If you want to build a gaming PC for around $800 using an AMD Ryzen CPU, this is the one you need! This build is packing an AMD R5 2600, a GTX 1660 Ti, 16GB of 3000MHz RAM and 500GB of pure SSD storage - buttery smooth gameplay is basically guaranteed.

This build gives you more than enough power to easily tackle 1080p or even 1440p gaming without a problem. Thanks to the AMD R5 2600, this build will also do quite well in CPU intensive tasks like rendering, encoding, streaming and more.

Have a question about this build? Ask me in the comment section!

One of the best parts of building a PC is being free to customize it as you see fit. Below, you'll find some potential upgrades as well as items you could (or should) add to your build. Not all of these are necessary, but add-ons (like an SSD) are definitely suggested as they will improve your experience a lot.

Picking an operating system can often feel like you have no options. It's Windows or nothing, right? Wrong! You actually have a few options, they're just (arguably) not as easy to start out with and can cause a bit of confusion.

One example of another option would be a free Linux-based OS; like Mint or Ubuntu. Linux has a fair amount of advantages, but it also has a few disadvantages. One disadvantage is it's lack of compatibility with quite a few programs/games - however there are ways around this. But, on the other hand, it's free and some would say more secure.

The more expensive option is buying a copy of Windows. With DirectX 12 becoming more common and the modern processors basically demanding Windows 10, you might want to consider jumping on that right away, but it's ultimately your call. This will ensure that every Windows game or program you want to run will work out of the box without any extra work involved.

Installing your operating system can be done in a couple of different ways, either by DVD or a USB flash drive that you either create yourself or buy. Either will get the job done, but going for Windows & using the retail DVD (or USB flash drive) is going to be the easiest - any cheap DVD drive will work.

If you want to create your own USB flash drive to install something like Ubuntu from, you can find some decent instructions here.

Building your own gaming computer can be something that you really enjoy, or it can be an extreme headache. One of the best ways to make sure that it's not a headache is to follow a build guide like this one.

Not only will a build guide ensure that you get compatible hardware that actually makes sense, but it should help to make your whole build process that much quicker and easier.

With that said, let's break this build down and dig a little deeper into the actual hardware we're using. Maybe check out some specs, some features, some upgrade options, just the stuff you really need (and want) to know.

Case: Phanteks has a knack for making some of the sleekest looking computer cases out there. They generally remain quite minimalist while still giving off that gaming PC vibe. Their Eclipse P300 is absolutely no exception and it's easily one of the nicest sub-$60 ATX mid-tower cases I've ever used. It comes with a big tempered glass side panel, a PSU shroud, hidden drive bays, good options for cable management and ample liquid cooling support.

However, it only comes with a single 120mm fan (installed as rear exhaust) by default. That will be enough to get going, but you might want to consider adding 1-2 more as intakes sooner than later. I'd suggest checking out fans like Noctua's NF-P12 (120mm) or NF-P14 (140mm).

Also worth noting, the Eclipse P300 will only support aftermarket CPU coolers up to 160mm in height.

If you're not a huge fan of the Phanteks P300, here's a list of some other great mid-tower cases.

Motherboard: The MSI B450A Pro is a good ATX-sized motherboard that delivers all of the features you'll need for an AM4 socket build like this.

With it, you're getting integrated audio, a built-in ethernet controller, plus 6x SATA headers and 1x M.2 ports for storage. As well as every other connection point you'll need for this build, and then some.

With regards to fan headers, if you're going to use more than 2 case fans, you'll have to use a PWM connection splitter.

On top of that, the B450 chipset fully supports CPU overclocking which means you'll have no problem cranking up the power on your R5 2600. IF you wanted to step up to an R5 3600 instead, this particular motherboard will allow you to update (flash) its BIOS without requiring an installed CPU - perfect for a fresh build that'll be running a Zen 2 CPU.

Processor: AMD's 2nd generation Ryzen 5 2600 is a powerhouse when it comes to sheer performance. Not only is it able to keep up with comparable Intel processors in gaming, but it's currently destroying them in work-based tasks and pretty much anything CPU intensive. The R5 2600 comes with 6-cores and 12-threads that can boost up to 3.9GHz by default. When overclocked, the R5 2600 really wakes up and that's when it's real power starts to shine.

The R5 2600 comes with a pretty good Wraith Stealth CPU cooler from AMD, but if you're going to be doing a lot of overclocking it would be wise to upgrade. If that's you, check out the best CPU coolers!

Graphics Card: The new GTX 1660 Ti is a great graphics card in terms of both price and performance, it's easily the best GPU under $300. Gigabyte's GTX 1660 Ti Gaming OC runs great, overclocks well, and doesn't get too hot when being pushed hard.

It offers 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM, 4 display outputs (1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort), and a size profile that'll fit inside practically any case out there.

Long story short, a 6GB GTX 1660 Ti is easily capable of supporting VR headsets like the Vive or Rift as well as playing any AAA games in 1080p or 1440p at 60fps+ without an issue.

RAM: When it comes to RAM, 16GB is more than enough for gaming in 2018, really. This amount is going to make sure that you can comfortably multi-task without any significant loss of performance.

Ryzen CPUs like fast RAM and 2666MHz is generally good enough. But, you can often squeeze out another few frames per second by upgrading (or overclocking) closer to 3000MHz.

Power Supply: There are a lot of high-performance parts in this build, so its fair if you're assuming its going to need a gigantic power supply, but luckily it won't! At most this build will only use a few hundred watts of power, so an 80% efficiency 550W supply will do the trick just fine. I've picked Corsair's CX550M which is an awesome semi-modular supply offering more than enough connections for everything you need, it also comes with a lengthy 5-year warranty just in case the worst were to ever happen.

Storage: For storage, we're running a 500GB SATA SSD from WD's Blue lineup as the primary drive. It's a great starting point and will give you a good foundation to build on. 500GB will be more than enough space for Windows 10, all of your important programs, plus a handful of games once everything is said and done.

If you need to add more storage, this build can easily support another 5 drives of any size.

I didn't pull any punches when it came to squeezing every ounce of power from your $800 budget, and this build will not disappoint! When it comes to building your own gaming computer for $800, this is a complete and utter BEAST!

Peripherals are things like a monitor, mouse, keyboard, headset, speakers, mic, etc.

If this is your very first gaming PC, then you probably need almost everything on the following list. If that's you, set aside another few hundred for these additional peripherals - at least. Also if it's your very first then check out our FAQ aout PC builds.

Picking out your peripherals can be a bit of a difficult process. To make that easier I've hand selected 1 of the best options for each category; including a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a headset, and some really decent speakers if you want/need them.

There's nothing saying you absolutely have to use the items on this list, though. Practically anything would be compatible with this build so feel free to shop around!

Most motherboards do not include WiFi - including the one used for this build. That being said, if you need to use WiFi then you're going to need an adapter of some kind; whether that's internal or external is entirely up to you.

When it comes to picking an adapter, there are a few points you should consider.

1. What kind of router do you have?
2. What speed is your router + ISP capable of?
3. Do you need an internal or external adapter? Will it fit?

Basically, if you have a newer router/modem, chances are it's on the AC protocol and supports both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands - perfect. If it's older, it might be on the N protocol which is a little slower than AC, but your modem/router might still be new enough to be "dual band" and support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This is the first thing you want to figure out - search the model number which will be stamped somewhere on it if you're unsure what you're running.

Next, it's basically just a matter of matching numbers with numbers and letters with letters. If you have a dual band (2.4GHz + 5GHz) modem on the AC protocol capable of 1300Mpbs, you want a dual band AC1300 adapter.

If you landed here in search of the best $800 Ryzen 2-powered gaming PC possible then I know you found it. This build is a complete beast in terms of sheer power and it simply cannot be beaten for the price. It’ll plow through 1080p gaming at 60fps+ without a problem and can even take you into 1440p.

All-in-all, you will be hard pressed to build a better 1080p gaming PC for $800 in 2018! The power this build is packing is more than enough to handle all of your favorite AAA games in 1080p at 60fps+ without a problem! Not only that, it’s also well equipped to tackle CPU intensive tasks as well – thanks Ryzen!

Have a question about this build? Wondering how you could customize it? Running into problems during the build process? Let me know in the comment section below and I’ll do my best to assist!