Getting a pre-built gaming system might save you time, but I don’t think it can save you money. Plus, it doesn’t let you have control over what you want and don’t want.
So, what should you do instead? It might be a bit of a hassle, but you will fall in love with the process—building your own budget gaming PC. This will save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars, provide control, and be great for you in the long run because you know your thing.
Anyway, where do you even begin? Literally tons of customizations are there, even for choosing theRAM. This is where I will join in to help you. I have built my own PC from scratch without burning a hole in my pocket. Do you want to do the same? Great! Hop in, and I will illuminate every detail necessary for building the best-value gaming gear.
Define Your Gaming Goals and Budget
First things first, you need to define what you want and how much flexibility you have when it comes to the budget.
To figure this out, you must know the games you want to play. For example, if you want to play Call of Duty in the best settings possible, you will have a bigger goal, and eventually,a bigger budget is needed to fulfill this goal. On the flip side, if you will be playing snot-so-heavy games, you will likely be fine even with a low-spec PC.
I started with the baseline AMD Ryzen 3 series, and from there on, I was upscaling it. Not to forget, your internet plays a pivotal role in building your dream setup. You don’t need the best of the best specifications while your internet struggles to hold up. I stream my games with high-speed Xfinity internet, even though I have the 3 Series of Ryzen, and I have a fine experience without much fuss.
So, make sure you budget for both the hardware of your PC as well as a reliable internet provider.
Choose Between a Gaming PC anda Laptop
Now, when we talk about a PC, it usually pictures itself as something that has a dedicated monitor with a CPU along with its casing, a mouse, and last but not least, a keyboard. But there is another form of gaming PC as well – a gaming laptop.
Now, what you need to do is decide whether you want a gaming desktop or a laptop. Here is the thing: you might not be using your computer merely for playing games. You will likely be watching movies, working, and more. If you usually are on the go and need something powerful yet portable,then a gaming laptop would suit you more. If you are fine with working on the same desk every day and don’t need portability, then a gaming PC is fine.
Bear in mind that if portability is something you want, you will lose out on the control and flexibility that a gaming PC provides. You can easily swap the monitor, RAM, processor, and even the GPU. While some of that is possible on a gaming laptop, you can’t do it all on the laptop. Anyway, evaluate what you need and then make a sound decision.
Pro Tip: If you are going for a gaming laptop, then I recommend going with one that is refurbished or renewed. You will find tons of affordable options at Amazon or eBay.
Building a Budget Gaming PC: Component Breakdown
Let us head down to the most important part of this content piece – the major components of a gaming PC. Starting with the CPU and GPU, we have RAM and other components like the monitor.
CPU: If you want something that is the best bang for your buck, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is a solid choice with integrated graphics. If you prefer Intel, then a Core i5 with 13th Gen or up is going to be a fine choice as well.
Motherboard: If you are on a tight budget, A520M or B450/B550 chipsets are budget options. Apart from that, MSI Mag B760 Tomahawk is great if you need more flexibility, as it has multiple slots for more than one RAM.
RAM: 16GB DDR4 (3200MHz) is the sweet spot that doesn’t bankrupt and provides enough background processing bandwidth so that your background downloads do not interrupt the regular usage of your system. Also, sometimes the app loading speed is affected if the RAM is based on older technology, like LPDDR3 or older.
Storage: If you want to play tons of games, you need to have enough space on your PC to store them. 512GB–1TB NVMe SSD is perfect for speed and storage. If you need more storage at half the price,an optional HDD is the way to go. Get a 500 GB HDD and you will be good to go.
Power Supply: Personally speaking, I use a 450W–550W 80+ Bronze certified power supply. It works pretty fine and is considered reliable.
Case: If you want a case that checks all the fundamentals of a good case, then go with good airflow and compact design. For example, Ant Esports ICE-120AG is one of the best cases.
GPU: Now,that is the most important component ofthe Nvidia GTX 1650 or AMD RX 6400 for entry-level 1080p gaming. These are the baseline GPUs and would work just fine. You can add more sweetness by spending more money. As for Nvidia vs. AMD, I don’t want to go into that debate because both work just as well. Get the best deal possible, whether it is Nvidia or AMD.
Selecting an Affordable Monitor
If you need an absolute budget option that is best bang for your buck, look for 21–24-inch Full HD monitors with at least 60Hz–75Hz refresh rate. In this category, we haveAcer Nitro QG221Q andLG UltraGear 22MP68VQ. These are the two most popular options in the budget category.
The best of the best would be a 160Hz monitor that might require you to upgrade your other specs as well to take full advantage of the 160Hz monitor. Or else, everything will be in 160Hz except the game you want in 160Hz.
Budget-Friendly Peripherals
Now, let us talk about the necessary peripherals – keyboard, mouse, headset, and more. Which one should you get? Let me tell you.
Keyboard: If you need full-on mechanical feels on a budget, then you need to get your hands on the Redragon K552. It is one of the best keyboards in the mechanical category that doesn’t put a hole in your pocket.
Mouse: Go with Logitech G102 – great sensor, solid build, and budget price, just the way you wanted it to be.
Headset: If you want fine sound quality and a mic that doesn’t transmit voice like an amplifier,Cosmic Byte GS410 offers the best of both worlds. It was my first headset and I am still using it.
Controller: It’s just an accessory in a literal sense, but it is good to have. For the controller, the Xbox Wireless Controller is great for both compatibility and comfort with a PC or console, so go with it.
Smart Shopping Tips
Since you know what you need to build a budget-friendly gaming PC, let me conclude this content piece by giving you some proven shopping tips.
This one might sound run-of-the-mill, but it works every time: shop during sales like Black Friday, New Year, or local clearance events. Also, I have purchased some stuff from Amazon, renewed, and that was fine. It has products that are renewed by the manufacturers, and those items mostly work just fine, so do check that out too.
Last but not least, keep tabs on eBay because you are likely to find what you need at dirt-cheap pricing. Make sure to be the first mover because, like you and me, tons of people are looking for the thing you want.