TL;DR
Recommended Specifications
For those looking to build a budget gaming PC, the recommended specifications include an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel i5-12400F processor paired with a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600 graphics card. A setup with 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and a 512GB SSD is suggested for fast storage, alongside a 550W-600W power supply unit (PSU) [2:1]. These components should provide solid performance for popular games at 1080p resolution.
Pre-Built vs. Custom Build
While building your own PC can save money and allow for customization, pre-built PCs offer convenience. However, they often come at a higher cost for similar performance levels [2:1]. If you decide on a pre-built option, brands like MSI are recommended over others like Alienware, which may use proprietary components that limit upgradeability
[2:7]. The MSI model with an i5-13400F and RTX 3050 is highlighted as a good budget choice, though additional storage may be necessary
[5:2].
Cost-Saving Tips
To save money, consider purchasing used components, especially GPUs like the GTX 1080 Ti or RX 5700 XT, which still perform well for 1080p gaming [2:8]. Monitoring sales on platforms such as Newegg, Amazon, and Micro Center can also help reduce costs
[2:1]. Additionally, YouTube channels like Joey Urbinati and Zach's Tech Turf offer guides on building budget gaming PCs
[2:4].
Considerations for Future-Proofing
When deciding between processors, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X might offer better future-proofing compared to cheaper options like the i3-12100F or Ryzen 5 5500 due to its superior performance in modern, unoptimized AAA games [2:12]. Investing in a slightly higher-end CPU can ensure smoother gameplay in upcoming titles.
Additional Recommendations
For those who play FPS games and prioritize high frame rates over ultra settings, a mid-range build with a focus on stable FPS performance might suffice [4]. Ensuring adequate cooling and airflow in your case is important to maintain performance and longevity
[4:2].
Hi! I'm looking to get a gaming pc so I thought I'd ask and see if there was any advice out there. I really don't know much about pcs and I don't need anything too fancy, I just want to play Baldur's Gate 3 :) there's one I'm looking at that someone is selling secondhand and I wanted to see if it was worth it/could run the game. The seller says it has Windows 11 Pro, AMD Radeon Rx 5700 8gb, AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6 core processor, and 32gb RAM. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!
It will definitely run Baldur's Gate 3. It's going to struggle with the newest most graphically demanding games at the higher settings. It might be a risk buying a secondhand PC as a beginner to PC hardware. I would try to study up on what you need to ask about to verify the PC is in good working order and performing up to spec. You might get an amazing deal buying used, but you want to make sure you're not buying a lemon. Certainly make sure you know it turns on first.
Thanks! Are there any questions in particular you would ask?
Ask for a breakdown on the other parts, PSU, case, CPU cooler, etc, if they know. It's probably fine if they don't know. Have them take a video of the computer powering on. If they could get a screenshot of the program "HWinfo" running, that might be helpful in verifying the specs.
And, BG3 is really fun btw.
Anything is worth it if the price is right. How much is that system (and what currency do you use)
its $375 USD, monitor and keyboard included
Offer them 350 and a firm handshake, if it all works, thats a reasonable deal.
1TB SSD I'm guessing?
Try to offer $350, but I’d settle for that. Very good price in my opinion.
Not a bad deal actually, imo
With that pc you'll be able to run that game at like 40-60fps at 1080p and will struggle to run many other modern games.
Good reason to get a gaming PC
Hey everyone!
I’m looking to build or buy the best budget gaming PC and could really use some advice. My budget isn’t huge, so I’m aiming for something that can handle popular games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, Warzone etc.
I’d love to hear:
If you’ve recently put together a budget-friendly gaming setup, please share your experience! What worked, what didn’t, and how much did you end up spending?
Looking forward to hearing your advice and stories.
I would look on YouTube, there are so many videos on budget gaming PC guides
Thanks for the tip! YouTube is definitely a great for budget PC builds, I’ve already come across a few helpful guides. Do you have any favorite channels or creators you’d recommend for gaming PC advice?
Sometimes I get overwhelmed with all the options and conflicting opinions, so it’s great to hear from people who’ve actually gone through the process. Did you follow any specific guide when building or buying your PC?
Appreciate the suggestion!
checkout Joey Urbinati and Zach's Tech Turf, they have videos on how to make a budget gaming PC in just $600.
For a budget gaming PC, aim for specs like an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel i5-12400F, paired with a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600 for the GPU. You'll want 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, a 512GB SSD for fast storage, and a 550W-600W PSU. A B550 or B460 motherboard would be solid for these components. Pre-built PCs are convenient but often more expensive for the same performance, while building your own lets you save money and choose exactly what you want.
To save money, keep an eye out for sales on sites like Newegg, Amazon, and Micro Center, and consider buying used parts from trusted sources. For brands, I recommend CyberPowerPC, iBUYPOWER, and ABS for pre-builts, and Corsair, MSI, Gigabyte, and Zotac for parts. I built my own PC last year with a Ryzen 5 3600 and GTX 1660 for around $750, and it handles 1080p gaming perfectly. The trickiest part was finding a good-priced GPU, but a sale helped me out.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown! It sounds like a great setup for 1080p gaming. I like how you laid out all the components, it really helps visualize the build.
I’m curious, how much of a difference do you think the 5600X would make over the i3-12100F or Ryzen 5 5500 for gaming? Is it worth spending the extra for future-proofing, or would the cheaper CPUs hold up fine for a couple of years?
Also, thanks for the tips on sales and pre-built brands! I’ve looked at CyberPowerPC and iBUYPOWER before, but I wasn’t sure if they were worth it. Would you say the price difference compared to DIY is significant, or is it just a convenience thing?
Do you have any favorite tools or sites for tracking GPU prices?
Appreciate the help!
Get the 5600x for sure, aaa games these days are unoptimized af, anything less and you won't get a smooth 60 fps. I'd rather play modern games with a high end cpu and budget gpu rather than high end gpu and budget cpu. Recently built a 3600 pc to play new games and having to buy a 5700x3d to get a decent experience in stuff like jedi survivor, stalker 2, hogwarts legacy.
your post has been removed because it’s not relevant to the scope of r/lowendgaming.
** PLEASE READ: All PC building and parts upgrade posts should be related to the sub topic of low end gaming. Pure parts shopping and builder posts are removed, as this is not the focus of the sub. Location and budget are required to help you for any purchase.**
A $1000 PC would suit you perfectly! If you’re considering a prebuilt option, I highly recommend MSI. However, I’d steer clear of Alienware, as they tend to use many proprietary components that significantly limit upgradeability.
If possible, consider building a PC yourself. You’ll be able to get better components without paying the markup that comes with prebuilt systems.
I’ve heard similar things about Alienware and its proprietary parts, so I’ll steer clear of them for sure. Thanks for the heads-up!
Building a PC myself is definitely tempting, especially with the potential for better components at a lower cost. How was your experience with building? Was it as intimidating as it seems, or did it end up being pretty straightforward?
Really appreciate the insight, it’s super helpful for narrowing down my options!
For around $600, I would go something like an intel i3 12100f and rx 6600 for pure gaming performance, as even though the ryzen 5 5500 has more cores, the i3 has a stronger single threaded performance compared to the ryzen 5 5500. If your willing to be used, i would reccomend the GTX 1080 ti, or the RX 6650xt/RX 5700xt. All are strong 1080p destroyers and can play any games over 120fps high settings. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the detailed advice! 🙌 Sounds like a solid combo for gaming. I’ve heard good things about the i3’s single-threaded performance, so it’s great to see that confirmed here.
As for the GPUs, I appreciate the recommendation for used options like the GTX 1080 Ti and RX 5700 XT. It’s awesome that they can still crush 1080p gaming at high FPS! Do you have any tips for finding reliable used GPUs? I’ve always been a bit hesitant about used parts but would love to save some cash if it’s worth the risk.
Also, do you think this build could handle newer AAA games comfortably for the next couple of years, or would it need upgrades sooner rather than later?
You're welcome! If you want to play upcoming games smoothly, you might need to upgrade some components when they release.
Hello I was planning on buying some Pc parts to build my own gaming pc but I’m not sure what parts I should buy since I need each part to cost less than $2000 since I’m on SSI?
For $2,000 (USD) you're more into upper-mid (borderline top) tier than budget PC.
EACH part less than $2000?
you can build a 4090 + 7800x3d build then
If you just wanted a list handed to you, then r/buildapcforme is the sub you're looking for
"I need each part to cost less than $2000"
That's a zero too many or are you just trolling?
A budget gaming PC won't have to cost you more than 1000 including everything, and that's all new stuff. Look into second hand and you can save hundreds.
It because I’m on SSI disability and I can’t any money or property that totals to $2,000 or more
so the total PC can't cost more than 2000, not each part.
But like I said, 1000 buys you good gaming PC that will last you years, 2000 is not a 'budget PC' but a 4K gaming monster.
Hi guys,
I am planning to order some mid-range gaming PC, I usually put all games to medium/low anyway, I do not need everything on ULTRA HD. Also, mostly i play just fps games(csgo,valorant), so I just need 200-300 stable fps with my 144hz monitor, I play all on LOW.
​
So far I have been able to put together this: https://www.pccomponentes.com/lista-de-deseos/jVzAlbeUMMX5tV
​
My only concern is, is the motherboard enough for the Ryzen? And maybe you guys think its better a different combo for this price range, I was trying to build something cheaper, but I have managed to do it for around 830 euro in total for the whole build.
​
Thank you everyone for your time.
The motherboard is technically enough, but it’s on the edge. I would get one with better power delivery like B550M DS3H or Pro-VDH.
Also I would get a 1TB SSD so you can put all your games on it. You will load into matches faster. Hard drive is for if you have lots of files, no need to buy so much capacity if you don’t need it.
And a higher airflow case for better cooling. The one you picked could get hot or loud.
Thank you so much, what you said makes sense, the motherboard was my concern, I can not believe it actually is cheaper than what I have build and looks better xD.
​
Thank you M8
You’re welcome!
Hey you guys:
So my amazing PC of 7 years finally died on me. Kaboomy on multiple fronts. So, I'm trying to get a cheap budget pre-built replacement for now and then work on a real replacement later in the future.
For right now:
I'm a hardcore gamer, but I don't expect a cheap budget PC to be able to play all of the games I love. But I am hoping for something that can at least play League, a couple older shooters on low settings, and maybe GW2.
I don't expect to be able to play super demanding games, or any game really, with 100 tabs open, Spotify open, and etc. like I used to on my gaming PC. But I just want to be able to play less demanding games without having to close everything to run them.
Do you guys think that's possible with any of these? And if so, which is the better option?:
Thank you so much for any help here!
I'm sorry for any weird formatting issues. I had to put this together on my phone. 😭
I would go for the MSI with the i5-13400F/RTX 3050 but I'd invest in more storage bc 500gb is not enough for games. Unless you uninstall and reinstall games all the time.
Thank you!
You're welcome. Feel free to ask if you have any questions about PCs.
Mine
Please check out this easy guide to buying good value prebuilt gaming PCs first. It's a great resource to help you get started.
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Hey everyone, I’m trying to create a budget-friendly gaming + productivity setup and would love your advice if this is worth it or if I’m missing something.
Here’s my plan so far:
Mini PC: GMKtec NucBox K6
AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS
32GB DDR5 RAM
1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Radeon 780M Graphics
Price: ~1700 QAR(Nrs.65k)
Monitor 1 (Old): My 10-year-old HP LCD monitor (still working fine, but not fancy).
Monitor 2 (New): 15.8-inch portable touchscreen monitor (Epic Game monitor, under 1000 QAR (NRs.38k). I’ll use this for touch input, portability, and as a secondary display.
Peripherals:
RGB Mechanical Keyboard
RGB Gaming Mouse
Webcam for streaming
Extras: Considering adding an external GPU dock later for an RTX card if I need more graphics power.
Worth it, you might as well drop your streaming channel
Keyboard from?
After messing around with pcpartpicker, I scraped up a gaming pc for a surprisingly low cost with a GPU. However, some of this hardware is outdated and would gaming be pleasant on this junk box? Besides being left behind with an AM3+ socket and not future proofing with an AM4, what would make it viable if it is at all? Would I have to run games on low or only be able to play older games? Any advice and help is greatly appreciated. (PS) sorry if this posts weird, still learning how to properly post and please forgive me if it sucks.
PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qmHTZR Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qmHTZR/by_merchant/
CPU: AMD - FX-8350 4GHz 8-Core Processor ($79.99 @ Newegg Business) Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-970A-DS3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($59.89 @ OutletPC) Memory: Patriot - Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($57.99 @ Amazon) Storage: Seagate - Constellation ES 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.85 @ Newegg Marketplace) Video Card: MSI - Radeon RX 570 8GB ARMOR OC Video Card ($244.98 @ Newegg) Case: Raidmax - Vortex ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.98 @ Newegg) Power Supply: EVGA - BR 700W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($45.98 @ Newegg) Total: $587.66 Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-30 09:28 EDT-0400
Whats your budget? and gaming needs?
$750, but saving is as much as I can is priority. And I want to achieve at least 30 FPS on normal on semi new games but I understand that I’d probably be dreaming with this hardware. Hope I answered that gaming needs question correctly
here you go
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
Type | Item | Price |
---|---|---|
CPU | AMD - Ryzen 5 2600 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor | $165.99 @ Amazon |
Motherboard | MSI - B350M GAMING PRO Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $59.89 @ OutletPC |
Memory | Team - Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | $137.89 @ OutletPC |
Storage | *Inland - 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $39.99 @ Amazon |
Storage | Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $59.39 @ OutletPC |
Video Card | MSI - Radeon RX 580 8GB ARMOR OC Video Card | $209.99 @ Newegg |
Case | Cougar - MX330 ATX Mid Tower Case | $34.99 @ SuperBiiz |
Power Supply | Cooler Master - MasterWatt 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $35.98 @ Newegg |
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts | ||
Total (before mail-in rebates) | $794.11 | |
Mail-in rebates | -$50.00 | |
Total | $744.11 | |
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria | ||
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-30 11:58 EDT-0400 |
I would swap out the AM3+ CPU & MB & DDR3 ram for AM4 MB (get at least a B350) and Ryzen 3 1200 & DDR4 ram. It's only a $30-40 difference and you're upgradable to some good stuff for several years. Can probably find a better video card deal as well (Newegg has rx580 on sale for like $170).
oh yuckkkk
I agree, but care to further explain?
fx is total shit, and for 750 you can do wayyyy bette
I want a good cheap pc about 300$ pre build or custom
300$, no shot sorry
Xbox Series S though is really good value for money (hell I probably use my series s more than my pc)
Go for used ones, you won't find anything decent for 300$ among new pre builts.
Take your time though, even used PC can vary wildly, from a pretty decent ones to complete trash.
300 ain't going to work. You can check used sites. Facebook marketplace or so if someone has a cheap pc with a i5 4600 and a gt780 or so. That is like border line obsolete to low end
If it's just for gaming I'd suggest the Xbox S instead mate
Xbox series S*
Cheers, I couldn't remember what it was called exactly
For that budget I'd go down this route personally...
Secondhand Dell/HP/Lenovo. Core i7. 16GB. Throw in a 1TB or 2TB SATA SSD and RX6400 or RX6500 graphics card.
I'd go HoloISO personally, but Windows 10 is free, no reason not to accept the default wallpaper and watermark. Set Steam to load Big Picture Mode on boot and worry more about playing games than buying Windows.
I want to play all games at a minimum of medium graphics 60 fps (mostly looking to play forza and r6) should I go with intel or amd, if so, what ryzen gen? 2nd or 3rd ?? 2nd seems cheaper and I can avoid compatibility problems. I already have the case (nzxt h510) and the ram memory (gskill trident z rgb 16gb 3200mhz) i would like to spend less than 370 on the other components :).
If you are wondering on what I game rn, I game on an asus g75vx with an I7 from 3rd gen and a 670mx
Ryzen 2600 is great, and you could always go for the used market. RX580 best budget card out there
Seems nice, what motherboard should I use ? Preferably one that I can use to control the ram rgb. I may have to hold on till I get I little bit more money for the 580
Budget?
450 total
Over budget, but you can replace the Intel with ryzen or other swaps to lower the price
https://pcpartpicker.com/guide/WRxFf7/entry-level-intel-gaming-build
For the past year, I've been researching to put together a good budget/mid-range setup for my first PC, but I'm still a bit confused about what's actually good. I plan to use it mainly for gaming and digital art as a hobby. I've asked my partner for his thoughts, but I’d love to hear what others think too. I want the build to handle 1080p gaming well, especially for RPGs, and I'm also thinking about future-proofing it.
Here's what I've come up with so far:
PC build:
Monitor - 27'' ASRock Challenger CL27FF
Keyboard - Hyper X Alloy Origins 100% (I'm aware it's impractical, but I do prefer full-size keyboards)
Mouse - HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2
I would go for 32gb of ram and maybe find a used rx6700xt, if it fits in your budget.
I really wanted the rx 6700xt but, it's not offered in my country, and I thought the going higher will result in a bottle neck with the cpu. My partner offered a RTX 4060, but never saw a good opinion on it
Ryzen 5 7600x is not gonna bottleneck rx6700xt or rtx 4060 so you don't have to worry about that, they preform similar, just 4060 has 8gb of vram, which might be too little for newer titles, but you can sell the gpu in the future and get a better one, but you might want to also get a 750w psu for futureproofing. I'd say if you can find a good deal on rtx 4060 go with it
It has a tempered glass front that is covering the three large front fans. Because you are going with an air cooler, I would recommend a better airflow case design, or it might be running very hot.
Downgrade the SSD to a cheaper NVME, you won't ever notice the difference in gaming, upgrade the RAM to 32GB 3000 MHz CL30 (or at least CL36).
this is a good budget build, but the rx 6600 is not future proof.
If this general pc price is your current budget, I'd get a higher wattage psu (atleast 850) then you can slap in a better gpu and have it work fine when you can afford it.
Could also upgrade the cpu then too, since AM5 is really good for future proofing (as much as you reasonably can in this industry atleast, which is not alot)
Also just get 32gbs of ram with ddr5, since it's only like 5-10$ more usually. Only worth getting 16gbs on ddr4, which AM5 is not.
Thank you! The rx 6600 is one of the things I just shot in the dark for. because some of the popular gpus aren't accessible in my country.
That's fair enough. It's a good entry level gpu, but it's the lowest end I'd consider for new gpus. If you can find something like a 6650xt or a 7600 used, that'd probably be a much better match for the cpu.
Or you can go with the original plan my thinker cooked up lol.
you can do better i think. no reason to buy samsung storage and 5600mt/s ram. just buy any PCIe 4.0 storage and money difference-spend it on 2x16Gb CL30 6000MT/s kit.
tuf gaming board also no need for that,get any other with wifi and spend the difference on better gpu. Like Arc B580/570 or RX 6750XT/6700XT
best budget gaming pc 2023
Key Considerations for a Budget Gaming PC:
Processor (CPU): Look for a solid mid-range CPU, such as AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i5-12400. These provide good performance for gaming without breaking the bank.
Graphics Card (GPU): Aim for a GPU that balances performance and price. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super or AMD Radeon RX 6600 are excellent choices for budget gaming.
RAM: At least 16GB of RAM is recommended for gaming to ensure smooth performance. Look for DDR4 RAM with a speed of 3200MHz or higher.
Storage: A combination of SSD and HDD is ideal. A 500GB SSD for the operating system and key games will improve load times, while a 1TB HDD can store additional games and files.
Power Supply (PSU): Ensure you have a reliable PSU with enough wattage (at least 500W) and good efficiency ratings (80 Plus Bronze or better).
Case and Cooling: Choose a case with good airflow and enough space for future upgrades. Consider additional cooling options if you plan to overclock.
Recommendations:
SkyTech Archangel 3.0: This pre-built gaming PC offers a Ryzen 5 5600X, GTX 1660 Super, 16GB RAM, and a 500GB SSD for around $1,000. It’s a great balance of performance and price.
iBUYPOWER Trace 4 9310: Another solid pre-built option featuring an Intel Core i5-12400, RX 6600, 16GB RAM, and 500GB SSD, typically priced around $900.
DIY Build: If you're comfortable building your own PC, you can save money. A custom build with similar specs can often be assembled for under $800.
Takeaway: For budget gaming, focus on a balanced system with a good CPU and GPU, sufficient RAM, and a mix of SSD and HDD storage. Pre-built options are convenient, but building your own can save money and allow for customization.
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