How to Upgrade Your Gaming Setup on a Budget

Best Budget Gaming PC Builds for 2024

Check out these budget-friendly PC builds for gaming.

Just because you dont have a ton of money to spend, doesnt mean you cant get a powerful PC for gaming. If youre willing to take on the task of building your own PC (which, really isnt that difficult of a process), then you can enjoy all of the benefits of PC gamingall at an affordable price.

In this guide, weve presented you with part lists ranging from as low as $300 to as high as $800.

At the very least, the lower-priced part lists will offer you entry-level performance and allow you to run non-demanding games (like Valorant, or Rocket League, or League of Legends) with no problems.

On the higher-end of the budget-range ($600-$800), you can expect builds that will be able to max out any game on a 1080P monitor, and even serve well for 1440P gaming, too.

So, what are you waiting for? Its time to build your own gaming PC

Picking the Best Parts for These Builds

Weve been building computers for nearly 20 years now. Over the years, Tech Guided has helped thousands of builders choose the right parts for their builds.

Each component in our part lists are chosen based on our years of hands-on experience using and testing PC hardware. We look for the best parts at the best price points to ensure youre getting the most possible performance for your budget.

Want to know our thought process behind how we choose each component? Check out our Beginners Guide to Choosing Parts.

You can also watch us build computers and discuss PC hardware on our YouTube channel.

Important: For help choosing parts or for any questions you might have, check the FAQ section below,or ask a question in the comment section.

Quick-Look: Compare Builds for Different Budgets

In this section, weve taken six different price points ($300, $400, $500, $600, $700, & $800) and weve put together budget-friendly gaming PC builds for each budget. These builds can either be used as is, or they can serve as a base that you can customize to your liking.

*We update these builds about once per week and if the total price is over the price range I have set ($30 threshold) then its likely that one (or more) of the components included in the build saw a price increase since I had last updated the build.

1. Ryzen 5 5600 + RX 6750 XT Build

What if I told you that for ~$800, you could build a computer that could serve as a solid 1080P or 1440P PC gaming machine?

Thats what this $800 gaming PC build brings to the table. Thanks to an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 CPU, an ASRock RX 6750 XT video card, and 16GB of DDR4 RAM, this budget PC build is capable of playing most games on a 1440P monitor at medium-to-higher settings with an excellent average frame rate.

And, of course, if you want to play on a 1080P monitor, this budget build will easily handle that, as benchmarks for the RX 6750 XT show that it is more than enough to get ~100+ FPS in even the most demanding titles.

In fact, pairing this build with a cheap 144Hz+ gaming monitor would make it an excellent option for competitive gamers. Whether, youre playing Fortnite, Call of Duty, GTA, Apex Legends, Rocket League, or any other highly competitive game, this build will be powerful enough to deliver a high enough framerate to utilize a fast refresh rate display.

The build also includes a Crucial P3 Plus NVME SSD and a Thermaltake 80PLUS Gold rated fully-modular 650W power supply. This power supply will handle any upgrades or additions you might want to make in the future.

And, while there are a ton of different cases you can choose between that would work for this build, weve included the Zalman M3 Plus. Its an affordable micro-ATX case that has a grilled front panel (for better airflow), a PSU shroud, a transparent side panel that will let you show off your build, and three preinstalled 120mm RGB fans on the front of the case and another RGB 120mm fan at the back of the case.

Ultimately, this is one of the best budget gaming PC builds available. It can easily handle 1080P gaming, it will serve well for 1440P gaming, and it can even run some less-demanding games on a 4K monitor on mediumish settings.

Part List for $800 PC Build

Grand Total: $770-$830

PRICE ON AMAZON

*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click Price on Amazon to see the most-up-to-date price.

**Youll need an operating system. Windows 11 is free to download but a license costs ~$125. However, you can still install Windows for free and it will work indefinitely without activating itthere will just be a watermark at the bottom left of your desktop asking you to activate it.

2. Ryzen 5 5600 + RX 7600 Build

With an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 CPU and an RX 7600 graphics card, this is one of the best budget gaming PC builds for ~$700. It is even capable of functioning as an entry-level 4K gaming system (it can run non-demanding games on a 4K monitor).

The processor/graphics card combination will even meet the required specifications for running the Valve Index or HTC Vive Pro 2so tethered virtual reality is also doable with this setup.

The combination of the Ryzen 5 5600 and the RX 7600 wont be quite as powerful as the 5600/6750 XT combo from the $800 build above. However, it will still max out pretty much any game on a 1080P monitor and serve well for 1440P, too.

This $700 gaming PC also comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and the same Zalman micro-ATX case as the build above. This isnt the roomiest case in the world, but for right at $50, it wold hold this system with no problems. It will also provide decent airflow out-of-the-box, with four 120mm fans preinstalled. Not to mention, the fans all sport RGB lighting. So, considering that most RGB fans cost at least ~$10, thats $40 in value alone just on fans.

For storage, this build opts for the same Crucial 1TB NVME drive as the $800 build.

You get the same high-quality 650W 80 PLUS Gold Thermaltake power supply as well. This PSU will give you plenty of power to make upgrades or additions in the future and, as its fully-modular, it will make the building process much easier.

Overall, this budget build will offer ideal performance in 1080p gaming and decent performance in 1440P gaming, and it is one of the best options right now for $700.

Part List for $700 PC Build

Grand Total: $670-$730

PRICE ON AMAZON

*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click Price on Amazon to see the most-up-to-date price.

**Youll need an operating system. Windows 11 is free to download but a license costs ~$125. However, you can still install Windows for free and it will work indefinitely without activating itthere will just be a watermark at the bottom left of your desktop asking you to activate it.

3. Ryzen 5 5500 + RX 6650 XT Build

For right around $600, you can throw together a solid gaming desktop that will max out any game on a 1080P monitor.

The main difference between this $600 gaming PC build and the build listed for $700 above, is that this build has a less powerful AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor. The Ryzen 5 5500 CPU is no slouch, though, and since this build comes with a solid RX 6650 XT graphics card, the in-game performance difference between the two builds wont be too significant.

And, for popular games like Elden Ring, Minecraft, Fortnite, or Call of Duty, and Starfield, this computer will be able to handle them with ease.

Also, with the Ryzen 5 5500 CPU, the Radeon RX 6650 XT graphics card, and 16GB of memory, this $600 gaming computer build meets the requirements to run a Valve Index or HTC Vive Pro 2.

To round out the part list, this build comes with a 512GB NVME SSD, the Zalman M3 case (same as all of the other builds on this list), and an 80PLUS Gold-rated power supply from Thermaltake.

The bottom line, though, is that this system is a really good budget gaming PC build for the money and it will easily last you through 2024 and beyond.

Part List for $600 PC Build

Grand Total: $570-$630

PRICE ON AMAZON

*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click Price on Amazon to see the most-up-to-date price.

**Youll need an operating system. Windows 11 is free to download but a license costs ~$125. However, you can still install Windows for free and it will work indefinitely without activating itthere will just be a watermark at the bottom left of your desktop asking you to activate it.

4. Ryzen 5 5500 + ARC A580 Build

If youre looking to spend ~$500, this gaming PC build might be the option for you.

These parts are capable of producing an experience on par with a some custom PC builders $1,000+ prebuilt gaming PC.

Still, though, with the budget limitations, there will be a noticeable drop in performance between this system and the $600 PC build listed above. But, if youre mainly playing non-demanding titles (like Fortnite, League of Legends, Minecraft, Rocket League, etc.) this system will get the job done.

Thanks to an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor, an Intel ARC A580 graphics card, and 16GB of DDR4 RAM, the cheap $500 gaming PC build listed below can max out pretty much any game on a budget 1080p monitor, as well as play non-demanding games at 1440p on medium-to-high settings.

And, with the drop in memory prices over the past year, we were even able to fit 16GB of memory in this system, whereas in the past it was limited to just 8GB.

This build also comes with the same 512GB NVME SSD that the $600 build comes with. This part list, however, opts for MSIs cheaper 650-watt Bronze-rated power supply.

Overall, this system is a good starter build for anyone looking to get into PC gaming or anyone who is looking for the best cheap gaming PC for $500.

Part List for $500 PC Build

Grand Total: $470-$530

PRICE ON AMAZON

*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click Price on Amazon to see the most-up-to-date price.

**Youll need an operating system. Windows 11 is free to download but a license costs ~$125. However, you can still install Windows for free and it will work indefinitely without activating itthere will just be a watermark at the bottom left of your desktop asking you to activate it.

5. Ryzen 5 4500 + ARC A380 Build

For $400, you can build a budget gaming PC that will allow you to play games like Rocket League, League of Legends, Valorant, and Dota 2 on higher settings.

And, by building it yourself, you can avoid having to deal with the low-quality power supplies and motherboards that the big computer companies like to throw in their budget systems. And, it is a far better alternative than opting for a cheap laptop.

This $400 gaming PC build comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory, an Intel ARC A380 graphics card, an 80PLUS Bronze 550W power supply, and the same Montech micro-ATX case as found in the builds above. The 360mm of GPU clearance offered by the Montech case will make upgrading this budget gaming PC a lot easier in the future.

In the past, weve had to use a much lower-end graphics card in our $400 build. And, while the A380 isnt a powerhouse GPU by any means,itis still strong enough to where it will be able to run any game at 1080P settings. Youll be able to run less-demanding titles at maxed out settings, and more demanding titles on medium settings, with a solid average framerate.

Ultimately, if you dont have a huge budget, but you want to be able to jump into your favorite games, this build will be the perfect option for 1080P gaming.

Part List for $400 PC Build

Grand Total: $370-$430

PRICE ON AMAZON

*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click Price on Amazon to see the most-up-to-date price.

**Price includes the parts that make up the tower only. Youll need an operating system and Windows costs ~$125 for an activation key. However, you can still install Windows for free and it will work indefinitely without activating it with no problemsthere will just be a watermark at the bottom left of your desktop asking you to activate it.

6. Ryzen 5 5600G Build

For gamers who are working with an extremely tight budget, it is possible to build a gaming PC for under $300.

The downside of putting together such a system is that youll be stuck with integrated graphics.

Also Read: Dedicated Graphics Card vs. Integrated Graphics

However, the upside of this build is that with just an upgrade to the video card you will have a capable gaming PC.

But, even as is, with the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and its integrated Vega graphics, and 8GB of DDR4 RAM, this PC build can handle most games at 1080P resolution on lower-to-medium settings.

Weve kept the Zalman M3 case and the MSI 550-watt Bronze-rated PSU in this build so that you will have an easier time upgrading in the future. The power supply will be able to accommodate an upgrade to a mid-range graphics card and the M3 case is roomy enough to where you wont run into any clearance issues.

So, if you are severely strapped for cash now, but you want something that will let you play your favorite games on lower-to-medium settings and will also let you upgrade to a high-end system later on down the road, then this is probably one of the best budget gaming PCs you can build for the price.

Again, it should be noted that with such a low budget, it is worth considering shopping the used market for components. With a $300 budget you could build a significantly better system by opting for used parts. Obviously, the downside to that strategy is there is no guarantee on the state of the components you are buying. But, you might find the risk worth taking if youre looking for more performance.

The best places to check for used components are your local Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay.

Part List for $300 PC Build

Grand Total: $270-$330

PRICE ON AMAZON

*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click Price on Amazon to see the most-up-to-date price.

**Youll need an operating system. Windows costs ~$125. However, you can still install Windows for free and it will work indefinitely without activating itthere will just be a watermark at the bottom left of your desktop asking you to activate it.

FAQ: Questions to Ask Before You Build Your Budget PC

If youre on the fence of whether or not you should build your own cheap gaming PC, or you have questions, weve provided a list of frequently asked questions below to help you find the answers youre looking for.

1. How do I build a gaming PC for the first time?

To build a PC you need a specific set of components, an operating system, and a screwdriver. While the process might seem daunting, as long as you follow a solid PC building guide, you should be able to finish your build without any problems. I walk you through how to build your own PC in this step-by-step PC building guide.

Choosing components is a bit more difficult as you have to make sure all of your components are compatible. Fortunately, with the pre-made part lists in this guide, weve removed that difficulty.

However, if you want to learn how to choose your own parts, we highly recommend reading our guide, How to Choose PC Parts, as it will walk you through all of the comptibility issues you need to be aware of.

2. Is building a gaming PC hard?

Anyone who knows how to read or even how to watch a video and how to use a screwdriver can build their own PC. I should also add, too, that you do need some patience when building your own computer. Building a gaming PC is not rocket science and is not too difficult of a task.

However, there are moments that can arise during the building process that can be frustrating. The good news, though, is that there are plenty of guides out there that can help walk you through the building process to minimize the chances of you running into these kinds of problems.

Check out our guide on the common PC building mistakes that first-time builders make in order to get an idea of what NOT to do.

Most builders wont face too many issues during their first build and even the most tech-challenged individuals could probably get through their own PC build if they are patient enough.

Weve also put together a step-by-step guide to help first-time builders through the building process. You can access it here.

3. How much should a budget gaming PC build Cost?

How much a gaming PCshould cost is going to vary from user to user depending on a handful of variables.

How much should a gaming PC build cost for someone who wants to mainly play League of Legends?

What about if someone wants to play Starfield on a 4K 144Hz monitors?

Obviously, the second user is going to have to spend a lot more in order to build a PC that will suit their needs.

So, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much a gaming PC should cost. It will depend on whatyour budget is and what you plan on doing with your system.

In general, though, for 1080P gaming, a budget of $600-$800 would be suffice for most users.

For more information on the cost of building a PC, check out our guide How Much is A Good Gaming PC?

4. Will it be cheaper to build your own PC going into 2024?

In most cases, building your own PC has typically been cheaper than buying a prebuilt gaming PC with similar hardware. However, you can sometimes find prebuilt PCs on sale at prices that may be cheaper than what it would cost to build that same system. This is fairly rare, even with somewhat inflated component pricesbut, it is worth noting that it is possible to find good deals on prebuilt systems.

5. Should you build a PC or get a console?

There are two sides to this question Yes, I am a diehard PC fan. But two of my favorite video games are Madden and MLB the Show. And, up until a few years ago, Madden wasnt available on PC. (And, MLB the Show is still a console exclusive.) So, if I wanted to play Madden in the past, I also had to have an XBox One. (Yes, thats right, I have a console)

Or, if you wanted to play a game like Red Dead Redemption 2 at launch, you would have needed a console to play it.

So, before you go out and build a new budget gaming computer, you need to make sure that you understand that certain games arent available on PC. But, at the same time, what you lose on a console, you gain on a PC. There are also plenty of popular games that are exclusive to PC, like, for instance, League of Legends (also one of my favorite games), DOTA 2, Factorio, the Civilization games, etc.

And, overall, the in-game experience on a PC is better than it is on a console. Thats simply because on the PC you have the potential to play with better visuals, more detailed graphics, and smoother gameplay. And, of course, on average, PC games tend to be cheaper and there are also a lot more of them. (Although, with the launch of the PS5, the gap between platforms is closing. Check out our guide PC vs PS5: Which is Better for Gaming? to learn more.)

So, while a console will cost you less upfront (unless you go with a really inexpensive PC), if you buy a lot of games, in the long run, a PC will win out. Ultimately, though, if youre like me, you just get both and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Get Help With Your Build: If you need help putting together a part list for your build? Ask your questions in the comment section!