technology essay, and all the money you’ve got are your pocket money savings, you might want to target for that budget range to get the most benefit out of your money. Do not expect any crazy technology for 300$, but that way, you can keep on writing that essay of yours without losing any time. Here are examples of gear you can use:
CPU – AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
MOBO – Gigabyte A320M
RAM – Patriot VIPER 8GB
SSD – PNY 240GB
Throw some minor things like the casing and the ODD in, and you’ll get yourself a 300$ computer.
$500 PC Better than a Console
Well, a current top-end console PS4 Pro would still cost 400$, but if you are hell-bent for assembling yourself a computer that would rival the PS4 Pro, you would need somewhere around 500$. This amount of money will surely give you some better parts to build a PC and a far better technology than the previous one, so you will have a much better graphics, ray tracing, dynamic shades, and all that good stuff that would be comparable to what a console does. It would be a mid-range gaming PC, so if you are on a slightly looser budget, you can surely try and build yourself a good PC for half a grand. Here’s what you’ll need:
CPU – Intel Core i3 10100
MOBO – Asus Prime H410MA
GPU – Zotac GTX 1650
RAM – Patriot Viper 8GB
SSD ADATA 480GB
Again, throw in a case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and all the small stuff, and you’ll have yourself a quite decent PC that would be comparable to the most relevant consoles on the market, though it would still have a hard time maxing out such games as Red Dead Redemption 2.
$700 Gaming PC to Handle VR Games
If you are ready to whale up a bit but still cannot afford a $3,000 build, you can go for a decent PC for just around $700. Of course, if you can afford a more expensive PC, you should totally invest more in your build and buy yourself more expensive gaming PC parts. There are many examples of great desktops being assembled in under a grand, and if you can afford some more, you are more than welcome to do so. If you have 700$ to spend on your build, you are going to get a great computer that would outdo modern consoles. More so, you will also be able to buy yourself a slick case that would look otherworldly. Of course, do not expect that PC to be the best thing ever, but it would surely be a solid station that will last you a couple of years until you’ll have to upgrade it. Here are some examples of the part you are going to need:
CPU – Intel Core i3-10100
MOBO – Asus Prime H410M-A
GPU – Gigabyte RX 5600XT
RAM – Patriot Viper 16GB
SSD – ADATA 480GB
Some extra spending for a cool case and all that sweet stuff, and you will end up with a great machine that will handle almost any game on max free of any lags and FPS drops, including VR games. Overall, this is a really solid build.
Strong $900 Gaming Build
This might sound ridiculous, but you can actually build a top-end PC in under a grand. This would be a beast machine that would max out all the top-end games like RDR2 and all the good stuff, including online hits like Fortnite. Use a 1080P monitor and enjoy the high-definition graphics, ray-tracing, dynamic shadows, and all of that goodness. There’s nothing like playing all your favorite games without lags and FPS drops. Here’s what you’ll need.
CPU – Intel Core i3-10100
MOBO – Asus Prime H410M-A
GPU – MSI RTX 2060
RAM – Patriot Viper 16 GB
SSD – ADATA 480 GB
This would be more than a solid build that gives you enough space to throw in some cash on buying yourself a monster Raidmax Blazar casing. Play literally any game available on PC with this beast machine and enjoy being a part of the PC master race.
Wrap Up
Here are our PC builds for any budget, and though not every one of the builds we discussed here is powerful enough to max out all the recent games, you can surely build yourself a good machine on a limited budget. Some of the modest builds we mentioned in this essay are not as powerful as most games would like, but you’ve got to be real and manage your expectations. Save up at least 700$, and you’ll get yourself a strong gaming PC.