Gaming PC Builds – The BEST custom builds online!

Written by Branton

May 27, 2018

Gaming PC Builds

Everything you need

From budget-level gaming PC builds all the way up to high-end builds, this page contains all of the custom gaming PC builds that I’ve put together – builds that thousands upon thousands of gamers much like yourself are using right now! We just updated this in July 2020 so that everyone who needs to game during quarantine can get access to great builds.

gaming pc build

Whether you’re just coming to PC gaming from console, or you’re just looking to upgrade, there will definitely be a build for you somewhere on this page. Before going for the most expensive build you can afford, consider 2 things: the types of games you play, and the quality level/resolution you want to game at – these 2 points are going to dictate what level of build you need.

If you’re only going to be playing DOTA2 or League of Legends in 1080p, then you definitely don’t need a PC like my $1500 build, something more like the $500 build would work great in that instance. On the other hand, if you wanted to play AAA games like The Witcher 3 in 4k, then the $1500 would be a good choice. But, my guess is that this build is more what you’re looking for.

All of the builds listed below come with the basic components you’re going to need to get up and running, including:
  • Case
  • Motherboard
  • Processor + heatsink/cooler
  • Graphics card
  • RAM
  • Storage
  • Power supply

With that in mind, to have a fully functional gaming PC you’re still going to need some extras, like a keyboard, mouse, some kind of audio, a monitor and an operating system as these are not included in the builds.

If you have none of those peripherals, consider that you will need roughly $300-$450 extra to get everything you need, it could be less or it could be more depending on what you choose to get. Each build has their own suggested peripherals that have been hand-picked for that specific budget-level.

If this is the first time you’ve built your own PC, then you’re definitely going to want to do a little bit of light reading before jumping in head-first. Putting a PC together isn’t too complicated, but there are some things you should know before starting. To help ease the process, I’ve put together a quick FAQ as well as a walkthrough on the various components and how you’ll be putting them together.

If you have any questions about any of the builds, feel free to ask me on the page for that build! Or, send me an email using this contact form.

Budget Gaming PC Builds

Entry-level PC gaming

These budget builds are best suited for MOBAs like DOTA2 and LoL, competitive shooters like CS:GO and Overwatch, and 2D/isometric games like Stardew Valley or Terraria, but that doesn’t mean they can’t handle AAA gaming. Anything on this list with a dedicated graphics card is going to be able to play AAA games without many issues. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll still be better than gaming on a console.

* Graphics settings based on 1080p

$350 Ultra-Budget Gaming PC

This ultra-cheap Ryzen 3 2200G-powered PC build is going to surprise you! For right around $350, you can put together a PC capable of 1080p gaming without an issue! It doesn’t even need a graphics card!
CaseRosewill SRM-01
MotherboardASRock B450M Pro4
ProcessorAMD R3 2200G
GraphicsVega 8 (Integrated)
Power Supp.Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ Bronze
RAM8GB DDR4 (2666MHz)
HDDOptional
SSDKingston A400 240GB
CPU CoolerWraith Stealth (Stock)

$400 Gaming PC Build

This $400 budget beast is a MOBA/CS:GO powerhouse and will often beat consoles when it comes to AAA games. It’s packing a lot of power for a small price and also gives you lots of room for future upgrades! If you're trying to get into some light PC gaming without spending a ton, this is definitely a good option to consider.


$500 Gaming PC Build

Building a gaming PC for $500 should give you console-like performance as long as you don't expect to push 4K - its slightly different on PC. This build will run any game in 1080p on low-medium settings while getting above-console performance. On higher settings, it's going to be more "console-like" while having better graphics at the same time.


$550 Gaming PC Build

This particular gaming PC falls in a strange segment. Due to the huge variety of hardware choices at the low end, it falls evenly in between the previous and next builds in terms of performance. The graphics card is slightly stronger than the previous build, but its CPU is slightly less powerful than the next build's. But, everything else is practically the same.

CaseThermaltake Versa H15
MotherboardMSI B450M Pro-M2
ProcessorAMD R5 2600
GraphicsPowerColor RX 580 Red Dragon 8GB
Power Supp.Thermaltake Smart 500W
RAM8GB DDR4 (2666MHz)
SSDKingston A400 480GB
CPU CoolerAMD Wraith Stealth (stock)

$600 Gaming PC Build

If you’re looking into building yourself the best gaming PC for around $600, you’re definitely going to want to look at this one! This budget gaming beast has plenty of power where it’s needed and lots of upgrade potential for when you’re ready to push it even further!

Mid-Range Gaming PC Builds

1080p-1440p gaming sweet spot

These mid-range builds are all about meeting that 1080p 60fps sweet spot for AAA gaming. They’ll all be able to run any AAA game on at least high settings while pushing out a steady frame rate of 60 frames per second or better – definitely what you want when gaming!

* Graphics settings based on 1080p

$700 Gaming PC Build

Trying to build the best gaming PC for around $700? It just so happens that this particular build delivers everything you could hope for and more, without completely destroying your wallet. The R5 2600 is a great value and the GTX 1660 is a good mid-level graphics card in 2019.

CasePhanteks Eclipse P300
MotherboardMSI B450M Gaming Plus
ProcessorAMD R5 2600
GraphicsZotac GTX 1660
Power Supp.EVGA 500 BQ 80+ Bronze
RAM16GB 3000MHz (C15) DDR4
SSDWD Blue 500GB
CPU CoolerWraith Stealth (stock)

$800 Gaming PC Build

With an $800 budget you can easily build a powerful gaming PC that won’t need any upgrades for a long time! This build is fully loaded with an Intel i5 8400, a 6GB GTX 1660 Ti, 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 1TB of storage, this build is easily capable of handling any game in 1080p. It can also handle 1440p, but you'll have to turn down some settings in comparison to 1080p.


$900 Gaming PC Build

Building a gaming PC with around $900 gets you something that will run the majority of the newest games on high-ultra settings in 1080p without an issue and will also deliver very decent 1440p performance, depending on the game 60fps shouldn’t be an issue in 1440p, but you might have to lower some settings when compared to 1080p.
CasePhanteks Eclipse P300
MotherboardMSI B450-A Pro
ProcessorAMD R5 3600
GraphicsZotac RTX 2060 Twin Fans
Power Supp.Thermaltake Smart BX1 550W
RAM16GB DDR4 (3000MHz)
SSDWD Blue 500GB SSD
CPU CoolerStock (AMD Wraith Stealth)

$1000 Gaming PC Build - Intel

With a budget of $1000, you can pretty much guarantee that the computer you build can handle 1080p and should also be capable of pushing all the way up to 1440p without an issue. This is basically a perfectly balanced price-point for building your own gaming PC, it’s enough to get you amazing hardware while still maintaining a reasonable budget.


$1000 Gaming PC Build - AMD

Packing an AMD Ryzen 5 2600, an RTX 2070, 16GB of 3000MHz DDR4 RAM and 1 TB of storage, this build won’t fall short anytime soon! It’s capable of maxing out most AAA games as well as most popular indie titles in 1080p-1440p without an issue.


High-End/Enthusiast Gaming PC Builds

1440p-4K gaming and beyond

High-end builds are all about getting the best of the best, or close to. This category is meant mostly for gamers who like to enjoy the finer things in life, like the ability to game in 4K. They don’t mind spending a bit more to get a bit more. Unlike the other categories, there’s a huge variance in performance here, so make sure you're getting the build most suited to your needs!

* Graphics settings based on 1440p

$1200 Gaming PC Build

This build is exactly what you’re looking for if you want to build a strong PC capable of delivering smooth, immersive game play. There really aren’t many ways that this build could be improved upon without spending a lot more than $1200.
CaseNZXT H510
MotherboardMSI B450 Tomahawk
ProcessorAMD R5 3600
GraphicsASUS RTX 2070 Super 8G EVO
Power Supp.EVGA 650 B3 80+ Bronze
RAM2x8GB (16GB) DDR4 @ 3000MHz
SSDSamsung 860 EVO 500GB
CPU CoolerStock (AMD Wraith Spire)

$1500 Gaming PC Build

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 brand new Intel i5 9600K processor and a RTX 2080 graphics card, this is without a doubt the build you’re looking for!


$2000 Gaming PC Build

Packing an RTX 2080, a brand new i7 9700K, 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 1.5TB of pure SSD storage, this build comes in at right around $2000. It’s definitely capable of playing AAA games in 4K with awesome frame rates and great settings. A build like this is also fully equipped to easily handle any current VR headset.


$2500 Gaming PC Build

This $2500 build is pure insanity. Packing an RTX 2080 Ti, 16GB of DDR4 RAM (with RGB) and an i7 9700K, this build will completely obliterate 4K gaming. If you wanted to push past 4K, this would be the build you wanted. Or, if you just wanted to make all of your friends jealous, this build would also work for that!


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