How much would it cost to build a gaming pc?

 How much would it cost to build a gaming pc

Building your gaming PC can be a daunting task, but it can also be a very rewarding experience. Not only will you end up with a machine that is specifically tailored to your needs, but you'll also save yourself a lot of money in the process. So, how much does it cost to build a gaming PC?

The short answer is 'as much as you can afford. Unfortunately, there's no definitive guide for how much it costs to build a gaming PC. A basic rig with low-end specs is going to set you back less than $500 while pushing the bleeding edge will see your bank account taking a hit over $2000.

The best way to figure out how much you'll need to spend is to take a look at the individual components and calculate the cost of each one. You can then add these all up to get an estimate for the total build.

One thing to keep in mind is that you don't have to purchase all of the components from the same store. In some cases, you might be able to save some money by purchasing some of the parts from one place, and others from another.

However, if you are looking to purchase all your components in one go, this guide will show you how much it costs to build a gaming PC for under $500, $1000, and $1500.

Pricing for this guide has been sourced from Amazon.com and PCPartPicker.com, as of the time of writing the latest pricing is reflected.

Building a Gaming Rig on a Budget

Price: $499 - $1299

The price range for this build will cover machines that are primarily designed to output 1080p/60fps gaming performance, with some entry-level 1440p gaming capability.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G - $99.99

GPU: GTX 1050 Ti - $169.99

RAM: 8GB DDR4 - $79.99

Storage: 1TB HDD - $54.99

Total Build Price: $499.96

The cheapest gaming PC that we'll be looking at is the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G build. This machine is based on AMD's new Raven Ridge architecture, which combines a quad-core CPU and Radeon Vega 8 Graphics in a single package.

This particular build will come in at under $500, with the main cost being the graphics card. The Ryzen 3 2200G has a base clock of 3.5GHz and is overclockable to around 4GHz when using the stock cooler, which is more than enough for 1080p gaming in modern titles.

The other cost to consider with this build is the motherboard. While you could go cheaper by opting for a B350 motherboard, the X470 chipset offers better overclocking potential. If you do want to overclock the CPU, then we recommend spending a bit more on the motherboard.

For storage, we've opted for a 1TB HDD. While an SSD would be preferable, it's not necessary at this price point. You could also go for a smaller 120GB SSD and use the extra money to upgrade the graphics card.

If you're looking for a gaming PC that will give you a bit more of a performance boost, then we recommend upgrading to the GTX 1060 3GB. This card will set you back an extra $80, but it will offer a significant increase in performance at 1440p.

The biggest drawback with this build is the storage, with just 1TB of HDD space available you will quickly run out of room. If you do want to increase your storage capacity then we recommend purchasing a 120GB SSD as well - you can find one here.

Price: $899 - $1299

This price range will get you a gaming PC that can handle most modern games at 1080p/60fps, with some games playable at 1440p.

CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 - $189.99

GPU: GTX 1070 - $379.99

RAM: 16GB DDR4 - $159.99

Storage: 1TB HDD + 120GB SSD - $104.98

Total Build Price: $988.96

The Intel Core i5-8400 is set to be one of the most popular CPUs in this price range, with its 6 cores and high clock speed it's a great CPU for gaming machines. It features an all-core boost clock of 4GHz, which should be more than enough for most gamers.

For graphics, we've opted for the GTX 1070. This card offers great performance at 1080p and can even handle some games at 1440p on high settings. It's also great for VR gaming.

The other cost to consider is the motherboard. The Z370 chipset is overkill for this build, but it will allow you to upgrade to a high-end CPU if you want to in the future. We recommend going with at least 8GB of RAM, as most games are starting to push beyond that now.

For storage, we've opted for a combination of an SSD and HDD. The Intel 760p allows for blazing-fast storage speeds, while the 1TB HDD offers bulk storage.

If you're looking to save some money on this build then we recommend going with an AMD Ryzen 5 2400X CPU instead of the i5-8400. This will set you back $209.99 and offer great performance for 1080p gaming.

The biggest drawback with this build is the graphics card. For those that are looking for a 1440p gaming PC then we would recommend upgrading to the GTX 1070 Ti, as it will be around $100 cheaper than this GPU and offer comparable performance (and higher performance in VR).

Price: $1299 - $1999

This price range will get you a high-end gaming PC that can handle most games at 1440p/60fps, with some games playable at 4k on high settings.

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 - $299.99

GPU: RTX 2080 Ti - $1,199.99

RAM: 16GB DDR4 - $159.99

Storage: 1TB HDD + 150GB SSD - $104.98

Total Build Price: $2,069.97

The Intel Core i7-8700 is set to be one of the most popular CPUs in this price range, with its 6 cores and high clock speed it's a great CPU for gaming machines. It features an all-core boost clock of 4.6GHz, which should be more than enough for most gamers.

For graphics, we've opted for the RTX 2080 Ti. This card offers great performance at 1440p and can even handle some games at 4k on high settings (although you will need to turn down shadows). This is by far the most powerful card on the market and is perfect for those looking to future-proof their machine.

The other cost to consider is the motherboard. The Z370 chipset is overkill for this build, but it will allow you to upgrade to a high-end CPU if you want to in the future. We recommend going with at least 16GB of RAM, as most games are starting to push beyond that now.

For storage, we've opted for a combination of an SSD and HDD. The Intel 760p allows for blazing-fast storage speeds, while the 1TB HDD offers bulk storage. If you're looking to save some money on this build then we recommend going with a GTX 1080 Ti instead of the RTX 2080 Ti, as it will be around $500 cheaper.

The biggest drawback with this build is the price. It's by far the most expensive build on this list, but if you have the money to spend then it's worth it.

We hope you've found this guide useful. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.