Best High-End Gaming PC Build for $1500 in 2021

Written by Branton

Last updated Nov 14, 2021

high end builds

Building a gaming PC with $1500 should give you a high-end gaming experience – this build does that and more! You’ll be able to game comfortably in either 1440p or 4K with the help of the powerful RTX 3070, the i710700KF, and 16GB of DDR4 RAM!

The following $1500 build is going to last you an extremely long time in terms of gaming desktops, and I’m pretty sure that it’ll completely blow your mind with the sheer gaming power it possesses. If you’re trying to build a gaming PC with a new Intel i7 10700KF processor and at least an RTX 3070 graphics card, this is without a doubt the build you’re looking for!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comment section. 

prebuilt budget gaming pc

$1500 Prebuilt Gaming PC Option

Skytech Chronos

Not feeling the DIY approach? Just want the best prebuilt gaming PC  that’ll work right out of the box? Have no fear, The CyberPowerPC Extreme is here. It comes fully assembled with Windows already installed. The only thing left for you to do is plug it in and turn it on!

With that in mind, here’s a good prebuilt alternative with similar (not the exact same) specs and pricing as the DIY build found on this page.

  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
  • RTX 3070
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM
  • 4 x RGB RING Fans for Maximum Air Flow | Powered by 80 Plus Certified 500 Watt Power Supply
  • 1TB NVME M.2 SSD
  • 8 USB ports
  • 1 Year Warranty on Parts and Labor
  • Free Tech Support
  • Gaming mouse and keyboard included

The Best $1500 Gaming PC Build

Updated: October 24th, 2021
masterbox q300l computer case

Case

NZXT H510i

Mid-tower ATX case, great layout, big tempered glass window, comes with 2 120 mm fans.

amd ryzen computer processor

CPU

Intel i7 10700KF

8-core, 16-thread 5.1GHz monster of a CPU. 

Does not come with a CPU cooler – see below.

amd ryzen computer processor

CPU Cooler

Arctic Freezer eSports DUO

A great heatsink including 2x 120mm fans for awesome cooling performance overall. 

gigabyte computer motherboard

Motherboard

MSI Z590-A Pro

A top-level LGA 1200 socket motherboard running the Z590 chipset. 6x SATA + 1x M.2 NVMe. Integrated 7.1 audio. 6x USB ports.

amd gaming graphics card

GPU

MSI RTX 3070 Gaming Z Trio

6GB GDDR6 graphics card, 4 display outputs, great 1080p and good 1440p performance!

patriot signature computer memory

RAM

Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB

2x8GB sticks of 3000MHz DDR4 RAM. Adding more ram is completely possible!

computer power supply

PSU

EVGA 650 B5 80+ Bronze

Fully-modular 650W 80+ Bronze power supply. Comes with a 5-year warranty.

250gb solid state drive

Storage

Samsung 870 EVO 500GB

The Samsung 870 EVO is the best and fastest conventional SSD you could be running.

 

The tools you need:

That’s really all you need to assemble your new desktop. All of the mounting hardware and cables will come with the parts listed above. The only time you might need something extra is if you’re modifying the build on this page.

    HOW TO BUILD YOUR PC…

    Super Simplified Build Steps:

    1. Install the power supply into the case
    2. Install the processor (CPU)
    3. Seat RAM in the motherboard
    4. Mount the CPU cooler (don’t forget thermal paste if you’re not using a stock cooler!)
    5. Insert the motherboard’s rear I/O plate into the case’s rear I/O slot
    6. Mount the motherboard in the case (get your i/o ports through and use the middle standoff as a guide)
    7. Plug your graphics card into the motherboard
    8. Install storage drives
    9. Plug all power and data cables in where they’re required (storage, case, motherboard, graphics card, etc)
    10. Turn your PC on
    11. Install your OS
    12. Install and update ALL drivers
    13. DONE!

    Complete Build Breakdown

    For right around $1200, this R5 3600 + RTX 2070 Super-powered gaming PC is absolutely insane! It has more than enough power to completely blow your mind over and over again as you try your favorite games on it in either 1440p or even 4K!

    Keep in mind that the price above is for the core components only, you will still need an operating system, and any other peripherals you don’t currently have.


    Case: The NZXT H510i is an good mid-tower ATX case that takes everything the S340 did well and improves almost everywhere. It comes with everything you’ll need right out of the box, including the mounting hardware you’ll need and 2x 120mm fans. It can easily support custom or AIO watercooling setups with radiators up to 280mm.

    That all being said, there are lots of other cases that would work great for this build, so to make sure that your build is really your build, make sure you pick the case that you like best!


    CPU & Cooler: Intel’s new 10th gen i7 10700KF is an absolute beast when it comes to gaming, content-creation, CAD, video editing, streaming, and pretty much anything else – especially overclocking. This is thanks to its incredibly fast 8 cores+8 threads that’ll push up to 5.1GHz without even requiring any overclocking. With overclocking, you can hit 5GHz without a problem.

    Since the i7 10700KF does not come with a CPU cooler, I’ve included Arctic’s awesome Freezer 34 eSports DUO. However, there’s a lot of other options available, so why not check out my list of the best CPU coolers to use in 2021?

    It’s worth noting that the i7 10700KF does not include an integrated GPU. However, being that this build is running a dedicated graphics card, the lack of an iGPU is a nonissue.


    Motherboard: MSI’s Z590-A Pro is a great motherboard for the price that boasts all of the features we need for this build and them some. It features a great integrated audio chipset and a very good built-in ethernet controller. It has 6 SATA ports for added storage and it’ll support 4000MHz+ RAM without an issue on the stock XMP profile. You’re also getting a total of 6 USB ports, multiple fan headers and everything else you’ll need in a build at this level.


    Graphics Card: The 8GB RTX 3070 is a complete and utter powerhouse when it comes to 1440p or even 4K gaming. The MSI RTX 3070 Gaming Z Trio is turning out to be a great performer with solid cooling and it’s easily one of the best-priced options available right now.

    Performance-wise, this card is easily capable of maxing out all games in 1080p without even trying. In 1440p, expect a mix of medium-high settings to maintain 60fps+ in graphically intensive games. 

    Note: Due to their popularity, all models of the RTX 3070 Super are fairly difficult to find right now.


    RAM: 16GB of RAM is the perfect amount for a gaming PC at this level. With that in mind, this build is running 2x8GB sticks of Corsair Vengeance LPX at 3000MHz. This leaves you with lots of room for future expansion and if you wanted to run more than 16GB that’s completely possible – when you do upgrade try to stick to the same speed as your RAM will automatically change its speed to match your slowest stick.

     

    Power Supply: EVGA’s 650 B5 fully-modular power supply is a good, reliable, power supply. It’s rated to 80+ Bronze and comes with a 5-year warranty + 24/7 technical support from EVGA.

    Being fully-modular, you don’t have to worry about hiding unused cables – you just plug in what you’re using and leave everything else in the box. Fully-modular is the way to go if you’re a stickler for clean cable management. 


    Storage: As far as storage goes, I picked you out the best 500GB SSD you could own – Samsung’s 860 EVO. Although 500GB is a fair amount of storage, you may want to consider adding more. With that in mind, you should know that it’s very easy to do. All you have to do is buy more drives and plug them in. The motherboard in this build will support up to 6 total drives between M.2 and SATA.

    Peripherals

    If this is the absolute first gaming PC you’ve ever owned, then chances are high that you don’t have a very good keyboard + mouse combo, or that your monitor is sub-par/non-existent. To really enjoy your experience, you’re going to want some high-quality peripherals to accompany this high-quality build.

    Picking a good monitor can be a very subjective decision, especially with so many different designs and price points. To help ease your decision making process, I’ve put together this guide on how to pick the best monitor for gaming!

    Even more important than picking a good monitor is picking a good chair. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair is the quickest way to stop enjoying your gaming sessions. To make sure that doesn’t happen, I’ve put together this buyer’s guide showcasing the 16 best chairs to use for gaming!

    gaming keyboard

    Monitor

    ASUS VS247H-P 23.6″

    23.6″, 1080p 60Hz, 2ms response time – Great for gaming

    gaming keyboard

    Keyboard

    Redragon K556 RGB

    A good full sized mechanical keyboard with RGB backlighting and a very attractive price point. 

    gaming mouse

    Mouse

    Logitech G502 Hero

    One of the absolute best gaming mice you could buy. The G502 is a tried and true platform that’s only been improved to where it’s at now with the HERO. 

    gaming headset

    Headphones

    HyperX Cloud 2

    The HyperX Cloud 2 headset is undeniably one of the best you could own. They use audiophile-grade headphones with a high-quality detachable microphone. 

    Operating System

    When it comes to picking an operating system, we’re pretty limited in our choices. We have Linux-based choices that’ll work alright for the most part as a free solution, or we have Windows.

    On one hand, a Linux-based OS can be a great and affordable solution when you’re on a tight budget, but on the other hand, Linux isn’t entirely compatible with everything and you’ll have to take some extra steps to get some programs/games to work.

    So, that being said, we’re pretty much limited to Windows if we want complete compatibility with everything out of the box. Not only that, but if you want to take advantage of DirectX12, then we’re even more limited to just Windows 10.

    window 10

    Windows

    Windows 10

    The most recent version of Microsoft’s operating system, Windows 10 is your best bet for across-the-board compatibility. 

    ubuntu linux

    Linux

    Ubuntu

    Ubuntu is a great, open source operating system rooted in Linux. It’s known as one of the most user-friendly and easiest to learn. 

    WiFi

    If you have the option, you should definitely be using a wired connection over WiFi for the simple reason that a wired connection is generally faster and more reliable. But, if you have to use WiFi then you’re also going to need a WiFi adapter.

    Picking an adapter is a little more complicated, but it doesn’t have to be something that gives you a headache. Your first course of action is to determine what kind of WiFi router/adapter you’re working with. Does it support both 2.4GHz as well as 5GHz, or only 2.4GHz? If it supports both 2.4 and 5GHz it’s an AC, if it only supports 2.4GHz it’s an N.

    If you only have an N router/modem, you only need an N adapter to go with it, an AC adapter will work but it won’t give you any added benefits. If you have an AC modem/router, you should definitely pair it with an AC adapter in your PC so you can take advantage of the faster 5GHz band.

    Sometimes internal adapters are better and sometimes USB adapters are better, it really depends on how your setup is and how far away you are from your WiFi modem. If you’re going to be tucking your PC away underneath of a desk or something similar, you’ll probably want to use a USB adapter with a USB extension for the maximum amount of reliability. If your PC is going to be on a desk free of obstructions, an internal adapter will be more suited for you.

    internal wifi adapter

    Internal WiFi Adapter

    TP-Link Archer T6E

    A good internally mounted (PCIe) AC1300 WiFi adapter. Make sure your build has enough room!

    external USB wifi adapter

    External WiFi Adapter

    Netgear A6210-100PAS

    A reliable AC1300 USB WiFi adapter. Capable of operating on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

    Conclusion

    When everything is said and done, this $1500 custom gaming PC is a complete beast for the price. Buying a prefabricated desktop equivalent of this would easily run you upwards of $2000 if not closer to $2500 or more!

    Investing around $1500 into a gaming PC should ensure flawless 1440p gaming along with a great 4K experience – this build does just that. The 6GB RTX 3070 Super won’t break a sweat rendering most games, and the Intel i7 10700K is just the cherry on top when combined with 16GB of fast DDR4 RAM.

    All-in-all, this build is exactly what you’re looking for, if what you’re looking for is a high-end gaming experience that can double as a strong workstation to boot.

    Have any build questions? Ask me below and I’ll answer ASAP! 

    3 2 votes
    Article Rating

    689 Comments
    guest
    689 Comments
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    August 15, 2021 4:48 pm

    I think instead of building, we can get a really good prebuilt gaming setup.

    Jo
    Jo
    July 6, 2021 12:38 am

    Why would the placement of the build affect which type WiFi adapter to use? (I’ve never built a pc before so sorry if this is a dumb question)

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    December 6, 2020 1:10 pm

    hi

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    November 18, 2020 6:57 pm

    penis

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    September 28, 2020 11:35 am

    Does this have rgb

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    September 28, 2020 9:28 am

    Do you think the case will be able to fit the new 3070 gpu?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    September 10, 2020 9:19 pm

    pog

    Related Articles

    Corsair 5000D Airflow: The Ultimate Mid-Tower Case for PC Enthusiasts

    Corsair 5000D Airflow: The Ultimate Mid-Tower Case for PC Enthusiasts

    (Image credit: Corsair)The Corsair 5000D Airflow is a cutting-edge mid-tower case designed to meet the demands of PC enthusiasts. With its exceptional airflow, spacious interior, and sleek design, it offers a premium experience for builders looking to create a...

    The Ultimate Dual Monitor Setup Guide

    The Ultimate Dual Monitor Setup Guide

    Are you looking to enhance your gaming experience? Setting up dual monitors can take your gaming to the next level. With two displays, you'll have more visual area, allowing for better strategic planning and smoother gameplay broadcasting. Dual monitors also provide a...

    The Razer Viper Ultimate – A Wireless Gaming Marvel

    The Razer Viper Ultimate – A Wireless Gaming Marvel

    Are you sick and weary of having wired gaming mice limit you? Do you long for the flexibility and accuracy that wireless technology provides? The Razer Viper Ultimate is the mouse you need. With the help of this wireless gaming mouse, you'll have the unfair advantage...