Complete Beastmode 4K+ Gaming PC Build – $2500

Written by Branton

Last updated Dec 19, 2021

Budget Gaming PC Build

This $2500 build is a complete and utter beast! It’s giving you an RTX 3080 graphics card, the i9 11700K CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 1.5TB of pure SSD storage.

This is, by far, the ultimate single card 4K gaming PC you could build in 2021.

Long story short, this gaming PC build is pure insanity. It’s packing more than enough power to walk through 4K gaming like nothing. Although raytracing isn’t being used too much yet, the RTX 3080 is the best choice to take advantage of ALL the newest releases and the best tech.

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

prebuilt budget gaming pc

$2000 Prebuilt Gaming PC Option

Skytech Chronos

Not feeling the DIY approach? Just want the best prebuilt gaming PC under $800 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 $2500 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

EVGA RTX 3080 XC3

10GB GDDR6 graphics card, 4 display outputs, awesome 1440p and good 4K 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 750 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.

 
250gb solid state drive

Storage

Samsung 870 EVO 1TB

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

    This is the ultimate single GPU 4K gaming PC build, without a doubt. It hasn’t been until the release of the GTX 1080 Ti that a single card 4K build was even really possible without lowering the settings so low that gaming wouldn’t be enjoyable anyway.

    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: NZXT’s H510i is an upgrade on their previous H500i and before it, the S340 – some of the best cases of previous years. The H510i improves on the old design and offers great airflow options as well as a great layout that caters to clean cable management.

    The best PC fan is super important to protect your gaming rig. This case comes with a built-in RGB/fan controller, 2x Aer F120mm fans, and RGB light strips to add some feature lighting. It’s built entirely from steel and although that makes it heavy, it also makes it very durable and gives it the high-quality feel this case deserves.


    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 10GB GDDR6 RTX 3080 is a complete and utter powerhouse when it comes to gaming. It completely blows away the last generation’s RTX 2080 and especially its little brother the GTX 1080. Simply put, the RTX 3080 Super is one of the best cards you could buy right now in terms of sheer gaming performance! It’s only outmatched by the far more expensive RTX 2080 Ti or a $3000 Titan.

    EVGA’s RTX 3080 XC3 is absolutely no exception. It comes factory overclocked and features some of the best cooling you could have on a GPU – plus some decent RGB lighting. For connectivity, it has 2x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort, 1x USB Type-C, making it 100% VR ready.

    As I mentioned, the only way to get a stronger GPU is upgrading to an RTX 2080 Ti, but on its own, it costs a little over 50% of what this entire build does.


    RAM: 16GB of DDR4 RAM is more than enough for any dedicated gaming PC. With that in mind, I picked you out 16GB of Kingston’s HyperX Predator RGB RAM at 3200MHz.

    If you feel that you might need more than 16GB, maybe because you want to try streaming or something like that, I’d suggest grabbing the 32GB kit instead. 


    Power Supply: EVGA’s 750 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, 1.5TB of pure SSD storage is either really excessive or not excessive enough. Depending on which way you see it, this build has an insane amount of potential in terms of storage configurations. So, feel free to customize it as you see fit!

    There’s also a reason for the two drives, the faster NVMe SSD is meant to be your primary boot drive (where Windows and your primary programs are installed) and maybe a couple of your more load-intensive games. Then, the SATA SSD is meant to be used as a mass storage drive (for the bulk of your games, etc). This type of setup will ultimately make your PC perform better than having everything on a single drive.

    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 VP28UQG 28″

    28″, 4K 60Hz, 1ms response time, FreeSync compatible – Great for 4k 60fps 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 out an operating system, you pretty much have two options.

    Windows, or Linux.

    Windows is the better of the two when it comes to out-of-the-box compatibility with programs and games; but Linux is favored by more advanced PC users for its heightened security and its ability to be heavily modified.

    Windows Home
    The choice comes down to which one you prefer. Generally speaking, I’d recommend going the Windows 10 route unless you’re already familiar with Linux.

    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

    This is the ultimate single card 4K gaming PC build this far into 2021. It’ll handle AAA games at 4K resolutions while putting out 60fps or better, less intensive games are going to run at significantly higher fps and you’ll exceed 144fps in quite a few.

    If you came here looking for an awesome build for $2500, or you want the best single card 4K build you can find, this one is it, without a doubt.

    If you have any questions about the build or the suggested peripherals, feel free to ask me in the comment section or check out this FAQ!

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

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    Philippe D
    Philippe D
    March 6, 2020 6:48 am

    I need to build a PC for Video editing , I will use Da Vinci software . I need a system capable to edit 8 K , is the 2500 dollars system strong enough for my requirement >???? or will I need to change some components ???

    Joe
    Joe
    February 22, 2020 7:09 am

    Hey Branton, if you are still here, could you give me some feedback on build. It is primarily built for gaming but I want some flexibility in what it can do as well like 3D printing etc. Here it is:

    CPU- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
    Motherboard- ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero (Wi-Fi)
    RAM- Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4 RAM 3000
    GPU- GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming 8g 3X Windforce
    SSD Card-Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 1TB
    Power Supply- CORSAIR RM 850x 80+ Gold
    Hard Drive-Seagate BarraCuda 2TB
    Cooling-NZXT Kraken X62 280mm AIO
    Case- NZXT H510 Elite ATX

    I’m wondering if this build is compatible with each other? I’m 90% sure it is, but I just want to check. Is there any way to cut cost down with this build and what are they? I was thinking towards the GPU? I was thinking more long term with this build like 3-4 years without a part needing to be replaced, is that possible with this build? Also, how portable is this build or will this just be more stationary? And what would be the best time of the year to buy these parts? I was thinking Cyber Monday. Thanks for your help if you respond to this.

    ANONYMOUS
    ANONYMOUS
    October 23, 2019 11:43 am

    u should update this this now costing about $3000

    Hawk David Rupp
    Hawk David Rupp
    September 19, 2019 11:00 pm

    I am looking to get into sim racing with a VR headset. I understand that an underpowered pc can cause motion sickness. Will this build be okay? Is there cheaper? Do I have to spend more?
    thank you

    Jesus rosales
    Jesus rosales
    July 22, 2019 2:57 pm

    Can I add a liquid cooler instead?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    June 21, 2019 7:51 am

    I don’t they no you mean 1 by of ssd storage lol

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